PONTOON BRIDGING EQUIPMENT.

 PONTOON BRIDGING EQUIPMENT FOR THE WOODSCREW MINIATURE ARMY.

Regular readers will recall I mentioned a while ago that I had decided to investigate the provision of pontoon bridging equipment for my armies. This was provoked by Ion of Archduke Piccolo blog when he wargamed a campaign from my Imagi-Nations series early last year. One of his background questions was whether my armies had a bridge building capability. I replied in the negative but the thought stayed with me that maybe such a capability should be provided.

Ever since I have been looking, without success, for some everyday object that could be adapted for use as a pontoon boat. I did find a model in a manufacturers range but really did not like it that much. Recently I posted asking if readers had any ideas. Steve Johnson suggested I consider 3D models and Ian Dury suggested I look at ebay where a number of 3D printers were offering model railway accessories including model rowing boats. This was something I had not considered.

A quick look revealed a manufacturer supplying rowing boats in N gauge which seemed suitable. I made contact with the supplier and got the measurements of their boats which seemed perfect. I decided to order a pack of 6 boats just to be sure. While looking at the various other products available from this business I also found OO scale pallets, in packs of 30,  which looked like perfect "chesses" for the bridge decks so I ordered a pack of them too.  My original idea was to just use bits of cut up toothpick to represent the "chesses".  

(Chesses are the name used for the bridge deck timbers, apparently from the old French words chasse meaning frame and chassis meaning framework.)  

These items arrived just before Christmas and have proved to be top quality and ideal for my needs. 

Four boats and ten pallets provide a perfect 65 mm long, scale 32 foot bridge as shown below.

I quickly designed a new flat bed wagon and flat bed heavy trailer to transport both boats and "chesses". My idea is that each of my 16 Pioneer battalions will be provided with a bridging platoon comprising a wagon and trailer carrying four pontoons and another wagon and trailer carrying  ten "chesses". The four Pioneer battalions in each army would therefore have the collective ability to build a bridge some 250 mm long which is about scale 125 feet or around 40 meters.  Manpower to build the bridges would be provided by the existing Pioneer battalion soldiers. I prefer this arrangement rather than the alternative of creating dedicated bridging columns.

Below are photos of the new wagons, unpainted and without horses so far, showing the pontoons and "chesses". Just for clarification, the boats and "chesses" will be glued to the wagons and the illustration at the beginning of this article of a completed bridge was only a "proof of concept".

Close ups of the two specific loads are below. I found that two boats fitted on each vehicle and looked better too. I decided I prefer the look of having the boats the right way up however I understand from Ian Dury that most armies carried them upside down. Any views ?????

Each "chess" vehicle carries 5 "chesses". To make it look more interesting the top pallet is turned over.

It has crossed my mind to revise the arrangements to have a wagon with boats towing a trailer with "chesses".....any thought on whether this would look better ????

I am very pleased with these new models and hope readers will agree this new equipment looks good.  Many thanks to Ian Dury and Steve Johnson for pointing me in the right direction.

I have just placed an order for another 58 boats and 130 pallets with the supplier who is Cliff at "3D pluss" on ebay. Cliff makes a fascinating and very wide variety of model railway accessories in OO and N gauge, many of which, in my opinion, could have military modelling applications and he has proven to be prompt and cooperative in responding to my enquiries.

I will post photos of fully painted up vehicles as soon as possible.

Organisation of Pioneer Battalions.

The Pioneer battalion comprises of 5 Pioneer companies and a Headquarters company.

The Pioneer company consists of 3 platoons each of 12 Pioneers led by a Lieutenant assisted by a Sergeant. The 3 platoons in a company are commanded by a Captain supported by a company Sergeant Major. The strength of a company is 44.

The Headquarters company comprises a Staff platoon of 6 privates and a Sergeant, a Medical platoon of 12 medics, two medic Sergeants, a surgeon Lieutenant with a surgeon Captain in command. The Quartermaster platoon has 14 privates, 2 Sergeants with a Lieutenant in command. The Signals platoon has 10 signallers with a Sergeant and Lieutenant in command. The command platoon has a Lieutenant Colonel as battalion commander with a Major as Adjutant and second in command , a battalion Sergeant Major and two standard bearers, one with the national flag and one with the battalion flag. The total strength of the headquarters company is  57 giving a total battalion strength of  277.

The vehicles and equipment of the battalion comprise 7 GS wagons, 3 light GS trailers, a field kitchen, a water tank trailer, a medical trailer and a signals trailer. Three of the GS wagons with light GS trailers are loaded with a wide range of tools, demolition materials and salvage storage bags. These materials reflect the various roles of the Pioneers which include construction, demolition and battlefield salvage and clearance although the Pioneers also have a substantial combat capability and are routinely assigned the role of Brigade reserve hence the provision of Medical staff to Infantry standards.

The above photo shows the Pioneer companies on the left with the Command company on the right in front of the battalion vehicles. My armies have 12 Pioneer battalions and the arm of service colour is sand yellow.