6 Day Para Challenge- Madness?

A local at the club has been pushing doing a big game of FOW to represent the Market Garden campaign in September of 1944. It was (at that point) the most adventurous airborne operation, a mission which had a vital time schedule and what turned out to be unrealistic goals.

The main allies were the British Paras which landed and held the bridge at Arnhem (that was the one which was too far), the 101st Airborne which was tasked with capturing the bridges at Eindhoven, the 82nd Airborne which captured Nijmegen, and finally 30 Corps, which was rolling up the road captured by the Airborne troops.

So, we had many, many emails between Jason, Simon (the organiser) and myself only to realise that no one had US Paras or Fallschrimjager. Plenty of people had parachute armies at home, unpainted, sitting crying in the dark but none painted. So, in the spirit of the success of the Snow Challenge Jason challenged me to get 1200 points worth of Paratroopers painted.

So, the rules?

1200Pts of Paras painted by next Thursday.
No tracks
No pre painted models

DNC = you buy the winner a jug

Obviously a vicious penalty for failure!

My list will probably be something like this...

HQ- 1 Bazooka
Parachute Platoon- Full Strength, SMG Command
Parachute Platoon- Full Strength, SMG Command
Parachute Mortar Platoon- Full Strength
Airborne Recon Platoon- 2 Sections

So, all up? Alot of Fearless Veteran infantry! I am undecided whether to go mortars or 75mm guns, I like the mortars ability to be ranged in by command teams, but the 75mms are AT 3 on top armour, enough to scare some tanks. Both have smoke, so there is that!

Right, no pics for now, the first platoon plus HQ is currently being undercoated, will post some pics tonight!

CP