Northern Front

Canadian Second World War wargaming

Put Canada's war on the table, and get the history right.

Northern Front is a Canadian hobby site about the Second World War for tabletop gamers. We cover where the Canadian Army fought, how to build a Canadian force from the kits you can actually buy, how to paint the markings, and scenario ideas drawn from real actions. Every history page lists its sources.

Start with the history Build a Canadian force

Where Canadians fought, 1941-45

  1. Hong Kong, December 1941
  2. Dieppe, 19 August 1942
  3. Sicily and Italy, July 1943 to February 1945
  4. Normandy, June to August 1944
  5. The Scheldt and the Netherlands, 1944-45

Read first

All history pages →

The Canadian Army, theatre by theatre

Hong Kong to the Netherlands, with the formations, dates and figures from Veterans Affairs Canada and the Canadian War Museum.

Building a Canadian force from Commonwealth kits

Canadians used British-pattern kit, so most of a Canadian force comes from British and Commonwealth boxes. Here's what fits and what doesn't.

Painting Canadian markings

Formation signs, divisional colours and the greener Canadian battledress, with the reference sources.

Scenario ideas

Play the battles Canadians fought

Street fighting at Ortona, Kangaroos at night in Operation Totalize, a hold at St-Lambert-sur-Dives, the polders of the Scheldt. We describe the history and the table, and leave the rules to your rulebook.

Scenario ideas

November

Remembrance

A short, ad-free page on Remembrance Day, Alberta units in the Second World War, and how to look up a family member's service record.

Read the Remembrance page →

From the Warlord Minis shelf

Kits that suit a Canadian force and are in the Warlord Minis store right now. Northern Front is run by Warlord Minis (details).

Kangaroo APC (Priest) kit (Warlord Minis store photo)Kangaroo APC (Priest)The Canadian-devised APC, first used in Operation Totalize.View at Warlord Minis →Universal Carrier kit (Warlord Minis store photo)Universal CarrierEvery Canadian infantry battalion's workhorse.View at Warlord Minis →M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight kit (Warlord Minis store photo)M4A3E8 Sherman Easy EightIncludes Canadian decals for Korea-era tanks.View at Warlord Minis →Commonwealth Strike Force - British & Commonwealth Army Deal kit (Warlord Minis store photo)Commonwealth Strike Force - British & Commonwealth Army DealCommandos, Kangaroo, Valentine, carrier and support.View at Warlord Minis →