While I’m lying here at 4am on massive doses of Fentanyl I thought I’d post up a few wip pics of various projects, points and cucumber sarnies for identifying the kits involved . . .
cheers
Q
Wips From the Hospital
Category General
Minor Complications
Just a quick note to all who may be checking in, posting which had recently resumed will unfortunately have to suffer a few delays. I had a heart attack on Monday and are currently stuck in hospital awaiting bypass surgery. I’ll check in as possible but no new tank posts until I get through the operation and return home . . .
cheers
Brent
Jagdpanther II – Project ’46
What’s this? an actual finished project? Yup, started on this Blog about 12years ago, and jeez that’s quite the damming inditement on how often I finish our own stuff. Apparently I move slower than the NZ government, who knew? Anyway, it was the second thing I completed when I restarted modelling, so here it is.
Project Recap
The original project was to update the Jagdpanther design (which to be fair, was pretty good as standard) but to make it look a little more “46” without any major surgery. The original plan was to add steel wheels and IR gear and pretty much leave it at that. When I picked up the project again a few years back I decided to update the main gun to a 10.5cm KwK L/68 and add some crew.
It all started originally using the Tamiya Late Jagdpanther as a Base with steel wheels and tracks from a donor Tamiya Sturmtiger. The wheels and the tracks were pretty easy to add to the Jagdpanther and I really like how the final look turned out. As a few older followers might know I have this weird obsession with how German tracks should “sag” and these turned out with a perfect catenary sag, a credit to Tamiya.
Painting
I used a pretty standard start to the painting by applying a primer/base coat with the ubiquitous Tamiya rattlecan, TS-3 Desert Yellow. Not much to see here but it ties all the assembly together nicely.
Camouflage
The tricky decision in this scale for me at least was always going to be the camouflage. I always have a worry that after getting the assembly right picking the wrong camo would stuff it all up, and at this size it’s a lot more plastic down the dunny.
I had an old, (really old – nearly as old as me) Tamiya Jagdpanther in a drawer somewhere that I’d made back when I was in High School. It was one of their early kits that still had the fittings for motorisation on the hull, rubber tracks etc . . . good times. As it turned out it would be perfect to test camo patterns on.
The first pattern tried was the one applied to the Jagdpanzer IV in my earlier post, and actually also served as a test for that model. The second was an attempt to jazz up a winter whitewash scheme that I’d been using on my 1/72nd German Project ’46 stuff. Good enough to try I thought and would tie it in theme to the smaller vehicles.
Whitewash
Again using the same process I use on the small-scale vehicles I’ve applied whitewash to, this would be the real base colour of the vehicle. Using very thinned white (all paints are GW acyrlics unless otherwise indicated) I pretty much just drag it in lines aiming for a rough patchy finish and trying to leave some of the base yellow showing. I also blocked in the tracks at this time.
Weathering
A bit more involved (and lacking step-by-step pics), is the weathering. Essentially similar in process to the Jagdpanzer IV below and basically similar to all my models, it’s edge highlighting, panel lining, chipping and shadow blending with a bit more streaking on this to give it a bit more of a worn look.
The base camo, just a grey splinter pattern, was laid in after the whitewash and base streaking. It’ll get weathered in to tie it all together later.
Infra-Red Optics
The IR gear was made up next with suitable mountings for both the drivers position and the fighting compartment top. The units were from the Bronco German Infrared Night-Vision Devices kit AB3577 with a bit of wire n plasticard “gizmology”.
Crew
I had a bunch of resin crew in the stash so they were dug out, assembled and base coated before picking a couple of “volunteers” from the line-up. The 2 selected were from TANK, T-35098 1/35 German Stug Crew. To be perfectly honest they look kinda like a couple of “hard men”, if not downright untrustworthy individuals. Perfect for my Project ’46 theme.
Final Weathering and Decals
With it all coming together now it got a good dose of final weathering, from my special pot ™. Unfunny jokes aside, the tracks got a mix of Mig pigments thinned with turpintine and the hull various thinned pigment shades flicked on in layers, hopefully simulating a bit of thrown up and dried mud. I also thought the whole thing needed a splash of colour to contrast all the white so added some classy red, yellow and black unit recognition stripes to the gun barrel.
The decals were stolen from my aircraft decals box, a mystery box of 30yr old brittle and yellowing waterslide magic. I think they were a mix of FW190 and Dornier17. All I know is some were so shit that I had to modify my plan as they broke up in the water.
Finis
Sorry this whole post has been so long, but we really have managed to make it to the end. It only took me 12years to complete this project, so it does deserve a few money shots just to finish it up.
Enjoy
Cheers
Brent
Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)
About 2 years ago I decided to return to modelling after a bit of a mental health break. To ease back into it and after much good advice from my brother (my main gaming and modelling partner), I decided to start working on things that had no pressure. This meant no time pressure from commissions, no quantity pressure and limited quality expectations, and by that I mean things wouldn’t have to be dripping in rivet accuracy, I really needed just some build, glue and enjoy time.
Luckily I had a bunch of older/second hand junker 1/35th kits sitting around which would be both a cheaper start and easier for my dimming eyesight …..
Enter the old 1/35th Revell Jagdpanzer IV (I believe its an even older Dragon rebox) which I got secondhand with some parts already assembled. Much earlier I had mostly finished up the assembly but it was sitting around as I had no idea (or intention in all honesty) of doing anything further with it. So as a return/test project it seemed ideal, only needing a little tarting up before being used as a brush painting testbed. As some might know I brush paint everything as a compressor is out of my pay grade, so before getting too enthused in the larger scale stuff, I needed to know if my style of brush painted camouflage and weathering would transfer to 1/35th scale.
So what was the process?
I made a few simple changes, first swapping the L/48 main gun for the spare L/70 supplied in the kit which is for a later kit version. Ideally the front glacis plate should also have been changed to match the later versions gun. I did try to pry it off to replace it but the glue was too stronk and bad things started happening. I faked the steel wheels normally fitted to the front 2 roadwheel positions to offset the added weight of the L/70 mounting, by adding some cardboard disks, good enough for government work. I scrounged up a periscope from the spares box for the commander’s hatch and hacked at some of the track guards as I like to do. That was about it, ready for painting.
Painting and Finishing
As is normal now, I primed/basecoated it with a Tamiya rattlecan. I’ve found this stuff is a pretty strong primer and I prefer to get close to the desired colour as it just makes it easier for my process, don’t think I’d ever prime in black for example. I then brush painted the base German dunklegelb using GW acrylics and did some panel lightening by progressively adding some paler bone colour to the yellow base. Ok technically it’s “zenithal” highlighting but I hate these new-fangled modelling hipster terms . . . I tend to over-lighten the base colour always though as weathering always darkens things. I painted the tracks and rubber on the roadwheels as well at this stage. I have a couple of old “hooked” brushes which make it easier to get in between the wheels and get into the tracks properly. They can always be touched up later anyway.
Onto the camo. Pretty simple, select the pattern and apply in stages. I stipple first with the chosen shade (see the green in the pics) which has about, roughly, 50% of the base yellow added. This gives a nice blended base – faking some tricky airbrushing work right there. Then I add more green over that initial blend, sometimes using a different green depending on the look, till it gets dense enough. I did the next colour (the red/brown) in the same way before giving the finished paint a light drybrush of the base yellow. This ties the camo colours into each other and the base.
Finishing up involves edge highlighting, panel lining, chipping and shadow blending. Edge highlighting is just a very light edge drybrush with a very pale yellow, really to give a base for edge chipping but it also adds some old school drybrushing definition. Panel lining uses black or brown and is built up in layers Don’t start with very dark shades. In general and for all the steps, it’s easier to add but very hard to remove things if overdone. Chipping is small dots and scrapes using a blue/grey mixed custom colour, although really any darkish grey could be used. It isn’t all meant to represent “chipped paint” but also dirt and general crud. I use some of my finest brushes here working to keep it random and semi-logical. Finally, I blend around things, post shading is what the cool kids call this I believe. For this I used both a thinned acrylic red/brown and oils, the oils being very, very forgiving to use.
And there it is. I was happy enough with the result to figure I could box-on and brush paint the bigger scaled stuff, and so went off to finish some more things, more of those later. But, is it finished. Nah, the sharp eyed will see a lack of track mud and dust, no decals etc. But I will get around to those, at some stage, maybe …..
cheers – Q
A Bit of a Return …… Hopefully
Not going into too much as people looking at modelling pics don’t need to have their ears worn down but I’m going to try and revive the blog and post up some new stuff (and probably a few oldies as well). TLDR is there’s been a host of life changing things that have affected both myself and my family since my last regular update many years ago. I couldn’t face modelling or many other things to boot. Restarting modelling (in a way that’s mentally healthy) and the Blog are a way of resetting and reinvigorating a lot of things.
So first up are a few projects, not quite finished yet and in the unusual for me scale of 1/35th. When I originally started modelling (shhh … over 50yrs ago), it began with OO/HO Airfix tanks and soldiers,1/72 aircraft and when I got a little more serious it was looking at the Francois Verlinden model pictures in the Tamiya Model Catalogues that made me try 1/35th AFV kits. I didn’t make very many but have always wanted to go back and try them with some of the skills learnt on our smaller scale wargaming stuff.
So a few quick pictures to start with, probably followed with proper project style posts when they are finished.
And in no Particular order these are;
Tamiya – Sd.Kfz 7/1 2cm Flakvierling
Meng – A39 Tortoise
Dragon – Mid production Tiger 1
Dragon -8.8cm Flak auf PzIVH
Project ’46 – Sd.Kfz 350/3 FSV Dragon Hummel/Kugelblitz conversion
Project ’46 conversion Sd.Kfz334/6 APC Dragon Sd.Kfz 243/2 Puma conversion
Hope you enjoy
cheers
Brent
Commissions ……. and Cancer 2
Update …..
A bit of an update from the last month. Leias had a difficult time with the initial treatment going pretty well but only having 2 days at home before developing both pneumonia and a very serious lung infection which required being isolated in ICU for a week. Partially recovered she had another trip up to Starship for more Lumbar Chemo and Bone Marrow tests. And upon returning shes fighting another infection in her good lung. As can be imagined she is very tired and weakened but fighting to improve.
Through all of this Leia has been a real trooper, remaining very positive and coping in a way well beyond her year and we are all very very proud of her !!!!
Finally a shout out to the Hastings Childrens Ward staff, Starship Childrens Hospital staff and Ambulance and Air Ambulance staff and finally CCF and Canteen who have been so helpful and supportive towards Leia – we are and continue to be very grateful.
Brent and Family (mum Cherrie, Jarrod, Chani and cats Ozzy, Zazz and Leias new kitten Midge)
Leias Cancer beads of Courage …. she gets one per procedure or special event.
Leia in ICU …… Doc Dad and Nurse Chani plus The Hair Must Go
Air Ambulance Transfers …. with Air medic Kelvin and Pilot Sam
Starship Childrens Hospital ….. View plus Leias Gift Quilt from the Childrens Cancer Foundation (CCF) and her Angry Kat Pillow 🙂
A Final Word from Kermit
… snapped at Auckland Zoo during a day out before starting chemotherapy for the first time
Packaging AFV models for Shipping
Packaging fun ….
So while shipping off several large commission vehicle groups recently I thought it might be interesting and/or useful to show how I go about packaging up my vehicles for shipping.
Anyone purchasing a made up or completed kit has two things they should consider, firstly they have a right to expect their purchase to arrive well packaged, safe and undamaged, secondly what they’ve purchased is a fragile item and incredibly difficult to package to achieve the first requirement.
For the sender the issues include how to physically pack the item safely but also the realisation that they have absolutely no control over the handling during the delivery process, and this is the major point for all to accept, both customer and sender have zero control over how the item is handled during shipping.
While most parts of the mailing/postal process is designed for reasonable care and most individuals involved are very helpful and as careful as time allows, we’ve all seen Utube vidoes of parcels being tossed about like footballs in the rain. Also while applying “this way up” and “fragile” labels might give some peace of mind there is no requirement in the industry to follow such labels, as stacking density is the primary goal of shipment.
So for myself I package my vehicles based on the assumptions that the package will be knocked, dropped and shipped upside down. Another side issue many purchasers might not realise is the time and process involved in packing up, with a large order regularly taking 3 or more hours to completely pack and this time and materials often aren’t charged for as part of the job. All of this is done to the best of my ability but even then the shipping part of a commission is usually the part with the most worry involved as the full combined time, effort and value of the project is now passed on and transits completely out of your control.
Basic process
Wrapping
The vehicle is protected with foam where small projections such as MGs require it and wrapped with layers of tissue. Sometimes items such as turrets are removed are packaged separately.
Sub package
The wrapped vehicles are secured to a foam-core base and fixed down with double sided tape. At this stage the wrapped vehicles can be tipped and shaken and still remain fixed in their wrapping and to the base.
Box fill
Although secured to the base the vehicles are covered with foam beads (bean bag fill). Vertical foam-core risers create compartments and provide protection against top crushing. The compartments and beads work to prevent the vehicles from coming loose if the package is shipped upside down.
Boxing
Most packages receive a top layer of foam-core and sometimes either interior side or external side cladding is also added to provide extra stiffness if the main box requires it. The box is completely taped to waterproof it and printed labels attached and sealed under tape.
Q
28mm Vehicle Packaging
Land Raider Packaging
20mm Vehicle Packaging
Cat Help ….. not !
Updated …. Modern Transport Box.
Not permanent transport case as it was just for a one-off transport to a convention. The foam-core insert comes out and the vehicles sit into recesses that stop them sliding around. With better sides and top the base would work to transport vehicles around as long as they aren’t tipped up over about 30o.
Commissions ……. and Cancer
Two C words …..
It is with some regret that I have to announce that after I finish the current few commissions I won’t be taking on any more for the foreseeable future. I will be maintaining the blog and still modelling but due to a bunch of reasons, some me and some out of my control, I am unable to concentrate enough to finish commission work in the timely and professional manner they deserve.
Why? Well for many years I have had a series of health issues including the ups and downs of dealing with depression. Last year I got a very serious infection and this took most of the year to control and get on top of. As I’ve dealt with my own issues commissions have been delayed, far more than they should have and this is unacceptable going forward, mentally for me but more importantly for my long suffering customers, many of whom are friends. More relevant and serious than my minor problems however is the recent diagnosis of my 12 year old daughter Leia with Cancer. She has been ill for some time and it has taken the better part of 5 months to get the health department here in NZ to take it seriously enough and get specialists involved, fortunately (hopefully not too late) things have moved very fast ever since.
I don’t wax on about personal life much (if at all) here on the blog or in any public forum but I feel Leia deserves to know how much we love and support her – she’s been a real trooper and dealt with the situation and possible outcomes in a much better way than I have or would. So my decision, a difficult one in some ways would you believe, is to be there to give her (and with the rest of the tribe) the extra time and support she deserves ….. Lele this is for you babe 🙂
Q – Brent
Off to Starship Childrens Hospital …. look out staff !!!!
Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion wip15 and Navy Combat Divers
A little more …
Small steps closer to finishing. Base weathering started and crews greenstuffed and base painted.
And a bit of fun. As a change from basic black I decided to paint the Empress Navy Divers up as French Commandos from Operation Pork Pie. So officially they are French Commandos, disguised as Navy Seals, disguised as retro French Oceanographers, and all to try and fool the NZ Police Force (which they failed at by the way). Now I need a few 28mm Zodiacs ….
My Love Hate relationship with “Modelling” forums ….
Yeah, yeah …. I know, first world problems …
Grrrr just a rant that’s been building for some time so feel free to ignore and look at the nice pictures. My New Years resolution was also not to suffer fools by staying silent when someone’s trolling an audience by sounding all experty n stuff because if no one speaks their view the rubbish being put forward becomes internet and RL fact. By the way I will ramble to so if you read on prepare to be obfuscated and confused.
Forums. Firstly I know you have no control over them and sometimes as little control over your own responses in them when irritated. And forums have a cycle of topics and posters, stay around in your favourite ones long enough and you’ll see things get loved and bashed and then loved again. I have three or four forums I frequent, that to be fair to them I do know cater 99% to modellers or shelf kit builders as I term them. So I shouldn’t get my back up when Wargamers get tarred for crap kits, the rise of 1946 over genuine subjects and the Reichstag Fire. I also go through periods where I lurk, don’t post or comment and my personal reason for this is pretty much that I often don’t feel I have much to contribute or to drive either technical discussions or the forums forward. I don’t do months of deep or primary research, I don’t correct an 18 bolt wheel to a 16 bolt one, I don’t correct a 52o slope to the correct 56o one and I don’t do dioramas.
So why do you to them go I can hear you screaming now. A couple of reasons. Firstly the forums I’ve stuck with are generally the ones I started posting on when I first ventured out into the modelling interweb and so feel they deserve a bit of support, even if it’s only through traffic. And I do annoy the regulars occasionally by posting my gaming tat if I think it’s good enough. Actually I feel for all the work in detailing I can generally produce something with my paint that more often than not gives an equal or sometimes more favourable overall impression of the subject than having the correct tool box locks on a build will.
Secondly there are some great and generous people to that I’ve met through forums, in fact the majority try to get along or are at least reasonable when voicing opinions and “assistance”. This can make forums a fun and worthwhile experience.
Lastly I do really enjoy seeing the detail builds, technical discussions and superb ideas and paintwork. I learn from them and despite what “real” modellers” think, do try to incorporate as much improvement in my work as practical, given the budget, end use and probably most significant – the time constraints. The consensus term is rivet counters for the detail obsessed but that isn’t fair or accurate. Sometimes a person has a singular in depth knowledge of a particular subject, that’s fantastic but I don’t have the time or reference material to specialise in that way, nor to be honest the inclination. My interests are way too varied but I can learn and take what I can from their far better knowledge or experience. I’ve also seen detailers (how’s that for a PC and Friendly SJW term) getting an uncalled for bashing for their approach (without which we often wouldn’t know when things are wrong or how to improve them) and a stouch then inevitably breaks out between them and the OOB/fun building crowd, with each not able to appreciate what the other brings to the hobby.
So what’s pushed my rant button then? As I mentioned it’s been building. The last 2 years probably I’ve found the web forums a far less friendly and generally more polarised place than previously. People are tense and ready to diss others views at the drop of a pin, don’t know whether it’s more life pressures recently or people getting older and crotchier but “go time” is set to “on” and just waiting for a manufacturers release to set two sides up for a handbag throwing debate. And this in a time where there’s so many new kits and of niche subjects that I really can’t understand how manufacturers are making money on some releases but I do know we should be at least partly grateful for the bounty.
Anyway my back is getting bent firstly by the “hate and don’t understand” 1946 modelling crowd. Ok also some 1946 supporters too, both sides seems to bring out a red rag instead of an “oh that’s nice” or an ignore. Bring up a new 46 release and those who hate it just can’t help themselves and stay out of the thread. Likewise get Panzer 46 and Fantasy 46 mixed up and you’re likely to become banished to glueless modelling limbo, shunned by both real prototype and real 46 modellers. Ignore if you don’t like the subject, comment if you do. Geeze such a simple formula you’d think, just like all baby food. I did think about waging a crusade of hate against Tankettes. I mean they’re like 46 models right? They don’t really make any sense in the real world? Or Thornycroft pre ’39 Lorries. What’s modelling those about then, why release a kit of that when another perfectly serviceable kit of a Tiger or Panther could be made – good point right? Bollocks it is. For me anyone that’s likes a subject should just have fun and/or get some enjoyment and satisfaction out of it. I can appreciate well built Tankettes or lorries, even if they aren’t my subject of choice. But do you think they could ignore ’46 stuff … it would appear not.
Then there’s the “Real” and “Serious” modellers versus Wargaming Children. Yup, this has been trotted out several times over the last year and it just won’t die. It seems that Wargamers are to blame for the rise of tatty quick build kits and any shortcomings a company likes to push is because it must be aimed at the Wargaming crowd. Hmmmm ….. No. But let me work this one over a bit. There are companies that cater mostly if not entirely to Wargamers. Great, I buy occasionally from them if the subject is good enough or unique. They don’t hide who their market is, nor do they try to appeal overly to shelf builders, except maybe again if the unique category gets ticked. But to compare their stuff to, and then get ticked off when it isn’t up to shelf building standard, is like me complaining about a rugby ball having two pointed ends when I only play soccer. WTF?
The fall of Dragon is one of my … not beefs, but definite disappointments and is related. Going from genuine “Armour Pro” releases to simplified mouldings, one piece track and wheel assemblies is definitely a direction I don’t like. But as an aside to that, a recent “discussion” from “Real” modellers asserted that that approach was ok as long as the base vehicle shape was good. Real modellers were always going to replace the tracks anyway and apparently always correct everything, so to expect a kit to be detailed and serviceable out of the box was a bit to much to be asking. This was their argued viewpoint, seems oddly opposite to what you’d think their view would be right?. Also said view was snidely backed up in several subsequent threads whenever the opportunity presented itself too. Funny men. Now however a Wargaming Kit producer has released a quick build that must be a subject that was badly wanted in kit form due to the spotlight threads it has received. Admittedly I think the company took a few accuracy liberties. Ok they were lazy and didn’t bother to get some of general shapes or details right. And apparently expert help has been offered before and cheerfully ignored as a matter of course. So who cares right. Well apparently “real” modellers. Because the gaming kit company was lazy it’s the fault of Wargamers that their product isn’t up to snuff. Because we don’t give a toss what things look like. A truck that has a cross on it is good enough to be a German one to all Wargamers – apparently. Well not apparently, they were stated “facts” about Wargamers as well as them being like children. It’s Wargamers fault that kit release standards are slipping, Just so you know.
All this would be just wind and pee but the number of Wargamers that build kitsets in “20mm” 1/76th, OO/HO or 1/72nd isn’t that great. They exist sure and I know some avid 20mm gamers and collectors, but are they enough to make shelf kit manufacturers decline their quality and production standards? Are they battering down the doors of kit manufacturers, organising petitions and causing market paradigm shifts demanding pre-builds, die-casts and any kit – just get it out quick sharp? This with their mega dollars of hobby kitset expenditure …. ?
Um. Only in unicorn land I’m afraid ….
So will I continue to forum? Yeah sure. For the positive reasons I stated above, and yeah, there were some, go back and read it again 🙂 What I’m making a conscious effort to do though is to call BS and not back off, why should I when others won’t. And I’m not posting my Project ’46 stuff (or Wargaming dross) up on one forum in particular, maybe a few others too. I can’t be bothered ignoring the back handed snickering for one thing. Plus when I started my own Project ’46 about 10 or 11 years back it was to have an interest that “detailers” (see there’s that neat SJW term for them again) or shelf builders couldn’t call out as being inaccurate. It was stressless imaginerring for me and until recently many others seemed to appreciate it for what it was. But now as WOT has popularised “Paper Panzers” and “What if” 46 stuff it seems that we get a little more release anger spinoff each time a manufacturer wastes their time making 46 junk no one wants or understands when what they should really be doing is making Tankettes or Lorries ……
Rant over, resuming model building and enjoyment mode ……
Q
ps If this doesn’t make any sense, it’s not my fault. Well it is, I’m blaming my lack of focus and education however and I did warn you I’d ramble 🙂
Xmas and New Years Wishes – plus bonus E75 and T90 wip pics :)
Xmas and New Years Wishes ….
Firstly Xmas and New Years Wishes to both regular visitors and those who occasionally drop in or stumble in here by accident! I’d like to especially thank those who took the time to comment, I know it’s not easy to do so when browsing blogs and time is short but I do really appreciate it. Have fun over the next couple of weeks and equally importantly – stay safe, wherever you are located and especially if you are in harms way somewhere.
And yeah, same I guess to the ones I can’t shake off (family, friends close enough to insult me, pets and the Spawn of Flick (my kids) etc etc ).
It’s kinda fitting that the couple of pics posted are both Project ’46, which is a real passion that unfortunately I didn’t devote enough time to this year and 28mm Combined Arms Moderns, which has taken us in a new direction and at speed. The E-75 has had a few more details blue-tacked on and I crayoned some tac numbers onto the T90, both as a little xmas pressie to myself today.
Both of these projects should get a decent push next year along with some overdue customer stuff that my health very regrettably delayed for far too long and not to forget hopefully a few new/interesting projects thrown in also. So looking ahead 2017 should have a little something for everyone to look fwd too ……. have fun, stay safe and like and subscribe … oh wait … that’s utube ….
cheers
Brent / Q
HOQ Rule sets – Fire Team, Oscar Mike, World at War and SABOT
In-house rule sets and much more (well a little bit more) …..
Over the last few years we’ve slowly (very) been working on tidying up our various in-house rule sets. It started as a project to update them for ourselves but we also decided that if they tarted up ok we’d eventually make them all available to other gamers free (ie a donation if you feel like it). Recently while working with Empress on a Modern Battlegroup set (Oscar Mike) and totally unplanned, we snaked our way back to first principles gaming (ie no dice or tables games). The result was we ended up revising our core play combat systems. Very much for the better as it turns out as it’s really given our gaming and hobby a new impetus. Sooooo what are we working on …..?
Moderns
Fire Team and Oscar Mike. Fire Team is our own set of 8-20 man modern skirmish rules with a dose of RPG elements thrown in (that’s Role Playing Game not Rocket Propelled Grenade!). It was basically finished and had been pretty well tested but is now being re-vamped with our new combat system which greatly simplifies things but still allows for detail where it’s wanted. That and the lure of making a “Syrian-Modern” style destroyed city terrain board has generated some excitement again.
Oscar Mike is a Battlegroup sized rule set we’re working on with the Lads at Empress and is aimed at 1-2 platoons and 6-8 vehicles a side, although it scales up and down easily. As this is a collaborative set it, and any supplements, will eventually be available (hopefully middish 2017) from Empress Miniatures once play-testing is complete and assuming it’s successful too …. 🙂
WW2
World at War (working title lol) is a Platoon-Company sized WW2 game. Originally just set in Western Europe we’ve been using and tweaking our WW2 rules for over 30years of gameplay. Oddly this was our rule set we were most happy with as it always matched up to the thousands of books and combat accounts digested. However the new combat system plays so well that even this has gotten a re-write to use that as it’s core. The equipment lists are currently being expanded to cover most of the middle to late war.
Sabot is our Tank vrs Tank tabletop RPG game. Again this is getting a dose of the new combat system and a focus on making the gameplay a little easier (some features were nice but needed tech to speed up the play which is beyond our resources) and with more focus on crew development and skills progression.
We’ll probably convert Fire Team to the WW2 setting as well so allowing a man focused small WW2 skirmish game in the style of the Commando comics we loved so much.
Sci-fi Fantasy
Just pure funsies here. We grew up playing Space Opera and Traveller and have a deep love of sci-fi. Upon hitting upon our new combat system it’s opened up Sci-fi gaming for us again as being able to be both simple but with depth, so it’s all ahead with the rules. The front end is done and allows any type of sci-fi troop type you can think of to be easily created with simple and relative stats. Races that can be created include from a few base values include Hordes (Tyranid, Alien and Arachnid types) creatures, Warrior races (think Klingons, Proxims and Krogans), Alphans, Human Planetary Forces, Heinlein inspired Power-Armoured Assault Troopers (gee I wonder were the idea for “space-marines and terminators came from”) and Robots. While not laser-locked on our Radar as being urgent, it’s hard not to feel the liberating freedom of being able to game anything you’ve ever read or watched in the Genre with one base system and not requiring to buy every specific rule set or kickstarter ….
Survival Horror. Bit of a touchy one this one. It’s been on our “to game” list for almost 20years now so it’s definitely not a fad but we have had a couple of souring experiences that have pushed this back into the dark for a while. Long story short, imagine some naive kiwi lads (then part of another rules company) talking with a major gaming and miniatures company and their partnered publishing house about a rule set (none of their games or books had any “Z” related stuff in their published collections at that stage). After taking a copy of said rule set, offered in good faith of an agreed working relationship, but professing no real interest at all in that type of thing (“but we’ll see what marketing says”) it was exciting to see who ended up recently releasing a fully fledged Survival Horror game heavily using the rules concepts and systems my brother wrote most of – lesson, don’t trust big companies where profit, ideas and small developers are concerned. Tossers already had a line on procuring another manufactures “infected and survivors” miniatures we suspect, but didn’t have a rule set so were being total cynical cxxxs in pretending to have no interest. Either way producing this would be the second time we’ve re-written a Horror set but unfortunately now have most of our enthusiasm for the project sapped, so probably only the WW2 based set is ever likely to see the light of day fitted with the new combat system.
Of course we could always just batten down the hatches and dig out our WW1 Air Wargaming rules or Starship Battles sets and play with those for the next few years, such is the fickle directionless life of a tumbleweed in the wind ….. 😉
Q
Rubicon 250/1, Blitzkrieg MarderII and Perry 250/1 – DAK Project part1 finished
Rubicon SdKfz250/1, Blitzkrieg MarderII, Perry SdKfz250/1 …..
Finished the first three vehicles. Well sort of, still got the width indicators and aerials to add but embarrassingly I seem to have run out of suitable wire …..
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A Bridge Too Far – 28mm Bolt Action project wip9
Pin wash lining …
More vehicles have been pin washed/lined and now I think there’s only 3 more to go before I go back over with the depth shading. All lining was done using very thinned oils, various shade mixes of Burnt and Raw Umber, Brown Madder and Lamp Black.
The advantage of using oils are that they are a little more controllable than acrylic pin washes in that any excess or mistakes are easily mopped up with a clean brush and clean thinners. Acrylics tend to bind and dry on the surface very quickly and while achieving the same result are much less forgiving.
Being so thin the oils dry pretty quickly and the vehicles can be handled again in 15mins or so and I use Odourless spirit which gets around the strong smell associated with thinners.
Q
Extended Illness Absence
Hi all,
Just a short note to say that I’ve been absent from my blog here and forums I follow and post on for some time now as I’ve been fighting a nasty series of uro/renal infections that still haven’t completely been defeated. A couple of times we thought we’d won but it’s dug in and recurring.
The upshot is I’ve really been unable to sit at the table to model in any capacity until very recently where I’ve been able to manage a couple of hours in the last few days. Things are getting better slowly (that’s been said before lol) but as a consequence my projects, and more importantly the commissions I have here, are way behind schedule and I do apologise for that. I do have a few pics (real models and not medical humour) to post later today of a little progress but thank you all for your understanding.
Q
Military Madness – Spotlight No3
A little something to celebrate getting 100K site visits a little while back ….
Some things just can’t be rationally explained especially when the military mind is allowed full reign to express itself. The result is weird costumes, unusual camouflage and completely impractical vehicles. Just for funsies I thought I’d post a few pics from my web collection of military weirdness of the highest order ….
Enjoy
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VWW Prototype, as the marketing pamphlet says, “not just an amphibious car but a unidirectional amphibious car!” No orders were placed …..
A chronic shortage of imported silk fuelled this design from ill-fated Soviet aeronaut Sergi Stupoiovich, seen here preparing for his first, and last, test flight of the assualt manbatwing.
The 1940 German Albert Canal swim team seen here in a secret training session.
The famous ‘Wake Island TD” often thought to be a military urban legend until this recent archival photographic discovery.
Wash day during the phoney war Sitzkrieg of 1939.
2 man Northrop-Grumman 75 Gallon Droptank cycle.
Elvis ….. the man is everywhere. Nuff said.
Dave goes undercover. Superb costume partially let down by his failure to find a suitable Bear cavalry unit to blend with.
No idea. So it must be something to do with excessive schnapps consumption. Obvious really.
ICP European fun tour ’42.
The famous British stiff upper lip and disdain for danger is evident in this picture of a tank crew fortified with cucumber sandwiches, gin and pipe tobacco ….
Top secret War Dept field testing picture of the Vickers-Armstrongs “Cateye” image enlarging bifocals seen here attached to a “volunteer”.
Focke-Wulf Kradschutzenskooter parked outside a coffeehaus and being admired by envious footsloggers.
Dave undercover again, this time spotted here trying to infiltrate the temporary field HQ of OKW East during Operation Caseblue (Fall Blau).
Oddballs design for a co-axial Thompson (Pat:Pending). Limited ammunition capacity caused this promising weapon to be relegated to rear area and training units only.
The infamous “Bambookatana” one man attack boat was fuelled by 100 octane av-gas. First Lt Hiro on the other hand is seen here running on 40 proof Sake …..
Experimental Soviet VVS attack-tricycle.
Norwegian entry into the 1932 Eurotank (single man, powered) open class category competition.
A7V Funtserwagen. The plan to equip a parent “carrier” A7V with 6 of these small lightweight attack vehicles was abandoned when the vehicles were found to lack a serious trench crossing ability.
After a hearty breakfast 266 Squadron prepares for the “Boche” ….
Recent budgetary cuts to the USCG saw this entry gain favour for the potential “lightweight nominal footprint” High Speed Patrol Vessel.
A unit with a sense of priority ensures that their Bierhanger is securely fastened to the towing clevis.
Bag End invaded. France surrenders. Nuff said.
And the last word must go to Spock …….
LAH Kampfgruppe – wip3 painting Factory 3 colour, Dot and Disc camouflage
Late camouflage madness ….
Three different types of late factory camouflage were required for this project. Normally I freeform my camouflage using a variation of greens and browns over the traditional Dunkelgelb or “mustard yellow” base however for this project I decided to have a stab at “proper” late war camouflage and in particular those associated with late ’44 production Panthers.
Background
Around August ’44 Panther factories received a general instruction that all machines were to be finished in a standardised camouflage scheme prior to shipment from the factory. The various plants involved in Panther manufacture (DB, M.A.N. and M.N.H.) all produced schemes with variations based on differing interpretations of this order which also included two well known but short-lived variants, the dot (otherwise known as the “ambush comouflage” or “Hinterhalt-Tarnung”) scheme and the disc scheme. Also around this time (although officially from November ’44) all machines were to receive a base colour of Olivgrun, replacing the Dunkelgelb used since early 1943.
My sources for the camouflage I selected were based on those in the excellent Duel in the Mist volume 1 book. While many black and white pics abound on the web and it’s easy to search and find various modellers interpretations, the Duel in the Mist books (4 volumes) combine detailed and meticulous research with invaluable colour plates. I’ve included some of the plates I used here (for discussion purposes only) and highly recommend purchasing the books to anyone with an interest in the Ardennes battles.
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And so on to my attempts at late camo ……
Late Factory
Ref from Duel in the Mist (copyright here for discussion only)
Variations even existed in machines produced from the same factory. Here 2 M.A.N. Panthers, 327 and 154 of SS.Pz.Rgt12 knocked out near Krinkelt-Rocherath, show similar but subtly different applications of the scheme.
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Dot Camouflage (Ambush or Hinterhalt)
A variation of the “std” factory Panther camouflage was produced by Daimler-Benz and consisted of dots of contrasting paint within the broader disruptive patterns of Olivegrun, Dunkelgelb and Rotbraun. It is a shortlived pattern however it can be seen on other armoured vehicles, most famously TigerBs.
Ref from Duel in the Mist (copyright here for discussion only)
Famous pic of an IR test Panther in Dot camouflage (source Panzer Tracts 5-3, here for discussion only)
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Disc Camouflage
And finally the disc camouflage which is a variation used by M.A.N. at the same time as DB used the Dot scheme. It is produced by a stencil overlay which uses approx. 6 different sized discs with the interlocking sections cut out. The pattern is then lain over the standard factory scheme and a lighter contrasting colour (probably dunkelgelb) is then sprayed or applied with a roller.
As you can imagine trying to replicate this while brush painting had some challenges!! I tried several methods including stamping and when that didn’t work, painting the cut out sections. Both looked naff so I resorted to brush painting the discs and then joining up the outer pattern. Surprisingly it was relatively easy, and pretty tedious!
Ref from Duel in the Mist (copyright here for discussion only)
Panther 131 of Oscha. Thoma knocked out by air attack near Cheneux. Notice the clearly visable disc pattern. (source Axis History Forums, here for discussion only)
Comet and Firefly – Milicast 20mm
!/76th brit tankie goodness from Milicast …
A couple of oldies from my unfinished pile . . . . that might actually get finished soon!!! A34 Comet and Sherman IC Firefly. Usual great casting from Milicast, but the are resin and there’s some cleanup required plus I had to repair a bit of casting damage to the bottom rear track on the Firefly by replacing it with some spare track. Pretty basic stuff though. Final weathering and markings to go ….
Q
Afghanistan Battlegroup – Fire Team Modern Skirmish
Sneek peek ……
Only one pic, haven’t got any time for anything else as I’m packing for a weekend of beers with some gaming thrown in during the recovery periods. Managed to get everything finished late last night and ready for transport down to Wellington. They’re posing for pictures later next week and I’ll have to travel back down to Welly after that to collect them and back home here for packing and then shipping on to their new homes.
Kit/vehicle list;
M1A1 Abrams MBT – 1/48 Gasoline
Bradley M2A2 MICV – 28mm Empress Miniatures
M-ATV MRAP (x2) – 28mm Empress Minatures
BAE Warrior MIFV – 1/48 Airfix
Land Rover Snatch – 1/48 Airfix
Coyote 6×6 TSV – 1/48 Airfix
Jackal 4×4 PSV – 1/48 Airfix
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Oshkosh M-ATVs – Empress Miniatures 28mm build log4
Base colours laid in ……..
Finished the base painting on the M-ATVs and got most of the details colour blocked in. Panel lining and shading next …. The observant will also notice more progress on the Abrams too, I’m just cleaning up and resizing the pics now for posting that up later.
Q
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Musings from the warp 