Well here's my last entry for this year's painting challenge: fourteen figures making up four bases of dismounted tank crews.
These figures used to come with Battlefront AFV's, and look so much better placed next to an abandoned tank than a 'Bailed Out' marker.
More slightly converted Gebirgsjaeger: this time the two Company HQ Panzerschrek teams.
The chaps actually holding the panzerschreks are originally Peter Pig Fallschirmjaeger figures, with their heads swapped using Peter Pig 'Germans in Caps' heads. I'm pleased how they have turned out.
Still working my way through all the models I bought in the Battlefront early-war, half-price sale.
Next off the production line are a couple of SdKfz 221 light armoured cars. These are really nice models that paint up beautifully. Recommended.
I've been a little worried that my Gebirgsjaeger (German Mountain Troops) won't be able to move their equipment around properly, especially in harsh terrain or weather conditions.
Problem solved, however, with eight Kettenkrad (motorcycle tractors) painted up as crewed by Gebirgsjaeger.
I must confess to feeling a touch of pride here as, at time of ordering, Battlefront only provided crews in either the standard infantry helmet or the Fallschirmjaeger helmet, not the cap that most of my existing Gebirgsjaeger wear, so I bought some cap-wearing spare heads from Peter Pig and did head-swaps on half. Not exactly the apex of conversion skills, but more than I usually manage!
Just a quick note to say that I have finished reloading the six or so WW2 15mm figure reviews into the IABSM Figure Reviews section of the website.
Click here to go there.
The reviews on there at the moment are:
I'll write more when the website is fully reloaded!
I have now finished re-loading all the galleries of my WW2 15mm figure collection.
Very satisfying: and tells me what I've got and, more importantly, where the gaps are...especially with Santa arriving soon.
You can see a list of the galleries here.
On 1st September I posted pictures of the two SdKfz 7/2 German half-tracks that I had painted up in panzer grey for the early war period. Here are the other two 7/2s from the same order, but this time painted up for the mid- and later-war periods in dunkelgelb with camo.
Nice models these: easy to put together, for a change, and satisfyingly chunky.
Another quick bit of painting finished, again loot from the Battlefront early war 3-for-2 sale. This time it's a pair of Soviet T-20 Komsomoleyts tractors.
I only bought one pack of two, as I haven't actually got a specific purpose in mind for them. I suppose they will do as very light artillery tractors or, as they come with two men sitting on the back, as the extra two men needed for my MMG teams, originally based with three crew as per IABSMv2, but now needing five crew as per IABSMv3.
They are quite nice little models, but I don't like the fact that the crew are in old-style "Fireman Sam" helmets rather than the round ones worn by all my other Soviets.
Oh, by the way, for those who didn't know, komsomoleyts literally means "young communists", but I'm not sure why they are nicknamed that.
Over the weekend I managed to finish the first of the models bought in the recent Battlefront 'early war 3-for-2' sale: four Panhard-Schneider PT-16 armoured cars for my 1940 French army.
Nice models that go together and paint up well, and should be ideal for a game I'm planning involving two reconnaissance forces bumping up against each other.
Now those of you who visit this website regularly will know that I am quite a fan of Battlefront figures. I might not play Flames of War, preferring IABSM, but I do buy the figures...lots of them.
Sometimes, however, Battlefront do something which drives me potty...something that is 'beyond a joke'.
Today's 'beyond a joke' is the new Gebirgsjaeger anti-tank rifle team of two figures: one rifleman and one chap carrying what I think is a PzB 38 or 39 anti-tank rifle. The team retails for about £1.50, but I got three of them in the recent 3-for-2 sale which, to be fair, was a very good thing, with a delivery arriving within three days of my order.
From the sublime...
I have previously commented that Battlefront's Gebirgsjaeger are a mixed bunch. Some of them are some of the best figures I have ever seen, and paint up beautifully, but some of them are ghastly shop-dummy manikins that I really only kept to make up the right numbers.
The initial release didn't contain any man-portable anti-tank weapons (no 'schreks, no ATRs) so I was chuffed to bits when I saw that anti-tank rifle teams were finally available.
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My joy was short lived. Why, I hear you ask? Well I will let a picture say a thousand words. Here are the two figures from the Battlefront Gebirgsjaeger anti-tank rifle team pack:
...to the ridiculous!
You may notice that they are a slightly different size to each other.
Slightly?
Slightly?
The bloke with the ATR is so short his colleague can see over his flipping head! I mean, was this some kind of joke? Give the shortest man in the unit the biggest gun? It honestly looks like two figures from different ranges or manufacturers, not two figures designed to be fielded together mounted on the same base! What a pile of steaming poop!
I can understand the team being shorter than previous releases (new sculptor etc) but just the new figure? Didn't anyone at Battlefront notice that the two chaps didn't really match each other?
Come on, Battlefront: get your act together!
...that the Battlefront 3-for-2 Early War sale ends tomorrow.
Note that you need to understand how it works to take full advantage i.e. buy each price point in lots of three. For example, if you have three items in your basket worth £13.50, £8.00 and £8.00, you get no discount, but could add another £8.00 item effectively for free.
Next up are some early war German SdKfz 7/2 medium-weight AA half-tracks from Battlefront. Now I was dreading putting these together, as I always have a difficult time with Battlefront guns: to fiddly for my patience! I am, however, please to say that these went together very easily.
I used GW Granite paint with an Agrax Earthshade wash, and I think they turned out very well. Recommended, and I have two more to paint up for late war.
Some more painting finished.
First up are the Allied Diamond T artillery tractors. These are great big trucks that were used to pull the M1 155mm howitzers of the US medium batteries, and are a more typical alternative to the M5 High Speed Tractors that are included in the FOW boxed set.
These models are from MMModels: a range that varies in quality to say the least. I am pleased to state that the Diamond Ts are very nice models that go together well, and paint up nicely. Recommended for anyone needing a really big truck, or who wants to field the more correct tow for a WW2 M1 artillery battery.
I've painted up four of the monsters. Here's a close-up of one:
A couple of truck-mounted DShK HMGs for anti-aircraft protection. Can also be used against infantry, but are vulnerable to counter-fire. Battlefront models: very nice.
I've actually mounted the HMGs on thin wooden bases so that they can be lifted out of the trucks for ground use.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love the 'tail' part of an army as well as its 'teeth'. Well, a couple of months ago I updated the manufacturers' directory with MMModels, a group of wargamers who make their own models where none are available and offer them to the public on an on-demand basis, whose catalogue includes lots of lovely 'tail'. Here's a quick review of the first models off the production line:
First up were some British vehicles all based on the Austin Tilley chassis. They are a staff car, a utility vehicle and a truck. All three are lovely little vehicles with plenty of detail that paint up nicely. Recommended. You can see all three in my entry in the painting challenge (as well as everything else mentioned below) but here's the Austin Tilley truck, with a Soviet infantryman (what I had handy!) for scale:
Next were some more British vehicles, this time based on the Scammell heavy tractor chassis. They are the Scammell Artillery Tractor and the Scammell Heavy Recovery vehicle. These were not quite so pleasing. Maybe it is me, but I couldn't get the back wheels to sit properly, and I think the front wheels look a bit Heath-Robinson and weedy too. There were also quite a few bubbles in the resin. Still, it's good to have some proper heavy artillery tractors, and the recovery vehicle looks okay too. Here's Ivan, again, with each:
Now onto the Germans. Only thing I've painted so far are some Opel Blitz buses. Very nice models that, again, paint up nicely. I really liked these, and will use them for very late war eastern front games, either as scenery or asersatz troop carriers. The picture below is a little misleading: the buses are actually quite a nice size.
Finally there are some Peugeot trucks. I'm afraid I didn't like these very much at all. There were also quite a lot of bubbles in the resin. Anyway, they paint up okay, but aren't a patch on the trucks available from other manufacturers. On the other hand, they are quite cheap: £4 each unpainted.
So a mixed review so far for MMModels. Lots of unique models not available anywhere else, good pricing, but variable quality (all would look fine on the tabletop though).
One of the good thing about Battlefront extending its range to the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts of 1938/9 is that it's a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in my Japanese WW2 army.
Here's one example: I finally have the Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns that form part of the brigade assets of a Japanese infantry regiment. Nice models.
I've had problems painting late war German tanks ever since I first started on them. How do you get that camouflage looking right without using an airbrush?
Of course, the simple answer would have been to get an airbrush...but I haven't, but have finally worked out how to do it. The answer? A sponge!
The Battlefront 15mm Konigstigers below were painted with a base coat of dull yellow, then stripes of sponge applied green and brown paint. Pop a brown wash over the top and there you are. And where did I get the sponge from? Well Battlefront put loads in all their boxes as part of the packing!
I like to try and keep the list of WW2 15mm figure manufacturers as up to date as possible, so it's annoying to have missed MMModels.co.uk off it for so long.
They produce a nice selection of "tail" models (staff cars, vans, buses, tank transporters, landing craft etc) to order. I haven't got any myself at the moment, so can't really comment on the quality, but they certainly look good from the photos. I am about to put together an order which should keep them busy for a little while, and will report back once I have them in my hands.
Two bits of painting finished today: the Soviet flamethrower teams and German Wirbelwind needed for the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack.
Those of you who encountered me in the latter part of the Salute Day will be aware that I was looking for a 15mm WW2 Russian Orthodox church to serve as a terrain piece for playtesting my late war Eastern Front scenario pack, Bashnya or Bust!
Well I found one!
A Polish company called Wargamer Company were at Salute promoting and selling their game called By Fire & Sword. This game apparently (and I'm quoting their website here) recreates the 17th century wars fought by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against Turkey, Muscovy, Sweden, Crimean Khanate and Cossacks.
Well Bashnya or Bust! is set in Lithuania, and they had a Wooden Orthodox Church model, so I bought it immediately, and have painted it up ready for Saturday's playtest of scenario 2A.
Cracking terrain piece, really easy to paint, and looks very good. Here are a couple of 'model' shots; more to follow in the AAR that will doubtless follow Saturday's game.
Vis Lardica is a website devoted to wargaming and military history, with a special emphasis on the company-sized rulesets produced by the TooFatLardies: I Ain't Been Shot Mum (WW2); Charlie Don't Surf (Vietnam); and Quadrant 13 (science fiction)
Welcome to Vis Lardica, a not-for-profit website mostly dedicated to the company-sized wargaming rules produced by the TooFatLardies, but encompassing my other gaming interests as well.
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