Well that is just not true! Well not entirely as I had started this BEFORE the painting challenge started and thus it was not eligible for entry into the challenge. One of the big problems with the painting challenge is the cool down period afterwards. I am slowly tackling it! I did manage to paint 6 Napoleonic Highlanders (IN Tartan with tartan socks) in 15mm the day after the challenge ended for a club friend (Peter) but other than that it has been slow. 
So I thought with a game coming up next Sunday at a show I would get some more VBCW figures done and thus I tackled this vehicle which had been started BEFORE the painting challenge.It did start life as an eBay purchase of £0.99 plus postage as no one bid on it!. At the time I could clearly see why! It was very badly painted and converted and not at all historically accurate. However a few dabs of paint and several grey hairs later it does make a passable VBCW vehicle. The crew with US helmets are all wrong and the howitzer is un feasibly large on this little carrier. But as a bit of fun I can forgive that and I know several players will find this "Troll-Cannon" amusing. (I do anyway).
Because it was already assembled it was tricky to get the brush in all the right places but despite my complaints I do like it! Clearly it would never exist in real life. The recoil would topple over the carrier most likely killing the crew at the same time. But that aside for the craziness of VBCW I think I will get away with it as long as people will forget the reality.
I cannot be sure where all the parts came from but I suspect the carrier was Warlord and probably the figures as well as they do seem a good fit. The gun though I have no idea as it is white metal while the carrier is plastic. Overall I am pleased with it yes it could be better but working from another's build and painting there is just so much you are inclined to do. And for the price what can I say it has kept me amused for several hours so that can't be all bad.
Happy Easter everyone. And I should post again on Tuesday as I "Should" get some painting done today!
Take care and have fun!
I wouldn't be surprised if somebody did have a go at marrying up a big gun on a tiny tankette during the 1930s. As, as you say, its something that is very fitting for the period, where 'bonkers' ideas did make it past the drawing board and prototype examples did become reality.
ReplyDeleteIts a great and fun little model - you could possibly make up some silly house rules for its use; like the recoil pushing it backwards after every shot, or on a misfire or the like it could tip the whole thing over (as you've mentioned).
Thanks Roy. It is just a bit of fun! Clearly it would never work in real life but VBCW is not real life. I do not think I will bother with any house rules I think people will look at it and just shake their heads at the Ludacris nature of the whole thing! I know I do!.
DeleteAnd that is why I have christened it the "Troll Cannon!"
Truely a Universal Carrier :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Carl. We have all seen universal carriers with anti tank guns mounted on them. But this gun is just BONKERS! Which is why I have called it a Troll Cannon!
DeleteThat's a wonderful creation, but not sure I would want to be anyway near it when it goes off! Like you, I'm still in a cooling down post challenge phase, but just tinkering around, basing the odd miniature is rather refreshing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Michael. You can have a lot of fun with eBay cast offs from other people. While I am happy to put this on the table I think I would need a lot of coaxing to be near it when it fired!
DeleteWeird, wonderful and totally whacky!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bryan. While not practical in real life for a game it is just a bit of fun. And I can already HEAR some people frowning about it as it could not actually work.
DeleteHappy Easter Clint, and what a wonderfully zany vehicle you've posted in order to celebrate it. Terrific stuff :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter Blax. Sometimes we all need to do something a little crazy in wargames.
DeleteCompletely bonkers, but...fun :)
ReplyDeleteNice painting Clint :)
Thank you Tamsin. It is pretty much how it came from eBay, just re-painted and a slight model tidy up.
DeleteIt's a unique vehicle, Happy Easter old boy!
ReplyDeleteThank you Fran. It is a wonder what you can find on eBay sometimes. The biggest gun on the smallest vehicle.
DeleteWell worth the ghastly amount you paid for it!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to play it with a D6 move recoil reverse drive every time it fires! :D
Thank you Mathyoo. It is a fun vehicle and worth the price but I did take a fair amount of work to make it look decent there are a lot of things I would have done differently IF I was starting from scratch.
DeleteWhat a wondeful fun piece and brought to a believable state by your paint-job on it.
ReplyDeleteIt's very fitting imo for a VBC game and some house rules as you've suggested would give it the fun factor it needs.
I think I'd have filed the helmets away to give some flat caps or bare-headed - not intended as a criticism btw.
Thanks Joe. If I had any suitable heads for a head swap I may well have done so but I actually like the American Helmets maybe they were bought over from the States by an enterprising sailor!
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