White Van Man

This is another Britannia miniatures from Grubby tanks (http://www.britannia-miniatures.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/60_61) It has a 12.7mm Heavy machine gun in the back and a guy who looks like he wants to use it. The primary aim of this model is to give the British players something to think about, worry about and use anti tank weapons on. Which I imagine they will be more than happy to do. IF I know the average wargamer at all they will be itching to have a pop at it. It was a very quick and easy model to paint. Starting with a white undercoat as the base colour (this technical has only had the windows painted (wet on wet so no obvious lines as the blues get lighter). The bed of the pickup a very dark grey and the tires. I then just weathered it a little so it looked uncared for and battered and generally kicked around. It is after all mostly going to be used as target practise by the coalition forces. I am told that MJ figures whom I mentioned on Thursday are also going to make a technical as well. I hope, but do not know, that it will be sufficiently similar so I can use it as well. And yet different enough that they don't look like copies. With luck it will be a different car make and model as this will add variety. Until I see one though I'll just be keeping my fingers crossed.

I have just finished the construction of a "Compound". No Photos yet, maybe Monday. which is the first piece of real constructed scenery. I have unfortunately used up all the 4mm thick "grey board" I went this morning to try an art supplier and was informed they no longer stock it as it is slightly acidic and could over time damage any artwork in contact with it. Still we don't worry about that, he has agreed to try his suppliers and see if he can still get some. I'll know in 3 weeks. Meanwhile back on the ranch, I have some 2mm thick "grey board" so lamination will start this afternoon. I should have enough to make 3 or 4 more compounds, which actually should be enough as most of the buildings need not be "compounds" as they seem to be mostly "farms". By that I mean a group of related families all living within a walled courtyard and working the land. Well that's my understanding of it although I am aware that they are not all agriculturally based.

I had a penny drop yesterday. It was so Blummin obvious that I had overlooked it. For a while I have wanted to include choppers in this game. The cost was the thing stopping me. Visually they will add great impact by giving the game table height. I was reading a published scenario in "Enduring Freedom" the Force on Force Afghan war supplement. The scenario with the special "Where's Ross?" Rule to do with a TV camera crew and presenter.... I'll let you guess which TV presenter they are hinting at with the name of the rule. Finally coming to the point that scenario has top cover 1-3 you can call in an Apache (AH 64) gunship or 4-6 you get an Warthog (Fairchild A10). For some reasons online auction sites fixed wing models seem a lot cheaper than rotary wing. Therefore as long as I get one Chinook helicopter I can supplement it in a ground attack role with fixed wing aircraft. Problem solved.... at least for now.

Club game tomorrow so I'll try to get some pics for a Post on Monday. All the best Clint.

Next batch

Here are the next batch of Taliban. Two pics of the Motorbike riders from Britannia Miniatures now available from Grubby Tanks (http://www.britannia-miniatures.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/60?osCsid=4fa209b6794ffc46cc37d4b0a6ee962f) I am not sure how stable the bike would be if either of the guys opened up with the LMG or the Rpg. But I guess they would probably dismount and set up as a weapons team before letting loose. Not that I am sure that they would, but I think I would If I was them, and just use the motorbike to travel about. I saw it listed on their web site and just new I had to get one, or maybe more.

Since buying and painting it I have noticed that one of the scenarios in "Enduring Freedom" the Afghanistan source/scenario book for "Force on Force" has three of these turn up as reinforcements about half way through the scenario, so perhaps it's more common than I originally thought. Still one thing is for sure, now that it's painted and based (will add some grass "tufts" as soon as I finish typing), it will find a use. As you can see the figures have a cartoon like quality to them. Originally I hated it, but they were easy to bait because of it. I have therefore sent off another small order to get a few more of the more "odd" items they do to "flesh out" some of the games. You have been warned. 

 The last picture is of a few more  general Taliban types,  These are again by MJ figures (http://mjfigures.co.uk/) Again I have sent for more of these to bulk up the general forces. Kev has also got some Taliban which are painted and based to a very good standard, so the pressure is of with regard to mass producing any more. I shall because too many is better than too few, as it gives you the choice of not using them all.

Today I will start to build a compound as part of the scenery for the game. I already have all the materials so it really is just a case of knuckling down and getting on with it. As such I'll go and cut some 3mm MDF as a baseboard this afternoon.

This morning I applied a layer of paint and glue to the latest moon board which should act as a sealer. Once dry I'll repeat the process to both strengthen and seal it. Then only one more to go......

That's my progress for now. I'll update you all on Saturday. All the best Clint.

First Brits.

Here are my first British/coalition troops.  I know it's not a standard troop choice, but I wanted a break from painting Taliban. Again a Britannia figure of a bomb disposal robot and suit. From a game point of view IEDs and their disposal and removal should not play a major part but nice to have a break from the Taliban and paint something different today. Both very simple paint jobs. The robot is a basic black and highlighted with a dark grey mixed with a very little dark green and some silver on the tracks. The disposal suit catachan green and highlighted with a lighter shade of the same green. Also black armour on the chest back and legs same colours as the robot. Not the most challenging paint scheme ever, but it fits in with the colours I have seen on google images and the "Hurt Locker". 

That's it for today's painting. I feel I must start to up the pace as time to the Broadside show gets closer. Talking of the show I had some great news from Ambush Alley last night, they are going to send me some "con support" as well as advice via email as and when I need it. If this game works out as I hope I shall apply next year to be one of their "pointmen" but lets take this one step at a time. I can only speculate what "Con Support" might be but as they have asked for my shipping address I feel it must be physical in nature, possible leaflets or posters. Time will tell.

I have also approached a terrain maker for some commissioned buildings. He should get back with pics by the end of the week I assume he'll also have worked out a price structure and again that's all positive. The Buildings won't be the most challenging to make they are after all mud brick flat roofs and a window and door at the best, so not exactly Buckingham Palace. Hopefully the price will reflect this.

That's it for Today as I spent far too long talking to Kev and setting the world and our wargames club to rights. Hopefully more on Thursday.

All the best Cheers Clint

Taliban 2

Here are the next few Taliban. Slowly getting back to normal (whatever Normal is). And as such starting to paint from scratch again.  Here are my next few Taliban.
Again in 20mm from MJ figures, exactly the same as the last batch. with the same link as Friday. So just scan down to the previous post for the link. I still have not worked out what that heavy weapon is. However onwards. I think this will be an ongoing theme for the next week or so. This is a mixture of packs in retrospect I should have painted one pack at a time. However this way works better as it allows me to keep the colours varied among all the groups. I have sent for more Taliban from MJ figures as I am not totally sure how many I would actually need for a variety of games. Therefore once I get past 30 I'll start to consider the scenarios I'll be able to play.

I have prepared the next lot, cleaned up based and undercoated so I can start them this afternoon. I have also assembled a "Toyota pick-up" style "technical" with a 12.7mm Heavy machine gun on back. So expect to see it at the end of the week.

BROADSIDE 2012. Well in case you haven't seen it the first advert has appeared in the wargames press. (WSS page 54 if I remember correctly) and that has bought it home to me where we are with the deadline. I am not panicking yet as I have two weeks of work to fit in before then and I hope that should make a difference. One of the issues will be ordering things to arrive in-time with my vacations to optimise painting and making. Therefore I shall try to order ahead of time, but we all know that's not always going to coincide with my schedule. Ah well lets just try and see where it takes us.

Having seen the first advert it has changed my attitude to the show. I can no longer deny it's going ahead. The die as they say is cast.

All the best Clint. Post again on Tuesday.