As I had finished all the painting that Matt wanted me to do. (He is getting more to me today and VBCW he says!) I was not sure what I wanted to paint so I had a rummage in one of the carrier bags full of unpainted. I was looking for some Islamic Federation I have for 15mm Star grunt. (I did not find them so they are somewhere else! And not where I thought!).I did want to carry on with some 15mm Stargrunt though so I read the rules again.... which is to say I flicked through them re-reading the juicy bits!
While rummaging I did find a second one of these though (as well as some other bits and bobs so back to Star grunt for a very short time. One of the issues I have with sci fi games is coming up with suitably believable camouflage. I was never HAPPY with the vehicle on the left, it's Cammo is OK, but only OK! I want something more fitting for the far future! So when I paint the new one I will repaint the old at the same time. Clearly the photo does show the painted is harder to make out than the unpainted version of the tank but it does not convey to me the feeling of far future colony world.
So this morning I am looking at different tank, animal (Including FISH) and uniform camouflage patterns and trying to figure something out. I have already a FSE camouflage pattern and a NAC camouflage pattern (Not as yet shown on this blog) but I want these to be somewhat different from both of my already established patterns. So a re-paint in on the cards.
Thanks for looking today and with any luck at all I will be able to show it on Tuesday.
Enjoy the Paralympics, any sun and any chance you get to paint.
Good luck with the camo pattern!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, The Evil Mr Tuffley has started a revamp of the Islamic Federation range to bring them into line with the newer ranges - 1st pack should be in the online shop this week.
Thank you tamsin. I have enough (I think) IF to keep me going for a while so no plans to re-stock just yet, But I do appreciate the heads up.
DeleteGood luck with the camo .....not having really thought about it before. I suppose you could assume that future camo patterns will be designed by computers and will there fore have a more regular feel...I always like those pictures you get of WW1 and WW2 destroyers with really crazy diagonal type camo it feels totally out of place and a bit futuristic. Almost impossible to achieve on a tank though ! Good luck😀
ReplyDeleteThank you Matt, I have long had a fondness for "Dazzle Camouflage" despite the fact that it did not work. (AT ALL)
DeleteWargamers on the whole tend to be a traditional lot (we still use inches for the most part among other anachronisms) so I want the Camo to look and be accessable to the average wargamer and yet still look futuristic, and that is the hard part to achieve. So VERY likely to return to nature as certain animals (and birds) have more rods and cones in their eyes which means they can also see into different parts of the spectrum from humans so perhaps natural Cammo patterns are best after all.
I've always found camo quite difficult to paint??
ReplyDeleteThanks Ray. I also find it hard to paint well. Any fool can just slap colours on and make it look unrealistic.
DeleteTo me there is only one cammo the old four tone US MERDOC,having had it literally drilled into my head
ReplyDeleteas a young trooper on vehicle painting detail. After
chalk marking and numbering the all green vehicle you
then paint in the three other colors, did it so many times that I now have muscle memory and can do it in
my sleep without the book....) Usually I just change the colors or leave out one or two.
Thanks Don I am trying a "Digital Camo" at the moment, Not what I really wanted but it is looking OK.
DeleteWell, it depends very much on the setting in which you imagine these vehicles will fight, doesn't it? Camouflage for urban areas might use very different patterns and sizes of shapes than camouflage for dense jungle or open desert/prairie.
ReplyDeleteAs for colours - well, it's sci-fi, isn't it? Maybe the local rocks, dirt and dust are red, or black? Could be anything you like, really...
Thank you C6. I am trying a VERY basic Digital camouflage in a desert setting.
DeleteThe deserts I have built are for games on earth(WW1 and WW2 Middle east and north Africa and modern Afghanistan as well as Colonial Sudan/Egypt!) So I want to keep to that sort of palate but I have added grey as well
I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Camo has to tie in to the appropriate surroundings. If you're going for a desert look then your options are limited to what's most suitable for that type of terrain. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteCheers Mate. I think I am done. Both vehicles finished and based and ready to photograph tomorrow.
DeleteI am not sure I am totally happy with it, but it does not look like my NAC or my FSE forces so I will just have to wait and see.
Yeah I quite like the original one. I guess with sci fi you have to also wonder how effective camouflage actually is anyway.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to seeing what your creative juices come up with!
Thanks Simon. As for how effective camo would be is debateable but if all sensors fail and you are back to MK 1 (Eyeball) it is going to be better than not having camo.
DeleteI should show the camo tomorrow, not thrilled with it, but I do think it is better. You never know another re-paint might happen in the future.
I've always wondered what the point of camo is on futuristic vehicles, even now we have heat sensors, starlight scopes, infrared etc., so why not go for something truly garish maybe yellows and blacks for insect-like aliens forces, greens and blue for lizrds types etc., though I also like the idea of dazzle camo.
ReplyDeleteINteresting dilemma to have though, so good luck with it.
Thanks Joe. We have to balance the expectations of players along with what we ourselves might perceive as being practical. While Modern (and futuristic) sensors may be able to detect vehicles the history of warfare has taught us that for each advance there is a countermeasure. So while sensors may detect something it is equally likely that the ECM would find a way of spoofing that detection. So I see no reason that we would not use camouflage in the future.
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