35+ years later!

That maybe a record for me. More of that later though.

While I have finished very little that is a long way from thinking I have not done a lot. Just most of it is not anywhere near finished! So let,s start with what I have done.

Here is a platoon of H+R infantry and transports. The transports are 6mm BMP 1's the infantry are equally small. Strickly speaking I need another BMP and a couple more stands of infantry for the HQ of the platoon. But this is a start.

OK so what has taken 35+ years. ? Yes I can hear you ask even from there so I will keep you in the dark no longer.  Yes my desert. This is how it was and as I have always been led to believe it might stay. BUT. And that is a big BUT with a capital B. I looked on line and found I can afford the nessercary materials. That being 10mm thick "Foam Board" so I ordered a pack. And Yes it arrived. So my 1/300th scale desert has taken a step forward.

As I only started with 2 A1 sheets buying 5 more sheets Should (I hope) be enough. Time will tell but I am hopeful. So expect desert to feature in upcoming weeks. (You are warned).


The spending continues ,while I work on some 28m figures, appearing soon on this blog. Firstly I squandered money for Pulp alley and bought a Clapper board. Traditionally in Pulp Alley the person with the initiative has a "Directors Megaphone" But at about £2.50 inc postage this was cheaper and will work just as well.

Finally I bought some MDF buildings for Pulp Alley wild west. Or Ghost town as I am currently calling it. The 2 Sarrissa buildings are exactly the same So I should be able to get them up and running in a week or three! The TTCombat "Grand Hotel" (on the left may take a bit longer! But at least I am on my way.

Until next time (and I hope) some 28mm figures take care good luck and remember everyones paint brush needs to taste paint one in a while.

All the best Clint

Most things arrive at once!

Yes I had a spend. NO the Crooked  Dice items have not arrived. But here is what I did get!

First to arrive. (but I was out and had to pick up from the post office today was "OIL WAR". The  supplement for Team Yankee. I have yet to read it  but I am already thinking 6mm when I buy some infantry (that and a few aircraft should be all I need). Maybe a few extra tanks but not as many or as diverse as you might think.

The Force on Force rules are an old set and now as rare as Hens Teeth. That  aside I feel they will make the best use of "The Zone" books by James Rouch.

OKAY so what figures to use. Ehrm 15mm I think! I was hung up un 20mm for a long time but then I discovered TT Gauge model railways and while the buildings are expensive I feel they could be worth the effort! So to try it out I went and bought some vehicles.

And some figures. I suspect the infantry to be Plastic Soldier Company 15mm modern Russian. Anyway bought yesterday from Cavalier Books and arrived lunch time today. And as service goes you cannot beat that.


I also went to my local Games shop and bought a Zvezda Hind. And although this is supposedly a tad small for 100th scale is close enough

While there I purchased a box of Russian vehicles.  5 T64s and 2 BMPS The BMPs can either be mk 1 or mk 2 perhaps very simply with a turret swap. I wil need to open the box and have a look, but fingers crossed!

I also bought a new paint brush. Fingers crossed it will allow me to paint better!
Finally as an impulse buy (or  is it) I got a Wargames Terrain Workshop post apoc car A. Maybe I already have a use for it and maybe it is a gift for a friend! I shall let you Know when the time is right.

Another gift for a friend.
Nuff said  for now but fingers crossed.

Pulp Zepplin (1)

Additional Stretch goals

I had a sleepless night last night. (Not though choice I hasten to add!) As such I did some thinking. (Yes it  did hurt and I am sick of listening to the worlds smallest violin before you ask!) Anyway Long story short. I had an email from Karl at Crooked Dice to let me know that my Kickstarter should be ready to ship in a week or 2. As all the stretch goals are now finished and delivered to his home.

Starting Point

Anyway as I wanted to build a "PULP" board any way I decided to start. And what is more Pulp than an Airship!?  What a Zeppelin? Who in their right mind build a Zeppelin? The answer is NO ONE! But I thought it was worth a try anyway! I decided it would not be all that large, So swigging down the Pepsi I figured 2 2 litre bottles would make a good enough "hull" (I am sure that HULL is the wrong word but until I think of it HULL will do!)


 Needed a nose of some description. So I simply cut a pimg pong ball in half! I am sure there is a better option but I just went with what I had! As with the hull I am sure there is a MUCH better option but I could not wait for that. I NEEDED to crack on!








So using some UHU general addehisive I stuck 2 Pepsi bottles together.  At this stage I have no idea if it will work but am hopeful! It is now about 3 foot long. Judging that to be sufficient I stopped there. At this stage it is all pretty rough but with scissors glue a scalpel and a saw I am not overwhelmed! (That comes tomorrow!).

This afternoon allowing PLENTY of time to dry I shall give it a skin. I ran to the local store (A tescos as it happens) and bought some cheap Kitchen towel. So I will detail my endevours later on maybe Sunday.

Now while I wait for this afternoon to arrive and me to get a little more spare time I have some questions about Zeppelins. I promise not hard ones.

Firstly the engines and bomb rack will be external to the gondola! But what else would you like to see in the gondola.  I shall put a cockpit and Matt has suggested some machineguns. But what else is needed bearing in mind it shall be quite small? Please add serious ideas to the comments and I will see what I can manage!

COLD WAR WARGAMING.
As mentioned last time I plan some cold war wargaming. With a bit of tidying up I have a modular desert board. So it makes sense to me to work in a middle east setting. I shall say no more until I get the basics done. But remember you heard it here first! Or forget all about it if you choose.

Oppps i did it again!

NO not a song but feel free to hum it while you read!

Okay the problem. Myself and the club has a LOT of 6mm Cold War era stuff. (mostly Vehicles) that we do not use. So what I am proposing is not a new idea. Very simply it is using these rules (yes I know I like Challenger!!) and swapping scale. Very simply this will allow almost All the club members to participate. Even those player with nothing! If you have nothing you will be lent enough to get you started, although probably a company or two and NOT what you want!

That said I think there is enough Soviet/American and British stuff that can be used that has been "donated" to the club in the past. But if you want something quite obscure you will be on tour own.

The idea is that eventually and this is a LONG way down the road we have enough to play "The Zone!". That may not actually happen But the Idea is there. The next stage is to read the rules and pick a setting! Yes a setting. That will depend on what players want! They may want West Germany (Fudal Gap) Which is the classic Cold war/ Zone setting but  they may well want Canada/Alaska (Shortest route) or even Arab Isreali wars. Only time will tell. And to some extent I shall leave it to them.

Until next time all the best Clint.
Post script: I am supposed to be painting some of my figures but it went wrong. So if I can pull it back they may be next time or the time after.

The moon's a dairylea carton! (Pat 1)

Starting place

Well sort of but it's also loo or kitchen roll tubes as well as several other things When It comes to making terrain I will use anything. The limits are what does it cost, will it work, and what will it look like!

I wanted to make some more "Moon" boards for 15mm sci fi. (well any scale sci fi really!)  That being the case I  have started! Long time followers will no doubt recall the process.

Here is a quick walk through of how it is made.

Firstly you  need a board of the right size. My other boards are 2'x4' so these will be 2'x2' It will offer a great deal od variety that way.

Starting the Craters

 Craters are the most time consuming of all  the processes. Firstly take a tube and cit it down to the right height. No one can tell you what the right height is you will have to judge it for yourself. But as a word of warning LOWER is better! so 1=2 cm for a roll of masking tape size tube!

Next build up SEVERAL(3-4) layers of tape.  These will go from the inside to the outside. They need to be firmly "squished"  down in the centre and at he edges. They also need to leave a hollow triangle section which make up the slopes of the crater. Just look at the picture and see what I mean. Right you understand now! (I hope)

Keep going it takes a while!

It takes much longer than you think and you will use up LOADS of masking tape. Luckily "Poundland" currently has 4 rolls for £1. So if there is one local get it there. I use masking tape you 2 reasons. Firstly the Cost. It's cheap. Secondly it has a mat textured back and that makes it easier to attaché the sand to! Feel free to use something else and if It works better let me know. Currently I know Masking tape works and it's cheap and that is why I use it.

Do all the craters

It's common sense but do all the craters at one time. Yes it is boring and time consuming but I know this way works and I also know that other than the wood (which does cost a bit) works out cheaply. It really does, materials costs were less than £1 for 2 boards each measuring 2' x2'. And lets be honest that is less than a pot of paint!

add the sand texture!

This is the messy part. DO NOT DO THIS INDOORS. Mixing up a LITTLE water White PVA glue (Actually called Resin W by people who know) A coloured water based paint (either acrylic or Poster or Emulsion) I use all three at different times (NOT TOGETHER). And Brush it on the boards. Now I use the cheapest brushes I can get (5 for £1, from "Poundland") and at that price it is easy enough not to care about them. before the Paint mixture with the PVA is even nearly dry I sprinkle (via a sieve) builders and on the board. I use Builders sand because it is cheapest and one you have a bag that will last you years.

That is he process. It is not hard at all but does require some patience, practice and hardest of all some common sense!

Part 2 to follow later this week,as It takes some time to do it! And I have yet to get as far as a finished board this time out. I plan on showing it NEXT weekend! (that shall encourage me to get of my fat lazy bum and get some terrain done!)

Off to a small local show tomorrow so a show report and loot on Monday. Until then, take care and paint something!

Couple of little bits

Ok back on the 6mm Sci fi. Here are the last of the heavy tanks. Before anyone says I have not finished yet. (APCs, Infantry and "Jeeps" to go on this faction).

They are Brigade Models (LINK ) and incredibly easy to paint. basically 3 colours and 2 on the base. A general tan a wash or dark tan and black on the hover skirts. Very quick and easy and done in a couple of hors including drying.

I do need to build up a second force AND find some rules I like but for now that can wait. The second force will be CDSU for those familiar with their universe. (Or Chinese if you do not know their universe!).

Quick simple and now done.

I am still  pondering my options in 15mm Sci fi. Current thinking is that I will use Kra Vak INFANTRY but no vehicles.  I could go into details but as I am likely to order them this week I can wait for their arrival before I do.












Elsewhere on the painting table. I have been painting Aeronef..

These are all British ships and belong to MATT. I have to paint them propped up on pencils as he attaches a gizmo underneath to allow them to go on flying stands.

Needless to say this does cause as many issues as it solves in the painting.

Thee are both british battleships and should cause so in game head-aches. As they are quite formidable.

Again by Brigade models  and of all  the things I am likely to paint the things I like least.


That's it  for today. More coming soon or at least soonish!

I plan to make terrain up the shed tomorrow but enough of that in a later post. (terrain for 15mm Sci Fi!

 Have a good weekend and more when I egt things finished.

All the best Clint

Heavies.

Sorry I had a couple of days off!  Actually I am not sorry it was a break I needed after the weather being over 33 oC I have felt like a hostage to the weather for the last 2-3 months. But now the weather has "Broken" back down to normal for tis time of year I feel as if I want to get on with things.

 Lets start with some Si-fi tanks These are heavy laser heavy tanks. Only 2 of which but as I like them I suspect I may get more. Maybe even 1 in 15mm for a few games. After all very little says sci fi like a laser!

At the end of this section I shall show a pic so you may judge scale. I am aware that last time with it missing there was nothing to judge size by.

 2 Twin barrel Heavy tanks. 2 of these I think should be enough at least for now. It is possible I shall change my mind in the future but for now 2 is enough!

For those counting that makes 6 heavy tanks in all. I know they are not massive additions but they should bulk out the force considerably. I do have an infantry platoon alomg with 3 Hover jeeps and 6 additional heavy tanks (Standard turret) so this project is not finished juts yet!

After that I need to get the other force done. And to be honest I am still thing about that!







The last pic shows a size comparison which should allow you to see the magnitude of the heavy tanks to the medium tanks with 6mm infantry on the far right. So we have 2 Heavy tanks , one medium tank and a stand of infantry. As mentioned previously



Aeronef.

Due to bottom/hull detail I need to assemble and paint them on pencils. I mucked up the turrets and Have had to send for some more. With luck they should arrive BY NEXT weekend. 4 teeny tiny turrets to put on ad then the painting can begin. It is a slog but as it was my mistake I have to bite the bullet and get on with it!

In the background is a large British ship (Part painted for Matt) I think it is a Vanguard class Battleship BUT with different turrets. So quite a big ship and yet compared to the German carrier rather small. It will be interesting to position this along side a few other ships and see if it really is as big as I think!

 That's it for today and with luck back to normal in a day or two. All the best Clint

heavy tanks started

Yes some OK 2 6mm Heavy tanks started for my 6mm sci fi.. As with the rest they are Brigade models ( LINK  )

I know there is only 2 of them. And that they are 6mm so quite small. I also realise that there is no indication of size. But you will have to forgive me as it has been another hot day. Far hotter than I am used to! So Painting has not been a huge priority for me.

These are Sohei with Gatling cannon for those that really care. Not the most common of my heavy tanks but painted at least and ready for the table!

I did go to the club yesterday but there were 6 people already playing one game designed for 2! Consequently I left early and came home and watch the swimming!

I do have2 games planned down the club... well mentioned if not planned! Next time will probably be an AK 47 (Peter Pig) game while the one after should be an Aeronef (Imperial skies) game.  As I have an aeronef game planned I think I should get my German aircraft carrier done. Commercial flying bases are just not up to the task so I shall be making my own from BLACK Perspex!
 All the components are laid out and ready so I will do a step by step as I bring this beat to fruition. It is part Resin and part metal (I have to supply the Perspex) and costs £9 from Brigade Models (LINK ). I hope I can do it justice and create a vessel of note.

I know very little done due to the heat but that we are told is coming to an end in 2-3 days time!

Until then paint if you can and game if you are able. All the best Clint

Sharman Firefly's

It's still too HOT. All I do is sit still and perspire! However here are some 6mm Brigade Models (LINK ) Sharman Firefly's. 6 were purchased in all at  the Broadside show and they make 1/2 the medium tanks, the Sharman (NON firefly) have already been shown.

As medium tanks I do expect them to do most of the work. As such the Sharman Firefly (I dislike that name by the way) having a better gun than the standard Sharman these should (I hope) adopt a more anti-tank role. But we all know plans like that go out of the window as soon as they are  set up on the table top.

These are only 1/300th scale so I could not put masses of detail on both due to the scale and due to the hot weather. I know it is not so hot everywhere but I am also aware that people are dying in Spain! So I really do not have too much to moan about. So let's just say it is too hot to paint in a stuffy room.

As it is a Saturday I shall have Club tomorrow but I have nothing planned so may leave after a few hours if it is too hot!

So with luck I shall be on here again on Monday maybe with more tanks maybe terrain and hopefully with an AAR.

Until then chill out as best you can and scoff ice-cream! I Know I intend to! All the best Clint

Progress is progress

Yes first off some more BRIGADE MODELS (LINK) 6mm sci fi. This time the Shaman Medium tank! 6 of the things all ready based and varnished and shall be puit in their box by the time you read this! Not the biggest amount of painting but it needed to be done. And yes there is more still to come, and NO a group shot is not planned for a while.

The Shaman tank is a good all around tank but nothing so special that causes too much worry on the battlefield. It is in no way a bad tank but it does not have too many exceptional features. Competent and with a good crew deadly just not exceptional at any one thing.

 Work continues on the castle . The basics of the gate way are now done and the walk way parapet is about 1/2 done. So progress is slow but at least visible. My plans for the next few days are to get a set of stairs built to take models from the ground (Courtyard) to Parapet level. And that should be in the next update. (Fingers crossed).

That's it for today as It is planned to be another scorcher and I need to get things done before I suffer heat stroke!

Until next time, take care have fun and if  possible stay cool!

Because I did not blog yesterday!

Yes before I go to the wargames club! Yes my89 year old mother did fall in the pond. She is shaken up but OK! It happened about 10 days ago so it has long passed but she is tough and has now walked to the shops on her own so she is OK. Right enough of that.

While not a lot of painting (it has been too hot!) I have finished these. Brigade Models 6mm Mercenary "Legion class" MRLs (LINK ). I only have 4 so that is them done. But if I want some Artillery support in 6mm sci fi games I now have some.

Before anyone points out yet I was a little twitchy with the paint brush on the warheads. Kindly bear in mind we are talking about 1/2 a mm in Diameter! So I think and I hope you shall forgive me. 


 Only 4 6mm sci fi vehicles to share this time but as it remains consistently hot I am barely in the mood to paint at all.

That's it for today. Just a quick update and now to put my head in the fridge for 30 mins or so!

All the best Clint

I am just hoping we do not have another 50 days of heat and NO rain!