East Bonus Round.

On Sunday the "East" Bonus round was carried out. Originally I was going to do some "East Africa" WW1 figures. But as we all know they did not arrive in time (my fault I should have ordered them earlier). So I had a rummage and painted a "Ferdinand" .

For those few who do not know the Fedinand was the version of the "Elephant" used at the battle of Kursk. It did have a few drawbacks and those that survived the battle were fitted with an mg 34, Zimmermit paste and improved vision as well as a copla with another mg for the commander to use as well as upgraded armour.

2 were captured during the war, One by the Russians at the battle of Kursk and one (an Elephant) by the Americans at Anzio. Both are now restored and on display. Only 98 were ever made so this beast will almost never see action on the table top. It is just too rare to make many appearances and still count as credible. While MOST were only used in the East some were used in Italy.

As the Zvezda model kit only cost me £2.75 though having this as a 15mm option is still acceptable to me. Needless to say if I was to pay more the result would be I would need to justify it more and put it on the table for games more.

The camouflage is simple 3 colour camouflage and should (I hope) break up the contours of the machine when on the table. But only time will tell. Clearly I have not slavishly copied the camo from the video but the colours should at least be close even if the pattern is not!

The Video just shows the American Elephant arriving at Bovington. (on Loan). There are plenty of other videos so feel free to either watch or skip this as you see fit.

Thanks for looking and more again in a few days time. Until then take care have fun and do some painting if you can.

chasseurs à pied

These are 28mm Renegade Miniatures (and 2 Scarab Miniatures) WW1 French Light Cavalry. When I say cavalry I mean they went to war on Bicycles and not horses but the French army classed them as Cavalry. As you can see from the picture this is the whole unit together. I could find little real useful information on the unit, I am sure there is LOADS  but I am equally sure I am a dullard and that my webfu is not very good.  So do me a favour and do not point out the best source
 
for information on this unit. Even if yuou do I will not look at it as they are done now and I doubt I will ever paint them again.

The next 2 pictures show the Scarab miniatures or the right to contrast with the Renegade miniatures on the left. I have shown these in close up so you can see the cat and the pigeon as well as to notice the differences and similarities between the two companies.

I want to say how much fun these were to paint Unfortunately that would be a lie. Not that the figures are bad or miss cast or poorly sculpted but rather that painting dark blue when ill in the middle of winter is not so much fun. (This was carried out last week and I am all better now!) needless to say getting the right blue for shading and highlighting was a right kerfuffle! Yeah I know I am labouring the point.

The last 2 pics show French Re enactors (I believe in Belgium) who are dressed in the uniform of the Chasseurs à pied which should show where I took all the colours from. The models did not have any markings on their trousers or kepis so that has all been done free hand but I for one think it works. By the way only the guys on the bikes are in the right uniform so no one ask why they do not have red trousers like the ones in the back. I am sure someone will and that someone will and it is not at all funny!

That is it for today a wave of apathy has struck and I was unable to post last weeks battle on the blog. But I shall attempt to in the coming days.

Until then take car have fun and paint if you can.

best Wishes Clint

THANK YOU

For those few of my members who do not know..... Chris over at http://cstoesen.blogspot.co.uk Also know as "Wargaming Odds and ends!" runs a SANTA CLAUS event where people each paint a figure and send it to another blogger. It is a great idea. But last year it just did not work out for me. I painted a figure and sent it of hoping to get one in return. That after all is the plan of the whole event. I saw the figure I sent off arrive and get posted on my recipients blog. And that was great I had done my part. The one coming for me had not arrived before Christmas. So I thought it would arrive by New Year. It did not. I contacted Chris and let him know. Chris was brilliant and in no way do I affix any blame on him. None what so ever. he is a decent bloke. But needless to say I was disappointed.

 I contacted Chris again on 1st May as still no Santa Claus painted figure had arrived. By this stage I had gotten over the disappointment (well only just).

In October Chris put the call out again for Santa Claus painted figures on his blog (A good blog and worth a look if you don't know it). So In the comments section I explained that mine had not arrived but despite this I was willing to paint a figure for another blogger if theirs did not arrive as it was either lost or not sent.

I thought no more about it... Until Friday!  I contacted Chris once more and was informed
Chris's email reply below.

 "I had actually several people ask me about it who wanted to do something.  I am glad that you are happy about it.  The hobby has many very good people in it.  Every now and then there are exceptions.

Merry Christmas.

Chris"

 

So I just want to thank the very kind person who has done this for me. I am very thankful and very pleased to be part of such a great and generous hobby. To you sir (or Madam) I raise a glass and drink your health. It will be opened with much delight on the 25th

 

 

Mean while back at the ranch! I have done just a little bit of prep. Not giving anything away, but these will not be the first things I paint. That will most likely be some Zulus. Or some WW1 Cavalry, not sure yet. The Ferdinand (not elephant) is 15mm Zvesda and is my Back up post for the "East Bonus round". It may go in the East Bonus round as Ferdinands never fought in Western Europe, while Elephants did. (and yes there is a difference!)

 

While Prep does continue I am planning another SOtTR post on Tuesday as I clear my painting table ready for the challenge. So with luck that will be something to look forward to! Or not if you have no interest in SotTR!

Frozen Planet vehicle colour Trial and AHPC

Well not VERY much finished at present. No Joe no group shots of Burpa Cavalry. Instead I have been trying colours for the 6mm Sci Fi Idea I have. These trucks are by Brigade games (Local to me about 12 miles away). They are actually South African Confederation  "Hippo" Trucks. 3 Flat beds and one Office body. Nice little 2 piece castings, the basic chassis and the type of body or flat bed. So pretty basic and easy to assemble and not mush cleaning up either.

So no fuss no muss a few trucks at 6mm for sci fi gaming. 15mm Sci Fi Players will be delighted to know that the flatbed is also available in that scale. I did want to paint them all white and then try different camo schemes out on them Well that was the plan!

However as always happens the plan just did not work. I painted the first flatbed (No 1 in the bottom picture yellow to start! Yes I know yellow in a snowy setting would stand out, but I was thinking it might be a commercial vehicle and as such standing out in snow might be a good idea. I saw the results and that plan quickly failed and knowing army trucks are painted in camouflage re-painted it white. I know I know foolish mistake to paint it yellow to start with.

So starting with white (again) I just settled on "squiggly" blue patches/lines. I will admit I did like the finished look so much I painted the other 3 the same way. My plan to make them all different and then decide went straight out of the window as I hit on the right (Right for me) colour combination almost immediately. So I have 8 more to do but they can wait a few weeks until the AHPC starts as they will be quick easy points to get the ball rolling.

AHPC

Curt has made the announcement for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge again this year and I have of course signed up. Here is a link Click |ME! that should take you straight there. The theme of this year is "Camaraderie" and the entry fee will be a figure (or figures) painted by 2 or more participants. Usually when it comes to painting I am a BILLY NO MATES type of guy! I have no issue with that. But the rules state I should team up. Luckily for me I was contacted by another painter whose work I do strongly admire and he suggested we become a team. So My Partner in crime is MR LEE. (No NOT Angry Lurker, nor Big Lee). I have sent a couple of emails out to others to see if they want to join us but as yet no reply from them. So I suspect they have plans of their own. So I wish them well and good luck. But IF you are taking part in the AHPC this year and want to join a team leave a comment or drop me an eail and I will let you know.

OK Back to the Burpas now. Have a good day everyone and take care of those close to you.
All the best Clint

A litle bit of everything..... OK NOT evererything!

The painting Mojo has not returned so I Painted up a pair of M16 half tracks for my Arab Israeli wars collection They were still in use in the Yom Kippur war of 1973 as anti aircraft guns.

The rules say I am only allowed 1 but I had 2 models so I thought I might as well paint them both! For those of you who are not all that familiar with the M16 Halftrack if you think of a WW2 M3 American Halftrak with 4 (quad mounted) .50 Browning heavy machineguns in a small turret. Here is a pic of a real one In Israeli colours and Markings. So Colour wise I am pretty close,

The M16 was used in WW2 by America and for many people the "Matchbox" 1/76 scale plastic model was our first introduction to the machine. I know it was mine. While the guns are designed for Anti aircraft I know it can also be used against ground targets either soft skin vehicles or Infantry. By the later part of the second world war it will have little to no effect against tanks.

But in the Arab Israeli wars it still has its uses both against aircraft and to a lesser extent against ground forces, apart from tanks. but still a nice piece of kit to have on the battle field.

 Meanwhile back at the steam punk tank... no NO pictures now until I finish it. But any colonial force be they Zulus or marhdist forces does need something to counter the Beast! So the obvious choice is to include magic! I can Hear certain people "Frowning" from here. And you did not think Frowning made any noise. I can assure you that it does.

 So I present 1 Zulu "witchdoctor". Do not worry I do not see him casting any fireballs and lightning strikes, or any of that sort of malarkey. but more sort of portents and consoulting with oracles and checking the stars and maybe having "Sabotage" card to play on the tank. There may be more on this another time.

 And finally my order from Pendraken has arrived today. I will not go through my whole list of goodies but I have got some stoff for the Steam tank and a whole new project which I hope to get completed over the winter period for Curts Analogue Hobbies painting challenge AND for the Pendraken painting competition.  No reason I cannot do both IF they come out how I hope they will.

Stay tuned to find out what mad thing I have in the planning! But Do not hold your breathe as it will take a while to get up and running!


Hope you found something interesting today. All the best Clint

Betteshanger MG (VBCW)

 As part of the painting chasllenge I also managed to finish of a support Medium Machine gun for the Betteshanger miners I have painted. Again this was part of this years Analogue Painting Challenge and more importantly part of the Very British Civil War collection I am painting for my mate Matt. Every Colliery need some support weapons and until I get the planned beer wagon started and finished these will have to do! The planned "Beer Wagon " did get 1 step closer yesterday as I now know where to get some Large beer barrels.


I think these are "Sloppy Jalopy" figures but I could not swear to that as matt passed them on to me and I just slapped the paint on.

In other news I did send for some figures but the company sent the wrong ones. Totally their fault but they want me to send them back BEFORE they send me the correct ones. This may result in me not having much painted in the next week or two as I was due to start them today. So kindly bear with me if I don't get much painted.

Cheers from sunny Kent. Clkint

Socialists (2)

yes today we have even more 28mm Empress Miniatures Spanish Civil war figures.  And just like last time these are to fight the Very British Civil war, here in Kent.

Weapons are again mostly rifles and a few pistols but there is also a soviet light machinegun this time which should give them a bit of punch and some more firepower. There is even a figure I have nick named Zabatak and no offence is meant by that (Front row centre in the bottom picture).

I hope in 2 days to show the first of the things painted since the painting challenge has ended (It was started before). But for now my second squad of socialists.

Thanks for looking and I hope the sun is smiling wherever you are. All the best Clint

Risk Taker (Curtgeld)

As part of the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge participants are to submit a figure to Curt (AKA Snowlord) as a kind of entrance fee. The theme this year was gambler/risk taker.

And here is mine. I called it "the Over confidence of youth!"

The figure is from foundry "Street Violence" range therefore 28mm tall.

Although you can hardly see it I clipped of the metal base and drilled and pinned the figure attaching it to a resin base I had spare. By doing so and with the aid of a sharp knife and small file I was able to get the figure to do a shallow wheelie on the base t add to the feeling of taking risks and youth and mainly just because it was fun to do so.

I could not make a more dramatic wheelie as that would involve re-sculpting both the legs, and being honest I am a rubbish sculptor.  So better just to not try at all on that.

Colour wise I went for bold and clashing colours of the type I do see kids wearing on occasion. I did have to change the colour of the hoodie 3 times (Dark Blue then light blue) before settling on orange. I find painting Orange very hard to get right but am pleased I did in the end as it does make the figure POP! I also did want the jeans a little lighter, but this is how they came out and I was happy with the result so brand new dark jeans it was.

As a Kid the skate board to have was a "pacer" which were yellow deck silver trucks and red wheels. So that is what this chap has. I know things have changed since I was a kid (dinosaurs no longer walk the earth for example and we are not playing WRG 6th edition anymore), so I concede the skate board is out of date but painting it did bring back memories.

I cannot remember where I got the resin base but it has hung around for a number of years so was about time it got used.

So this figure was my "Curtgeld" this year and it is probably in Canada as you read this As it was posted on Monday. No idea what it will get used for (IF at all) but it could be modern skirmish in any of its forms.

Thanks for looking another post on Sunday.
All the best Clint

A slow boat to china (ok the Mekong Delta)

 The last bonus round on the Analogue painting challenge was "Nautical". As I had set myself the challenge of not buying figures for the challenge but instead trying (but not succeeding) to reduce the lead mountain. I submitted my latest item for my Vietnam figures. The picture gives it away of course but Britannia/Grubby Tanks do a "Sampan!" So here it is in all its glory. I do have very little use for a Sampan as Most of the scenarios I want to play are in country and I am not planning any "Brown Water navy" antics. However I had it sitting here doing nothing so get it painted and submitted for the bonus round.


Britannia do a few other US Vietnam vessels but this (as far as I know) is the only Civil Vietnam boat they do. When I say Civil Vietnam vessel I do of course mean "Target of Opportunity" as I know how many US players will take great delight in destroying something new. Just so they can say that they killed it!

I was going to paint the water brown, but as all my river sections are BLUE it just made more sense to go with the blue water.

The model was a 2 piece casting a white metal crewman and engine and a resin cast hull. A very simple paint job all colours taken from the picture at the bottom which is either fishing or trading. But during the conflict they might just as readily been ferrying supplies or people to the Viet Minh bases to fight the US troops. So they were treated with some degree of caution.

As with all things they did come in a variety of sizes and colours and even shapes. But I just wanted a typical Sampan with nothing outrageous. they were used all over the SE Asia area and have been used (without engines) for centuries.

That is it for today. Thanks for looking and

Nurse Docerty!

 A little while ago on the painting challenge I painted up Nurse Docherty. She is by Scarab miniatures and intended to look like one of the Black adder crew. As such she should be in khaki! However as her clothes are similar to a interwar period Nurse travelling either to or from the wards (perhaps to another part of town or the accommodation block) I decided to paint her as a VBCW nurse. The figure was a joy to paint and far more realistic than many wargames female characters. She is not a "Dolly bird" type!

She was called Nurse Docerty as the Challenge adjudicators contain a certain Dave Docerty who sometimes calls himself Nurse Docerty! She may indeed be related and she may have told me a fib or two. Who can say.

Medevac

No not me personally I am in good health (as far as I know).

This was also done for the Analogue Challenge painting competition. IT had hung around for about 8-10 years without being touched so I was about time. The model is a Revel Kit that I think I purchased while in Germany. It went together easily and painting was very quick and simple. But as it came with no crew I added some Britannia/Grubby tanks crew. Luckily for me they do a Medevac crew. The crew pack consists of Pilot, Co-pilot, Medic treating a wounded soldier a dead body (shown in last post) and a soldier with a rifle. The figures are tightly chunky when compared with SHQ (Most of my troops) but I actually prefer that as it gives them a slightly Cartoony feeling to painting with deep creases in the clothes. Not so good if trying to paint camouflage but as My Vietnam troops are in plain green (except my south Vietnamese) I look on it as an advantage.

I did want to put the dead body inside, but it was just a little too cramped even when I stripped out the seats and stretchers. So he was left behind. I am happy with the arrangement as it is though as It is a medevac helicopter and really does need the medic involved.

Although I said it went together easily, it did involve me getting glue on the windows at every opportunity with my inept dexterity. The other problem of course was the decals which had decayed to the level where I could not apply them properly an some even just flaked off. The result was me hand painting 2 of the crosses, so do not look too closely as they will be noticed. If that is not shooting myself in the foot and drawing attention to them I just do not know what will!

As we all know, no wargames project is ever really finished but this is getting close now. Still a few more choppers to build, both for attack roles and slicks for air lift. But they do not stay on the table long so generally need not be represented.

I have taken to using plastic disposable wine glasses as flight stands. 8 for a £1 in my local pound shop they are clear, light easy to transport and to store and even replace. They can straddle terrain any put any helicopter about 5 inches above the table so work very well. If you do any 20mm Modern wargames I would recommend them for Helicopters. They work very well indeed.


That's it for today. Next post Monday and an AAR of my Samurai using the Dragon Rampant rules .  I hope. Well it should be unless I can get no players at the club or unless some kind of unforeseen accident and no body like that.

Cheers For looking, all the best Clint


 

They're off!

Well the Analogue challenge has started and I have yet to apply the first brush stroke. But It will happen as soon as I stop typing.

You are reminded that the Painting challenge is all about stamina and endurance. And many people suffer burnout at OR even before the end!

Personally this year I will be starting slowly. How you tackle it is up to you and as long as you have fun then it was right for you.

But the challenge has started at 6am this Sunday Morning GMT and will last for 3 months.

I have a few things on the painting table all ready to go. I have done some research to get the markings right and the colours correct. I know that it will not be enough and that I will need to do more before the challenge ends.

But I will be starting with some "Modern" wargaming but I can honestly say I have no idea what I will be painting by the end of the challenge.

If you want to follow the challenge It can be found here! Good luck to everyone involved.

http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.ca/

Still on Prep.

yep still on the prep for the Analogue painting challenge. Not that I have done a lot. Mostly ordering stuff. Today  2 parcels. 1 is a load of "Tufts" from eBay so I don't run out in the challenge. But I can still order some more before the challenge ends.... and I am sure I will.

The other was a figure order for 2 6mm starter armies from Heroics and Ros.{ Click this link )
needles to say as starter armies there are lots of extras I can (and no doubt will) get to add. And If I can pick them up unpainted 2nd hand from eBay or Colonel Bills I will, that is  for sure (assuming I can save money).

I am also working on some counters for the game I have planned but until they are finished I will not be showing them. When they are finished I will be doing a quick walk through of the making process. But at  this stage there is little that will make any sense on its own.

Ao pretty much a nothing post today as I clean up the H+R order. That is how the painting challenge starts for me as I have "Mostly" cleared my painting desk ready to start. There are a couple of things still loitering though so I may get on with them in the next couple of days, but I am waiting now for the Analogue painting challenge to start.

All the best from warm (I am in a tee shirt) but overcast Kent.  Cheers Clint

The quiet before the Storm!

I am afraid I have nothing newly painted this post. But as we now have only 6 days before the Analogue Painting challenge starts I thought I would share with you just a little Prep that I di yesterday in anticipation. At the club yesterday I played a board game about making wine, then left early so no Pics of that. I mention it as I was able to get two bases case in resin by Tim (LINK to Frontline) From Frontline wargaming. For what I need they are a little too large, but totally serviceable as any smaller and they will fall over.

These are them in the raw state. and they are the smallest flying bases he make. What is more I scrounged them free so that makes them twice as good. They do not come with anything to make the flying things hover in a flying position high from the table. So I roughly worked out the bases centres and then drilled a very small hole at an angle. as you can see in the third photo.

Not a huge amount of preparation but more than I have done either last year or the year before. Some bright spark is going to ask what I will be painting that needs flying bases. But I am not going to say just yet as the figures have not arrived. (but I do expect them today or tomorrow). And until they do arrive I don't like to talk about it too much.

I have got more preparation to do this week, some of which are markers and terrain so I will score no points for them in the challenge so best get them done before hand if I can. SO expect that to be the next post as well.

Additionally I am the very happy winner of some figures from Ray's blog post giveaway. Link to Ray's Blog! Just the figure I most wanted that he was offering and I have emailed him asking if he can hold on to them until the Cavalier show at the end of February. That should save him a few pennies in postage.

Finally I have set a new high score on World of tanks. (I found out that high scores only last a week so it is still good, but not awesome. Again in my German Light tank. I am not so good and I do die a lot in it, but 2 kills in a game where I am the lowest level tank in the game is not anything to be sniffed at!

Back to more prep today and trying to source a Polykarpov P15 (Biplane) in 1/200 th (10mm) scale! I do not need one but having one would be nice,

All the best and enjoy the day.

Clint

Engineering Paras and extras.

And so my US Para company comes to an end with yet another platoon, this time the engineers Platoon.

As you can see I have Lt Spiers in command this time. Dave Docherty (curse him) supplied the name of an officer of Dog company so I felt forced to include him. Which would mean these are the 101st regiment and not the 82 "All American" regiment. But I will use them as both.

The engineers platoon consists of 7 bases including the lieutenant command stand. I am sorry to have to admit this command stand has M1 Carbines and not Thompson SMG, just because I ran out of SMG figures. But perhaps the M1 will make a nice change. So other than the command stand we have 3 Garand Rifle stands and a .30 Cal LMG stand and special to the engineers 2 flamethrower stands, But No Bazooka stands (Shame).

Having never used a flame thrower in the PBI rules I have no idea how good it will be but I am hoping it will be able to make any armoured vehicles think twice.


 The very knowledgeable among you will realise that the flamethrower figure is not actually in Paratroop uniform. But at this scale I am not going to worry about that as I knew my opponents will not either. For those of you looking to stop the difference it is most clearly in the boots, the helmet and the knees of the trousers. For those of you not worried, well done as it is only a playing piece after all. While all the other figures are Battlefront the flame throwers are Peter pig US Marines! I have only a single figure on the Flame base as let's be honest no one wants to stand too close to such an explosive bullet magnet. Well would you?

In addition the Peter Pig rules require dead markers so here are 8 dead counters. These  are the figures that you paint but hope never to use, but you have to have anyway. But with me in charge they will get a lot of use I am sure. In Fact I may need to go and buy some more! Yes perhaps I should put another order in right now!




As I had spare figures I also made 5 additional .30 Cal stands. This will allow me to swap out some of the BAR stands if I choose to give better LMG firepower. In the rules you can mix and match LMGs in the same Platoon as long as you do not go over the limit of 3 per platoon. So this option may well pay dividends only time will tell.





And Finally I have an assortment of figures made up into stands which technically I do not need but again you never know and it is a case of using up spare figures. And as I get points for them in the Painting challenge it made sense to do so.

So an extra SMG stand* a bazooka stand and another Rifle stand. I know I said I had run out of SMG figures for the command stand (Lt Spiers) but if I had used it there they would have been in identical poses and I would have always looked at the stand with an unformed question on my lips.

So that folks is all of my 15mm US Paratroopers for PBI. I will try to do a basing walkthrough on Friday so until then, take care, have fun, try to roll some dice and shove figures around the table.

All the best from Clint