Pacific Bunker

I have had to delay putting this on the blog. To give a mate the chance to place it on his website.
I bought this from Frontline (LINK)  over the Christmas period. The idea was to use it for my Vietnam collection. I know the Vietnam "Bunkers" did not look like this but sometimes in wargames we use proxies! Anyway I painted it for the Analogue hobbies Painting challenge bonus round "Home!" Yes not really a home and it was not greatly appreciated possibly because people saw other things they liked more, or because it did not really fit the "Home" category. Who cares how people vote is up to them and I cannot blame them at all.


The only additions I made were in the form of some extra foliage. There are grass reeds added and some small clump foliage. Everything else is paint.

Let me just say it really was a joy to paint. It took me one afternoon start to finish. The reeds are bristles a wall papering brush that was bought for this purpose and may be one of the best terrain purchases I have made at 99p (From Wilkinsons 3 years ago!)


 Anyway since painting I have developed a growing interest in the Pacific war. The model is 20mm (1/76th Scale) a two piece casting and very suitable for any 20th century conflict in the pacific.

Tim has since added the pic to his Frontline web site. If you want to check that just click the link above, click on 20mm ww2 Accessories and it is the second from the bottom.

 But most importantly it was just a fun project that I will use for my Vietnam collection.

That's it for today. Have fun take carte and paint if you feel in the mood. All the best Clint




EdiT: I also added some "Static Grass" as well. I forgot about that when writing this . I sincerely apologise

Building a jungle.

Nope Not finished just yet.  By which I mean I have finished this batch of trees but there are more still to come.

I purchased these via eBay. They cost £2.49 plus 99 p postage so all for less than £3.50. They did come from China and arrived within 1 week of ordering. While they were advertises as 50 when I can to use them (I had already given feedback) I found there to be just 45.  So If you order any just count them before you give feedback. And if you are short let them know.

But for the price 45 small trees is still good so I am quite happy. Trees have no scale so they can be for any size figure you choose. But for me I will be using them for 20mm Vietnam and 28mm Sci Fi. But there is no reason they could not work for other scales. And for the cost and swift delivery I think they were quite good value.

 As they come with plastic spikes at the bottom I first snipped the spikes off. Then having collected a large number of metal discs I used Milliput (a 2 part epoxy putty) to attaché the "Shrubs" to the metal discs. Then waited 24 hours to dry. Epoxy putty does take a while to dry so I find it best to wait overnight.







Once dry I painted the bases with Brown Acrylic paint that I buy cheaply in "The Works" book shop. While the paint was still wet I covered the metal base and the milliput with sand. It is actually "Builders sand" (as that is the cheapest) that has been passed through a sieve to keep it loose and very fine and granular. Again I waited over night. The following day I mixed up a quite runny brown paint (the same paint as before but mixed with water). And then all the sand on the bases were painted brown with a big brush.

As I already have 2 different types of trees for my jungle terrain there should mostly be ground cover. They are cheap and easy to make and will I have no doubt cover the table with terrain which will block line of sight and resemble jungles.

So there you have a very quick and simple terrain tutorial.
All the best Clint

What! More than a week!

Yes I know it has been more than a week since my last post. But I am still alive and well and (as far as I know) no problems.

So to get back in the swing a quick post.

Just a single 20mm SHQ NVA figure. I did think I had finished painting pretty much all of my Vietnam stuff and then at the back of the painting table I found a single  figure. He was obviously hiding ready to ambush.

So Not a massive addition but an addition non the less. All this does mean that I will need to rake out the box to put it away, and I can see from the stack of Boxes the Vietnam 20mm box is right at the bottom (Typical).

But I do have the Sanpan to put away as well so I really think I should. And then I think I have a show on Sunday and I might buy some more so perhaps it can wait until then! Not that I need any 20mm Vietnam stuff at the show, but you never know! Maybe some brown water navy.... NO that way is madness I have more than enough for a game. And we all know that means I will probably think of something to add.... "just one more wafer thin mint!"

I have go another post ready to put on for 2 days time and my bout of apathy and wargames doldrums seems to have passed so I should get back in the swing pretty soon.

Thanks for looking, all the best Clint.

57mm RR and crew in 20mm

Yes one more very slight addition to my Vietnam Conflict project. I really need to get some games with that project this year. Anyway today is a 57mm Recoilless Rifle with three crew.

While the dead figure is by SHQ, (He had been waiting on my painting table for a good 6 months) all the rest are by Britannia. I bought the crew thinking the RR would be included but  it was not. I remember thinking at the time. "Cor! that's a bargain" not realising the Recoilless Rifle was not included. LOL It all makes sense now.

Anyway I went to the 57mm as opposed to a larger calibre as my US troops are not overly blessed with armour, yes I do have some M113's and a Patton but this level of support should be rare on the table top. As a consequence Viet Minh Anti tank should be equally rare. Britannia do make a larger gun but this was much more common and the 57mm while heavy enough to carry through a jungle would be easier.

The crew  consist of a spotter, who could also be an officer, a loader and one other. Giving a 3 man crew. All mounted on separate bases in case the gun or the crew take hits and can no longer fight and have to be removed.

The basing is very simple as well. Starting with a 2mm thick MDF base just coated with sand and painted a cheap acrylic brown. Clumps of static grass and bristles from a wall papering brush make up the reeds. Simple yet effective. And one wall paper brush lasts an age. I have so far managed to do 1 15mm FOW Parachute company and both the US and the Viet minh in 20mm (1/72nd scale) and still have about 1/4 of the brush unused. So considering the brush was only 99p (at the time) a very quick and easy basing product.

I am not saying this is my Vietnam project finished, but I think it is for now at the least.

Thanks for looking today and I hope you are having a fantastic weekend!


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

Hole in the ground

There was a bonus round on the Analogue hobbies painting challenge (AHPC) called "defensive terrain". As I have decided NOT to spend any money on new figures for the challenge, but just to slowly reduce the lead mountain I was a bit stuck as to what to do for Defensive terrain. And being a cheapskate I decided that I would actually make some tunnel entrance markers for my Vietnam collection.  2 MDF round bases with rectangular tunnel entrances painted black. And yes they are hard to see deliberately.  Then just painted to look like all my other Vietnam bases. So just some very simple indicators of where the tunnel entrances may be. I will not actually be building the tunnels so I only need a marker for the entrance, As you can see in the first picture they are quite small and very well disguised as the lady in question holds a trap door over her head and once in place would be very hard to tell from the jungle floor.

But some were found and the US army had a specialist unit (which I will not be representing on the battlefield) of "Tunnel Rats". The Latin motto is in no way rude and does not include Rat or arse in it WHEN translated. But I will leave it to you to translate.

On a side note I have really struggled with Blogger today to the extent I was about to start the whole blog again. But luckily some luck and a little patience has seen it restored back to how it should be. Morale of the last paragraph is do not click buttons too fast! But Panic over and "Normal service is restored!"

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


 

Bonus round (Epic Fail)

I did come up with several ideas for an epic fail, unfortunately they all revolved around me spending money or making a diorama. Both of which I had decided not to do.

Instead I started to assemble and paint a medevac helicopter. But that took to long and I did not finish it.

So instead I just put in a US soldier from Vietnam covered in a grown sheet as they did with the dead until they could be taken back to camp.

very simple to paint and rather than just miss out I submitted this as an epic fail.

very quick, very simple and easy to get finished. But at the same time although a little dark in subject a Total Epic Fail as far as I am concerned.

The figure is a Grubby Tanks/Britannia model in 20mm (1/72nd scale) and is part of the helicopter medevac set. (More of those in a few  days)

Thanks for looking and more in 2 days.

All the best Clint 

SELWG LOOT

Sorry for the lack of posts. They have been because I was doing something I cannot tell you about. Ok OK I'll spill! I was asked to paint a figure for someone and not tell anyone what it might be. As they will receive next weekend I will very likely post pics then or soon thereafter.

Well the picture says it all. Here is what I got. But most importantly the physical side is not as important as the joy of meeting other bloggers and other people in the wargames community. You can expect blogs of the show from the following bloggers, Tamsin (Link to blog!), Ray (Link to Blog) , Big Lee of the sore shins (Link to his blog ) Whispering Al (You guessed it another blog link.) as well as many more as well and I am sure they will do a very good show report.

So what did I buy, from top left to bottom right-

• 4 28mm Collie Dogs. you can never have enough dogs in a game. From Col Bill stand.
• 1 belt fed miniature that I am painting for Louise.... but she wants no pics just yet! Again from Colonel Bills.
• 1 20mm Huey medevac crew from Grubby tanks You may recall that I picked up a spare Huey at the Skirmish show. Now you know what it will be!
• 1 20mm Sampan again for my Vietnam collection as I have no brown water stuff at all (until now) Again from Grubby tanks.
• 2 28mm scare crows from Crooked Dice. Part impulse buy, part frostgrave constructs. I may not have another enchanter!

So as you can see quite a small haul. But after paying for fuel entrance and food and drinks (OK fizzy pop and sweets!) not much change from £45.

I did not take many pics of the day, but will put them up tomorrow.
Cheers for now Clint

50mm Mortar and crew.

Yep another post.
Today a 50mm Vietnamese local militia force Mortar and 2 crew. The Figurers are from Britannia and quite well sculpted and cast.. Nothing special, but these two just round out my Vietnam Collection. I only have 2 helicopters crew and then I really am all ready to go. We can always keep adding to collections and I am sure I will in years to come, but for now I am just about done. As the Helicopters will mostly be making very short visits to the table and I want to do them for the next Analogue painting challenge!

These two are 20mm (or 1/72 if you prefer). And with that back to painting VBCW figures for Matt. And colonial figures for Pete. (Both Club Members)

SO until next time, have fun and take care.
All the very best Clint.

More Wild life!

Due to a family Illness I was unable to get much painted, So no VBCW, and just a couple of Vietnam wildlife. 2 Vietnamese Water buffalo, from Britannia (LINK) in 1/72nd scale commonly called 20mm by wargamers. I did paint the horns black brown to begin with as that is more authentic but it just did not look right so I painted them cream and then white and now they look a little bright! Somedays I just can't win. The Flash on the camera has also lightened them considerably!

So that's a brief one and with luck post again on Saturday. And that will be VBCW as I finish this batch off!

If anyone from my wargames club reads this please ask Ian to bring the keys in case I cannot make it!

Cheers Guys. Please no sympathy in the comments!

"Here Piggy Piggy!"

Nope that is not the wargamers call to lunch! But an indication of my latest Vietnam figures. And being Vietnam conflict and the word "Pig" is actually nothing to do with the M60 light machinegun! Yes that was called a Pig but these are 2 Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs! They were a gift from Andy Grub of Britannia and Grubby tanks (Link) when I sent of a very small order for some extras for my Vietnam collection. Which I have to say is very nice of him especially as I meant to order some yet forgot to ! So I was delighted to include them and being a very easy paint job I painted them straight away. They were an easy paint I cannot deny otherwise. Just a very dark grey and a black ink wash.  Given the Viet Minh will not be set up on the table but revealed when discovered. These will allow me to tell players that the undergrowth is moving or that they hear a noise. Then when they "Recon By Fire" they will not know if they are shooting at people or animals. "Oh what a shame that you have killed the village elders favourite Pig, Minus 10 Victory Points to the American Team as the village is encouraged to assist the Viet Minh!" Probably not exactly what I'll say, but you get the idea! And so will they after the event!


Here is the small shiny order, which is mostly helicopter crews and local Viet Minh heavy weapons. Ordered tea time on day 1 and arrived on day 3 so all in all a very successful order which tells you everything was already in stock. So continued excellent service from Andy Grub. All 20mm figures just to round out the collection and crew helicopters!

And finally a pic of a real pig so you can see I got the markings right!

Right that's it for today. I hope to post again on Sunday and probably back to VBCW as I paint some more 28mm figures for Matt.

Paddy Fields (Part 1)

It does not happen often but this morning I awoke and felt like making terrain. And as I am working on my 20mm Vietnam Conflict collection (I even sent for shinnies and Plastics yesterday) it made sense to me to think about terrain for that. As I already own enough jungle foliage and village huts the next thing was going to be some Paddy fields. These should be easy! Yeah famous last words I know it and yet I keep telling myself! One day I may believe the truth before it hits me up the head...

 So I found a spare piece of board, in this case 6mm MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). Yes I know it's a little think for what I need and hardboard would be better yet it was quick to source and easy to work (There's that "Easy" word again!)

 So I marked out what I wanted with regard to Field shape. Settling on 3 or 4 (depends how you picky you are about counting) sizes and shapes. I spent a happy 35 minutes up the shed with a jigsaw.

Then rounded of the corners and sanded them smooth and removed any bumps to create the basic field shapes. I do realise that these will be proud on the table top and that real water does not do that, but for gaming purposes these will be flooded fields and should represent the terrain and as long as people are not stupid ( I will be running a book on the first person to comment) they should serve.

There are of course a few more steps to go but the basic roughing out of field shapes is now done. While at this stage they are fairly regular each field being separate they can be arranged in less than regular patterns to represent the flooded paddy fields of a small hamlet! The joy is that once made they should be OK for all scales from 10mm-28mm.

That's it for today as my Vietnam project gets a little bit closer to complete!

Thanks For looking and Painted figures on Saturday.

Cheers Guys.

Last ones for now!

Yesterday I was back finishing my 20mm SHQ Local Force Viet Minh. And these last 8 finish of all that I have available at this time. Which is not to say I will not buy some more in the future, I know I will as I want at least 1 Viet Minh Mortar, which I will pick up at a show later this year. I will also need to buy Helicopters for the US troops.

So anyway just to reinforce the point these are the last 8. Only 1 armed with an AK, 6 with bolt action Rifles and 1 with a light machinegun.

Thanks for looking today and now back to VBCW for the next few posts. Who knows after that!

All the best from Clint

More Viet Minh

Yes some more 20mm SHQ Viet Minh for my Vietnam collection. It was a repaint and re base exercise on some old and much loved lead. So No new lead painted so far this week. But there should be some on Sunday.

Firstly an RPG team, 1 to fire the RPG and 2 to fetch ammo up and out of hiding. This gives me a couple of Rocket propelled grenade teams in all and should give the US troops a reason not to go blundering about in armoured personnel carriers. But knowing what most players are like this really will not stop them at all. (They will be more worried about mines!)

  Then there is a .30 Cal Browning machinegun I do not have a lot of "heavy" weapons for my local force/militia Viet Minh this being my only medium machinegun but placed in the right locations this should be quite effective indeed. Again 2 extra figures for bringing up ammunition and if need be defending the gun. They are both armed with older and less effective weapons (an AR7 Survival rifle and an M3 "Grease Gun") as befits local forces who have been active for some time and may not always have access to the latest and most powerful weapons.

Lastly 5 standard Viet Minh armed with Ak's and bolt action rifles which will fit in with the other figures in my force. Every army needs more rank and file than specialists so I am happy to get them finished and ready for the table-top.

A special mention should go out to "Smiffy" one of Posties rejects for two reasons. Firstly he has been playing a few games and as with many projects that has inspired me somewhat. And secondly I have been after "Body Count" The tabletop games rules for about a year and he has not only passed them on to me but also passed me a copy of "Buckle for your dust" rules as well. For which I am very grateful.

There are more figure I want for this conflict, but other than Viet Minh mortars and some wildlife I think I am ready. So I would expect an AAR before the end of the year.

Casualties. (20mm Britannia)

Well I will admit that the Bank Holiday did give me a little extra time. So here today a little earlier than expected are my latest figures.

Two castings picked up at the Salute show from Andy at Grubby Tanks. They are Britannia 20mm castings which are now supplied by GRUBBY TANKS (Link) These five figures help to round out the Vietnam conflict figures I re-painted, and re-based a couple of weeks ago. It is only in "Vietnam War" wargames rules have I ever needed to worry about casualties being taken to a safe place, be that an aid station or medivaced out to a civilized hospital. Oh and in Afghan war as well now I think on it. Oh and in zombie games, but that really is different!!

So we have a figure carrying another over his shoulder and two figures carrying another between them. Both very characterful figures and totally useable in the "FNG" rules by 2 hour Wargames. Needles to say if a casualty needs taking off table during a game the squad will lose more than just the single casualty, it will require at least 1 more to move them. So suddenly your squad is down 2 fighting troops for the time it takes to get the guy to a safe place. And maybe even then if there is no handy medic to act as a guard until help arrives. It is just another example of how warfare really is and not as we like to play it. I am equally sure in earlier centuries the same thing must have happened! It's just that only from the Vietnam conflict onwards do rules take this into account.

The final picture is just a "Proof" for the local club painting challenge that the figures were painted in this time period and not before. Yes I know that sounds kind of daft, but hey they want some evidence and not to just take each others words. So who am I to argue? It just seems a bit.... well "untrusting!" To me if we don't trust other wargamers then perhaps I or them are in the wrong hobby!

That's all for today. I hope this finds you well. All the best from rainy (today) Kent. Cheers Clint
 

Just thought I would include a bit of music to go with the figures. feel free to ignore it if you want.

 

For those who want to know it is "Fortunate son!" By Credence Clearwater Revival. As I thought it a nice change from "Paint it black" by the Stones. But I could have selected so many more good songs. As the soundtrack to the Vietnam engagement is one of the best out there.

 

 I think this finishes my US troops for now, but I do plan to get a few more at the Salute Show. But only a few.

Firstly we have an M29, 81mm mortar and crew. Just a two man crew, there in reality may have been a few more bringing ammunition from the ammo bunker as well as an Officer and Radio operator. But All I need is a simple representation and it may never actually reach the tabletop. But then again it might. I see it being typically used from a "Secure" area such as a fire base and not by a patrol at least in any games. Should there ever be a Big battle yes I see it being used quite a lot.

There are also 3 dead or at least badly wounded. These may also be a scenario objective as the US troops want to return their own dead to the Good Ole... As with all the figures they are 20mm in scale and SHQ by design. And being honest I think they are some of the nicest 20mm figures for this conflict as you can get.

Goping back to the mortar and crew very quickly, I did not put any tall reeds on those figures as I did not want them to look like they were deep "In Country" but that is all personal choice.

Then almost another squad of 9 figures. Not a single Booper or M60 LMG this time. 6 are armed with M16 rifles, 2 with Remington shotguns, while the last has a radio (and a pistol). These extra shotgun figures were stored in a different location to the other squads but at least I now have 3 painted and ready to use. Should nay of my players want to equip their squad with one. I have probably mentioned it before but think "Bunny" from Platoon. (Called Bunny as he has a cartoon tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his arm).

 The guy with a radio is also a welcome addition (I now have 2) as it allows me to easily call in fire support in the form of mortars, heavier artillery, air strikes and even naval bombardment from ships on the coast. Ok ships on the coast will only work in certain areas but it was something that did happen on occasion. Some of the figures are the same casting but that is to be expected when you put 30+ on display or even on the same table. As such I have given them different skin tones as well as where possible different equipment. Such as the red head band.

As I am enjoying Youtube and the ability to put it on my blog here is one more. Yes that's right the iconic attack in "Apocalypse now"

Take care and Paint when you can. Best wishes Clint.