15mm hetzer

At the Skirmish show I could not resist this Hetzer from "Forged in battle!" although classed as a miss cast and sold for £ 2.50 I really could find nothing wrong with it except the resin was a different colour. As I was going to paint it what did I care.

So here is my latest addition to my 15mm WW2 vehicles. I am painting German late war infantry and assuming they go well they should be shown on Friday (That is the cue for them to go very wrong!)

I have included a quick You tube documentary as well for those of you who do not know your WW2 German vehicles.  But I do realise that if you do not you will most likely not want to watch the video either. Just in the same way that if you put a documentary about English Civil war helmets, I probably would not watch it either.

But the Hetzer was a good vehicle with a good gun and low profile so very good at ambush type tactics, but not very good for slugging it out with main battle tanks. But if It could fire without giving it's position away then that was a different thing.

Skirmish Show report

Traders  in the main Hall
There were over 30 Traders covering a
wide range of Toy soldier products
and wargames products.

Firstly let me say I was mostly playing a game and will do a Batt report in another post.  I dis show the loot I made off with yesterday so here is a look at the games and the traders a the show.

If you are a wargamer though do not expect the show
 to be like Salute or "Supermarket sweep!"
There is some good stuff but mostly you have to
look for it.



Traders in the Foyer



The Hall of Games. Where the clubs put on games for the public
Again if you are expecting Salute type games
 you will mostly be disappointed.













There is even a display of modelmaking.
While I spend almost no time talking to these guys
I do recognise that there is a mutural interest
Between wargames

















Theer is even a Military illustrator
at the show working away at commissions
from members of the public.







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Games

For many of us the games are the best bits. here are a selection of games from the show. With comments where appropriate. But Mostly without as I was not asking too many questions.


A 10mm Napoleonic game
using Pendraken figures

A 54mm Somme Game.
Quite lovely and build by a BBC Production Engineer

It even had a couple of holes in the side to look
into the underground sections

Dave and Paul from the Walderslade club.
Playing Dust tactics

A Full Thrust game by Sittingbourne club

Paul and Ian (The Crush the Kiaser guys)
doing a Dark arge Skirmish.
It was the first time I have seen them do a game
pre 20th Century.

Herene Bay-Whitatable club
Doing some Lion Rampant
With 3 Retinues each.

No Idea. But still nice to see

A fantasy Big battle in which as many figures on the table
 as possible did seem to be the aim of this game.
Quantity over Quality.
But each to their own

The Gravesend guys doing a large Necron
versus Space Marines



A Mad max Inspired game.
It will be at Salute in a bigger format.
Looks fun.
And who does not want to be a WARBOY!

 

Last but not least Our Game of Hammering Iron
An ACW Naval engagement
And a bloodbath,
But more of this in another post!

 
 Overall a good day out for me and the Rainham club.  Kindly Note that Blogger put the artist and first game side by side. And rather than re type the whole thing I just went with it!

THIS SHOW will happen again in the Autumn. on

18th September 2016.

I am about to start preparing our club game for the show. The date line for the game is 2nd September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. But things may well change. I will keep you all posted.

Thanks for looking today and I will post again on Wednesday.

Cheers Clint

Skirmish Swag/loot.

Yes I did put my hand in my pocket a little today. Not so much as to regret it or so much that it will not get painted. So here is what I bought and from who.

So what did I get?

1. On the left, we have a 6x4' (Gridded) grass printed terrain Matt. While I only wanted a 4x4' Matt I was sold on the larger size when the trader offered it to me at the same price as the smaller mat. Bought from http://www.tinywargames.co.uk/ . So I am quite happy with the result.
2. Top Right Some 15mm Vikings. Purchased from Colonel Bill at http://shop.colonelbills-store.co.uk/epages/4f27da57-42ee-48c0-9cb8-22c9dd921a68.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/4f27da57-42ee-48c0-9cb8-22c9dd921a68/Categories/154 . Actually not purchased at all but a straight swap for some Foundry unpainted 28mm figure I was never going to get around to. And this should give me about enough Vikings for a game of "Longship!" (By Peter Pig) Not enough you 2 forces nut enough to put a BIG Dent in one! I like to think of it as recycling!
3. 2 15mm Miscast "Forged in Battle" resin tanks in 15mm size. A Hetzer and a Char 1 B. Purchased from http://www.andysmodels.co.uk/ . While these are officially "Miscast" With a lick of paint you will hardly know at all. The Hetzer will give my Germans a few extra options as a late war Tank destroyer. While the Char 1 B was used in WW2 by the French (and interwar period as well) and also in WW2 by the Germans.

Not sure yet what I will paint the Char up to represent but for £2.50 I know I will find a use. See below for historical note on the German use of this vehicle.

A number of Char B1's (161) were captured by the Germans during the Fall of France. These were later pressed into service as second line and training vehicles under the name of Panzerkampfwagen B-2 740 (f). Sixty became platforms for flamethrowers as Flammwagen auf Panzerkampfwagen B-2 (f). Sixteen were converted into 105 mm self-propelled artillery, armed with the 10.5 cm leFH 18 light howitzer.

Thanks for looking today and I will do a show report tomorrow.

And I even got Stu from Colonel Bill to take some fantasy figure to Roy. So not too many and I hope you can use them mate. (A Mix of Table top games and Asgard figures)

Cheers Clint

More Zulu's

I was going to call this post getting it wrong in every way! But that is a bit harsh and |I assure the kind and gentle reader that it is of course not in every way.

If you ever decide to paint a Zulu army make sure you have plenty of Zulus. One or two will just not do you do need a serious amount. So here are my next 33. (And that is just a drop in the bucket! Bucket not ocean let us not exaggerate!)

So what did I get wrong, well not so very much as all that but one thing that is quite important. Well probably more than just one thing, but 1 thing I am aware about.

Here is what happened! I did have a painted example on my painting table to copy and copy I did. I finished the 33 and was feeling jolly good about it. All based and varnished and ready to put away. It all happened in the putting away.  Below is a picture of the few painted so far, many more to go. And then I noticed that the ones with the headdress had different  colour shields from the ones I have just painted also in a headdress.  Opps.

As Zulu Impis (Regiments are identified by their shields I had clearly started a third regiment without realising. Therefore I do have one of 3 solutions!

1. I can start a 3rd regiment and be content and allow more space in the boxes for them. (Brown and white shields)
2. I Can re-paint the shields of these new troops to bring them into line with my other troops in headdress. (Black and white shields)
3. I can re paint the previously painted troops to make them match the newly painted. (Brown and white shields)
4. Re paint both sets to get black brown and white shields (Black and brown and white shields as a tricolour!)

At this stage I am thinking option 2 makes the most sense. While I still have many to paint it is possible to carry out option 1 but I know the nagging voice in my head will tell me of for being lazy. Option 3 is also possible and just as much work. Option 4 is more work and historically not correct but I could fudge it enough to make it look convincing. But I think In reality it needs to be option 2. But I just cannot face it today. so Maybe Monday night!

All the best Clint

Panther (!5mm)

A couple (ok 3) of years ago I was trying to build a 15mm PBI Late war German company. Well as I scratch my head and look around and try to focus I have revisited that project. The easiest things to paint for it are of course vehicles! So As I wanted the easy option here are 2 Panther tanks. I will not lie one (on the right) has been shown on the blog previously. The one on the left though (with the commander) is newly painted!


They are bother FOW vehicles and as such are both metal and resin. They look the part now that they both have the same camo. ( Three colour ambush) . I can honestly say that I will not need any more Panthers and that indeed 2 may be overkill as it is. So that should be enough late war tanks for PBI. Which of course means I will buy some more just to get variety! But no plans at present!

I will be at a show on Sunday (a little/local show) so who knows what will tempt me then. But at least this puts me on the way to a normal painting schedule. Another Post on Saturday IF I can get this batch of Zulu's finished.

Until then take care and have fun and slap some paint about!

Cheers Clint

Lewis Gun Team.

A slow painting day post "Challenge", But I have managed to get 2 more WW1 figures finished. These will do double duty serving with my 28mm WW1 troops, And also with my VBCW figures.

As the figures were a gift I am not able to tell you who made them but they do look and paint like Great war miniatures. They were a gift from Matt about a year ago and then I lost them and now I found them. Given the need to do double duty in two armies I have been keen to keep the bases simple just so they do not look too out of place in either army.


The double duty is so that my WW1 army being mostly early war can now stretch all the way up to VBCW all using the same figures. All I have to do is include the Lewis gun teams or indeed remove them for early WW1 games.

Later this week I intend to work on two OLD projects that have been on the back burners for a while.  Yes back to the 10mm Zulus (As a local show is planning a Zulu themed event next year!) And hey have sat idle for about a year and so are in need of reinforcements as I did start them but did not get so vary far. The problem being that to look good a Zulu army in 1/200th scale needs masses of them. The other old project is a German late war PBI company. Again a local wants an Arnhem game, it can (and in my case will be Operation Market Garden as opposed to Arnhem it self!) By using my US Paratroops I painted last year  I only need to get some late war Germans done. They will be useful for other games as well not just Market Garden!

But those are plans for the future so I will get side tracked but at least I have a goal to aim at now.

Cheers From Sunny Kent!

First painted since.....?

Well that is just not true! Well not entirely as I had started this BEFORE the painting challenge started and thus it was not eligible for entry into the challenge. One of the big problems with the painting challenge is the cool down period afterwards. I am slowly tackling it! I did manage to paint 6 Napoleonic Highlanders (IN Tartan with tartan socks) in 15mm the day after the challenge ended for a club friend (Peter) but other than that it has been slow.

So I thought with a game coming up next Sunday at a show I would get some more VBCW figures done and thus I tackled this vehicle which had been started BEFORE the painting challenge.

It did start life as an eBay purchase of £0.99 plus postage as no one bid on it!. At the time I could clearly see why! It was very badly painted and converted and not at all historically accurate. However a few dabs of paint and several grey hairs later it does make a passable VBCW vehicle. The crew with US helmets are all wrong and the howitzer is un feasibly large on this little carrier. But as a bit of fun I can forgive that and I know several players will find this "Troll-Cannon" amusing. (I do anyway).


Because it was already assembled it was tricky to get the brush in all the right places but despite my complaints I do like it! Clearly it would never exist in real life. The recoil would topple over the carrier most likely killing the crew at the same time. But that aside for the craziness of VBCW I think I will get away with it as long as people will forget the reality.

I cannot be sure where all the parts came from but I suspect the carrier was Warlord and probably the figures as well as they do seem a good fit. The gun though I have no idea as it is white metal while the carrier is plastic. Overall I am pleased with it yes it could be better but working from another's build and painting there is just so much you are inclined to do. And for the price what can I say it has kept me amused for several hours so that can't be all bad.

Happy Easter everyone. And I should post again on Tuesday as I "Should" get some painting done today!

Take care and have fun!

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

Socialists (1) VBCW

 Yes more VBCW figures. These will represent the socialist faction.  Not everybody in Kent is part of the Anglican league. It is quite diverse. But the Anglican league is the strongest faction in East Kent. There are however some factions such as the socialist that will, on occasions work militarily with the AL against the Fascists from London. Indeed many of the London Socialists are fighting in Kent to help stem the tide and keep the east bank of the Medway out of Fascist hands.

SO today shows my first Socialist squad who Happen to be in Kent. The figures are all Empress miniatures from the Spanish Civil War range. There is also at least one Footsore miniature from the Irish Civil War range. Most of the figures carry rifles. There is only one with a shot gun while another carries a mortar. (In the SCW Mortars were VERY rare in the early stages with only 6 in the whole country. When foreign powers got involved many more did become available). We Need not worry about that though as this is a Very British Civil War and many of those who served in WW1 would have seen them or even used them.

These have all been painted for my mate Matt and were to be used in a show game in 2 weeks time. Alas though As Matt has some family issues at the moment he has withdrawn.

Which has lead to an interesting change around. As a club we are now going to do a Hammering Iron ACW Naval game at the show, just a simple game which looks OK. It also means that I have volunteered to sort out a different game for the Autumn show we usually attend so expect to see some furious terrain building in the next few weeks! I intent to build the terrain so It can be used at the club as well as the shows and hope that it will look OK. As for what it will be I hope to get a WW2 set up finished for the PBI rules. I already have 2 American armies (why would I need 2?). Well 1 is Paratroops and the other is Infantry (but could be armoured infantry as well). So I will also have to paint a German opposition for them. I have not decided just yet if it will be Faslschrimjaeger or Wermarcht troops. I will just see what I can get cheapest and quickest and go from there.

Thanks for looking today all the best Clint

Dead Girls Are Easy!

 As the painting challenge draws to an end I am trying (and failing for the most part) to get back to blogging on a regular basis.

Having now finish all the things I wanted to get done for the challenge I had a bit of spare time and enthusiasm. And while this was submitted it was never planned to be.

It is of course a West Wind Production Biker. I bought a pack of these a few years back but never  got them painted. As I am re-enthused about zombie games I thought to get one done.

I was going to write "Dead girls are Easy!" on the petrol tank, but instead settled for green flames. It was semi successful and a second attempt will no doubt prove a better finish so that is my plan, but with 8-10 Bikers to do they can not all have flames on the bikes, that would just look silly!

Still with luck this will get me back in the saddle again.

Club on Sunday so an AAR on Monday of whatever game I play! And at this stage it could be anything. I have suggested a Vietnam game but that is NOT looking likely at present!

Cheers for looking, more soon.

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