Operation Typhoon - Part Three

This Soviet armour formation consists of three packets of SV58 T26 tank. The models were simply undercoated with Knarloc Green, before being washed with Thraka Green and then dry-brushed with more Knarloc Green. The light infantry tanks’ tracks were painted Boltgun Metal over a Chaos Black undercoat, before being washed with Badab Black. The red stars come from “Pendraken Minatures” decal range PNDC6 Russian Stars, whilst the tank numbers are from PNDC7 Russian tank numbers red/white.

I'm just finishing off my fifth (and momentarily final) Soviet formation, with some veteran infantry (identical to my Russian Regulars except they'll be accompanied by the Soviet flag). Then it'll be on to the Germans, with some of their formations already 'in the can' from my BKC days - although a few require repainting as I now dislike the all white winter clothing I've previously painted them in (and some have bizarrely discoloured a pinkish brown over the months!?!).

Operation Typhoon - Part Two

The bulk of my Soviet Infantry will be Regular soldiers, with each formation consisting of three stands of five models, plus two support stands (Mortar and Machinegun). The infantry stands are made up of the two poses found within “Pendraken Miniatures” World War Two Russian selection SV20 and the two further poses which make up SV29. Both of these packs are described as Riflemen, winter equipment. The Mortar Team is made up of the models found within pack SV48 120mm Mortar with crew. Whilst the Machinegun Team come from SV31 Maxim model 1910 team, winter equipment.

Instead of wearing great winter coats, the soldiers from packet SV20 wear Telogreika (a padded winter jacket) and so, along with any Ushanka worn by some of the other models (e.g. the Maxim crew), these figures were undercoated with Dheneb Stone, before being washed with Devlan Mud and dry-brushed with more Dheneb Stone. The Regulars’ helmets and the 120mm mortar were painted with Knarloc Green, before being washed with Thraka Green.

My formation of Soviet Cavalry (carrying Submachine guns) consists of three stands of horse, and a further three stands [only two shown] of Soviets on foot for when they dismount (e.g. to fortify a building). The riders are from packet SV54 Cavalry with Submachine gun. As with the Telogreika and Ushanka wearing models from SV20, these figures were undercoated with Dheneb Stone, before being washed with Devlan Mud and dry-brushed with more Dheneb Stone. Their horses were painted using either Chaos Black or Astronomican Grey with Badab Black wash, or either Dark Flesh or Dheneb Stone with a Devlan Wash. The models on foot are from packet SV21 PPsh Submachine gun, winter equipment, and consist of soldiers wearing both heavy winter overcoats, Telogreika and Ushanka.

I currently have the first of my Soviet Tank formations close to completion and my Russian's fifth and final unit (for now at least), some Veteran Infantry.

Operation Typhoon - Part One

This series of articles and battle reports (using a homemade quick play rule set) will initially cover the Third Reich’s invasion of Russia from October – December 1941. The 10mm metal models and the majority of resin scenery are by “Pendraken Miniatures”. The paints used are predominantly “Citadel Foundation” and “Citadel Washes” from “Games Workshop”.

Having decided to play a series of weekly skirmishes over the next month to ‘test-out’ my quick play rule set, I thought the opening confrontation should be a simple small battle on a 4 x 4 table, with both armies only fielding five formations each, most of which will be infantry (of varying quality).

This should give me enough time to get the necessary miniatures painted, and provide me with enough models per side for a reasonable (hour-long) game. I can then add to these ‘core’ formations over the next few weeks, creating larger (and longer) battles.

I have first turned my attention to the Soviet Army, and already painted up all the models needed for a formation of Conscripts. These five stands are predominantly made up of the two poses found within “Pendraken Miniatures” World War Two Russian selection SV29 Riflemen, winter equipment. Each stand also contains a single model from SV35 Commissar with megaphone (in order to keep the inexperienced soldiers in line when the going gets tough).

The soldiers were undercoated with Calthan Brown, and then washed with Devlan Mud, before being dry-brushed with more Calthan Brown. The models’ face and hands were then picked out with Tallarn Flesh, and their rifles’ with Dark Flesh. Both of these areas were then washed with Devlan Mud. The rifle barrels and the Commissar’s megaphone were painted with Boltgun metal and then washed with Badab Black. The Commissar and the Conscripts’ helmets were painted with Knarloc Green, before being washed with Thraka Green. The Commissar was then dry-brushed with more Knarloc Green.

I next plan to paint a formation of Soviet Regular Infantry. These will consist of three stands of five models, plus two support stands (Mortar and Machinegun).

"I Suppose You've Come For Me?"

These models are the ‘classic version’ of “Crooked Dice” Game Design Studio's "Robo-Rodent Infestation", and are sculpted by Greg Storey. As I wanted them to represent the Cybermats seen in the September 1967 Doctor Who TV story "The Tomb Of The Cybermen”, I simply drybrushed them with Boltgun Metal before painting their eyes with a combination of Skull White and Baal Red.

These models are from “Crooked Dice” Game Design Studio's "Femdroid Harem", and are sculpted by Andrew Rae. As with the sculptor’s previous model, “Pandora King”, the builds of the 28mm miniatures are very slight and don’t readily lend themselves to the ‘black-lining’ painting technique I employ. In addition, the figures’ bases, which were sanded before I started painting the models, almost completely covered over the detail of the Femdroids’ slippers; somewhat ruining the silky and fluffy aspect of the scantily-clad nighty-wearing killer robots.

FUTURE PROJECTS: Waiting in the wings are a small number of "Revell" 1/72 plastic KSK Modern German Commandos to be painted up in order to try out both the "Battlefield Evolution - Modern Warfare" rule book by "Mongoose Publishing" and the "Flying Lead" PDF by "Ganesha Games"; A party of Hyena Men (Gnolls from the "Wizards Of The Coast" "Chainmail" 28mm metal fantasy skirmish range) for "Song of Blades and Heroes"; and a "Crooked Dice" "7TV" battle report featuring ("Heroclix" versions of) the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder.

"They're Made Of Plastic. Living Plastic Creatures."

Two of these models are from "Crooked Dice" Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob'. They are actually “Unarmed Minions” but were first ‘converted’ with their sprues’ optional pistol hand, and then given two coats of Fenris Grey (and a wash of Asurmen Blue). This was in order to give the impression that they were wearing boiler suits (similar to those worn by the Autons in the January 1970 Doctor Who TV story “Spearhead From Space”). Their Emotionless Mannequin heads were painted with Tallarn Flesh, before their face plates and ears were highlighted with Elf Flesh. Both of these areas were then washed using Ogryn Flesh.

This simple ‘single-colour’ painting scheme was also applied to 'Pandora King' (Also by "Crooked Dice Design Studio), but this time I used Adeptus Battlegrey and a wash of Badab Black.

I planned earlier this month to simply turn these four of Cooked Dice’s “Advancing ARC Astronauts” into versions of the Doctor Who ‘monster’ the Vashta Nerada by simply picking out their space helmets’ visors with Chaos Black. However in a moment of madness I changed my simple plan and decided I'd try to actually show the creatures skull heads. So instead I removed all of their astronaut heads, and replaced with some plastic skulls taken from the old Games Workshop PBS5 Skeleton Army Boxed Set.

However, I quickly shelved my other idea to replace some of the astronauts’ hands and limbs with some taken from the Skeleton Army box after just the first ‘conversion’. The plastic skeletal fist proved just too difficult to superglue ‘securely’ to the 28mm metal miniature, and as a result, I repositioned the figure’s arm (in an uninspiring pose) in order to ensure the fist was securely fastened to the rest of the model.

My hopes to quickly paint the models up using a watered down wash of Astronomicon Grey over the top of their Skull White Spacesuits also proved disappointingly unrealistic, owing to the number of buttons requiring ‘picking out’ on the figures’ breathing apparatus.

COMING SOON - Currently recovering from a 'flesh-wound' received at Wenley Moor, this Captain will prove to be the Brigadier's dependable deputy...

"And Who Are These Friends Of Yours In Fancy Dress?"

These models are from “Crooked Dice” Game Design Studio's ‘Corn Doll Hoedown', and are sculpted by Mark Evans. The four 28mm miniatures come with separate arms and two different torsos, so they were assembled in order to create four distinct poses. As I wanted them to represent the animated scarecrows utilised by Son Of Mine in the June 2008 Doctor Who TV story "The Family Of Blood”, I opted for their sack heads to all be uniformly painted with Calthan Brown and Devlan Mud, and their straw hands and tufts to be painted with Iyanden Darksun and Devlan Mud. In addition all of the Corn Dolls’ rope was painted using Dheneb Stone and Devlan Mud.

It was then a case of giving each scarecrow their clothing’s own unique (dirty) colour scheme. This was achieved using a variety of different paint and wash pairings: Fenris Grey and Asurmen Blue, Dark Flesh and Devlan Mud, Mechrite Red and Devlan Mud, Blood Red and Baal Red, Macharius Solar Orange and Devlan Mud, and Knarloc Green with Thraka Green.

As with all my models (these days) the bases had already been undercoated Chaos Black before being drybrushed with Dark Flesh, then Dheneb Stone, and then washed with Devlan Mud.

This Needle Monument is from “Terrain Warehouse UK” and was quickly painted using an undercoat of Dheneb Stone followed by a heavy wash of Devlan Mud. The ‘Aztec head’ feature was picked out using Burnished Gold, Skull White and Blood Red, before being treated to a combination of Thraka Green, Ogyrn Flesh, Baal Red and (oop) Red Ink washes.

Beneath The Surface - Part One

Having spent the weekend reading the "7TV" rulebook by "Crooked Dice" and continuing the theme of "Doctor Who And The Silurians" and its potholing adventures, I plan to build and paint up a number of pieces of cave-based scenery so as to replicate an underground network. However, rather than build specific terrain boards, I plan to base my rock formations and cave pools individually. Then they can simply be placed upon a brown cloth at irregular intervals across the table and (hopefully) generate the impression of a cave system, ready for exploration.

The larger of these resin pieces are from the ‘Battlefield Scenery Rock Formations’ range by “Terrain Warehouse UK”, whilst some of the smaller rocks, areas of rough terrain and cave pools are from “Total System Scenic”. In addition, there are a couple of pieces from the ‘Eccentric Range’ of “Frontline Wargaming”, specifically “ER10 Movie Power Units.” All have been based on either pieces of wood or plastic in order to make them sit flat upon the surface and to increase their stability.

A couple of the larger rocks, as well as the Needle Monument (all from “Terrain Warehouse UK”) have also had their bases covered with sand, in preparation for these to be drybrushed first with Dark Flesh, and then Dheneb Stone, before being washed with Devlan Mud. This will bring all the scenery in line with the basing colours used for the "Crooked Dice" 28mm models. In addition the Needle Monument has also been given its first undercoat of Dheneb stone.