Red Devil

This British Paratrooper is one of three Third Para Brigade models from "Dust Tactics" by "Fantasy Flight Games". As with the Axis Gorillas I dislike the 'metal effect' bases, so repositioned it on a 40mm lipped base from the Ebay store Arcane Scenery.

The model was initially given a coat of Heavy Grey "Vallejo" paint and then heavily washed with an equal mix of Umber Shade and Black Shade. The 60W Phaser Gun was painted with Gunmetal Grey and Black Shade, before being drybrushed with more Gunmetal Grey to bring out the detail. The phaser weapon's tubing and the Paratrooper's Red Beret were picked out with Heavy Red and Red Shade. The face was painted with Heavy Skintone and Fleshtone Shade.

I must confess to be rather unhappy as to how this soldier has turned out, especially as the painted examples on the box look so good. Especially disappointing is how obviously plastic the model is. Indeed in some of the harder to reach areas (e.g. under the arms) detail had clearly been lost in the casting process, and some edges appeared jagged and almost torn. As a result I've found my enthusiasm for this project quickly disappearing, to the point where I'm struggling mightily to complete the remaining two miniatures from the box.

In the meantime I'm painting up some more 10mm Russian and German Early Winter War infantry and some scenery by "Pendraken Miniatures". This building is from their resin scenery "PS41 WWII Russian tiled hut, rendered walls" and the broken 50mm x 50mm "Dragon's Teeth" are part of "GR209 Tank Traps".

Axis Gorillas

This Blutkreuz Korps Kampfaffen Squad is from "Dust Tactics" by "Fantasy Flight Games", and are the first models I've ever painted using "Vallejo" paints. All three models come 'undercoated' and glued to Dust Tactics plastic pre-modelled bases. As I disliked the bases, and the positioning of some of the models I rebased them on 40mm lipped bases from the Ebay store Arcane Scenery.

All the models were then given a coat of Heavy Charcoal and a wash of Black Shade. They were then drybrushed with more Heavy Charcoal. The Panzer Gloves were painted with Gunmetal Grey and Black Shade, before being given a wash of watered down Copper. I then drybrushed more Gunmetal Grey over them to give them a rusty look. The tongues were picked out with Heavy Red and Red Shade.

The sand-covered bases were initially undercoated black before being brushed with Heavy Sienna and Heavy Warmgrey. These were then washed with a mixture of three parts Umber Shade one part Black Shade. Static grass was then added once the bases have been given a coat of PVA glue. Each model was then given a coat of "Games Workshop" 'Ardcoat.

Pendraken Miniatures WW2 Soviets - SV29 (ii)

Just a quick update (with some blurry pictures - apologies) as I've almost completed the twenty-five 10mm (Winter Equipment) Soviet Riflemen I need for the latest addition to my Soviet WW2 Army... a second company of Conscripts.

Alonside these I've finished painting a Panzer I tank and two Panzer Ib tanks. I already have some of these painted, but these latest models will let me field two three-tank Panzer I companies, and a three-tank Panzer 1b company instead of using a mixture of the two tank types.

If I can get these finished over the next couple of days, I plan to turn my attention to some roads, tank traps and some barns/buildings. All resin, and all from Pendraken Miniatures.

Pendraken Miniatures WW2 Soviets - SV29

Having been badly distracted in recent months by playing "The Lord of the Rings" skirmish game by "Games Workshop", "7TV" by "Crooked Dice" and most recently "Dwarf King's Hold" by "Mantic Games", I've finally got back to doing some painting. Though the imminent withdrawal of all the GW Foundation paints and washes I've come to enjoy using has dampened that enthusiasm somewhat... Hence I'm using their departure as an excuse to turn to using Vallejo paints for my future projects.

My current plan for this coming month however is to 'paint up' a few more World War Two 10mm units and scenery by "Pendraken Miniatures" (using my existing GW paints). I'm actually hoping to refight the crossing of the Przemysl Bridge (Poland) and the start of Operation Barbarossa as a series of campaigns.

Hyborian Age - Part One

My attempt to paint a large quantity of 15mm Fantasy Models by “Copplestone Castings” over the past week or so has finally come to an end, with somewhat fewer models having been completed than I'd hoped for. These models are part of a "Conan The Barbarian" project I plan to 'pick away at' having been inspired by the Matakishi Tea Party website Crom Rules found here http://www.matakishi.com/cromcampaign1.htm.

All three bear models from the bag ‘FM8 Shapechangers and Cave Bears’ have been fully based, as have three wolves from ‘FM10 Wolf Pack”. However, I had hoped to finish all fifteen of the Canis Lupus models as well as the three shapechangers (in Human guise carrying large axes).

Unfortunately, my experiment to try and get the wolves to appear more realistic by using a blend of washes and drybrushing has not been as successful as I hoped, and as a result my enthusiasm for these models has rather died. All of the wolves were orginally undercoated either Skull White or Astronomican Grey, and then washed with Devlan Mud. All the models were then drybrushed with more Grey. Disappointly the models then required a wash of Badab Black before having a drybrush of Adeptus Battlegrey in order for their details to beome visible (e.g. fur and facial features). This darker grey drybrush makes the figures look patchy, and in places has blotched out some of the fur’s detail.

In addition to my frustrations painting the wolves, my attempt to use an old pot of Terracotta paint for a red-brown look to the fur of one of the Cave Bears has meant that the model has required repainting, after areas of the paint rubbed off (revealing the metal underneath) whilst the model was being based and varnished. Only my experiment using Skull White and Gryphonne Sea in order to generate the impression of the fur of a Polar Bear seems to have been successful.

Fortunately, I've also finished painting the entire Command Section for my 6mm “GHQ Micro-Armour” Modern British Army. The Force’s Command Asset consists of three infantry bases (totalling twelve soldiers) and two vehicle bases (consisting of four Land Rover Defender 90’s).

COMING SOON - Realising that my enthusiasm for my Napoleonic French Command Stand was started to ebb, I turned to watching the DVD "Waterloo" in order to recharge my batteries... and have nearly finished painting the third of the four "Victrix" models I plan to use for the Command base.

British Sixth Airborne Division - Part Three

I've finished the painting on both my “Victrix” Napoleonic French Lieutenant and Standard Bearer, but have put the remaining two models required for the Command stand’s completion temporarily to one side in order to allow me time for a mini-push on some 15mm models by “Copplestone Castings” and some 6mm Modern British by “GHQ Micro-Armour”.

I've also finished the first of the officer bases for my 20mm British Airborne Paratroopers by “Friend And Foe”. I plan to use the ‘Officer with map pointing’ as Major John Howard DSO, the officer who led the glider-borne assault on the German-held bridges across the Caen Canal and River Orne.

COMING SOON - As a complete aside I've started repainting a number of 28mm “Warhammer Fantasy” models from “Games Workshop”. The Empire miniatures were originally completed a couple of years ago, but now require rebasing and their white/flesh areas repainted in order to fit in better with the current block and wash painting style I employ. This will hopefully mean the little guys will finally see some tabletop action, after a couple of years tucked away in a box in the loft.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Six

I've finally based a third stand of Napoleonic French Line Infantry by “Victrix", having had them standing around for a few days. I hope their completition will now let me more tightly focus my painting on two of the four 28mm models I plan to use for the French Command base (i.e. officer and standard bearer).

The pair of miniatures have previously been fighting for my attention alongside a couple of 20mm metal World War Two models by “Friend And Foe”, as well as some other plastic “Victrix” French Infantry models that required their white areas to be boxed in. However, both of the “Friend And Foe” British Paratroopers (‘Officer with map pointing’ and ‘Radio operator’ from their Command bag) have now been fully painted and glossed, whilst three of the four “Victrix” Fusiliers have had their initial white areas finished (in preparation for each soldier to be fully painted next month).

COMING SOON - I've undercoated a further four “Friend And Foe” 20mm British Airborne Division models (predominatly from their Rifle Firing bag) with Calthan Brown in order to continue the slow-time progress of my Memoir 44 Project, but probably more importantly have started to prepare a number of “GHQ Micro-Armour” Modern British infantry, vehicles and armour so I can give my “Battlefield Evolution" project a big push (hopefully) later this month.