Discussion
Those look brilliant nuclearsquash, thanks for sharing, im a bit in the same boat as i have 2 models to build up that are burning away in the corner demanding my attention, not lucky enough to have a child but do have a very needy pug/cavalier that has took quite a shine to anything he knows he shouldn't be near.
Heres a picture of the work so far after a bit of primer:
From 1 box of infantry i've managed to make:
2x 10-man squads, these have a bren gunner and loader as well as a sten equipped NCO.
2-man 2" mortar team.
An artillery spotter
HQ squad with my free officer -Captain Charles Upham VC and Bar, came free with the Brit army book, great story behind his achievements and have seen a bit about him in Colditz when i went last year). This is a 1st lieutenant and 2 riflemen as retinue.
Will try and update with my painting progress although that is the most daunting of all, i've always sucked at painting any kind of models to any degree of decency and it will be my first time using acrylics over enamels, i'm kind of sad i wont be half high after using the paints.
Heres a picture of the work so far after a bit of primer:
From 1 box of infantry i've managed to make:
2x 10-man squads, these have a bren gunner and loader as well as a sten equipped NCO.
2-man 2" mortar team.
An artillery spotter
HQ squad with my free officer -Captain Charles Upham VC and Bar, came free with the Brit army book, great story behind his achievements and have seen a bit about him in Colditz when i went last year). This is a 1st lieutenant and 2 riflemen as retinue.
Will try and update with my painting progress although that is the most daunting of all, i've always sucked at painting any kind of models to any degree of decency and it will be my first time using acrylics over enamels, i'm kind of sad i wont be half high after using the paints.
Just a quick update. The building of these things has been really beyond fun, they're not that great in the grand scheme, having seen Nuclearsquash's work as well as a lot of stuff online, i had a lot to aim for but the journey to the end of finishing my first two squads is in sight, so i'll post a quick update.
This is a rifleman just before using one of the washes, i do like the colours but far too cartoon-like and bright:
Now heres the bren gun loader with his bren gun bag post dark wash and a bit of highlighting, have to admit the skin tone is very dark with the wash, but it's really made putting the same colours (just webbing so far) back as a highlight really easy:
Also got all this to build for another day:
So thats a bren carrier, vickers machine gun team and a cromwell.
With the bren and vickers team + my original buy i have a 507 point army so can easily game with that. The Cromwell was bought because everyone needs a model of a 1000hp tank in their life.
This is a rifleman just before using one of the washes, i do like the colours but far too cartoon-like and bright:
Now heres the bren gun loader with his bren gun bag post dark wash and a bit of highlighting, have to admit the skin tone is very dark with the wash, but it's really made putting the same colours (just webbing so far) back as a highlight really easy:
Also got all this to build for another day:
So thats a bren carrier, vickers machine gun team and a cromwell.
With the bren and vickers team + my original buy i have a 507 point army so can easily game with that. The Cromwell was bought because everyone needs a model of a 1000hp tank in their life.
They look cracking, the application of the wash helps to give everything definition rather than just flat colours. Watch some youtube tutorials for some ideas on where to go next.
My Russians were simply base coat, wash, highlight colour, the pictures probably makes them look better than they are
. Keep going though, the more you paint the better you'll get!
My Russians were simply base coat, wash, highlight colour, the pictures probably makes them look better than they are
. Keep going though, the more you paint the better you'll get!They do look great.
When I had a dedicated wargames table in the shed years ago, I had to paint an entire 15mm Swiss Army-300 pike,150 shot,and 5 cavalry
I just lay them all on some paper & sprayed them white Took about an hour.
I then had someone paint the odd bits(face,hands,weapon,the odd dab of colour) ...didnt cost much as I had done all the "hard work",although I did get the knights painted with as many colours as humanly possible for some variety.
I also did the same for 70 NMA horses in 25mm...all brown or black
I was not a good painter
When I had a dedicated wargames table in the shed years ago, I had to paint an entire 15mm Swiss Army-300 pike,150 shot,and 5 cavalry
I just lay them all on some paper & sprayed them white Took about an hour.I then had someone paint the odd bits(face,hands,weapon,the odd dab of colour) ...didnt cost much as I had done all the "hard work",although I did get the knights painted with as many colours as humanly possible for some variety.
I also did the same for 70 NMA horses in 25mm...all brown or black
I was not a good painter
Thought it was time for an update.
Well after getting a starter German army for my scary 30th birthday and some extra bits
I decided it was time to turn the spare room from hosting guests to a joint gym/hobby room
Started my bren carrier and currently about to start weathering and decal fixing.
Got the basing finished for my Brits too.
I've since toned down the green grass with some green ink, added a bit of depth to it and kept the colours a bit more in line with each other. Was going to brown ink the bases similar to the mortar as it does keep the soggy/wet ground look, but have steamrollered ahead too fast now so they'll stay as is.
Still got a huge to-do list:
Vickers group
Cromwell
Bren Carrier
German Panzergrenadiers
Pak40
Mg42 group
82mm Mortar
Puma
Stug/h
Hanomag
Still have yet to actually play a game with them, but far too into the modeling side for now.
Well after getting a starter German army for my scary 30th birthday and some extra bits
I decided it was time to turn the spare room from hosting guests to a joint gym/hobby room
Started my bren carrier and currently about to start weathering and decal fixing.
Got the basing finished for my Brits too.
I've since toned down the green grass with some green ink, added a bit of depth to it and kept the colours a bit more in line with each other. Was going to brown ink the bases similar to the mortar as it does keep the soggy/wet ground look, but have steamrollered ahead too fast now so they'll stay as is.
Still got a huge to-do list:
Vickers group
Cromwell
Bren Carrier
German Panzergrenadiers
Pak40
Mg42 group
82mm Mortar
Puma
Stug/h
Hanomag
Still have yet to actually play a game with them, but far too into the modeling side for now.
Edited by MrBrightSi on Sunday 24th September 15:29
I've been thinking about getting a few of these lately. I feel like I need a creative outlet for the winter evenings and doing detailed painting like this could be the answer.
I look at airfix etc and I'm worried it would just be something else to create clutter. At least with these and other tabletop miniatures they have another use (the game) ((damn)), and if I really get bored of it they at least have some resale value, which I can't imagine general scale models do?
Anyone else still into these?
I'd probably start off with a basic infantry set and see how I get on, are there any basic paint sets to get going with?
I look at airfix etc and I'm worried it would just be something else to create clutter. At least with these and other tabletop miniatures they have another use (the game) ((damn)), and if I really get bored of it they at least have some resale value, which I can't imagine general scale models do?
Anyone else still into these?
I'd probably start off with a basic infantry set and see how I get on, are there any basic paint sets to get going with?
Theres a lot of gaming groups who are into the bolt action stuff right now, it's a bit more reasonable price wise than flames of war that is rigid and a fiddly scale.
As for paints, if you have a Boyes near you, they stock all the stuff you could want for decent prices including sets of paints. Amazon is also your friend for the paint sets too and they are well priced i'd say as a set can last for a long long time through many of the miniatures.
I've recently lost my buzz for it as i've started a new job after 2 years of semi-retirement and hospital treatment, my craftroom has become a blast chiller in the winter months also.
I started with a British infantry set which gave me 30 guys to be going at, 2 squads, a couple of weapons teams and command. That was enough to get me into a game with a group just to get a feel for it, then suddenly you get addicted and there's tanks everywhere and you're reading which gray Hugo Boss chose for German uniforms, just don't ask on any forums about field gray it'll open a massive can of worms.
As for paints, if you have a Boyes near you, they stock all the stuff you could want for decent prices including sets of paints. Amazon is also your friend for the paint sets too and they are well priced i'd say as a set can last for a long long time through many of the miniatures.
I've recently lost my buzz for it as i've started a new job after 2 years of semi-retirement and hospital treatment, my craftroom has become a blast chiller in the winter months also.
I started with a British infantry set which gave me 30 guys to be going at, 2 squads, a couple of weapons teams and command. That was enough to get me into a game with a group just to get a feel for it, then suddenly you get addicted and there's tanks everywhere and you're reading which gray Hugo Boss chose for German uniforms, just don't ask on any forums about field gray it'll open a massive can of worms.
I used to wargame many years ago in 15 & 28mm. Mainly napoleonic but got into WW2 with the original flames of war stuff that started out as a home printed cottage industry type of thing. The bolt action stuff looks superb but i don't have the time or the space - good to see of this stuff on here though.
I would add though, having seen lots of shows/demo's & the like with players from all walks of life that it does pay dividends if you as a player spend some time on research into small unit tactics & the use of supporting fires/mortars/heavy mg in suppression more/indirect fire capability/ overwatch bouding/defence in depth/interlocking arcs & the like.
From an ex squaddie POV its meat & gravy stuff but i can pretty much guarantee that even some basic knowledge will give you an edge over someone who is a complete amateur. Not that that isn't a bad thing, its for enjoyment obviously & whatever floats ones boat but I have watched many times when a guy has worked his tactical advantage being able to use his forces as they were tactically designed to do rather than, as in some cases, moving figures/afv's around in an almost haphazard fashion.
I would add though, having seen lots of shows/demo's & the like with players from all walks of life that it does pay dividends if you as a player spend some time on research into small unit tactics & the use of supporting fires/mortars/heavy mg in suppression more/indirect fire capability/ overwatch bouding/defence in depth/interlocking arcs & the like.
From an ex squaddie POV its meat & gravy stuff but i can pretty much guarantee that even some basic knowledge will give you an edge over someone who is a complete amateur. Not that that isn't a bad thing, its for enjoyment obviously & whatever floats ones boat but I have watched many times when a guy has worked his tactical advantage being able to use his forces as they were tactically designed to do rather than, as in some cases, moving figures/afv's around in an almost haphazard fashion.
Bolt action is a decent well supported rules set,
but it is still a game and as such can be 'gamed'.
Best platoon sized set of rules out there at the moment imo is Chain Of Command from Too Fat Lardies. Been playing for several years now with these and every game is different. A basic understanding of small unit tactics helps immensely with these rules - which was the designers intent.
Also do Napoleonics, Ancients, Dark Ages. I once started to count how much I spent on toy soldiers and stopped once it started into the 5 figures...
but it is still a game and as such can be 'gamed'.
Best platoon sized set of rules out there at the moment imo is Chain Of Command from Too Fat Lardies. Been playing for several years now with these and every game is different. A basic understanding of small unit tactics helps immensely with these rules - which was the designers intent.
Also do Napoleonics, Ancients, Dark Ages. I once started to count how much I spent on toy soldiers and stopped once it started into the 5 figures...
bp1 said:
Bolt action is a decent well supported rules set,
but it is still a game and as such can be 'gamed'.
Best platoon sized set of rules out there at the moment imo is Chain Of Command from Too Fat Lardies. Been playing for several years now with these and every game is different. A basic understanding of small unit tactics helps immensely with these rules - which was the designers intent.
Also do Napoleonics, Ancients, Dark Ages. I once started to count how much I spent on toy soldiers and stopped once it started into the 5 figures...
Some pics of your more interesting/rarer pieces would be great. (hint-hint).but it is still a game and as such can be 'gamed'.
Best platoon sized set of rules out there at the moment imo is Chain Of Command from Too Fat Lardies. Been playing for several years now with these and every game is different. A basic understanding of small unit tactics helps immensely with these rules - which was the designers intent.
Also do Napoleonics, Ancients, Dark Ages. I once started to count how much I spent on toy soldiers and stopped once it started into the 5 figures...
A lot of my stuff is in storage now due to a pending house move but have scrounged up the following. No WWII stuff I'm afraid and my own painting is very much to a tabletop standard, definetley not individual masterpieces
From a large Peninsular Napoleonic game a couple of years ago:
Close up of above
British rifles
Portuguese commanders
Some dark age figures too
From a large Peninsular Napoleonic game a couple of years ago:
Close up of above
British rifles
Portuguese commanders
Some dark age figures too
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