Painting IDF and trying out Sinai Grey...

Howdy folks,

Having just finished my Arab Tank company it is time to get to work on some adversaries for them...insert an Israeli armoured force.  The biggest question is, how to paint them? As part of the Fate of a Nation supp release WI also had an article, "colors of 67" with painting guides.  Using these guides and some google-fu I have a plan.

Sinai Grey by all accounts is an extremely difficult colouring to mimic...it is green, desert yellow, and grey all at the same time, frustrating and confusing.   I received some advice from Greg at http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.ca/ (Greg has some great pics, look for the IDF label to see his Israelis) and added my own touch.

Essentially I based in Vallejo 886 as per the paint guide, followed with Vj stone grey, and then with a very dry brush I used Vj desert yellow, I took some pics this morning in various light to see how the model looks.  My intent is to finish the model with a wash of dark and strong tone and very very very dry of Iraqi sand.

I'm pretty pleased with the result, in the varying light I do get a dominant colour that certainly appears to mimic Sinai Grey.  The next step will be to try a second but to do the desert yellow followed by a dry stone grey.

Thoughts? Take care...

 In shade and low light, looks like a green tank... 

In full light, the same tank now looks yellow...ish...

 

In low light, a mix of grey-green-yellow...

Small Victories...Fate of a Nation

Evening folks,

For those stumbling on this and perhaps not aware, a few months back, Battlefront through Wargames Illustrated released a free Flames of War supplement for gaming the 6 Day War called Fate of a Nation.  This is a company/battalion scale warfare between the Israeli's and the United Arab Armies (Egypt and Syria) and Jordan.

Our gaming group (Ottawa Miniature Gamers, OMG) is planning on running a 'Tank Aces' type campaign in the near future (details still being worked out) and in prep I have been painting up an Arab Tank Battalion from figs I received from under the tree (thanks to my better half).

To start my force will be based around the T55 tank, with Battalion commander and separate tank company (all in all 9 x T55s...very serious heavy metal).  If I need I can fill out a couple of T55s from my PeterPig collection.  As well, I have painted up 3 x T34/85s in Arab colours and will fill them out with some WW2 Russian T34/85s (all in all 8 x T34/85s) as points allow in the various rounds.

In Flames of War terms, this will give me a Battalion CO, a company of T55 MBTs, a company of T34/85s for 'support', and then will allow me to add corps extras such as an Anti-Air company of 2 x ZSU 57-2's and perhaps even some air support from Mig17s...if points go high enough and the brush gets moving I may even try to fill in some proper infantry into the list.

Anyway, as per my earlier post, I just finished the last of my T55s which capped off the last vehicle I needed for my Battalion...very pumped.  And as promised I am now including some pics.

As for painting, I used Battlefronts German Armour Vallejo Spraypaint for the base coat.  I followed up with a quick layer of Vallejo Green Ochre, followed up with a wet/dry layer of Vallejo Iraqi Sand, and then a dry layer of Vallejo Buff.  I then went over all the nooks, tracks, and crannies with Army Painter Dark Tone wash (awesome stuff) to make the detail pop and followed this up with a final dry layer of Vallejo Pale Sand.

My intent was to have a very weathered force that looked like it had spent a few miles on the march kicking up the sand.

Enjoy.

The Preview

 

 

 

 And now the force...

 Add in 5 more T34/85's...and the support is cookin'

The Force, ready to move...

Anti-air Company to keep those pesky IAF away...

The Boss...

Small Victories!!!

Howdy folks,

I just wanted to make a very quick update/progress/victory post...I just finished up the final drybrush on the last of my T55s that I've been working on.  Why is this a victory? Well, as I mentioned back in the beginning of this adventure, I received a batch of Battlefront miniatures for Christmas, and to be totally honest I made a resolution this year to try to work through as much of my WIP pile as I could.

To be totally honest I still have some figs awaiting their turn under the brush from Christmas past, but I can happily say that as of 20 minutes ago I have worked through 2/3s of 2013s Christmas gift...

I now have an Arab Tank Company of 9 x T55s, 3 x T34/85 (I will proxy in some Soviet T34s to fill out the force), and 2 x ZSU 57-2...I promise to get some pictures up very soon.  At the same time, I also worked on lessening the pile of Vietnam era kit...more to follow.

Have a good eve, and take care.

Bring on the Scouts!!

Howdy all,

Needless to say...but I will anyway, life has been busy since my last post.  However, trying as I am, I have managed to get some painting done and managed to get a couple of white teams done for Flames of War or Force on Force Vietnam.  Last year (I believe...) when Battlefront released the OH-6, I couldn't help myself and I very quickly snapped up two boxes of these models. 

Now as a small review, I have this to say: I do enjoy BF's minis, they have some great models, and I was very pumped when they introduced the Vietnam line.  I do have some of the initial hueys that were sold as part of the limited Wargames Illustrated release and when I compare those hueys with the new loaches...let me say it is night and day.

The loaches are completely plastic with some great detail.  They were a snap to put together taking limited skill to put together (thankfully I can fit that bill) and only took about 20 minutes a model for me to take off the sprue, trim down, and glue together...all while watching TV with limited battle wounds to show for it...win, win!!

They painted up very quickly and over the course of the following week I went from base coat to finished product within an hour or two per night...all in all, four loaches done within about 4-6 hours including decal work (the longest most frustrating part of the process).

Verdict:  an excellent model, fits together well, paints well, and looks great on the stand.  Well worth the time and the money!!

As part of the painting prep I also googled a figurative buttload of Vietnam era photos of the Air Cav and AeroScouts to determine any special markings/colorings that I could bring in to make these historic.  As per the BF and historical research I painted the tail boom orange...as per historic research I also included a black stripe on the boom.  I couldn't find a specific reference to this, but I suspect this was differentiating team or flight.

I liked the pics that showed a very cool mix of crossed sabres and cavalry pendants...and so I tried to emulate that with the choice of paintjob and decals with some distinct differences between the two teams to keep them distinct at the tabletop level.

Enjoy the pics...more to follow in the future.  As for whats next: Fate of a Nation Arab tank company, Air Cav Aeroweapons HOGS, and some last minute WW2 US shermans.

Take care.

Desert Cats...Canadian style

I started this project quite a while ago...days, weeks, months, and yup...even years ago!! Finally, the last touches were done and I finished it tonight.  One of the many side projects that I had decided to do along the way was a Canadian modern theme force patterned after the battlegroups serving in Afghanistan.

Of the many aspects of the Canadian military that changed from that theatre, the Canadian tank corps would be one of the main ones (IMHO)...the main battle tank in the Canadian army had been given its death sentence until a few years into the fight and the need for heavy metal reached NDHQ.  Instead of ignoring it, they instead went ahead and retro'ed the old Leopard C1's, purchased interim Leopard 2's (dubbed 2A6's), and bought Leopard 2A4s as the final version.

As such, I wanted to try modeling these beauties for my future force...however, I also wanted to make sure that I did them justice...I'll post the WIP shots at a later time, but for now I will show the initial model from QRF and the final product.

Have a good one.

15mm Leopard 2s from QRF

More painting and basing

Hey, hey,

I've been moving along trying to make some progress and was able to get some basing done on some figs...again, did not take nearly as long as my mind thinks it does...and for some reason it always comes as a surprise to me when I'm done...

Oh well...this time I've got some Battlefront Mule teams for Mountaineers and Italian fighting...not to mention a really great Force on Force 'Fog of War' card "I've seen that mule before".  A few more adventurers from Copplestone, some Kiss Kiss Bang Bang as well.  There's a random Assault Group figure, an Artizan wild west fig, and two more Renegade WW1 minis.

Take care.

15mm - Battlefront Mule Teams 

 

28mm - Copplestone Adventurer's

 

 28mm - Copplestone Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

 

28mm- The Assault Group

 

28mm - Renegade WW1

Howdy folks,

Needless to say, but life definitely gets in the way of ones hobbies, etc...the Christmas break was outstanding and I was able to get a lot of figs finished up. As well, with the new year upon us I was busy getting some new minis prepped...I know, if you're like me, the last thing you actually need is more lead...but hey, they were from under the tree.

I started prepping a small IDF force (circa '67-'73) as well as the start of a Syrian tank force to play in our groups upcoming 'Fate of Nations'. Of course, not without sidetracks, I also received some more M113s in the mail and have started prepping them as well. I don't expect to get paint on them for some time, however I have them earmarked for some 4CMBG Canadian troops (circa mid-late '80s).

Anyhow, here are some finished shots of more miniatures. I recently completed some Battlefront DD Shermans for D-day as well as somemore Wild West Artizan figs.  Based for Force on Force (very awesome ruleset), I have completed 2 testers for early90s Canucks in Africa (suitable for Canadian Airborne Regiment...perhaps); for these I used Battlefront Vietnam Aussies because of the bush cap looking very similar to what we used up until mid-lat 90s.  And lastly, a couple of random vehicles.

Enjoy.

Battlefront DD Shermans 

28mm Artizan Wild West figs.

Tester minis for Canucks (BF Aussies)

 

Random - 15mm Peter Pig Toyota and BF Kubelwagon

Work work work

It's been a couple of days since my last post...never underestimate the ability for your day job to get in the way of what's really important.  However, I've been able to steal some moments to work on some of the pile and to get the initial framework for this year's plan.

The Plan

1. finish the basing backlog to complete various minis...I know this part doesn't take me that long but still is difficult for me to bite into (mind over matter sort of thing);
2. finish the pile of lead in the WIP pile.  Given the right motivation/timing it shouldn't take to long, it is a combination of bunkers (4), infantry, and some vehicles;
3. begin work on a small IDF force (mainly armour) and Syrian tank force for "Fate of Nations"; and
4. consolidate collections/holdings of incomplete and some still in box sets.  Do they still fit the overall plan/picture.

To tide folks over until the production line is brought up to speed I'll offer a few more pics that I've been able to take.  Enjoy and take care.

later gators.

WW2 commandos/airborne troops that I finished in the fall of last year, not sure the manufacture.  First time painting denison smock...I liked the results.

 

Vietnam is a definite period of interest for me...about 18 months ago I started to collect various makes of M113s to see the difference and do a physical comparison for quality, paintibility, and cost.  The two infanteers and Viet Cong spider pits are from Flashpoint miniatures  done as a sample to test basing colors...the ACAV M113 on the left is also from Flashpoint and is a little larger than BFs and noticably larger than Old Glorys'.  The ACAV on the right is from Peter Pig, it matches very well with BF and OG...the turret is brilliant - nice fit and does not fall off!

Two QRF M113 ITVs done up as Cold War US Army in Europe...my future plans for those will be as combat AT attachment to 4CMBG...but that is another project, lol.

If I recall correctly this figure is from TAG...I think guerrillas or rebels blister...I liked the mix of Kiwi inspired camo smock along with Soviet/Russian camo pants.