Diecast vehicles for 15mm moderns

I found these in the shops today. The top three are my pictures, and have an Irishserb HMMWV and some WIP Peter Pig militia on 20mm washers for scale:

Matchbox Rocket Launcher- ?fantasy vehicle, scale unclear. Rotating and elevating launcher with removable rockets, moving tracks, opening hatch, rotating MG. My google-fu failed me in finding any pictures. This will be a great objective for games.

Matchbox M1A1. Scale 1:90. Rotating turret, Elevating gun, rotating MG, opening hatch. Has been released previously under different paintjobs.

Siku TPz Fuchs 1:94. Rotating and somewhat chunky MG. Very cool vehicle, itching for a repaint.

My first paintjobs

Aged about 12, I was so proud of these. Humbrol enamels, oh the horror. Luckily I didn't need to paint the uniforms as the plastic was the right colour! Unfortunately, they were confiscated by my teacher for the rest of the year.

Airfix 1:72 Afrika Korps

Blood Bowl Lizardmen

My latest Blood Bowl team, which will get an outing this weekend if possible. Starting roster five saurus, 6 skinks, 3 rerolls, apothecary, 1 FF.

I've had the idea for the team for a few years, but did nothing about it until I got some cheap skinks at MOAB 2011. I rounded out with some Saurus from a bits-order via Ebay, and a Kroxigor from Mind Games in Melbourne. I did some terrible green-stuffing for straps (my greenstuff is old and almost unworkable, that's my excuse) to hold on the shoulder pads from Impact!, which are excellent for BB conversions. A simple and quick paint job, which I think is quite effective.

I'm thinking of calling them the 'Skink Bomb', but I'd be interested in your ideas. They'll have silly aztec-incan names (Poliputaketlon, Inyafaz, Chiqentika etc), and I'm looking for a jungle-lizard-dinosaur-latino name, preferably some kind of pun.

Homemade SAGA dice

Just a quick post today on some homemade SAGA dice. Stickers and coloured felt pens- the colours make it really easy to tell what's going on.

Anglo-Danish

Viking

Incidentally, why does SAGA have capital letters?

15mm Scud Hunters/ Bravo Two Zero

I'm back! These are from CP Models, sculpted by Whiff Whaff.

'Last man back doesn't get a publishing deal'

The set consists of eight separate sculpts depicting the famous 'Bravo Two Zero' patrol of the 1991 Gulf War. They are armed as the actual SAS patrol was, with four M16/ M203s and four Minimis. One of the figures has a LAW, one is throwing a grenade, and one is bareheaded with a filthy Special Forces porno 'stache. The real selling point for me is the massive bergen each trooper is carrying.

I painted the figures based on the tailgate photo of B20, showing DPM trousers and a pale tan smock.

Other SAS, showing smock

This was my first attempt at DPM, and I'm not entirely happy with it. The boots don't look quite right either. I am, however, very happy with the way the weapons turned out. The figures have a pleasing bulk to them, and a creative painter could use them for arctic scenarios.

Size comparison with Peter Pig

 

If you haven't read 'Bravo Two Zero', do yourself a favour and pick it up. It may play somewhat loose with the truth, but 'Andy McNab' is a great storyteller. The book's success heralded a tsunami of SAS books.

There is also a 1998 telemovie starring Sean Bean, which was actually better than I had anticipated.

Prepainted civilian minis

All has not been holidaying bliss, however- I have been dragged by the significant other around Stoke-on-Trent's factory outlets.

Stoke-on-Trent, for those not in the know, is the centre of England's fine china and dining industry. I actually could get interested in the history and science and art of it all, but instead I found myself screaming on the inside at various factory outlets where you can get china stuff at greatly reduced prices. Not my, ahem, cup of tea.

I made the most of a bad situation, however, by reviewing Royal Doulton's wargaming figures. This is an old gaming company, since about 1815 or so, but not one I have often seen used. I could only find unarmed civilian female figures in formal upper-class garb.

The figures are about 200mm scale foot to eye. They are unbased and stand up on their own skirts. The poses are somewhat wooden, but the clothing has a good sense of movement and folds. The figures are well-proportioned, on the slender side, and lack the generous chest that typifies many other manufacturers' female offerings.

The casts are not very crisp and the china fails to hold any sharp angles, but there were no casting defects or mold lines whatsoever. There were no airbubbles. These figures still appear fairly brittle and liable to damage if knocked over in a moment of gaming excitement.

All the figures come prepainted. This appears to be a wash or glaze over a white undercoat, without significant outlining or detail. The absence of other highlighting or shading, particularly on the skin, doesn't really make the figure 'pop' on the tabletop. The larger size allows transfers to be used for the eyes, which actually works well. The finished product is then glosscoated, but a quick spray of matt would fix that.

At 100GBP each, though, I restrained myself from starting a new scale...

See you, Jimmie

This blog isn't dead; it's in suspended animation while I'm in the northern hemisphere and away from my little men.

All is not lost, however: I'm based in Edinburgh, the first time I have been to Scotland. I've just finished Magnus Magnusson's history, which gives a great feel for the past 1500 years in this country.

I've been around Edinburgh Castle (highly recommend the regimental museums) and will be off to Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle and Hadrian's Wall next weekend. I made it to Bannockburn, but don't think I'll make it to Culloden.

I've found the local wargamers (great club location and, heaven, weekly meetings) and got justly thrashed at Saga (4-player Feast for Crows- memo to self, lurking in the table corner keeps you alive but won't win the game!). I trained my way over to Glasgow for Wappinshaw (Scots for 'weapon show') where I picked up a few second hand minis, including 80 figures labelled as '15mm FIW' for 8GBP. I then had to get 'Muskets and Tomahawks', even though I need a new period like I need a hole in the head...

Help from TMP led me to discover they are Irregular minis, and they appear to be more AWI than FIW, but I think a quick paint job will be satisfying. Maybe time to crack out the dip again?