With me having this week off work, I made a focused effort on finishing the various crew and infantry figures I have to paint for my gun crews.
Thankfully, after several days of feeling like I was getting nowhere, these guys are now ready for a coat of matt varnish. I had some issues which really slowed me down and were mainly due to my shortage of lollipop sticks when I was prepping the models. This meant I had crowded the figures on, and as a result I was touching the models while handling the sticks during painting. This meant that I was rubbing the paint away as I painted, meaning I was spending as much time repainting as actually painting!
I had picked up some new sticks last weekend, so I grabbed some (easier buying new than finding my old ones that are packed away!) and made some room by moving models over onto the new sticks. Being able to hold and handle the sticks made a big difference and let me actually make forward process.
A fairly simple issue, and one I should have seen coming!
Still, today I managed to get the final highlights done and revisited the faces - an area I really need to work on. Just a coat of varnish to go and they are ready to be based.
Speaking of bases, I got enough done for the models I currently have. Thinking about it now I mucked up a little and should have done at least 2 large ones more. But that's no big issue. I think I will follow technique I used last time I had vehicles to paint, which was to base them before painting. 4 of the guns will be on the resin Battlefront artillery bases I think, which will give me 8 on standard bases and 4 others on the artillery bases.
And as for the artillery, I took a break from painting one night and started assembling guns. So far, 4 x 25 Pounders, 1 x 5.5" and 2 x Limbers assembled.
I've some poor quality pics of the infantry up to this point - better pictures will follow once they are based.
As for Team Yankee... I've been thinking a lot about this over the weeks since release. It is a game I would like to play, but the experience of painting lots of 15mm infantry figures again has been one of the things that has caused me to seriously look at my plans. I've been thinking about the following issues - if anyone has any input themselves, I would be happy to hear it!
1. I can't be sure of finding a player here collecting 15mm Team Yankee. This would probably mean I would need to collect both sides in order to get a game.
2. A box set to get started with is £60+. With the plan to collect a Russian force that means a lot of T-72's and BMP's. Plus the above thought of having to get both sides (while I am starting to think about making a start on my WW2 Germans) makes this new period an expensive proposition.
3. The ground scale looks far better for this period in 6mm than 15mm. It really is a time period where artillery should not be on the table, or if it is it's because it's a big table (centimetre ranges rather than inches).
4. I can buy the whole of Team Yankee (Command, 2 x Abrams platoons (10 tanks total), 1 x mech inf platoon + support aircraft, artillery, helicopters, anti tank, anti air) plus a Soviet force (command + 2 x companies of T-72's (15 T-72's), Motor Rifle Company, Air support, helicopters, anti air (guns and missiles), artillery, rocket artillery, recce) from Heroics and Ros at 6mm for the price of one starter set at 15mm. Or for 3 x more could get the same (ish) force from GHQ.
5. I don't really enjoy painting 15mm infantry. 6mm should (?) be much easier to do.
6. 6mm would give me both sides, would allow me to use the mini's for other systems, would be much more efficient cost wise and for expanding my forces and fits better with the scale of the conflict.
7. I would need to look at different terrain for 6mm, when I still have nowhere near enough terrain for 15mm. However there would be some crossover, and the cost wouldn't majorly offset the saving for the reduced scale.
8. 6mm may be the way to go, for now*.
* Until later, when the the British range is released or I find a group playing at 15mm...
1. I can't be sure of finding a player here collecting 15mm Team Yankee. This would probably mean I would need to collect both sides in order to get a game.
2. A box set to get started with is £60+. With the plan to collect a Russian force that means a lot of T-72's and BMP's. Plus the above thought of having to get both sides (while I am starting to think about making a start on my WW2 Germans) makes this new period an expensive proposition.
3. The ground scale looks far better for this period in 6mm than 15mm. It really is a time period where artillery should not be on the table, or if it is it's because it's a big table (centimetre ranges rather than inches).
4. I can buy the whole of Team Yankee (Command, 2 x Abrams platoons (10 tanks total), 1 x mech inf platoon + support aircraft, artillery, helicopters, anti tank, anti air) plus a Soviet force (command + 2 x companies of T-72's (15 T-72's), Motor Rifle Company, Air support, helicopters, anti air (guns and missiles), artillery, rocket artillery, recce) from Heroics and Ros at 6mm for the price of one starter set at 15mm. Or for 3 x more could get the same (ish) force from GHQ.
5. I don't really enjoy painting 15mm infantry. 6mm should (?) be much easier to do.
6. 6mm would give me both sides, would allow me to use the mini's for other systems, would be much more efficient cost wise and for expanding my forces and fits better with the scale of the conflict.
7. I would need to look at different terrain for 6mm, when I still have nowhere near enough terrain for 15mm. However there would be some crossover, and the cost wouldn't majorly offset the saving for the reduced scale.
8. 6mm may be the way to go, for now*.
* Until later, when the the British range is released or I find a group playing at 15mm...
If I thought there was any chance of me being let out in the near future I'd off to pay pal you the £30 for my half and then pop up for a thrashing when you've painted it all....
ReplyDeleteI've kindled the book and quite enjoyed the beginning, before being distracted by something I've since forsaken for something else. I must get back to it at some point.
Looking forward to seeing some Team Yankee, whatever form it takes.
Thanks for the offer ;)
DeleteI enjoyed the book, although I think that's helped by enjoying the background idea. I can really recommend Chieftans as well.
I've got a Soviet force sitting on my desk in 6mm. Storage is another advantage. I'm going to paint mine up in the next few months.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to seeing them Cameron - are you going to base them?
DeleteIf it was me I'd go 6mm.
ReplyDeleteMoney, time to get them tabletop ready, storage, being my main factors.
Never had anything from GHQ or Heroic and Ros, but Colonel Bills tends to have H&R Moderns as-new and cheap so I would probably go with those. [please don't think this is a sales pitch]
Leven Miniatures produce some nice, cheap buildings in 6mm scale.
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DeleteThanks Roy, I had considered 10mm as well, but there seems to be a lack of options at this scale just now. I'll check out Colonel Bills before I make any purchases.
Delete6mm all the way for this period. (And special scenarios aside, arti shouldn't be on the table at 15mm scale either.)
ReplyDeleteNice to see you find a solution to the infantry painting. I've come across the "crowded sticks" deal, and feel your pain.
It was a silly mistake and one I should have avoided. I guess playing at 6mm does introduce more tactical options and makes sense of the vast ranges of modern arty.
DeleteNice progress Jamie!
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul!
Delete