How to: Using 'Tufts' - MiniNatur product review

Hi folks,

The other week a few people had commented on the materials I was using on my basing. I thought it might be worth a quick blog on the products I use. When I started basing my infantry units I had bought some ArmyPainter tufts. The pack was quite small and I got through it pretty quickly. A few months later I was at one of the Scottish wargame shows and came across MiniNatur. These packs were roughly the same price as the much smaller ArmyPainter products and are of just the same quality.

The packs I have open and have used look like this - the actual new packs are obviously a lot fuller!:

Basing wise I start a layer of acrylic resin which I then trim down and paint with Vallejo Flat Earth. A quick coat of PVA then a few squirts of static grass from my home made applicator (A washing up bottle!) and the base is ready for detailing.

Normally I would glue the model to the base at this point and then add the tufts afterwards. I put a dab of superglue on the static grass then I use hobby tweezers to take the tufts off the backing and press them gently onto the superglue.

I messed up slightly by not putting the model on this base first! As a result I had to move some of the tufts so the tank was sitting correctly. I also use some nail scissors just to trim the odd sprouty sections from the tufts and any of the static grass that is over the sides of the base.

The pictures were taken under normal lights rather than my daylight bulb, so they look a little yellow/brown. The finished article looks like this:

The tufts go quite far on vehicle models as you only have to do around the edges. You can use slightly more on large artillery bases and less on medium bases. I just try to vary the placing on each base to make them distinct. I find that they break up what would otherwise be large plain spaces.

I payed  £4.25 for each of the MiniNatur packs and they have lasted me quite a while. I only purchased the new ones as the old packs are getting quite sparse. I also know that I have to go back over all my older bases and bring them up to the standard of the new ones!

So there you go, a quick and easy method of making your plain old static grass bases look good without using that horrible lichen/horse hair stuff. The MiniNatur products seem to be great quality and you definitely get your money's worth.

FoW Artillery basing

It seems like basing of Flames of War mini's is a recurring topic for me! I'm still pondering on how to deal with the Churchill Crocodiles and their trailer, but this week I have also been working on my 4.2" Heavy Mortars.

I've seen some really, really great setups for these guys in the past. Including Cameron's excellent work here and here. Seeing those models came at a time when I was struggling to get enthused about working on stuff and helped me get back into what I was doing at the time.

Aside from looking great, Cameron's models have something that are seen quite often on artillery models, and that is a base showing the artillery to be dug in. For my birthday last July I got a box of 25-pdr's from A. These will allow me to have a full 8 gun battery. One small issue for me are these:

'Scenic' bases that come with the guns. Now, they are really really nice - and look great. But my other 4 guns are on standard flat bases, so the 8 guns are going to look different. So, the next thing then is not to use these bases. However, as the turning plate for the guns is sculpted on the bases, they are not included in the box. Sooooo.... I have to use the sculpted bases of find some of the circular plate things from somewhere. (Anyone want to swap?)

The other reason I have an issue with these sculpted bases is that in my mind, these guns are dug in.

OK, so I know that they are not dug in as in 'in a gun pit' dug in. But there is an element of protection on the base - which is something represented totally differently in FoW. Don't get me wrong - I don't think enough is modelled dug in. Troops in Normandy learned that if you were not sleeping, advancing or being shot at, you were digging (and I'm pretty sure the first three were happening while digging was going in). I've seen some really really nice sets of 20mm WW2 models that basically had squads in foxholes - but for my FoW force I made the decision to have everything on fairly plain bases. This was as much to represent the troops on the advance around Totalise as anything else.

If and when I do a opposition force, they will be the opposite - as much dug in as possible.

I do try to make the bases look interesting where there is need for them to be. For example, my 4.2" Mortars are currently looking like this:

Unusually for me, I decided to paint these bits on the bases. Mainly because of the bother of trying to keep the Mortar parts together while painting them. When I did the 3" Mortars I had to assemble them several times - mainly due to my son deciding he liked them being in bits. He knows not to touch daddies models, but mortars are not toy soldiers... It's now been a year since I have seen him and 1 year and a half since he has been in my house :(

Anyway, that's where I'm at. Stuck between feeling that I should try and keep the artillery bases simple, because being 'dug in' is a particular thing in FoW and I don't feel right having dug in models that are not dug in for rules purposes... and having to use the scenic bases because I am missing the parts I need to base the guns the same as the others I have done! First world problems, eh?

#6MMRPC Painting chart update

It's been a few months since I updated my painting chart for the 6 Months Miniature Mountain Reduction Painting Challenge (!!!). Not long to go till the official end of the challenge - although I started a month later so will be running on by 4 weeks.

The chart is not showing a great deal of green on it - I've introduced yellow to show the models that are basecoated but not finished. This is mainly down to the time of year which has prevented me from using the Army Painter varnish I usually use. However, I have painted all the crew figures for the packs I had open up to recently. Then I opened more packs and have more vehicle crews to do...

Currently in the works are all my Universal Carriers (15 total), Wasps (3 total), Loyds Carriers (4 total), 4.2" Mortars (small job, I am assembling and painting these on the bases - 4 of them) and Churchill Crocodiles (only 1 assembled but 2 still to open).

I'm currently sorting out the Universal Carriers as I'm unhappy with the weapons fits. Somehow I've lost many of the Bren gun extras I had and I'm not quite there with the .50 cal mounts. I have read accounts of the .50 cal Universal Carriers in use but the few pictures I have seen show the guns mounted in different places. I decided to put them in the same place as the .303 Vickers MG's on the MMG Carriers.

I've had to use several .30 cal machine guns mounted in the back for the extra hull MG. One thing I am really unhappy with are the total lack of reference pictures for Recce Regiment Universal Carriers. From reading the book I have on the history of the Recce Corps, it's clear that all their vehicles tended to be very heavily armed.The .30 cals are just going to have to do.

The PIAT armed carriers are coming together (with the help of the PIAT gunners I got from Dai in a swap). They look a little crude with the PIAT gunners standing in the back, but hey ho! The only other way I can see of doing it is to put the PIAT's where the front mounted Bren guns are, and mounting a Bren gun in the back. But I have none of the spare Bren's!

Aside from the weapons I also have the usual stowage to sort. The Forged in Battle Universal Carriers already have stowage modelled on them, but the FoW models will need a bit of detailing.

I also remembered that the Fireflys I have basecoated need some camo on their guns! And the Crocodiles need some thought regarding how I am going to mount them on bases, and what sort of bases I use - I want the fuel trailers to be detachable.

Still, even small progress is still progress so I'm chipping away with the aim of getting as much basecoated as possible for the better weather!!

Sorry for the wall of text this time round!

Army Storage

With a house move coming up at the end of this month, it seemed like a sensible time to try and sort out my Army Storage solution. While my KR multicase is bearable as a means of getting my army to the table it's not really big enough now to allow me to store my whole force. Plus, I remain a little dubious about storing painted miniatures in foam.

I picked up a few months ago magnetic and steel sheets from Magnetic Displays which have sat waiting for me to get my finger out. I had also picked up some small tupperware containers that clip together neatly and are just the correct size for infantry to stand in.

I spent most of a day lining the boxes with the magnetic sheets and attaching steel sheeting to the base of my models - and this is where having everything on bases paid off. This task was made a lot easier by the fact the adhesive that comes on the back of the sheets is pretty solid. I had images of me having to use superglue, but thankfully it all went together without it.

The infantry:

And the rest:

And the acid test...

Solid! I'm not sure I would hold them upside down, but the magnets are strong enough to stop everything rattling about. Longer term may see some soft foam for the inside lids, just to keep everything secure and protect them against any serious drops or knocks.

I've got another load of minis still to do - artillery, tanks and some other bits and bobs. I've ordered some more magnetic sheeting and hopefully everything will be safe and secure for the move!

While I was at it...

With me spending time last night finishing off the basing on my AA platoon last night, I realised that the 17 pdrs I finished recently were based differently from the halftracks they have as towing vehicles. Since it was a quick job, I updated them with some of the white and yellow flower clumps I've been using.

I've a visit to the Edinburgh Wargames show 'Claymore' coming in August so on the shopping list are more of those flower clumps and moss tufts.

Still not happy with the faces of the crew here, but I will revisit them when my technique improves.

40mm Bofors Anti Aircraft platoon - Finished!

"Huzzah" I hear all regular readers of my rambling blog cheer.

"Thank f*ck those as done" I think to myself!

This unit has been a bit of a slog. Originally picked as I thought it would be a quick platoon to finish I rapidly found myself disliking the sculpts and struggling to make progress against my own apathy. Thankfully some support from the blogging community spurred me on to finish these off.

Now they are done, perversely, I kinda like them. Although I think the bases could be doing with more detail (spend brass, ammo crates, etc). Those may come later. 

Missing at this stage is the final 2 guns of the battery and transport. These guys are representing 40th Light AA Regiment, Royal Artillery - As usual, part of the 51st Highland Division. I am tempted to get the last two guns as the self propelled versions (BR182) - mainly because I like them and it saves me having to work on the Forged in Battle mini's again - as I wouldn't like to mix  the Battlefront ones into this platoon. But it would also give me some different models and would be nice for Battlegroup Overlord.

Guns were painted standard Russian Uniform Green (Vallejo Model Color 70.924). Wheels/tyres were just black with a Vallejo Panzer Aces Dark Rubber (306) highlight. Crew were standard Vallejo Model Color English Uniform (70.921) with Vallejo Model Color Khaki webbing  and gaiters (70.988), black boots and well... flesh coloured flesh. Helmets are Russian Uniform Green. Highlights on the crew are mainly shades of English Uniform and Khaki. Khaki was also used to highlight the guns. A coat of Dark tone Army Painter was put on before the highlights, and a matt coat of varnish after the highlights. 

One of the things I am glad I did with these models was to add my own gunsights. The Forged in Battle minis had no gunsight included and I felt the model really needed one. They are very prominent on this gun and the Battlefront model does include them. 

The crew poses are a bit strange - they could have really done with people with binoculars and some different ammo carrying poses. 

Still, as much as i have struggled with these guys they are decent models for the money. Scale wise they fit in well with Flames of War models to the extent I had no worries about mixing them on a command base. It's probably important to note that the Forged in Battle 40mm Bofors guns have no base included and models for command stands. There were a few spare crew mini's, but none that have any real command style.

Once they were based up I was much less focused on the individual models and my annoyance at the one part gun shield/crew sculpt. But I do think the guns are a weak part of the model and I have broken one already. They are also a bugger to keep straight. 

So that's it, another platoon down and time to move on. I'm going to try and pick something I want to paint this time... Certainly NOT the 4.2" Mortar platoon.

Birthday Pressies, Cakes and Battlefront Customer Service...

A busy couple of weeks for me which has seen me make not very much progress on these damn 40mm Bofors guns. Still, today I managed to get the bases mostly done. Hopefully tomorrow the weather here will be good enough for a spray of matt coat for the guns.

Last weekend was my birthday, which I spent with A and her family at her niece's christening. Which was a lovely day and the wee one was beautiful in her gown and very well behaved. As A is also her Godmother, I was on photo taking duty! A got me some lovely gifts, which included a box of 25-pdrs from Battlefront (exactly what I had asked for!). This will give me a full Battery of 8 guns.

Image from the www.flamesofwar.com website - not my picture!

And this is where Battlefront customer services comes in again!

You'll see the box says "Contains a complete 4 gun battery". The spotlight section of the website also says:

4 Guns and Limbers
2 Command teams
1 Observer team
1 Staff team
4 Gun team crews (20 miniatures)
3 Small bases
1 Single piece resin OP Carrier with crew
4 Different resin scenic bases
1 Scenic Staff Team Base

I've added my own emphasis.

Well it turns out that the box has been changed since the spotlight article was done - which is really the only thing on the website that contains any detailed info on what is in the box. I assume that the things that were missing were the things most people would ignore - the Limbers.  

So, being a stubborn sod I emailed Battlefront customer services to complain - replacing missing limbers would cost me money. It would actually double the cost of the transport for the unit, as instead of getting only two packs of BR277 Quad Tractor I would have to get four of BR276 Quad Tractor and Limber (x1) as I could see no where else that sold the Limbers by themselves. 

Probably Battlefronts intention when they changed the box!

I complained on the basis that the webstore still says the Limbers are included and that the only info on the website about this product was inaccurate. Thankfully the chap that responded was very understanding (after an initial misunderstanding about what the Limber actually was - fixed by sending him the links to Battlefronts own products). The emails were sent on Monday, by Thursday I had 4 brand new limbers to go with my new artillery troop!

The Scenic bases are very nice, but I'm not very sure about using them as the other Troop doesn't have them. Also, I have an issue with the bases looking like the guns are 'dug in' - which is a separate rules thing. At this stage I may sell them on (or trade them, if anyone has anything interesting to offer in exchange). The command base I'm not sure I will use, but the models for it may come in useful - especially the dispatch rider model. However, the quest for a WW2 British dispatch rider on motorcycle continues.  

Final picture for the blog (as it's been a wall of text). The cake stall I was helping to run last Saturday that raised nearly £200 for the church A's family attend.

Basing

While working on finishing off the models I've been picking away at for the last few months(...), it occurred to me that I hadn't really detailed what I am doing for the basing of my mini's. Maybe I did a while ago, but I took a pic of what my rough process is.

So I start with my standard base - either a FoW one or one from Warbases. I try to keep units all on the same type of base - so for example all the half tracks I have done have Warbases large size bases.

I've mentioned a few times my reasoning behind basing everything. A lot of the FoW models come moulded on bases and I feel that if one thing has a base on it, everything should. It rattles some internal cage of mine seeing Universal Carriers that look out of scale next to Shermans... purely because the UC are on a base.

The base also provided a better transport solution (magnets) and stops the track to track car park look. The one that one of Battlefronts 'rangers' tells me never happens but that I see on battle reports all the time.

Here's the photo:

The 'Dark Earth' is a acrylic resin from Vallejo (26.218) and is basically a dark grey colour. I apply this to a base that has been well scored in a zigzag pattern by a craft knife. Usual (recently) I have just been using a teaspoon to scoop out the amount I need and then roughly flatten it down. The nice thing about the resin is that it can be cut and trimmer as required when it's dry.

Once it's dry and trimmed, I paint it all Vallejo Model Color Flat Earth (70983). If I am spraying matt varnish around this time I will also give it a spray of that just to seal it. A tip I picked up from Paul, Davey and YD was that if you are using wooden bases you should varnish all of them - including the under side. This means if water should ever get into your mini's, the bases don't swell up and become ruined. 

For bases with infantry, I just press the infantry down, then cut out a rough rectangle that they will fit in. Superglue on the hole and then press the mini in.

Then I paint the bases of the infantry flat earth and let that dry. Then cover the top of the base in PVA and using my home made squirty bottle of static grass (a washing up liquid bottle with the stopper removed) I fire the static grass onto the bases with little puffs of air.

For vehicle bases I just PVA and static grass, then superglue the model onto the base.

The last stage is some dabs of PVA and then application of scrub bushes and flowers (currently from MiniNatur). I'm not one for piles of stones or the likes, as my men are fighting in well cultivated Normandy. Similarly I don't like ruins, rubble, etc. Although to be fair it is a bit daft when my tanks sit on a road with their grass bases - but I'm not quite at the madness of interchangeable bases depending on the tabletop terrain.....

Carronade 2014 haul!

With finances being as they are just now, I was limiting myself to what I would spend today. Thankfully, the joys of a decent bring and buy is that you end up with far more for your £££'s.

So, some pictures of the haul. First up, one of my best buys:

Daimler Dingo's I've been looking at for months. Another Sherman Firefly... handy - although I had wanted a Hybrid Firefly it's no biggie. The Sherman V - not really something I need, but I am sure I'll find a use for it.

As you can see, the items were all prices £6.50. But two of them have the prices scored out. The chap was in the process of marking the new price having seen my looking at them and putting them down. What is the new price, says I. £1 each says he!!!! I practically threw the money at him. A saving of £16.50!

Next up - something I've been after for ages. I wanted some Battlefleet Gothic Imperial light cruisers, and someone here has cut down some Imperial ships to make them into Ork ships.

However, I am pretty sure I can strip the paint from these and rescue the hulls. These should make some use able light cruisers (albeit conversions). All these models in one box for £10. Again, I practically threw my money at the stallholder before he could change his mind. I'm only interested in the imperial hulls really, and can probably sell the Chaos stuff in it's current condition for the price I paid for the box.

A selection of tiddlywinks, box of FoW bases, some Warbases large FoW bases and some more turret number decals. The tiddlywinks is a cunning plan - part one is some to mark in Full Thrust when a ship has fired and part two is to use to base my planned individual 15mm figures (to supplement my FoW bases for Battlegroup Overlord). Also in this pic are the above mentioned FoW blisters. Also in the picture are my flight peg toppers from Figures in Comfort which I collected at the show and got a refund on my postage for!

Figures in Comfort were also selling these - a heading/weapon facing template for Full Thrust. Given that I've played two games of this in the last month using a tatty paper version I made 7 years ago I thought a new plastic version would be a good purchase.

In this Full Thrust theme:

3 old style ESU Battleships, two Light Carriers, two Heavy Cruisers (?) and an Escort Cruiser (?) and a pack with two ESU scout ships - as well as a load of fighter bases. For £5. Well spotted on these ones by Paul, who picked them up for me when he saw them and figured I would be interested.

Also in this pic is the template from above and a book on the 3rd Infantry Division from D-Day to the Elbe. This cost me £2.

Last two items:

Some Forged in Battle Loyd Carriers (to be transports for my 4.2" Mortar platoon). And some MiniNatur flower tufts. These are in white and yellow, and will spruce up some of my bases as well as the grass tufts I've been using.

A full comparison of the FoW and FiB Loyd Carriers will follow soon(ish).

A fantastic haul for me and I am really really pleased with some of these buys. The FoW models and BFG models especially.

YD picked up some 10mm WW2 Germans for his Rapid Fire army, some Zulus and British troops for 28mm games and some 15mm Vietnam mini's. Davey was happy with his huge box of 28mm Celts and Roman 28mm kits and Paul copied me in getting grass tufts/flowers and paints. He also got some books showing colour photos of Nap re-enactors in full kit (as opposed to no kit (ooo er)). We were all really pleased with our buys - Thanks to the guys for taking me along for the day.

Custom orders from Warbases

Back from Wales and starting to thing about all these models I've got to paint! *Gulp*

One of the things that was waiting on my when I got home was an order from Warbases - a Scottish company that I have used previously for bases.

The laser cut wooden bases are the same size as the Battlefront ones, only lacking the sloping edges of the plastic ones. I try to group the bases by unit (so my artillery all uses the wooden Warbases bases, etc), so the difference isn't too big a deal.

So, my custom orders then. The first thing was that I liked the look of the plastic FoW movement template, but didn't want to fork out the money for an actual FoW one. Same with the artillery template. So I dropped Warbases an email, and this is the end result:

Warbases also offered to do these in clear acrylic for a little more, but I was happy with the laser cut wood. These were £2.50 for the measuring template and £2.25 for the artillery template. They very very kindly added the etched distances on the measuring template off their own backs.

Next came a realisation that the large bases I had wouldn't fit my Sherman Crabs (Flails). So again, a little custom order:

Behind you can see the regular large bases. I'm still waiting on the chain I ordered for the Flails, as I'm not convinced that the chain that is provided is the correct scale for the tank.

So, some great customer service, fantastic prices and quick delivery. Warbases comes highly recommended!