Finished: 15mm Wespe and Hummel Gun Sections

Hi folks,

The last two vehicle units on my project sheet for my German Panzergrenadiers have been completed. After a week or so of sitting on my desk awaiting tufts, I've managed to motivate myself!

These two units do not form part of the Panzergrenadier force per say, but would be divisional support assets. 

First up, the Wespes:

My lack of motivation for these models meant I've not added any sort of foliage to them - something I'll probably fix when I come to paint and add crews. It was a bit of a cop out, but it's a time consuming step and I really just wanted to finish these off and start painting something else. 

From my research, these vehicles had no hull numbers, and few tactical markings other than the German cross. I've added a divisional badge sign on the rear (no easy place to put on on the front). Camo was done roughly using the same colours as the half-tracks and stippled to be a bit softer. 

I'll have two crew members to paint and add to these at a later date. 

Next the Hummels:

These are much bigger models than the Wespes, being very chonky (unsurprisingly, the same footprint as a Panzer IV, given they use the same hull). I've crew still to add to these, but as per above these will be done later. Also, no other tactical markings I could see historically in the period so pretty simple decal wise. 

These models also need foliage adding, which I'll do when I return to add the crew. I did make an attempt to paint the striped sticks - having first checked these were supposed to be striped. I'm still not convinced that there were not barrel cleaning poles. 

All six models are 15mm scale metal and resin kits from Battlefront. For the Wespes, this now gives me a unit of six. I doubt the Hummels will get much table time, but they were part of the divisional artillery for 12th SS as far as I can see. Also, something to worry players with during scenario games!

With these units done and off my table, I'm now moving on to painting something slightly more modern! 15mm Team Yankee Dutch!

State of the collection 2017 - Part 2 - British/Polish Artillery

Hi folks,

Moving swiftly on from my previous post, I'm now showcasing my artillery collection.

Take a deep breath - mistakes were made!

Now, before you judge me, bear in mind that a) I'm not done yet, dammit! and b) the Royal Artillery was one of the largest combat arms in Normandy, with more men serving in RA units than in infantry units...

Regular readers will be aware of the episode now known as '25 Pdr gate'... this is the horrific results!

On a more serious note, I've had this line running through my head this morning. I first read it in George Blackburns 'The Guns of War'.

"Ubique means the warnin' grunt the perished linesman knows,

When o'er 'is strung an' sufferin' front the shrapnel sprays 'is foes,

An' as their firin' dies away the 'usky whisper runs

From lips that 'aven't drunk all day: 'The Guns! Thank Gawd, the Guns!'"

Half a regiment of 25 Pdrs - 128th (Highland) Field Regiment, 51st Highland Division

1st Polish Mechanised Artillery Regiment, 1st Polish Armoured Division (Sextons) and 61st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (17 Pdrs). With a signals unit from 51st Highland Division, and a spotter Auster!

17 Pdrs deployed and limbered

79th (The Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery - 4AGRA. 

40th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 51st Highland Division

10mm ACW - Guns and Dismounted Cav - Finished!

Hi folks,

First couple of days back and I wanted to finish up the projects I was working on prior to me going on holiday.

Mainly that involved the final varnish coats and basing of a few of my 10mm Pendraken Confederate dismounted cavalry. While basing these I decided to do the horse holders, guns and a final cavalry stand made up of my last remaining cavalry man and a surreptitious staff officer.

On to pics - cavalry in all it's glory, with dismounted and mounted options as well as horse holders:

Random (extra) cavalry base, to give me 8 stands in my cavalry unit:

Dismounted cavalry and horse holders:

Guns:

And some more random pics - with the complete cavalry unit and the other models together:

So I'm making some progress with this project. I believe we're aiming to get a game of some description in July, so I'll be pushing to get everything done. I'm not sure about the limbers and such currently, but I will aim to get the casualty figures I have painting next. This will allow me to base up the remainder of my infantry - I'm hoping the cavalry dismount spares and casualties will help make the infantry units go a little further.

This will leave me with limbers, another gun (or three!), ammo wagons and various markers to do.

AHPC Entry - 15mm Matadors

Hi folks,

Last weeks Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge entry from me was a final (for now) batch of wheeled vehicles. Having picked up the V4 FoW rules upgrade yesterday, I'm pleased to see that for Late War the transports are still available for units.

This batch consists of 8 x AEC Matador trucks - tractor units for my 5.5" guns. With the completion of these models, I'm finally finished with Gunuary..

For these models, I decided to go with a slightly different paint scheme than those used on Battlefronts website and most other painters collections. I've had enough of the 'mickey mouse' camo scheme, so went with a paint scheme I had seen on some re-enactors sites.

Again, I haven't yet finished all the decals - although printer paper and ink arrived this week.

I didn't manage to paint all I wanted for Gunuary - I still have 8 Quad tractors and 6 Morris AA tractors to paint at some point - however I'm done with trucks for now!

I should have pictures shortly of the whole Gunuary/AHPC effort! My target for the challenge had been to get 500 points. With these models, I have reached 556. I'm not sure if I will get much more done before the final entry deadline on Thursday - although I do have my 'Kurt geld' (entry fee) model to finish. I'm really pleased to have attained my target, as I started several weeks after the start date due to the house move, and 500 points seemed pretty unachievable!

AHPC Entry - Moar Trucks!

Hi folks,

I'd like to be able to tell you I finished with the whole truck thing... sadly, this is not the case. However - barring one entry to the AHPC for next week, I am done with trucks for now.

Last week I managed to finish off the remaining artillery unit vehicles I had been working on, with another batch of mini dioramas.

For my Polish Sextons, I have two vehicles. A 'working party' has been detailed to change a tyre. One of them is proceeding with the job while his mates bunk off to try and find a local to trade some cigarettes for some 'vino' or 'oh effs'.

The full set up, everything painted since January for this unit:

Then we have the vehicles for my medium battery, the 79th (The Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment , Royal Artillery. I've not quite finished these totally, as no one makes the correct decals. Currently waiting on some printer ink and decal paper to arrive in order to try and make my own. Wish me luck!

The theme for these bases was 'moving day'. Whether the unit is arriving and unpacking, or unpacking before departure, I'll leave up to you - but I wanted to try and show that even through periods of the campaign were quite static, there was always some movement going on. The typical army 'hurry up and wait'.

For there I have the two trucks with some chaps carrying bits. We have a box and wire reel being carried on one base, while on the other the figure getting directions is carrying a backpack in his left hand. Maybe these are the signals guys getting ready to 'wire in' the command post.

Meanwhile, as a suitable replacement for a truck, I have used a large staff car (actually, a 4WD Heavy Utility vehicle) - after all, a Medium Regiments CO can't be getting shuttled around in a 15cwt truck, can he? An officer and sentry watch the goings on (the 'wait' part of the 'hurry up and wait').

And again, the full unit painted since January. 

The full unit with the guns I painted last Gunuary:

Speaking of Gunuary - I have not forgotten about it! It just seems to have stretched on a little bit. However, with the publishing of my challenge entry next week, I'll call it quits. It's been quite productive (as has the challenge in general, I have achieved my goal of 500 points) and I will repeat next year. I didn't get everything I wanted to do done - there are still 8 Quads and 6 Morris AA Tractors to paint. To be fair, the guns were all painted in the correct month, it was all the support gubbins that overshot!

But it's time to move onto something else, and the 10mm ACW project needs some progress made.

Anyone know how to paint Confederates?

AHPC 3rd Entry - Gunuary still lives!

Hi folks,

This week I've been chipping away at my remaining Gunuary projects, with two elements coming to fruition in a short time. As I type, I'm waiting for a coat of varnish to dry in order to try and get an entry in for tomorrows 'themed' round entry.

For Thursday, I managed to finish off the command, staff and OP teams I required as part of the Gunuary goal of filling out all the missing teams in my various artillery units. As such, I finished off different teams for a few different units:

2 Pulk Artylerii Motorwej, 1st Polish Armoured Brigade:

1 x Staff team
2 x Command teams
1 x Jeep

79th Medium Regiment (The Scottish Horse), 4 AGRA - I'm missing decals for this unit at the moment, so the AOS markings on the vehicles are not correct currently, and there is no formation badge):

1 x Staff team
3 x Command teams
2 x OP teams
1 x Jeep
2 x OP Universal Carriers

128th Field Regiment, 51st Highland Division:

1 x Jeep
1 x OP Universal Carrier

I've grouped the units by type for the pics, rather than by unit. One thing I really need to do is get some sort of unit marking system for my bases, so I know which teams go with which units. Not such a big deal at the moment, but with my attempts to paint unit patches onto the soldiers arms, it will become relevant.

Staff teams (the one with the motorbike is for the 79th Medium Regiment):

OP teams:

Command teams:

Jeeps:

UC OP Carriers:

So this little lot bagged be 96 points. I'm pretty happy with them, barring the fact some of the faces are rubbish and some of the sculpted faces are poor (a couple of miscasts). Decals need to be fixed for the Medium Regiment vehicles and some of the aerial holes on models needs a little work to close them up a bit (the drill bit was slightly too large). I've also got some of the detail on the back of the jeeps to fix! Funny the things you notice looking at the pics!

Anyway, I'll check if the varnish is dry on the next lot, and plow on!