Matilda No. 9

Waltzing Matilda No. 9 has been put together (see below):

As per the hysteria of pre-WWI Dreadnought building competitions "We want ten!" (Psst, actually eleven for the Western Desert if truth be told, two for Russia and another two more for the Pacific in 2015, before Airfix stops selling the kit).

Command Decision: Western Desert OoB: 
I have three companies of three, so therefore by my reckoning I need a Regimental HQ Tank plus a modified Matilda II Close Support (CS) platoon tank!

One Man in Red the rest in er, Grey?

The WIP "group photo" (see below):

The Airfix Grey Primer has been applied to all the "tri-corn" hats (14 lads in total, excluding the casualty figure)

Almost One Month .. How 2015 is Shaping Up? (New Year's Resolutions)

New Year's Resolution#1: "To play 20 Games(*1) in 2015"

1. Computer Game: Age of Empires Castle Siege (and enjoying it)

(*1) These include: Tabletop Wargame (multi-player or solo), PBM or Computer Moderated, Multi-Player OnLine Game(s), Board Game (multi-player or solo) 

Note: Difficulty [Predicted Hard and still looks that way] :(

New Year's Resolution#2: "To finish 12 Modelling Projects(*2) in 2015"

1. Airfix Matilda II (Project Type [a]) Complete
2. Airfix Matilda II (Project Type [a]) Complete
3. AWI 28mm Painting Prototype Figure (Project Type [d])
4. AWI 28mm Regular Infantry Unit (14 Figures) (Project Type [c]) WIP (1 of 14)
5. Airfix Matilda II (Project Type [a]) WIP
6. StarGruntz GZG 15mm Infantry Platoon (10 Figures) (Project Type [c]) WIP (8 of 40)

(*2) Project Types: (a) making a larger scale model from kit in box to assembled [1/76+ vehicle or plane, 1/1200+ ship], (b) painting a larger scale an assembled model [see (a)], (c) painting a tactical squad of troops or small scale wargaming OoB element [1/200 or 1/300 micro-tanks or aircraft. 1/3000 scale ships], (d) Painting Prototype(s) for (c) if in-depth.

Note: Difficulty [Medium, though it is looking easy given the unexpected backlog/supply of Airfix "tanks" I have recently found in the loft I would say more easy]

New Year's Resolution#3: "To read 5 Wargaming Related Books(*3) in 2015"

• None! (As yet, though there is plenty of latent reading matter lying around the house, as my wife constantly reminds me) :(

(*3) This includes, new Rule Books, Historical Reference Books, Historical Novels, Campaign Histories, Books on Modelling Techniques excludes magazines

Note: Difficulty [Easy, er well I seem to have struck out in January, much to my surprise. My reading material seems to be my sons bedtime fiction, work (computing/busines books) and some general science]

New Year's Resolution#4: "To experiment with Digital Resources(*4) for my Hobbies"

1. Wargames Soldiers and Strategy Online YouTube Painting Tutorial Guides
2. YouTube Battleground Videos 
3. Age of Empires Castle Siege 

(*4) This includes "Getting a Kindle" (at some point), playing On-Line Games (which probably means getting a new computer) ... this could mean goodbye to some books, or at least not so many new ones!

Note: Difficulty [Medium, still medium]

Cor, this is quite a serious looking post, 2015 mapped out!

New Great War at Sea Blog

Check this out if you are of a nautical frame of mind:
https://greatwaratsea.wordpress.com/

You won't be disappointed, there is a craftsman at work here!

:)

British "Bob" (Part 4) Wait Until You See The Whites Of Their Eyes!

Facing front (see below):

Facing rear (see below)

Done (bar the basing)!

Notes to Self: 

The musket got the traditional three brown treatment (Vallejo Game Colour: Charred Brown shade, Beasty Brown base and Leather Brown highlight). I also painted his canteen strap (something the tutorial didn't do but was on the Perry's painting description) Vallejo Game Colour: Beasty Brown and highlighted with Leather Brown. The musket strap was painted Vallejo Game Colour: Stonewall Grey and highlighted Dead White.

I then used Anita's Acrylic "Metallic Black" (a versatile oily smearing colour) paint the musket, bayonet and where the buttons were (never done buttons before!). I used Vallejo Gun Metal for the metal bits. Now for a bit of Brass. The water bottle brass bits, the musket brass bits and the bayonet sheath. A tip here was to first paint the area with a mid-brown (Vallejo Game Colour Beasty Brown) then paint the metallic on top of that. Anita's Acrylic "Classic Gold" with a dab of Anita's Acrylic "Silver" to highlight was placed on these areas (including those pesky buttons).

Returning to the face I "dotted the whites of the eyes" (he is 28mm after all), Vallejo Game Colour: Dead White, Imperial Blue (Iris) and Black (Pupil) not that you would necessarily notice! Then a few touches of Vallejo Elf Skintone to highlight and touch up any mess.

Next Step(s): 

Now I have to figure ways in which to increase the production efficiency as I need to paint another sixteen figures for my basic "Muskets and Tomahawks" force but my current three hours a figure is not going to work! The timescale for this project is the end of February and I do have a life outside wargaming ;)
 
I do like the instructional videos from Wargames Strategy and Soldiers, I an eyeing up their "How to paint a British Cromwell Tank" next

British "Bob" (Part 3) Perry's AWI British Infantryman

Facing front (see below):

A look from the rear (see below):

I thought he was looking "too neat" in the trouser area so I gave him a Vallejo Brown (Umber Shade) Wash. Following the painting tutorial I gave "Bob" a "Royal Blue" set of facings (Vallejo Game Colour Imperial Blue, highlighted with Vallejo Game Colour Magic Blue) and trimmed with a bit of nice white lace (Vallejo Game Colour Dead White).

The cartridge box, water bottle, shoes, bayonet sheath and hat got a basic Vallejo Black. To this Vallejo Game Colour Stonewall Grey was mixed in and lightened with with for highlights. The bedroll on "Bob's" back started as base colour of Stonewall Grey and was lightened again with white. I put a little white lace trim on his hat to make him look the part.

Redcoat Tutorial
Currently 13:41 through the 17:13 video

That leaves the gun, buttons and small other shiny bits to contend with .. to be continued .. one more session I think. My only negative thought is that he looks to Xmas decoration Nut Cracker Suite and may need a matte varnish?    

British "Bob" (Part 2) Whites and Reds

Again trying to religiously follow the YouTube tutorial instructions, but subbing in equivalent paints from my collection, (for tutorial see previous post) the 'Whites and Red' were added. Though if I am honest, I am not sure I have mastered the layering of (diluted) white paint yet (in my case Vallejo Game Colours and Anita's Acrylic White) so I may fall back on another 'brown wash and then white highlight' to try and add some more depth and tone (see below):

The 'reds' were a three layer Vallejo Game Colour classic: shade (Gory Red), base (Bloody Red) and highlight (Hot Orange). So far I think he looks a tad bright (see below):  

The only other paint used was Vallejo Game Colour Bone White to differentiate the side slung linen bag from the white trousers, adding a touch of white for a tiny highlight. So far 09:15 minutes through the 17:13 minute total.

PS: For all WW2 fans I am itching to start putting together Matilda "number nine"