RUSI Article - Measuring Lethality: Army Combat Power and Force Design (Not a Good Day for Lanchester)

A friend sent me a link to this interesting RUSI article, which ruminates around the topic of - "if you cannot be as big as the enemy can you be "bad ass badder than them instead". This is "bad ass as" in "more lethal" .. so are we talking Tiger tanks against Shermans again? Please read on to find out more and what it means for the UK against the Russian threat (see link below): 

https://static.rusi.org/measuring-lethality-rusi-apr-26.pdf

It also seemed to suggest policy making and reality are remarkably different, especially if you pretend everything boils down to an equation!

To quote from the paper (on page 27): 

The concept of the Lanchester Equation, modelling the relative accumulation of advantage of an aggregate force as attrition is suffered in engagements[39], is perhaps the perfect demonstration of a very sound theory when it is mathematically represented – with remarkably little utility in assessing any real-world military outcomes[40].

[39] Frederick William Lanchester, Aircraft in Warfare: The Dawn of the Fourth Arm (London: Constable and Co., 1916), pp. 39–66. 

[40] Michael J Artelli and Richard F Deckro, ‘Modeling the Lanchester Laws with System Dynamics’, Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology (Vol. 5, No. 1, 2008), p. 7.

From 1916 to 2008 to 2026 the debate about Lanchester seems to go on and on. The problem seems to lie when people try and apply Lanchester as a general for all case, instead of when Lanchester conditions are met. The trouble is you only seem to know when these conditions are met, after the event. Then there is teh problem of retrofitting the data to suit your needs.

Note: People who "like Lanchester" don't seem to like wargaming as a participant but rather see it as a simulation "stand back" process where they are just dice chuckers. To me that if wrong, to wargame you have to take agency and responsibility. Anecdotally I keep seeing "Lanchestarians" losing their flanks and manoeuvring backwards on the table top. Harsh, but er, true!

Cold War Space Race: CCCP goes Lunar with Soyuz and US NASA Saturn 1B - CoW Game Prep 2026 (WD)

This is a blast from the past and down Airfix memory lane I go. The lunar lander (The Eagle) which was part of the Saturn 1B (IIRC) was hidden in an unassembled, primed and "brown washed" state for such a long time. All it took was for possible inclusion in my Conference of Wargamers (CoW) game 2026, "The Earth Prepared" to jolt it towards the painting tray (see below, not sure about the hole in the roof, but I think that is where it attached to the orbiter Columbia - I quite like how it has come out): 

The big boys rockets - the diminutive Soyuz in comparison to one of the 'smaller' American rockets, the Saturn 1B (see below, a stretch goal for the game is to get the Saturn V, currently hiding in the loft, assembled and painted too): 

Note the little Yuri on the launch pad, a tiny dot towards the front of the CCCP (LHS) launch pad.

FREE GAME: WWII Pacific Logistics - Fleet Train (Louis Coatney)

Just when I thought there was not much to LinkedIn somebody goes and posted an interesting game link! Click bait it is not, thank you Lou Coatney (see link to his website - not LinkedIn, below):   

https://www.coatneyhistory.com/FleetTrain.htm

Remember the quote: "Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics."

AI Again - It Is All In The Mathematics Not The Marketing Hype

It is quite humbling to try and follow a great mathematician explaining complex subject matter and bringing an analogy to AI, outlining the consequences to what we think know about our use of AI (see link below):  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpCHo5v-Gc

If you thought you know what AI us and you knew what you were dealing with and how to work with it, then my friend the chances are you are sadly mistaken!

Not killer robots but killer stupidity awaits.

Supercharge Me - Again, But Wait Have I Not Told Everyone About This Game Yet?

This is a game that just keeps giving and I am dying to get my hands on my own personal copy. To my shame I may have posted on other social media but not yet blogged about it (which is very, very strange as I thought, with almost complete certainty, that I already had raved about it here).

Board Game Geek: 

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/312630/supercharged

Dietz Foundation (Shop):

https://dietzfoundation-org.square.site/product/supercharged-/13?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

To put it in context, I am no petrol head but this is a racing game I actually enjoy playing. Set in the 1920's to 1930's where motorsports seemed to be the preserve of the richly insane, it has a certain crazy international charm (Siamese Princes for example) and warmth that allows it to be a good family/mates game (despite the natural urge for your team to be winning). It is also a spectator sport if/when you get knocked or rather spun out. It lacks the cruel cheesiness of rules from other racing games and here purely finishing a race is in itself is something of an achievement. Historically one race was called a draw because nobody finished! Two circuits of the track constitutes the race which sounds achievable, but isn't for most cars (see below, a self assembly track, playing deck and card stock period motor cars playing pieces):

The Race: 

A very busy start (see below, the compressed field on the first two corners means that "spin-offs" are inevitable): 

The advantage of pole position is that you can get clear of the field and end up in an individual one-on-one speed battle (see below, a local bespoke addition to the standard counter is adding orange trim to the car counters side. This indicates the car has moved for this turn, more obvious than the subtle flip-flop position of the driver and helps game play. As the game is played, it is phased, with white trim car to move first one turn and then the orange trim cars to move the next turn. This avoids a needless car flipping reset at the start of each phase - which we first started to do, then wondered why we were doing it! Motto: Keep it simple!):  

You have a huge problem if you get stuck behind cars still yet to move, if you cannot make your minimum move or three spaces (IIRC) you spin (see below, if the orange trim cars have to go next .. they will have a big problem):

The corners of the track can be carnage (see below, note the colours represent national teams, in two tiers, first rate nations [which have slightly better cars and can .. potentially .. go faster] and the second tier enthusiasts .. which are mainly "bot run". This makes them less aggressive, speed bumps following the racing line, that need to be passed): 

By the time we come to the second lap the car drop-out is over 50% (see below, the field is certainly now getting spaced):   

What I love about the mechanics is the very clever event deck (no scrambling around for dice lost underneath the table) that drives a very fast paced game (see below, the crowds cheered and went wild as the "sixth car" out a starting field of twenty actually managed to finish):

Taken from the Board Game Geek website (see photograph below), it shows a little of the back story of Supercharged's development. It started off life as a UK wargames convention participation game, touring the country with its inventors/designers Mike Clifford and Mike Siggins (of Wargamers Notebook fame in the old school Wargames Illustrated and Miniature Wargames magazines). The 1/72 kit looked absolutely epic (see below, now that looks like trouble ahead at the first bend. Also note teh beer refreshment on the side - always sign of a good game set-up): 

The game comes down to head-to-head contests of tailgating cars trying to survive the tangle of the bends (classic pile up territory) but tensely waiting for the chance on the straights to push on with a devastating turn of speed (see the picture below, is that not the pure atmospheric bliss of the period coming through and touching your inner child! Try not making car noises!):  

I consider the above game set=up as a "stretch goal" but one well worthy of pursuing!

PS: I think the design is great ub capturing the gentlemanly feel of the period, as there was a lot of respect between the racing enthusiasts (they helped each other out a lot in contrast to teh commercialised competition of today's Formula One racing). The designers skillfully avoided the danger of teh game becoming a Mad Max Rally - which of course is Car Wars/Gaslands!

Undercoating some vehicles: [28mm. 1/56] M3 Lee, Tiger I and King Tiger

Making full use of the spray can to its last spluttering gasp I managed to cover three of my 28mm AFVs (see below, the US M3 Lee Warlord Games sprue sale bargain at £12, well worth waiting for): 

The mighty King Tiger (see below, I know it is totally overkill for Chain of Command but for £12 in the Warlord sprue sale I could not say no to my inner teenage school boys' "yearnings". It still is a beast!): 

Side by side you can see the "huge" difference in size, but remember their combat introduction/debut was but two years apart (see below, 1942 for the Lee, and 1944 for the Tiger II):  

Finally the spray-can's splutter finished in a timely fashion over the Tiger I (see below, again another steal from the Warlord games sprue salem guess what £12):  

I am please to say that the vivid green dries to a dull, dark, camouflaged dark green. 

Note to Self: Game: Urban Operations - YouTube Walk Through

This is a game I have and so want to "get into". I have it from the first edition, already a second edition is out. I so want to transfer it to tabletop with miniatures (see below, the pedigree of the designer is incredible): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtlKZ6haJsQ

The above YouTube video will be a good starting point.

Interestingly a new game (noy yet attained by myself) but from the same stable of French School of Infantry Combat (three graduates rather than the teacher [Sebastien de Peyret]) called CO-OPS (see below, image and link below):

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/6939071/co-ops

One to put on the "For the Future" bucket list! 

Note To Self: Late War German WWII Infantry - Victrix (Painting Guide)

Victrix Late War Miniatures Painting Guides: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xvqv96qQ1E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ooQ15k9Ihg

Looking forward to painting these!

4,000,000+ Hits - But what does it mean?

Shrug ...

Absolutely nothing .. as my guess is that it is mostly Bots. Gawd help the future of AI if it is mining my posts for accurate knowledge. I have a disclaimer at the bottom of my page. I think that mining wargaming blogs for knowledge is the last thing the Tech Giants should be doing! You could be solving real problems like world hunger for teh cost of the compute you meaninglessly burn - no seriously you could!

Meanwhile: To all the humans still out there "Hi, I hope you are well!"

Note to Self: Painting 28mm French Napoleonic Infantry - Painting Guides Material

I will need these painting guides at some point in the (near) future to paint these French Napoleonics for Sharpe Practice  (see below, my assembly of some of my plastic legions): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSjGYOFepM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbPsNCvNg-0

Also of interest - Ranking/Rating 28mm French Napoleonic Plastic Box Sets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8NMKlBvKT0

Note to Self: WWII Question to the Germans - "What was it like fighting the British?"

If you want to know the answer watch the video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDOWXeWFNJg

Spoiler alert: We can be beaten and pushed back, but somehow "we don't break like the others". We are annoyingly back the next day as if nothing happened! Importantly we don't know when we are beaten so - we tended to spoil the German's day and with it their Germanic plans for world domination!

Happy ending or am I believing an jingoistic urban myth (but from the mouths of Germans)?

MIT predicts 12 Plausible Endings to the AI Story (Spoiler Alert: Not a fairy story ending)

It does make me wonder. Don't the happy people at MIT have something better to be doing instead of re-running variants of "The Matrix" in their academic papers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLcrvMfHUJM

Other AI YouTube Memes: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9werF1SR3Ag

Roll of Honour for "dead" blogs: "Tidying up Blogs I Like to Read" [1]

I was checking the bottom of my "Blogs I Like to Read" list and there seems to be deadwood.

Blogs that are no longer with us (sniff). 

Lest they not be forgotten, they served to amuse me, I shall miss their passing.

I honour their digital memory!

Hrothgars Folly

https://hrothgarsfolly.blogspot.com/

Lasted Updated 2010

Unfollowed

https://projectmeszaros.blogspot.com/

No posts remain or were ever posted

https://funnylittlemen.blogspot.com/

No posts remain or were ever posted

3rd Phase

Dead Blog-Removed

Mad About Gaming

https://madaboutgaming.blogspot.com/

Dead Blog-Removed

Sideway Shuffle - Takeo Ichikawa

https://takeo-ichikawa.blogspot.com/

No posts remain or were ever posted

Little Soldier Company

http://littlesoldiercompany.co.uk/

Broken Link

Touching History

https://touchinghistory.blogspot.com/

No posts remain or were ever posted

Ferrets Attention Span

https://ferretmodels.blogspot.com/

No posts remain or were ever posted

The Savage AfterWorld

http://www.savageafterworld.com/

Broken Link

It all started when I wanted to follow a new Blog but I had filled up the blogs I could follow quota!

Bydand

 https://1808534.blogspot.com/

More 28mm WWII Undercoating - US Infantry, US Paras, 1940 BEF Brits and French, Japanese

Just to complete the full story (or is it?) of the "Spray Can Day" event!

Wargames Atlantic British 1940 BEF and a few (6) Imperial Japanese Infantry from Warlord Games: 

Wargames Atlantic French 1940 Infantry:

German Late War Infantry - Warlord Games: 

US Paras - Warlord Games: 

US Infantry - Perry Miniatures and Warlord Games: 

Left with empty spray cans! Job well done!

Next Projects - Wargame Atlantic/Victrix 28mm Figures: Three Boxes

I blame them (Wargames Atlantic), yes them, for making such nice figures you "have to" buy them and then, er, find a use for them? So I have three (new)projects: 

Project One: Wargames Atlantic German Sentries - Coming in useful from being used as nasty Colditz sentries, to combatting partisan operations, commando raids, deadly SAS missions, Para airborne drops on radar installations and even denizens of "Weird WWII"  dark laboratories (see below, all sorts of uses beckon - all being behind enemy lines): 

There is even a healthy proportion of Alsatian dogs to German sentries (10 dogs to 30 soldiers). The poses come straight from the movies and are definitely "behind the front lines" Security Police support troops. The officer literally looks straight from the lead in "The Man in the High Castle" (see below, this is a highly recommended set - no other excuse needed to buy it):    

Second Project Victrix Napoleonic Old Guard Infantry - Next we move on to a "man (or rather a wargamer) of a certain age" issue. One who to his embarrassment wakes up one day and realises that he does not have a unit of French Napoleonic Old Guard in 28mm to show off to his friends (see below,  thank you Vixtrix for coming to my rescue, in fact they do the Middle Guard as well in plastic [but as time of writing I have only seen the Young Guard in very expensive metal]):  

Third Project Wargames Atlantic Pulp Adventure Operators -  Then there was the "buy it" because you saw it and you knew you already had a use for it. Specifically skirmish level gaming with 28mm Modern Special Forces - Terrorists - Hostage Release SWAT - Jungle LRRP/Mercenaries. Twenty Figures in total but four sprues, so a sprue for each of these categories will do (see below, the options on each sprue is fantastic):  

I know one game these are destined to play is Hostage Cluedo, even borrowing a dog from the German Sentries box for a K-9 handler, now that is synergy (see below, a "niche" but also a nice buy):  

I certainly seem to be in a "28mm assembly and paint mode of operations", also fuelled by the range of nice painting tutorials readily accessible on the Internet. Im short I am just having fun!

A "Reiving" We Shall Go! - 28mm Fun and Frolics on the Scottish Border (Cow Snatching) - One Hour Skirmish Rules

Time for a fun game of cattle reiving in the Scottish borders! (see below, some nice 28mm figures come out to play alongside John Lambshead's,One Hour Skirmish Wargame Rules [a very nice set of rules]):  

The stage is set for a raid on the Scott Clan to relieve them of some of their prize cattle. In particular a fine new acquisition, a bullock, covetously spied at the local market.No good will come of this envy from the Natt Clan. Stealing through the night the Natts surprise the sleepy Scott sentries (se below, "Alarm, alarm, Reivers are amongst us!" (see below, a hand to hand tussle but the second Scott shouts an alarm):    

The Natts are fast at work as the Scott bothy empties, each Scot clansman grans the nearest weapon and charges out into the night (see below, one poor quality cow is being pushed away, but the Natts did not do well in their reconnaissance before the alarm went up, so they are simply grabbing what they can): 

Around a firefight, where the advantage of ranged weaponry becomes apparent, the Natts try to make off with a second more highly prized cow, but no sign of the bullock! Fallen bodies of Reivers and law abiding citizens (Reivers themselves but on the receiving end of tonight's fray) litter the farmyard (see below, the Natts decide it is time to make a sharp getaway as too many heavily armed Scotts are now about for their liking - cows are rather slow moving beast when they want to be): 

To quote the outraged Scott, "No' so fast you canny Reiver that ma' prize cow ya' after! Stitch that Jimmy [thwack, biff, pow]!" (see below, the prize cow is returned to its "rightful" owner): 

Proceedings for the night close as the Natt Clan departs. A fun night out, the Scott Clan is now minus a few clan members and are one poor quality cow down, but they have as their prisoner a rival Natt Clan Leader (low level presumably, not the mighty Natt himself) to be ransomed! The Natt Clan are also down a few clan members. All told was quite a bloody night on the borderlands! Break out the whiskey, mead and ale!

From Green to Black Petrol Cans but the same Lawnmower

The Green (US Army style) petrol or jerry can is no more, so a trip to B&Q was required and it looks like I have changed nationalities (see picture below, it has a certain er, how can we say Panzer feel to it?):  

Deployed in the field or rather back garden (see below, the question being is the Mountford lawnmower is a suitable stand in for a WWII armoured fighting vehicle?):  

Fun bit over, now I have to mow the lawn and combat teh wild verges (partisan territory if you ask me)!

Remote Gaming over Google Hangouts: Escape from The Dark Sector (Boardgame)

I have played a fantasy board game called "Escape From The Dark Castle" over Google Hangouts with friends several times with good fun results. There, each character's abilities was represented by a special RPC "dice" that scored a result appropriate to their class' abilities - basically their contribution to overcome the challenge card from the story deck. Remotely all the players needed to do was convert a normal d6 to their character dice, as in a simple lookup table (or let me roll the dice for them). I wanted to see if its sister sci-fi board game, "Escape from the Dark Sector" could also be played remotely as well (see below, instead of a castle you have done something wrong in space, and your spaceship is impounded, so you hatch a cunning plan and break out):   

"Dark Sector" is more complicated in that it allows two modes of combat, "ranged" and "close" combat, basically guns of various forms or stabby-spikey-shocky things picked up. This posed a problem as there were far more special dice involved in the range combat. Everybody had to trust me as I rolled the dice (I was also walking through teh rules in the first play but the players were good friends and very patient). It was engrossing and despite the odds our "first time playing the game" luck held (see below, the reverse of the box shows the various its components - notice lots more dice):   

It worked well "as a casual pick-up" game (we finished it over two sessions) and we definitely be planning another outing (a nice dark night sort of game).

Board Game Geek (see link below): 

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/280748/escape-the-dark-sector

Wargames Atlantic Italians 28mm - Temperate Uniform (Painting Guide)

I have a project, a game and it requires these figures. Alternatively I saw these figures, they looked great so I decided I needed a project as an excuse to get this (see below, Wargames Atlantic - WW2 Italian Infantry): 

They were really nice to assemble and the Temperate Mediterranean (or summer Russia) option I chose meant that teh Alpini and Bersaglieri option remained on the sprue. It is a rich source of spares. As I was doing this as industrial process and the weather was good they got the light (Ghoul) grey spray can undercoat courtesy of Colour Forge (see below, whitened - ready for the painting tray or Christmas decorations. This undercoating was actually done "en masse" with various other pieces of kit that had been "assembled" for ages, their time had come): 

The Italian Order of Battle (OoB) was decided by a Chain of Command supplement/online (and is a peculiar clumsy Italian thing, technically with good LMG support but in the wrong place if you ask me - as they separate the LMGs out from the infantry squad and place it under its own command [a sergeant whereas the large ten man rifle section has a mere corporal shouting orders at it]). Note: The raw plastic which comes with a small base has been mounted on a bigger circular 25mm diameter base. PVA mixed with sand and light grit is spread over the bases for texture and left to dry. Vallejo Brown Wash (I have a large tub of this, creatively called Dipping Wash - you get the message) is applied over the figure and base. I find this gives a good "shade" start to painting the model and highlights its features nicely as the wash settles into the cracks and crevices (see below, ready for the painting tray): 

Next Steps: Follow the YouTube Painting Tutorial(s) from Sonic Sledgehammer. I used thi sfor my inspiration, but deviated to match the actual paints I had at hand (rather than slavishly going out and purchasing more - which is the way of madness [I have tread before]):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD1kMTbnc3I

Note: I recommend to follow the second video, see link below (but same Youtuber), as I believe he is using a pose closer Wargames Atlantic figure (despite it being a Warlord Games figure [?]) .. both sets are good figures but as I have the former Wargames Atlantic figure the second video makes more sense: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4oqT5dDruU

Time to start assembling the paint list and applying it! This will be incremented over time as I paint the figure also serving as a "Note to Self". 

Note: I am doing them in squad batches, starting with a rifle squad of 10 Rifles and a Corporal (also with a Rifle).

STAGE ONE: Basic Paints

• [Step 1]: Vallejo Model Colour - Dark Fleshtone (72.044) is applied to the exposed flesh areas (Face and two hands gripping weapons) as the "shade" over the "shade" Brown Wash.
• [Step 2]: Vallejo Model Colour - Dark Flesh (70.927) .. (although it looks pretty light to me [compared to the "brown" Dark Fleshtone of Step 1], even after shaking the bottle) as the base flesh tone. Note this deviate from teh video as I had not yet found it! My one comment is that the flesh looks a tad light and I may wash it [interestingly Sonic Sledgehammer users Red Beige (70.804) one that I don't have yet!]
• [Step 3]: Vallejo Model Colour - Olive Grey (70.888) - using this as the "shade uniform" colour over the brown wash "shade" [note, in conversation with a another good hobby painter I expect to lighten this with (70.884) Stone Grey for base and highlight later but I am following the second video at the moment].
• [Step 4]: Vallejo Model Colour US Field Drab (70.873) for blanket at bottom of backpack - which to be perfectly honest looks like the brown wash over the grey undercoat, but tidies it up and makes the colour look more solid.  
• [Step 5]: Vallejo Model Colour - German Camouflage Beige (70.821) for central part of backpack and straps.
• [Step 6]: Vallejo Model Colour - German Field Grey (70.830) for the backpack blanket and water bottle. 
• [Step 7]: Vallejo Model Colour - Beige Brown (70.875) for the rifle stock (and also for facial hair, aka the stylish Italian moustaches. Note: Black and Grey Black also an option!).
• [Step 8]: Vallejo Model Colour - Black Grey (70.862) for the boots, ammo pouches and chin strap [I also used this for the bayonet scabbard I attached to some but not all infantry models].
• [Step 9]: Vallejo Model Colour - Black (70.950) for the rifle barrel and working parts 

Extra bits added see reasons in STAGE 4 below: 

• [Step 9a]: The Red Devil Hand Grenades are painted Vallejo Game Dark Fleshtone (70.044) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Flat Red (70.957) and rehighled with the same after the Step 10: Wash. The metal (trigger) part was painted Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey (70862) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Gunmetal (70.863). 
• [Step 9b] Leather Straps on rifles, base coated with Vallejo Game Dark Fleshtone (70.044) then highlighted with Vallejo Model Colour Cavalry Brown (70.972) it makes a bold statement. The metals clasps were painted Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey (70862) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Gunmetal (70.863). 

So far so good, we have delivered a basic "base coloured" 28mm figure that resembles a WW2 Italian Infantrymen that would ret and hide on a wargames table because it does not impress the eye. My painted model differs from the one in video as I (foolishly?) also dipped the figure in Vallejo Brown Wash before painting (see below, facing front - rather basic and if truth be told a little "too green" in the uniform department - it needs to be faded):

And from the back (see picture below): 

This is where we differ from the traditional painting I grew up with through the first thirty years of my hobby. That was the "undercoat-shade-hase-highlight" mantra, where you effectively painted each figure three times (and wish your hobby time away). In the modern twentieth first century chemistry now performs "black magic on the figure.

STAGE TWO: Black Magic

Gather eye of newt and wing of bat and drop it into the boiling cauldron. Alternatively ..

• [Step 10]: Mix three drops of Army Painter Strong Tone Wash with two drops of Army Painter Mixing Medium which tones and dilutes the effect. Then smear it liberally all over the poor Italian Infantryman!
• [Step 11]: Let it dry for 30 mins! So go cut the grass of something and do not come back early!

What he looks like after the "Black Magic" chemistry has taken effect (see below, he is now certainly shaded but perhaps maybe overly so, he definitely needs highlighting with the "base colours" and perhaps additional highlighting, lightening the "base colours" to be done):

• [Step 12]: Do not panic, we are not finished yet .. so you have not ruined the miniature, as it still only looks half right! We now go back to Stage One and selectively repeat Steps One through to Nine again but this time selectively highlighting not completely covering!
• [Step 13]: Exception we have to do something different with the uniform, as it is still too green. Solution either mix [5:1] ratio of (70.888) Vallejo Model Colour Olive Green with (70.846) Vallejo Model Colour Dark Sand or (70.884) Vallejo Model Colour Stone Grey. This should "fade" the uniform"!
• [Step 14]: Highlight the rifle shiny parts with Vallejo Model Color Gunmetal (70.863).

End of Stage 2 from the Front (see below, starting to look the business):

End of Stage 2 from the Front (see below, nice detailing on the peculiar backpack - you get to like it n the end) 

STAGE THREE: Protect and Survive

• [Step 15]: Vallejo Fleshtone Wash (73.204) is applied to face and hands. Highlight with Vallejo Model Colour Dark Flesh (70.927) - believe me it is not dark, it is light!
• [Step 16]: Ultra-Matt Lucky Varnish (Ammo Mig) the figure, this is to dull down any glossy bits for consistency and give an invisible layer of protection [against greasy wargamer figures].
• [Step 17]: The eyes have it, crazy white sockets and black pupil [optional madness]. White horizontal slash  make and eye orbit area - then Black dot for a pupil. It will be messy. Dark Flesh around to tidy corners of eyes on face. 
• [Step 18]: Terrain basing, paint outer rim brown, two tone the brown on the base, flock and add a touch of static grass. 

STAGE FOUR: Experience told me this after painting some more figures!

The first figure I painted did not have a Red Devil hand grenade or a strap on its rifle. 

• [Step 9a]: The Red Devil Hand Grenades are painted Vallejo Game Dark Fleshtone (70.044) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Flat Red (70.957) and rehighled with the same after the Step 10: Wash. The metal (trigger) part was painted Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey (70862) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Gunmetal (70.863). 
• [Step 9b] Leather Straps on rifles, base coated with Vallejo Game Dark Fleshtone (70.044) then highlighted with Vallejo model Colour Leather Brown (70.871) . The metals clasps were painted Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey (70862) and then highlighted Vallejo Model Colour Gunmetal (70.863). 

PROTOTYPE TESTER FIGURE: End Point

Note: Current status - I am still WIP through the Wargames Atlantic packet of  figures:

PAINTING ACTIVITY CHART:

Sections Done:

• None

Doing:

• Rifle Squad One (1 done of 11 Figures)

Still To Do:

• Platoon Command HQ (1 Figure)
• Rifle Squad Two (11 Figures)
• MG Section One (9 Figures)
• MG Section Two (9 Figures)

More videos from YouTube about Wargames Atlantic WWII Italian Infantry: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv23vp4LEGY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHWH50nRAY0

Painting Italian WW2 Infantry Article:

https://nodicenoglory.com/painting-world-war-two-italians/

Making the MMG: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q10w9RWSW5c