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 Leather Brown (70.871) . 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.
• [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]
• [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

The 2026 Royal Navy - 1/3000 Scale

I am big on WWI and WWII 1/3000 world navies, from anything that could fight in either, so that includes a few pre-dreadnoughts as well as hypothetical (inter-war) ships and WWII-era ships that were never completed (not quite as crazy as the Z-Plan). My interest in moderns was strictly limited to the Falklands 1982 Campaign, a few cold war US/RN/USSR subs and a US Litoral/Carrier Task Force. Looking at the Navwar listing and I saw that the RN 2026 Fleet listing it was "almost" there. There were the Boomers (4 xV-Class SSBN), Destroyers (6 x T45 - Daring Class) and Frigates (7 x T-23 Duke Class) and things that are "close enough" for the minesweepers (5 x Hunt Class). I was missing the CVs (Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales) and the six Astute Attack Subs. For the former a friend printed for me (two) in resin (aka Black Magic spell that summoned out of the "resin goop") and for the latter I cheated as I made do with some older attack subs - they are supposed to be submerged most of the time anyway (see below, metal ships on cardboard bases [un textured and unpainted] - our "new" Grand Fleet of 2026 - I apologize is this sounds rather ironic): 

Note: Since the photograph was taken, one T23 has been decommissioned (HMS Richmond) and another is stripped of its weapons and sensors and is classed as inactive (HMS Iron Duke). 

If the above picture looked small, what is a lot smaller is [on a random day of asking] the ships that were at sea or ready for sea duties (as in not in refit or repair) - T45 x 1, V-Boat x 1 [continuous nuclear deterrence patrol], T-23 x 2 and  MS x 2 [which I must confess was a guess (40%)]! We seem to have a lot of active admirals and not enough active ships to be honest (see below, the "on-patrol fleet and ready for action fleet" - naturally at the day of asking the CVs must have been "in preparation" for something like an extended cruise): 

Ideally we would have one to two of "these" to worry hostile states with (see below, a "RN CV Task Force" consisting of - 1 x CV, 1 x T-23, 1 x T45, 1 x SSN): 

Note to Self: I really should try and field Fleet Auxiliaries too, there are not that many either, but that is another resin printer request I think!. 

Useful internet Wikipedia pages: 

Active RN: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Navy_ships

And the future RN?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_the_Royal_Navy

Active USN:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_ships_of_the_United_States_Navy

Active Russian: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Russian_Navy_ships

Active Chinese: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_of_the_People%27s_Liberation_Army_Navy

Active Japanese: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force_ships

Active French: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_French_Navy_ships

Active Italian: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Italian_Navy_ships

Active German: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_German_Navy_ships

Active Spanish:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Spanish_Navy_ships

Active Dutch:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Netherlands_Navy_ships

Active Norwegian:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Norwegian_Navy_ships

Active Finnish: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Finnish_Navy_ships

Active Danish:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Danish_Navy_ships

Active Swedish: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Swedish_Navy_ships

Active Portuguese: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Portuguese_Navy_ships