3PARA Support

Another 3 Brits finished for my 28mm platoon. Empress figures, a JTAC and a 2 man GPMG team.
Dougie

More 28mm Modern British work

Folks, done some work on my ongoing 28mm Modern British Platoon, namely some support with a GPMG team and a JTAC figure. I'm using Empress figures which are so nice, the GPMG guy is a stonker and I've used a standard SA80 armed guy as his number 2. The JTAC would be humping his PRC-117F radio in a bergan so I looked for a suitably equipped Empress figure and added the 117 aerial made from plastic rod with a brass rod core. The finished figures will be up very soon, in the meantime here's a shot of the scratched aerial added to the JTAC.
Dougie

28mm Empress M-ATV Part 1

I'm painting this for a gaming buddy and its the first Empress vehicle I've tried and I have to say I'm impressed, very clean resin castings. I've avoided putting extra details on because it can be quite difficult to stop and the kit's quite nicely detailed anyway. I've followed my usual procedures and I've tried to photograph the various stages below. Dougie

The kit assembled into the basic components prior to priming.

 After priming, I used the excellent AK Interactive OEF/OIF paint set through the Iwata airbrush.

 I use a colour modulation system, first with a darker base coat then the AK colour and finally a lighter colour on the highlights.

 Difficult to see on the photos but you can see it better on the turret.

 A brown filter applied, then a pin wash.

 Some very light chipping, I didn't want a heavily worn look.

 Some light streaking grime added and the details painted in.

 Again a light weathering to the wheels and tyres

Not much to do to get it finished, a couple of whip aerials to add and assembly. Insignia hasn't been added the owner's going to do that himself should he feel the need.

3PARA fireteam number 4

Getting there, now have a Pl HQ and 4 fireteams, so an understrength platoon. Dougie

3PARA fireteam number 3

Its taking time but here's my third fireteam. Dougie

3PARA Pl HQ

Here's my 3PARA Pl HQ, Empress miniatures, the leaders are based on larger bases, 2p pieces, for "Fighting Season" Dougie

 From left to right, Pl Commander, Pl Sgt, Pl Signaller and Pl Medic

28mm Taliban Commission

Completion of a selection of 28mm Talibs for a customer in Northumberland, a mixture of Empress and Eureka. Another 11 to do for him bringing his group total to 40, an ideal force for "Fighting Season". My order book will be open again mid January so get in touch if you're up for an order.
Dougie
 A group shot followed by a selection of close ups.

"Fighting Season" at Border Reiver 6 SEP15

Folks just a quick post and a few photos on the playtest I've done at Border Reiver of the stonking forth coming set of rules from Too Fat Lardies.
As most of you will know this is an adaptation of "Chain of Command" for Iraq and Afghanistan. Can't really fault it it plays really well and Rich and Leigh have done the necessary changes with perfection. Well done chaps!
I put on a very simple game involving an understrength UK Airborne Platoon searching a compound for a suspected arms cache. The local Taliban weren't happy about this and tried to stop them. Although they had a good deployment and 2 IEDs they made the mistake of allowing the Brits to PID them and got drawn in to a close range firefight were the British superior firepower and tactics cut them up. A coalition victory. Appologies for the photos, the lighting wasn't ideal ! Dougie

The table

Some views of the table before the Brits crossed the startline and it all kicked off

The Talibs deployed 2 IEDs, the Brits detected 1 thanks to a barma team and detonated another, very fortunately this only resulted in Shock to the unit!

Fighting Season CoC Patrol Markers and Jump off points - Coalition Forces

Further to my previous post on the Taliban markers and jump off points here are the coalition, same base dimensions
Dougie

Patrol Markers

Jump Off Points

Some close ups of the jump off points.

The Quad Bike

The Re-supply Trailer

The Prisoner collection point

The First Aid point

Fighting Season CoC Patrol markers and Drop off points

Myself and a few of the members of my club, Whitley Bay 3D Gamers , are putting on a demo game at Border Reiver in Gateshead on Saturday 5th September. It'll be a 20mm Afghanistan game using the forthcoming "Fighting Season" adaptation of "Chain of Command" by Too Fat Lardies.
I'll be using my 20mm collection which is already illustrated on this blog, however I've had to look at some specific CoC items namely Patrol Markers and Jump-Off points.
Dougie

I've decided to use discs for the Patrol markers and for the jump-off points appropriate vignettes based on a 40mm round base.

First up are the Taliban, I've done 4 Patrol Marker and 4 Jump-Off Points

Patrol Markers

Jump-Off Points

Some close ups of the jump off points I wanted to go for an Afghan themed look

The Farmer/Insurgent

The Pot Seller

The AK Cache

The RPG Cache

Next up will be the Coalition ones ;)

28mm Eureka Taliban Part 2

Got some work done on these guys, I followed my normal format and completed the bases before priming them black. You get a nice clean join where the figure meets the base, I know this isn't everyone's preference but if I want to add dirt/wear to boots and trousers/legwear I prefer to do this afterwards using washes and filters as opposed to painting the figure, drybrushing the base and getting the figures feet and legs covered in the earth colours.
After doing this I painted the flesh areas using my normal method and completed the hair. I was quite tempted to do one of those dyed ginger beards on one of the fighters but I wasn't sure as to the accuracy of this and whether its prevelant in Afghanistan. Anyone know?
With the Eureka figures the sculptor, Kosta Heristanidis, uses quite a nice tecnique for the eyes on his faces, basically 2 lids. This makes them easier to paint and you can leave off the joy of iris painting!
Dougie

 The group as they are now, as I mentioned in previous posts there are a couple of Empress figures masquerading in this group, a kneeling sniper with Dragunov, he's skulking in the rear row and the ISIS salute guy. Now these have standard eyes so I've had to paint them in, this is never easy and takes practice to avoid the cross eyed or bug eyed look lol. As this group develops I'll pick 1 to illustrate the various stages!

A closer view of a Eureka Talib

ISIS salute guy, the eyes are quite difficult to see but I'm happy with them !

28mm Eureka Taliban Part 1

Work commenced on some 28mm Taliban/Afghan forces. They are all the very tidy Eureka castings with the exception of the big guy in the centre doing the ISIS salute, he's Empress from their Insurgent range, Pack INS04 Insurgent Characters, I saw him at York and couldn't resist him ! He'll make a good foreign fighter type. Following my usual procedure, figures cleaned and washed, attached to pennies, bases blended and the old reliable VMC 873 US Field Drab base colour painted on. Dougie

"Fighting Season" update on Lard Island News

Folks you know my views on this excellent system that's currently in development, there's a brilliant run through of the system on Lard Island News the links below. Dougie
"Fighting Season" Lard Island News