British 11th Armoured Division - Part 1

I've decided to build up a large 15mm Force of the 11th Armoured Division. Theres a number of reasons I choose this formation:

1: The unit insignia is super fly cool.
2: They had both Shermans and Cromwells.
3: They played a role in most of the major battles of the Western Front campaign.
4: They where the only unit in the British Army to be fully equiped with Comet Tanks prior to the end of hostilities.
5: And lastly but not least, the availbilty of transfers is pretty good (got mine from doms decals)

I have enough PSC Shermans and Cromwells to build two squadrons. unfortunatley I also got an extra box of Shermans to build fireflies for the Cromwell troops, only to find out that in the 11th, Armoured Recce Regiments had Challengers (Doh!!). In the 7th Armoured, the Armoured Regiments had Fireflies and the Armoured Recce Regiments had Challengers.

I'm in the process of assembling:

Armoured Regiment (Designation - 51), the senior regiment in the division.
HQ troop (4 Sherman Tanks)
Troop 1 (4 Sherman Tanks)
Troop 2 (4 Sherman Tanks)
Troop 3 (4 Sherman Tanks)
Troop 4 (4 Sherman Tanks)
Stuart Troop (5 Stuart IV tanks)

Armoured Recce Regiment (Designation - 44)
HQ troop (2 Cromwell tanks, 2 Cromwell CS tanks)
Troop 1 (3 Cromwell tanks, 1 BF Challenger Tank)
Troop 2 (3 Cromwell tanks)
Troop 3 (3 Cromwell tanks)
Troop 4 (3 Cromwell tanks)

When it comes to painting, I will be giving each troop the squadron markings. This is so I can tell which tanks belong to each troop without needing to paint numbers of finding some very small transfers. I may change my mind before I finish painting though.

Just to round out the force, I have also bought a box of the new, and excellent PSC late war british infantry. I'm building one platoon with individual bases, the rest I haven't yet decided on, but may get these based for FoW.

I have finished the first two stands of British line infantry.  Both stands are the centre company troops.  The first question I had was which unit to start first? As I hail from the Ancient Kingdom of Essex, it was an easy choice.  While I'm from the West of Essex, the 56th did not fight in the 100 day campaign, so I will instead start with the 2nd Battalion of the 44th Regiment of Foot (East Essex).

These lads, where in Pictons 5th Division, 9th Brigade.  By Waterloo (1815), this was an experienced infantry regiment having been deployed in the pennisular campaign, and then engaged during the the Battle of Quatre Bras.  They where equiped at this point with Belgic Shakos and a facing colour of bright yellow.

The paints are Foundry, valerjo and GW colours.  There are 2-3 layers for each colour.  Currently the troops are glossed varnished (Brushed) by I will dulcote them when i have more finished. 

I've been finding it very hot to paint at the moment.  These were finished a week ago, but had to wait to get the picture taken in good natural light.

Things I'm happy with:

- I've finished 2 bases of troops
- I'm happy with both the speed and the overall standard I have achieved.  Its certainly better than I was expecting for a first go at this scale.

Things to improve:

- The faces, need to try to get better highlighting.
- Missed painting the canvas knapsack.

I may go back and sort these out later, but this is not a deal breaker to me as they look good from 2-3 foot away.

My next job is a command stand, and a flank company.

The £50.00 Challenge

My wife has laid down the gauntlet and challenged me to finish a project. The stake is £50.00. If I win can then I can spend this money on anything I want, if I flake out, she gets the money.

The rules:
1. There is no time limit
2. My wife chooses the project
3. No other project may be started or continued during the challenge
4. Only consumable items directly related to the challenge may be purchased, (e.g. paint, bases, brushes, etc…)
5. All models must be painted, based and varnished (note there are a two models that will not be fully based because I don’t have sufficient models for a 4 man base)

My wife has chosen the 15mm Blue Moon Manufacturing (Old Glory) British Waterloo models I just purchased. These are; 1 x British Line Command pack (8 Miniatures), 1 x British Center Company March Attack Pack ( 30 Miniatures) and 1 x British Flank Company March Attack pack (12 Miniatures). So a grand total of 50 Miniatures.

I'm going to be basing these for Black Powder. The bases I will be using are 30mm x 20mm from Renedra. So that is a grand total of 12 Bases. I have started the first two bases, hopefully I will be finished on the first base tonight so I can take some pictures.

Russian T70, Part 1

This is a T70 I have been painting.  The colour is a tamiya spray, AS-1 Dark Green (IJN).

Not massivley happy with the results so far.  I like the colour, but the coverage was not great.  When I did a wash it seemed to strip some of the paint from the recesses.  The exhaust is not quite ready.  Needs a wash of black and blue ink. 

The whole tank then will need varnish and weathering, but this will need to wait until the good* weather comes.

The other 4 T-70's I have will be getting a proper black undercoat, then the Tamiya paint.  I'll see what happens then.

*In the south east of England this comes but once a year.

Dreamforge Leviathan

WOOHOO!!!

My Dreamforge Games Kickstarter stuff has has arrived!!!

So I built a little something.  The left hand vulcan cannon. 

Was an interesting build. Generally a very nice kit to build. I got outside over the last two days and got to undercoat it.  So far very impressed with this kit.  Only problem was the ammo belt doesn't line up 100%, but a very light file and its all good.

Only one thing else.  I haven't got the faintest clue what these are.  Hopefully these are not important.

Update soon...

Tank horde

I've been a little bit busy while waiting for my Dreamforge Games Leviathan to arrive.

PSC have rapidly become my favorite model maker of 15mm WW2 stuff.  Cheap (well compared to the market) and extremely well made.  Not to mention, very little in the way of mold lines and a burgeoning range and excellent customer service.  They make me HAPPY!!

I don't as yet have the models assembled for one complete force.  Because that is not how I roll.

Here are my ten new Russian T34/85 medium tanks.  I have built five of the T34/76 turrets also.

And my five Russian T70 light tanks.  I have started to undercoat (Tamiya AS-1 Dark Green(IJN) Scale 100ml 86501) this little boys, unfortunatley the weather has closed in and its now too cold to spray.

Four Tigers on the prowl.... Tiger 1E.  The intention is to paint these using tamiya sprays and masks to get the camo.  I'm going to be aiming at a heavy ambush camo pattern.

All five Panzer IV's are now assembled.  These will be base coated in middlestone, but I haven't decided on the camo.  Possibly dark green stripes/lines?  I think I want to test out on an old BF stugG model first.

I haven't included the british shermans I have in this post.  I have assembled a few more since my last post, but I'm waiting to recieve two consignments of British armour spray cans from Battlefront.  Until this happens I i'm struggling to motivate myself on the models.

Last picture is a scale shot of the PSC range I have to show the size comparison between the different models.   Left to Right: Sherman M4, Sherman M4 Firefly, T34/85, T34/76, T70, Tiger 1E, Panzer IV Ausf.H.

In the picture the T70 is next to the Tiger 1E.   I have so much respect for the guys in these little tanks facing the monster Tigers 1 and 2 (and Panther).

The next 15mm WW2 update will be specific to the type of tank I decide to takle first (probably the T70s).

Death Guard Contemptor Dreadnought (Part 1)

Hi this is an update on the FW contemptor Dread. As can be seen from my previous post, I decided that Death Guard where the way forward.  The colour scheme is from the forgeworld painting guide here.

I love this model, it was a real joy to build and paint.  I will definately get a full talon of three.  I'm aiming to finish the claw and multimelta this weekend.  Weathering will wait until the transfers arrive. 

This is the infantry test model.  So far quite please with the results so far, but still needs some tiding up and a weapon.  I'm going to base the army on an ash wastes style base.

Happy new year!!

My model painting and bloggin have been decidedly shakey for the last few years (due to two wonderful additions to my family).  So to start 2013, I have decided to start a new army.  Over christmas I got given some money from an unexpected source.  Now most of the cash will end up on the mortgage, but I have decided to treat myself with some new toys as well. 

Since, my birthday I have been pouring over the FW Horus Heresy Book 1.  Well, once the money came through, it was a no brainer what era to go for.  Orginally I was thinking a Space Wolves or World Eaters army, but then I saw the painted death guard on the FW site it became obvious.  I'm going to post up pics of my Contemptor Dread when its finished.

So far I have not real timescales for this project as I need to fit this round my, Family, job, study and running, but if I can get a few models completed in January, I'll be happy.