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In addition to the Bolt Action Citroen Civilian 1000kg Dropside Truck I also bought a slightly bigger truck, the Citroen Civilian 4,500kg Truck with Canopy. Citroen made many of these trucks in the 1930s and 1940s.
Having constructed the model and given it a white undercoat, I gave the rear canopy a basecoat of Vallejo 70912 Tan Yellow.
See the full workbench feature on the Bolt Action Citroen Civilian 4,500kg Truck with Canopy.
These Chaos Dwarfs were on display at Warhammer World.
I think these were the kinds of figures that really put me off Warhammer at the time they were released. Those tall hats and flat end guns.
Throw in weird centaurs and those beards….
I have never been a fan of Chaos, but these miniatures didn’t for me work. I did however like the original Chaos Dwarf concept. I did get some of these models. This one with a fantasy bazooka is from my collection.
This concept was more about “normal” dwarfs who had been corrupted by Chaos and more often than not looked like short Chaos Warriors.
For Bolt Action I am in the process of painting some partisans to fight Simon’s Italians. I have been looking for some vehicles and Warlord Games actually make a fair few civilian models for Bolt Action.
Looking through the Bolt Action website I quite liked the look of the Civilian 1000Kg Dropside Truck. The other civilian vehicles in the French range also look quite useful. In the main I will use them as scenery or as objectives. In the end I did get the Warlord Games Bolt Action Citroen Civilian 1000kg Dropside Truck.
Having given the model a white undercoat, I gave the rear of the truck (which was separate) a basecoat of Vallejo 70912 Tan Yellow.
See the workbench feature on the Citroen Civilian 1000Kg Dropside Truck.
Probably my favourite Indiana Jones film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The combination of archaeology, mythology, nazi soldiers and lots of wonderful pulp action. Though we know the tank wasn’t real, and there was no actual historical version of it; I am sure most of us who have thought about recreating the Indiana Jones films on the table have wanted to use that tank. It appears at first glance to be a Mark VIII with a turret, the reality was that it was built specially for the film and was built up from an excavator.
I wrote back in 2012 about finding a 28mm model of the tank, since then I found it was available from Empress Miniatures, I was able to order it and go through the resin pieces.
This is quite a big model. The first stage was to glue the two track units to the main hull. I stuck them together and then used weights to ensure that the join was secure.
I then added the sponsons, one at a time. I also added the turret hatch to the turret and the main weapon. This was a challenging as there wasn’t much of a way to join the main weapon to the turret, so I got the drill out.
I did something similar with the sponson guns.
The periscope (which I worked out from watching the film) was then added, as was all the stowage.
You can see how big this model is compared to other 28mm models. Here it is next to the Bolt Action Citroen Civilian 4,500kg Truck with Canopy.
This is the tank next to my Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car.
The next stage will be a white undercoat.
See the full workbench feature on the Mark IX Beast tank.
On my most recent visit to Warhammer World there was the lovely model of the Dwarf High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer at Warhammer World.
Thorgrim Grudgebearer is the current High King of the Dwarfs and the ruler of Karaz-a-Karak. He is a throwback to the High Kings of old — eager for new conquests, mighty in battle, and a merciless enemy. Yet upon his worn brow, there also sits a pearl of great wisdom, and he is able to uphold the ancient traditions as well as to accept, if not embrace these needed changes, such as alliances and new technology. Thorgrim is forever brooding upon how to return his people to their former glory. As the ultimate ruler of the Dwarfs, the Dammaz Kron or the Great Book of Grudges is entrusted into his honourable keeping.
This model was painted years ago (years and years ago). Here is the same model from Games Day 2005.
See more pictures of Dwarfs. See more photographs from GamesDay 2005.
Probably my favourite Indiana Jones film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The combination of archaeology, mythology, nazi soldiers and lots of wonderful pulp action. Though we know the tank wasn’t real, and there was no actual historical version of it; I am sure most of us who have thought about recreating the Indiana Jones films on the table have wanted to use that tank. It appears at first glance to be a Mark VIII with a turret, the reality was that it was built specially for the film and was built up from an excavator.
I wrote back in 2012 about finding a 28mm model of the tank. I did think about buying it back then, but put off my purchase. It was originally made by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo). I did some web searching and found that the tank is available today from Empress Miniatures. Well I made the leap and ordered the tank from Empress Miniatures.
It arrived in a small brown box, but it is quite a big model. The model consists of two large complete track units.
The main hull.
I was impressed with the quality of the sculpting and the castings.
There are separate sponsons as well as the turret and the turret hatch.
You also get as part of this kit, a range of stowage and baggage. When this was sold by Copplestone Castings, the baggage was an add-on extra to the model.
You can break this down into bundles of tarpaulins or other materials (maybe tents) as well as what are probably roles of barbed wire, or telephone cables.
Then there are wooden beams, jerry cans and what look like metal storage containers.
I did start to then look at the original film and stills to see how I could add the stowage to the tank.
A slightly wider shot of the other side of the tank.
The stowage supplied is similar, but doesn’t quite match what we see on the prototype, but this model isn’t supposed to be an exact copy, it’s more like “inspired by” the film tank.
The next step will be to start constructing the tank.
See the full workbench feature on the Mark IX Beast tank.
This Arvus Lighter on a landing platform was part of a display at Warhammer World.
The Arvus Lighter is a small, general purpose cargo shuttle that is widely used by the Imperium of Man for many tasks, both in space and on the surface of planets. The Arvus is commonly used by both Imperial Navy warships and Imperial merchant vessels, including Rogue Traders. The Arvus is just one of many types of small, void-capable shuttles used by the Imperium. The Arvus is piloted by a single pilot, and is not equipped with any weapon systems, in fact, the Arvus possesses only the most basic navigation equipment, external sensors, and proximity alarms. The Arvus has a powerful engine that allows it to carry heavy cargo to and from a planet’s surface.
Greasus Goldtooth at Warhammer World
Overtyrant Greasus Goldtooth, or to give him his formal title, Tradelord Greasus Tribestealer Drakecrush Gatecrasher Hoardmaster Goldtooth the Shockingly Obese, is the fattest and most powerful Ogre Tyrant within the entire Ogre Kingdoms and holds the current title of Overtyrant, the Tyrant of all Ogre Tyrants. Greasus was one of the many whelps sired by the infamous Gofg, Tyrant of the Goldtooth Tribe. Like his brothers, Greasus grew up to become strong and fat. However, unlike his brothers, he killed and ate his own father. After assuming the Tyranthood of his tribe, and feeling the need to prove himself, Greasus demanded tithes from other kingdoms. All refused the audacious request and began baying for Greasus’ blood. Who was this upstart to demand gold and food from them? They would soon learn.
This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years. It was originally designed and manufactured by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo) they were small and relatively new.
The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.
This is a 1920s version of the Armoured Car. The model consists of a resin armoured hull, metal chassis, wheels, turrets and fiddly headlights. The model went together very easily, the parts were a good fit. I glued the armoured car hull to the chassis. The wheels and axels fitted very nicely into the respective holes. I did check a few reference pictures to confirm that I had aligned the hull right and the spare wheels in the right place.
I gave the underside a black undercoat and then undercoated the rest of the model with a white spray.
The model looks rather good, even in just the white undercoat.
See the workbench feature on the Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car.
See the workbench feature on my 15mm Flames of War Rolls Royce Armoured Car.
This enormous tank presents an interesting contrast with contemporary British designs. American manufacturing techniques, using sophisticated machine tools, not only speeded up production but also ensured high reliability. Even so Britain insisted on modifications to the American design which resulted in a different turret but both types saw service with British forces. Those with the original turret were designated Lee, those with the British style turret were Grants.
The M3 Grant Medium Tank was on display at Bovington. In the background is a Light Tank M3A1 Stuart IV.
The main asset of the tank, from the British point of view, was the 75mm gun which could fire high explosive and armour piercing ammunition. The former was the perfect answer to Rommel’s imaginative use of anti-tank guns and there is no doubt that Grant tanks were largely responsible for halting Rommel’s attack during the key battle of Alam Halfa.
For all that the Grant was a difficult tank to fight in. The low position of the main gun meant that it was impossible to conceal and the tank often had to swing round in order to bring this gun to bear. Riveted construction was also a serious liability by 1942 while the 37mm gun, in the turret, was all but useless.
Tanks of this type were first used in Western Desert in 1942. Mechanically reliable but soon superseded by Sherman.
Over at Duxford they have the one used by General Montgomery during the battle of El Alamein. The 37mm gun was replaced by a wooden dummy gun barrel to create more room in the turret for extra radio equipment.
Notice the difference in track guards.