Author: Felix

15mm Alvis Saracen for Wessex

The FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British Army.

After a visit to The Tank Museum I posted a photograph of the Alvis Saracen. I wrote: As part of the Second English Civil War, you can imagine the use of the FV603 Saracen to patrol urban areas and to suppress armed resistance.

A few decades back I wrote an article about a modern era English Civil War that was published in Issue #43 of Wargames Illustrated in April 1991.

So when I saw Battlefront were releasing a 15mm FV603 Saracen for Team Yankee, I thought it was time to reboot my Second English Civil War and start painting some models for it.

This is a new release from Battlefront. I ordered the Alvis Saracen.

There are two models in this blister. The hulls are resin, and the wheels, and main weapon are metal.

You have the choice of adding a gunner or having the hatch in the turret in the closed position. I went with the closed position. These models go together really easily. It is a simple matter of gluing the wheels to the hull and then adding the hatch and the weapon.

I the gave the models a white undercoat.

The next stage was to paint them, using Army Painter Army Green Spray.

The next stage will be painting the wheels.

Solar Auxilia Leman Russ

The Solar Auxilia use the Leman Russ Strike Tanks in various roles. The tanks have been upgraded with solar-pattern survival systems, this allows the tank and the crew to fight in any harsh conditions on different planets.

Solar Auxilia Leman Russ

It is usually armed with one of four primary weapons – a battlecannon, twinned heavy lascannons or autocannons, or a long-barrelled Vanquisher battlecannon with a co-axial autocannon. 

Solar Auxilia Leman Russ

Militia Pickup Trucks

After thinking about it for a while I have ordered the Battlefront Militia Group and Pickup Trucks for Team Yankee.

I like the concept of armed militia and pick up trucks with HMGs on board, they had been on my wants list for a while. They could also be used for games in Wessex: The Second English Civil War for insurgent and militia forces.

You get four pickup trucks, each armed with an HMG.

There are four resin trucks, with metal wheels and gunners. The wheels went relatively easy onto the resin trucks. The rollers are a little over scale, but these are nice models.

The gunners I stuck to a piece of wood to paint separately.

Then I gave the models a white undercoat.

Next stage will be painting the base coat.

 

Undercoating and Basecoating the Trazior Pattern Sentry Guns

This was one of those models that I liked the idea of. If you have ever seen the special edition of ALIENS, you will remember that the Colonial Marines used automated sentry guns to defend the colony from the aliens. I am pretty confident that these models are inspired by that film.  In the pack you get two identical sprues that allow you to build two turrets mounted with twin grenade launchers, and two with twin heavy stubbers. It also includes ammo crates and control consoles. The models go together quite easily.

There is quite a bit of undercut on these models, so I had to do a double spray for the undercoat.

I gave the guns a base coat of Citadel Leadbelcher. The ammo cases I sprayed with Army Painter Army Green Spray.

The next stage will be a wash.

Crassus Armoured Assault Transport

This beautifully painted Forge World Crassus Armoured Assault Transport was on display at Warhammer World.

Solar Auxilia Crassus Armoured Assault Transport
Solar Auxilia Crassus Armoured Assault Transport

This immense armoured carrier is named after one of Lord Solar Macharius’ greatest generals, Borgen Crassus, who remained steadfastly loyal to the Imperium throughout the grim and bloody Macharian Heresy that followed the Lord Solar’s death. The vehicle can be retrofitted with additional weapons to undertake other battlefield roles as required.

 

More Operation Unthinkable

One of the Clash of Steel Starter Sets have been on my wants list ever since I found out about them at the beginning of the year. I ordered Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks.

I decided I would add to the game by ordering the other Operation Unthinkable set, which contains American and Soviet tanks.

In the box, as well as the rules, counters, and dice, are twenty one tanks. 

For the Americans you get

  • Two T28 tanks
  • Two M18 Hellcats
  • Three T29 heavy tanks

The Soviets have

  • Six T54-1 tanks
  • Three IS-3 heavy tanks
  • Five ISU-130 SPGs.

Here are the sprues from the box.

What I didn’t realise was that the T54-1 model can also be made up as a T44 or a T55 as the different turrets are included. This gives even more flexibility over just using them as T54-1 tanks.

I thought that these would make ideal models for gaming scenarios from the Hot War series of books by Harry Turtledove.

This is the Operation Unthinkable Workbench.

Legion Thunderhawk Gunship

This Blood Angels Legion Thunderhawk Gunship was in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Legion Thunderhawk Gunship, used during the Horus Heresy, is a formidable aerial weapon platform, a testament to the Imperium’s technological prowess during the Great Crusade era.

This massive gunship, larger than a Space Marine Rhino transport, is equipped with a formidable array of weaponry, including twin-linked heavy bolters, a powerful autocannon, and a devastating missile launcher.

Its hull is reinforced with ceramite plating, providing exceptional protection against enemy fire. Inside the Thunderhawk, a crew of skilled Space Marines operates the various systems, while a troop compartment can accommodate a squad of Astartes.

The gunship’s engines, capable of reaching incredible speeds, allow it to rapidly deploy troops and provide crucial fire support during battles.

The Thunderhawk’s versatility and firepower made it an invaluable asset to the Legions during the Great Crusade, and its legacy endures even after the Horus Heresy.

Undercoating the Dwarf Engineers

On a recent visit to Warhammer World I purchased a blister pack of four metal Dwarf Engineers.  Within the blister are the four dwarf models, separate weapons and tools, and four 25mm square slottabases. The first thing I did was clean up the models, sorting out casting lines, and the little bits of metal that are on the model from the casting process. I then based the models, I slotted them into the bases and added some sand.

The next stage was a white undercoat.

The next step will be starting to paint the models.

Early-War Monsters

I was pleased to hear in the Battlefront preview video about their new releases. Back in 2011 I wrote this after the release of the Mid-War Monsters.

I do hope that we see future “monsters” for Flames of War, there are some nice concepts and ideas out there for both Early-War and Late-War.

Well here we are thirteen years later and next year we are going to see some Early-War Monsters.

In the Battlefront preview video (see below) it was announced that Battlefront would be producing some Early War ‘Eavies. The preview included glimpses of the British TOG and the French Char 2C.

There was also mention of a German super heavy tank, but it was not identified in the review, I suspect it might be the Großtraktor that was built by Krupp and entered service in 1935. 

More a medium tank than a heavy tank, the other option might be the Eckard Extending Panzer.

Anyhow, I had been thinking about getting some 15mm Char 2C models (3D printed versions), but I think I will wait now for the Battlefront model, I have been waiting over ten years, so what’s less than a year between friends.