Category: flames of war

Flames of War Great War

Flames of War Great War

So what does the screen capture from the recent Battlefront video tell us? Well as they say in the video, next year is 2014, which is the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the Great War. Though blurred out, this is a German A7V tank; it is much easier to see in the video, towards the end.

Update: Video has been removed.

Those of you who follow the blog will know that I already have a 15mm World War One tank that I am using for a Home Guard force.

It will be interesting to see the models from Battlefront as well as the infantry and the rules.

15mm Normandy Village

I am quite pleased now with how much scenery I have now for 15mm Flames of War games.

As well as Battlefront roads and houses, I also have some nice 4Ground laser etched wooden buildings.

There are also K&M trees that are now quite old, but have stood the test of time, I think they must be nearly twenty tears old!

In addition and not shown in these pictures, mainly as they are not finished, are some Total Battle Miniatures 15mm ruins.

I look though at my grass tiles and think they are a little too bright, they might need some work in the future.

Deciding on the Fate of a Nation

Fate of a Nation
When Battlefront released miniatures and models for the Vietnam War, I was quite tempted, but didn’t buy any models, the as the era isn’t one where there were lots of tank battles and to be honest that’s the main reason I play Flames of War. Secondly I already have way too many models to paint anyhow…

Despite the fact I still have too many models to paint, I am quite intrigued by gaming this era and I do like the models. The Centurion, which we first saw as ANZAC reinforcements for the Vietnam Era makes a reappearance with both sides of the conflict. We also see the T55 and modern American built tanks alongside the older T34/85 and Sherman tanks.

As for forces, Simon has spoken about playing the Jordanians, as they have the Centurions and British style organisation.

As a consequence I did consider going for Egyptian as I did like the idea of the T55, but as I do like the Centurion I will probably go Israeli, and I get to use Shermans too. I also like the fact I can use M3 Half Tracks, however in 1967 Israel didn’t have any M113 APCs.

Of course if successful, I can see Battlefront expanding the range next year.
I have been considering alternative history options as well, imagine if the Americans sent in a force of Marines, M60 tanks, helicopter gunships and Grunts? Or what about if the UN sent a peacekeeping force of British troops, Soviet tanks, East Germans?

Fate of a Nation

Fate of a Nation
Really pleased to see that Battlefront are looking at moving into a new era, with the Arab-Israeli conflict for Flames of War.

I always liked the tank models for the Vietnam era, but as I said back in 2011 when Battlefront returned to Vietnam, that:

Quite like the models. Not so sure I will be buying into the era though. Apart from NVA and Vietcong infantry, the US seem to have all the firepower and armour (as they did in Vietnam).

For me the gaming would have not been tank versus tank, more tank versus hidden infantry. With Fate of a Nation, there will be tank versus tank battles, complete with APCs, helicopters and planes.

Will be interesting to see how they support the free supplement, which models they will produce for the era.

Camouflaging the 15mm German Tiger II – Königstiger

After painting the basecoat on my old SDD 15mm German Tiger II (Königstiger) I started to paint the camouflage.

I used Chocolate Brown (872) from the Flames of War German Armour Paint Set.

Though following the painting guidelines from the German Armour paint set, I think the brown is too brown and needs to be more red.

15mm German Tiger II – Königstiger

The Tiger II (or as was informally known to the Germans who fought in it, Königstiger), was a 70 tonne heavy tank. It was first used in combat with s.H.Pz.Abt. 503 during the Normandy campaign on 11 July 1944.

In the process of sorting some old gaming stuff out I found a bundle of old SDD models. These are 15mm metal castings that I bought back in the 1990s. It makes me think that the other metal models that I have been painting are also SDD.

This box was mainly late war stuff and included a King Tiger. Having put the model together and given it a white undercoat, I gave it a basecoat of Middlestone using a brush.

I usually spray my 15mm models, but this time used a brush.

I am intending after finishing painting this model, to use it as a test bed for foliage camouflage.

Adding Foliage

Canadian Sherman Tank

I have been thinking about adding some foliage as camouflage to my Flames of War models (once I have finished painting them). Looking at photographs of real tanks, such as the Canadian Sherman Tank in Italy above, there is certainly no one way to do this.

One consideration when modelling in 15mm, is that though the true reason for adding foliage is to camouflage the tank. I do think you can add too much foliage, which may be authentic and realistic in real life, may look “weird” on a 15mm model. It may look like a moving bush or tree, rather than a tank with added foliage camouflage. Part of that reason is that in real life the tank when stationary needs to appear to be hidden, but once moving it would be obvious it was a vehicle with foliage on it. In 15mm the models do not move by their own power, so it can look “weird”.

So next question, how do you model foliage on your 15mm models?