Still making slow progress on my Bolt Action Partisan Band.
Decided I do need to get them finished, soon, so we can have a game with them.
Category: world war two
Bolt Action Civilian 1000Kg Dropside Truck
For Bolt Action I am in the process of painting some partisans to fight Simon’s Italians. I have been looking for some vehicles, my first choice was the Tamiya 1/48th scale Citroen. Though relatively easy to find online, it is a plastic kit, slightly larger scale-wise for Bolt Action scale models.
What I didn’t realise until recently was that 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.
Bolt Action Commando 3" Mortar Team
As well as my Bolt Action Partisans, I am in the process of building a Commando team to fight alongside them. I am also going to use them as UNIT troops for some Doctor Who scenarios that I have been thinking about.
As well as the plastic boxed set I also have a couple of blisters, a Mortar Team and the Vickers MMG Team.
The 3″ Mortar Team. comes in a blister pack and is made of metal.
They look like nice clean castings.
Bolt Action Commando Vickers MMG Team
As well as my Bolt Action Partisans, I am in the process of building a Commando team to fight alongside them. I am also going to use them as UNIT troops for some Doctor Who scenarios that I have been thinking about.
As well as the plastic boxed set I also have a couple of blisters, a Mortar Team and the Vickers MMG Team.
The Vickers MMG Team. comes in a blister pack and is made of metal.
The first stage will be to construct and base the models, before giving them a white undercoat.
15mm US Kodiak Assault Walker
At Reveille, the recent Bristol show I spent a little time looking at the models and talking to the guys at Clockwork Goblin Miniatures about their great 15mm (and 28mm) alternative World War Two figures, walkers and tanks, War Without End.
In the end I bought a single blister, a 15mm US Kodiak Assault Walker, though I was tempted to spend a lot more money at their stall.
It looks like a lovely clean casting and by using 3D computer design, you have a really good sculpt with the sort of lines and shapes you would expect from a factory manufactured vehicle. This is a really nice alternative model for World War Two games and at 15mm perfect for Flames of War.
I am thinking lots of possible scenarios, including using the Kodiak Assault Walker as an objective for a raid behind enemy lines.
The next stage will be putting it all together.
Who do you think you are kidding…
Probably my favourite demonstration game at Bristol’s Reveille 2014 was the Dad’s Army 28mm using the Pulp Alley rules.
The players were in charge of Walmington on Sea’s finest as they hunt for a bailed out German aircrew, the problem is there’s also a German uboat crew searching for them as well…
The scenery looked great.
As well as the Home Guard there was also a lovely model of Jones’ Butcher’s Van.
20mm Afrika Korps
These 20mm Afrika Korps vehicles and guns were part of a 20mm Rapid Fire Desert War game that was displayed at Reveille II.
Really nice models and scenery.
20mm M3 Stuart Tanks
These 20mm M3 Stuart tanks were part of a 20mm Rapid Fire Desert War game that was displayed at Reveille II.
They look very good, and the scenery was nice. Not sure of the make or if they were plastic kits or resin models.
Update: From the comments, they are the old Matchbox plastic kits of the M3 Stuart tanks.
Repainting the King Tiger
I started to paint the camouflage on my old SDD German Königstiger. 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. I think I am going to recover the dark brown and then use Cavalry Brown (995) which is redder and will I hope look better.
In the first instance though I painted over the brown and will start again.
One of the advantages of using an older model such as this, it allows you to make mistakes and not worry about ruining a model. In the end I will probably use this more as scenery, maybe a knocked out King Tiger, rather than as an actual gaming model.
"You know, when I was in the Sudan…"
I’ve always had a bit of an affinity with the Home Guard, though surprising I never really use to watch Dad’s Army very much. I have probably seen more episodes in the last five years than I have in the thirty before then! It is a classic British comedy set during the dark days of World War Two focusing on the (mis)adventures of a Local Defence Volunteer platoon as they prepare for what back then was seemed an inevitable German invasion.
Of course the LDV became known as the Home Guard, but referred to by many as Dad’s Army, hence the name given to the sit-com. It ran to eighty episodes from 1968 to 1977 and as well as the TV shows, there was a film, radio shows and a stage play.
There have been quite a few unofficial versions of the Dad’s Army platoon including this one for Flames of War that I mentioned back in 2008. I have also been painting some 15mm Home Guard miniatures for Flames of War using some old metal models I bought many years ago.
In some ways it’s nice to see that Warlord Games are going to release a licensed version of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon for Bolt Action.
We’re delighted to be able to show off our officially licenced Dad’s Army Home Guard platoon boxed set. Based on the long-running TV series, these superb miniatures are now available to pre-order!
During the dark days of 1940, Britain was under dire threat of Nazi invasion. A massive citizen army, the Local Defence Volunteers, was raised to defend their families and homes. Although armed with old or ad hoc weapons and equipment the Home Guard, as it became known, was a vital part of the defence of British shores. Based on these proud defenders of the realm, the classic TV series, Dad’s Army produced some of television’s most enduring catchphrases and characters as it followed the adventures of Walmington-on-Sea’s Home Guard platoon.
There are 18 models in the box, consisting of the platoon in both civilian clothes and in battledress. Along with the verger, the vicar and ARP Warden Hodges.
They do look very good and very much have caught the character of the actors who played the parts in the sit-com.
Will I get a box? Well you never know.
