15mm Archives - Felix's Gaming Pages

Undercoating the Ruined Steele Residence

I purchased two 3D printed ruins from QP3D Wargames. One of these was the Ruined Waller Residence. They are 3D printed models. I bought the 15mm versions to use with Flames of War, but you can buy bigger versions for other gaming systems.

The first stage was to prime the model with a white undercoat.

Here is the ruin with a Flames of War 15mm Tiger for size comparison.

I think I will be using contrast paints on these models as a starting point.

Undercoating the Ruined Waller Residence

The first stage was to prime the model with a white undercoat.

Here is the ruin with a Flames of War 15mm Tiger for size comparison.

I think I will be using contrast paints on these models as a starting point.

Ruined Waller Residence

I purchased two 3D printed ruins from QP3D Wargames. One of these was the Ruined Waller Residence.

They are 3D printed models. I bought the 15mm versions to use with Flames of War, but you can buy bigger versions for other gaming systems.

The model comes as two printed parts.

As you might expect with 3D printer models there was no flash and the parts fitted together easily. Though I have left them separate for the moment for painting. Looking closely at the model, especially on the sloped areas, you can see the 3D printing plastic layers, but only if you look really closely. I suspect though that dry brushing the models may emphasise these layers.

The first stage will be to prime the models with a white undercoat.

The Ruined Steele Residence

I purchased two 3D printed ruins from QP3D Wargames. One of these was The Ruined Steele Residence.

They are 3D printed models. I bought the 15mm versions to use with Flames of War, but you can buy bigger versions for other gaming systems.

The model comes as two printed parts.

The first stage will be to prime the models with a white undercoat.

QP3D Wargames Ruins

I purchased two 3D printed ruins from QP3D Wargames.

The Ruined Steele Residence…

…and the Ruined Waller Residence

They are on their way…

15mm ruins

I noticed on the Amazon site that there are quite a few companies out there who are producing 3D printed ruins at what I think are quite reasonable prices. I also remembered that I have quite a few old style 15mm resin ruins that are in various stages of painting.

I think before I start buying more ruins, I really ought to find and finish painting what I have already.

15mm Alvis Saladin for Wessex

The FV601 Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car developed by Crossley Motors and later manufactured by Alvis. Designed in 1954, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car in service with the British Army from 1958 onward. The vehicle weighed 11 tonnes, offered a top speed of 72 km/h, and had a crew of three.

A few decades back I wrote an article about a modern era English Civil War, called Wessex, that was published in Issue #43 of Wargames Illustrated in April 1991. I posted some photographs of the Saladin Armoured Car from The Tank Museum and said of possible Wessex scenarios: You can easily imagine how these armoured cars would have been used for reconnaissance, keeping down unrest, and defending key installations against attack.

So when I saw Battlefront were releasing a 15mm FV603 Saracen and the Saladin Armoured Car 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 both the Alvis Saracen and the Saladin Armoured Car packs.

There are three models in this blister.

The hulls and turrets are resin, and the wheels, and main weapon are metal.

You have the choice of adding a commander 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.

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.

15mm Second English Civil War

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.

” … its six o’clock, on Tuesday the 27th October 1998. This is the Royal Somerset Broadcasting Service, and now the news from Wessex and around the world. The headlines: Scotland has seceded from the British Republic, fighting has broken out along the border. Royalist army and volunteer militia units have pushed back across the border an armed incursion by Democratic Guards into south-west Dorset last night. Bristol Docks were once again the target of bombing over the night, but damage has been minimal. The United States has once again confirmed its commitment to the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Wessex and Duchy of Cornwall.”

The main inspiration for the background was the breakup of the former Yugoslavia and wondering if a similar scenario could play out in a disunited broken Great Britain. It was also an opportunity to bring in modern armoured trains as well.

After a visit to The Tank Museum I posted a photograph of the Alvis Saracen.

I also 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.

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.

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

Along with the Saracen release, Battlefront also released the Saladin armoured car.

I also posted some photographs of the Saladin Armoured Car from The Tank Museum and said of possible Wessex scenarios: You can easily imagine how these armoured cars would have been used for reconnaissance, keeping down unrest, and defending key installations against attack.

So I have ordered one pack of each.

I already have some Scorpion light tanks and along with some recently ordered Militia Pickup Trucks as well, I have the first makings of a 15mm army of Wessex. I have noted that Hornby have started a TT120 range of 1/120th scale trains, which would sit well within Wessex. Some ideas to work on there now.

PzKpfw II

The Panzer II was the common name for a family of German tanks used in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen II (abbreviated PzKpfw II). Although the vehicle had originally been designed as a stopgap while more advanced tanks were developed, it nonetheless went on to play an important role in the early years of World War II, during the Polish and French campaigns. By the end of 1942 it had been largely removed from front line service, and production of the tank itself ceased by 1943.

This one was on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

When they first appeared, in 1936, the Panzer IIs were regarded as platoon commander’s tanks. They were also employed to give fire support to the Panzer I in combat with enemy tanks. However by 1940 they had been outclassed and were relegated to the reconnaissance role. This exhibit, an Ausfuhrung (or Model) F featured improved armour and was introduced in 1941.

This tank was captured by British forces in North Africa but it is shown in the markings of 1st Panzer Division at the time of the invasion of France in June 1940.

Another photograph of the Panzer II.

That was something I didn’t know until a few years ago that the German tanks in 1940 were painted grey and brown, I had always thought they were just grey. I personally blame Matchbox for this.

It was only after Blitzkrieg was released back in 2010 by Battlefront that I noticed the grey and brown camouflage scheme.

As recently as ten years ago the overwhelming consensus regarding early war German AFV paint schemes was that they were all painted in uniform overall panzer grey (Dunkelgrau – RAL 7021 – formerly RAL 46). However, in 2002 Tom Jentz and Hilary Doyle published an article based on primary sources stating all German vehicles at the beginning of World War II were painted in a two tone camouflage scheme of panzer grey with one third of the vehicle painted in a disruptive pattern of dark brown (Dunkelbraun – RAL 7017 – formerly RAL 45). The order to move to an overall panzer grey scheme was not signed until the end of July 1940.

Back in 2011, I blogged about finding the 15mm Zveda plastic model kit.

Though you can buy a resin version of the Pz II I was plesantly surprised to find a plastic 1/100th scale kit of the Pz II in a model shop for just £1.25. Bargain!