Wargaming

Esci Kubelwagens and Airfix SdKfz.222

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A while back i bought two of these Airfix German Reconnaissance sets from Hannants, mainly because they were on sale and a bargain too good to be missed. Even though they were listed as 1/76 scale i thought i could fit them in somehow. On opening up and building these little models i realised that the Kubelwagen included was just so tiny and a really bad looking model that i could not use it after it. The SdKfz.222 is a very average kit but once he is painted up he is passable. Luckily i have a couple of Dragon small armoured cars i will be building soon which will probably replace this guy.

Airfix A02312 1/76 Scale Model Kit - WW2 GERMAN RECONNAISSANCE SET

So i still needed Kubelwagens for my officers and forward observers. I soon found some Esci Kubelwagens on sale at Lucky Model in Hong Kong and picked up three boxes of them for bugger all, and you get two vehicles per box which is a bonus. Super easy to build and so much better than the Airfix version. They are only a few parts, which is not a surprise being a little car really, and can be modelled with their canvas roof fully up or totally retracted. I wanted to see my occupants so kept the roofs down in both my builds. You get a few decals too which is nice, but i ended up using my Airfix ones instead. I gave them a two colour stripey camo scheme over the usual dunkelb base coat.

One Kubelwagen is transporting a couple of very important generals while the other has a forward observer unit. The dude in the front has his radio headphones on (Bose wireless i think) and the guy in the back is at the ready with his MP40 and his feet on the seats. Figures are all from the great AB Figures and fit beautifully. Although i did have to glue the front seats back a bit in one so the long legs of the front occupants would fit. You could cut their feet off i guess but how will they drive without any feet….

 

 

 

 

 

Revell PzKpfw VI Tiger Ausf E in 1/72 scale

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My second Tiger tank build this time from Revell, after having a mixed experience with the snap together Zvezda kit a few months ago. Revell make really nice kits and this Tiger is no exception.

It’s a really easy kit to build with most of the parts being in the tracks. I managed to make a mess and misread the instructions and get the tracks on the wrong side. After completing nearly one whole side i had to take them all off again and in the process had to sling a few track links. This meant that i didn’t have enough links for the turret tracks which had to be replaced by some spare metal Panther tracks i had…. So that was the only tricky bit and mainly to do with my own lack of focus!

The whole kit goes together really nicely and easily with great detail. I think you can model the commander’s hatch open if you like. Kit comes with a few decals, only a couple of turret number options, but that will do. This Tiger is super solid, only the turret MG is delicate, so i did not see the need for a base. I just went with a plain dunkelb paint job, mainly as i was tired of painting camo schemes and needed a break! I need a couple more Tigers to make up my troop so next will try a Trumpeter version and might spend a bit more money on a Dragon kit too…….

Here is my Tiger wandering the lanes and fields of Normandy.

Normandy Bocage in 1/72 scale

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 2 Comments

I was on the verge of getting a game set up to play over Christmas while i had a few days away from work. But then i was hit with a wave of dissatisfaction like a seven year old opening a really shitty present on Christmas day. My Normandy bocage sections were just not up to scratch. I had to do something about it. I keep looking at Pat’s blog Wargaming With A Silver Whistle and having feelings of inadequacy! Anyway, armed with sections of MDF, rubber matting, poly fiber stuffing, acrylic sealant, coconut fibre, and lots of flock i set about redoing my bocage.

I have a rubber mat that’s about 2cm thick and meant to be used for camping or something, but works well cut up and glued to MDF strips roughly 3cm wide by 10-15cm long, as the base for my bocage banks. I make sure the rubber is a good 0.5cm thinner on each side than its MDF base. I then blend the bank into the base using acrylic sealant or crack filler, but you could use modelling clay or anything else really. When the sealant is dry i give it a good covering in PVA glue and then chuck a heap of sandy dirty gravel on it from out the front of our house. When that’s dry its a heavy spray of dark brown paint from cans i pick up from Bunnings for a few bucks.

The actual bushes are made from a mix of coconut fibre (also from Bunnings for next to nothing) and that poly fibre people use to stuff toys and cushions and probably dead animals. Again very cheap, my wife bought me a bag from Spotlight for about $5 and i will be dead long before i finish the bag. Maybe i can be stuffed with poly fibre. I jam bits of cocktail sticks into the rubber matting top of my bank and that supports the bushes. Lots of PVA again and then get lots of bush material onto the bank. I tried to vary the height as much as possible, but by all reports bocage was anywhere from 5 – 7m tall so i reckon 5 – 7cm is good for 1/72 scale. When the bushes are dry they get another good brown spray.

The last bit is the fun bit when i am throwing lots of glue onto the bushes and then dunking them into a two colour mix of flock (a mid green and a dark green). I use coarse flock from a Vietnamese company called MP Scenery. Its probably the only part of this terrain that costs any significant dollars. I flocked the base too with some finer stuff, and did a bit of lighter brown dry brushing too just to finish things off.

It all came out a lot better than my last attempt, you can see below with the doormat wheat fields and the carpet tile crops. Inexpensive and i think just as effective as anything you can buy. Maybe i can get to play a game now…… Happy New Year!

Sandbags and Obstacles Terrain Part 2

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 1 Comment

I finished off my sandbag defences, rubble obstacles and embankment this week. Spray paint of matt black undercoat and then a dark brown base, highlighted with a sand yellow for the sandbags, grey and brick red for the rubble, plus some silver highlights for the barrels. I added some flock and bushes to finish things off. Not much else to add, i was very pleased with how the sandbags turned out considering how easy they were to make. I think for some bits of modelling clay they will do the job quite nicely.

I took some photos of a heavily defended ruined crossroads. German AT gun, panzerfausts and a panzershreck can be seen safely dug in, with a lone Panther in the background.

The Plastic Soldier Company Churchill Tanks in 1/72 Scale

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 2 Comments

One of the most distinctive and original tanks of World War Two and one of my personal favourites please meet Mr Churchill. Choices to build Churchills in 1/72 scale are quite limited. You can have a go at the old Airfix in 1/76 scale, but that kit is really out of date and probably worth avoiding. Your only other choices are the Italeri model which seems to be very hard to find or a Dragon version or two, which usually end up being overpriced.

So great news that the Plastic Soldier Company have a two tank box of Churchills. You get the option to build four different versions, basically by giving you four different gun barrels. I went with the 75mm and the 105mm support gun. Value wise they are definitely better than buying two Dragon kits. They are just great little models, awesome chunky detail, they really capture the essence of these super cool tanks. As always with Plastic Soldier Kits they are easy to put together, so it doesn’t take long before you can get them into the action. You get some extra track to add on to the sides and the turret plus a commander figure if you want to leave the hatches open. Would be nice to have two different commanders to mix things up.

Painting was easy. A black undercoat, followed by an olive drab top coat. Then a black/brown wash and an olive drab highlight. I used some Plastic Soldier Company decals plus some Airfix numbers i found that looked good down the side of the vehicles. Some dark brown and light brown muddy bits finished him off. Check out my photos below. You can also see the comparison to my other Dragon Churchill in one of the pictures. I think if you need Churchills get a couple of boxes of these, they are better than anything else out there!

Squad Leader by Avalon Hill

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 2 Comments

While i was on my road trip i managed to find a copy of the original Squad Leader on eBay for less than twenty pounds. As i was in the UK on our trip it was perfect timing to pick it up and bring it home in my suitcase and save the freight to Australia, which would have cost at least twice as much as the game itself! Feeling nostalgic for this all time classic of a board game i was super excited to crack it open when i returned home. Back in the 1980’s my big brother used to play this and i remember enjoying sneaking in a game or two when i wanted a break from the table top action. I am happy to say nothing has changed after thirty years. This classic from Avalon Hill is just as good as i remember. So much fun. It is just complicated enough to keep you interested, but without detracting from the cool and speedy game play. The copy i managed to buy is in excellent condition and 100% intact, and my painting and modelling may go on hold for some time while i charge through some of the exciting scenarios in the game.

Also thinking that the Squad Leader rules could easily be transformed into some excellent table top wargames rules just need to come up with a hex to centimetre conversion rate, and probably some other stuff. I am going to get hold of the second set called Cross Of Iron which i think includes more AFVs and more rules for vehicle combat. Better get onto eBay and see what’s out there! If you have not ever played Squad Leader you should go out and try it, perfect for a evening at home and takes up way less space than getting a full table top game going…….

The Plastic Soldier Company

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Colonel Mustard is still on the road and so reports are a little different in nature while he is a few thousand miles from his dining room table!

I have the good luck to have a brother and a sister who live within 10 miles of Henfield, where the excellent Plastic Soldier Company have their HQ and distribution centre. So a quick email to Will the commander in chief allowed me to drop in and visit. I really needed some Sherman Fireflies for my British, and with only Armourfast offering an average looking model, i knew Will would have the best tanks for my requirements.

Its like one big candy store for the WW2 modeller. Tanks and vehicles line the shelves and order after order are loaded into boxes. Will was extremely friendly showing me around. If i had more luggage space i would have picked up more than my box of Fireflies.  Now i cant wait to get home and get cracking. Although i do have some PSC Churchills and Universal Carriers to get started on too.

So if you are in the vicinity of Henfield i highly recommend dropping into PSC HQ, with prior warning of course, oh and some cash in hand for some super goodies.

“Painting Wargaming Figures” by Javier Gomez

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I had read a few very favourable reviews of this book and had to grab a copy for myself. I am old school, well actually i am just old, so by definition old school i guess, so i like having books to read rather than just whizzing through pages on the internet. Its the same with music, i still buy CDs and really don’t like downloading stuff. It’s a hangover from owning vinyl records as a child. So much more fun to have the covers and the sleeves and the words. Anyway this book turns up on my doorstep and it certainly did not disappoint.

Mr Gomez details every aspect of miniature painting in a very clear and concise manner. He covers every technique you could require, all backed up by many examples, and step by step guides. All the text is accompanied by some excellent photographs of his hand painted figures. If you want to improve your painting skills and get inspired then this is an essential book to add to your library. What i liked was the comprehensive coverage of pretty much any colour, texture or figure. If you need some tips or advice its all right here. Aimed mainly at 28mm figure painting and the earlier historical periods such as Ancients and Napoleonic, it still easily translates into other scales and periods. Even though i am heavily entrenched in WW2 20mm gaming i still found the whole book a very useful and worthwhile purchase.

You should charge out like the light brigade and grab yourself a copy!

Image result for painting miniature wargames figures

Unimodel M36 Tank Destroyer in 1/72 scale

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I actually got the next bit all wrong. What i really wanted was an Achilles Tank Destroyer for my British forces in Normandy. What i managed to buy was an M36 Tank Destroyer which i don’t think was even used by the Brits much. Anyway it was too late once i had clicked the order button on my favourite Ukrainian model store’s web site, and soon a couple of M36 kits were on the way across Asia towards Australia. For a wargamer looking for an Achilles or any other M10/M36 variant 1/72 scale in plastic, the options are very few and far between. In fact i am not sure there are any other manufacturers out there who make versions of this tank in plastic.

But who cares i really liked this kit. The more Unimodel kits i build the more i like them. The link and length tracks work well and the bogey wheels all look great. The kit comes with some excellent photo etched details, which although fiddly, really add to the detailed look of the vehicle. I did struggle a bit with getting the headlight protectors looking right, but nothing wrong with a bit of a challenge! The two piece turret needed some extra sanding and work to fit together and also to fit into the hull. Plus the contents of the turret were also a bit tricky and needed some special handling. But it all worked out in the end. There are some excellent pioneer tools to add onto the back, which makes a nice change to the boring moulded on type deal. I also added some rolled up tarps on the roof. The 50 cal Machine Gun looks good on the open turret, and i will be adding some crew men at some point too to finish the whole thing off.

To add to my confusion i kind of mixed up some British insignia on the tank with some US stars that were supplied with the kit. I like the white and yellow stars on Allied tanks, and i didn’t think anyone would object to my decal mixtures. Hey he can fight for the US or the British forces. Win win i say. Check out the photos below!

Zvezda Pak 36 Anti Tank Gun in 1/72 scale

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 3 Comments

Zvezda make some cool kits aimed at wargamers under the “Art Of Tactic” banner. Their Pak 36 Anti Tank Gun is great value and easily the cheapest option in plastic. It is such a tiny little gun there is not much point in spending big on any metal versions when you can pick one up with a couple of crew for less than $5. This kit from Zvezda comes in their usual grey plastic and takes literally seconds to put together. Detail is good, and at this scale i am not sure you could get any more detail onto the model anyway. The two man crew does the job, but i added a third crew man with binoculars. I think he came from another Zvezda kit so he fitted in nicely to make up the trio. It would be good to have a limbered version of this gun so when moving around behind his transport so i don’t have the crew all sitting there on the same base. It looks a bit weird. I might have to buy another kit for this purpose. So here is my “door knocker”, as the Pak 36 was called, covering a wheat field from among the bocage, with his Horch car ready to get him out of there in a rush if things get too hot…….