New and Old Toys, Part 1

Most of us have lots of toys that don't get any use for whatever the reason. In this case, my Al Qaeda and Soviet Paras in 28mm supplemented by a recent purchase from Millineumcon 2014 of some kit bashed technicals that are (alas) a different scale: 20mm.

Front Left to Right: Al Qaeda Fedayeen, Soviet Paras
Rear Left: Kit bashed Technicals
Rear Right: Starship Troopers (just in case you were wondering)

At this past Historicon, I wanted to remedy the neglect of some of my toys by being on the lookout for prepainted terrain. Eureka! (not the company but the exclamation) Miniature Building Authority (MBA) did not disappoint. Also there were plenty of homemade terrain by enterprising gamers being sold at the flea market. Here's some of my new acquisitions.

Front Center: Homemade rubble and metal junk pile
Rear L-R: Prepainted block buildings and shanties from MBA 

Front Center: Pre-painted block buildings and shanties
from MBA w/pre-painted oil drums from Pegasus Hobbies
Rear L-R: AT-43 prepainted shipping containers
plus 4 un-painted shipping containers also from MBA

Concrete barricades from AT-43 work well with
my Technicals albeit in a different scale

Freshly spray can painted MBA shipping containers that needs some weathering

Another Era Deviation: Skirmishing Black Powder

Back to some more wacky gaming, just to shake things up a bit. If truth be told, I'm just A.D.D. and easily distracted. 

(click on the pic to enlarge)

If dogs can be Saints then Dug from the movie UP
would be my patron saint of A.D.D. personalities (read: gamer)

So we decided to try skirmishing different eras with the toys we already have. 

First up: Black Powder era match-ups. After a recent Saga battle (3 way battle between Normans, Vikings and Steppe Tribes - which I'll be featuring in another post) we decided to use the terrain already set up. Willy brought out his Heroscape pre-painted minis: American colonials vs British Red Coats. I'm happy to report that the Patriots were able to successfully outflank the Red Coats and take them down like the invading dogs that they were!

A British patrol gets sniped on by some Colonials

Then some modern skirmishing amongst some recently acquired, excellent crates and barrels from War Torn Worlds (they come prepainted so what's not to like?).

Pitting my modern Soviet Paras (right) versus my Al Qaeda Fedayeen (left)

RPD and RPG gunners supporting the para with an AK47 AKM variant
taking cover among some ultra modern sci-fi crates

My Fedayeen around wooden crates and chests

New Kids on the Block, Part 3: Soviet Paras

A few years back I got into skirmishing after a much needed break from 15mm WW2 combat on the Flames of War (FoW) rules. I've been chomping at the bit at all the beautiful sculpts to be had in 25-28-30mm scales.

Bolshevik HMG officer by Copplestone Castings

Not to mention my aging eyes needing a break from the smaller scale. Of course, all this goes out the window since I've been immersed in micro if you've been following my recent posts. But then again, since I am a gamer, I tend to seesaw back in forth in terms of scale, genre and period. Which is another way to say that I'm ADD.

*SQUIRREL*

Boy, did I get my train of thought derailed in a hurry. Sorry, where was I? Oh yeah... back on track again regarding skirmishing in the larger scales. Guy at Montag's has a cool table layout of a generic middle eastern town complete with streets. This layout could be used for all sorts of large scale gaming and skirmishing. See my earlier post: http://thehistoricalminiaturist.blogspot.com/2010/04/al-qaeda-fedayeen.html that features this very table with my Al Qaeda. He's been adding more buildings, wrecks, concrete road blocks, the works.


They were doing all this to game with Dogs of War (DoW) who also has a line of figures by Devil Dog Design for Modern conflict in most settings but primarily urban: http://www.pacificskygames.com/products.html. Just scroll down to Devil Dog Design for their full line. 

I immediately gravitated towards the more colorful units: Soviet Paratroopers and Al Qaeda Fedayeen. My Fedayeen was featured in my earlier post: http://thehistoricalminiaturist.blogspot.com/2010/04/al-qaeda-fedayeen_16.html. So now it's the Paras turn.


Since DoW is played with four man fire teams or squads it seemed relatively simple to collect multiple nationalities and still be manageable with all my concurrent projects. Sound familiar? At any rate, here's my 'first' four man team.

Clam shell blister comes with torsos, assorted heads, arm and weapon sets for good variety.

One of my favorite and logical pick was the balaclava head reminiscent of ninjas.

My commander.

Support weapons: RPD and RPG

Black primered fire team.

The latest additions: 6 more figs! This time I added 3 more balaclavas.

The new pack of Paras came with only 1 type of head sporting an old style padded helmet from that WW2 tankers wore shown on the figure on the left. The other two figs were from a pack of generic forward observers. They are loaded for bear and outfitted really cool with Oakley sunglasses. I couldn't resist. 

To be continued...

New Kids on the Block, Part 2

I'm on a roll with the New Kids (Soviet Sailors and LMG Strelkovy teams from BDT; Al Qaeda shooters aka Durka-Durkas and Soviet Paras from DoW) and couldn't wait to continue. So after the black primer (hand painted) has dried it's time for some paintbrush bashing time!! (i.e. dry brushing.) 

Soviet Paras sporting the stylish Balaclavas typical of most elite units.

This step, IMHO, is critical because the right amount of paint is needed to give gradation to your figures. Thereby achieving really good depth as the base color is applied. I tend to use really cheap natural hair brushes because a) its inherent properties on how it applies paint to a figure and b) I literally tear up a brush doing so. WARNING: this is not for the faint of heart and be resigned to going thru a lot of brushes but the resultant effect is well worth it.


Just go down to your local hobby store and go to the clearance section for these brushes. Here in Houston I go to Texas Art Supply, Michael's and Hobby Lobby. And don't be afraid to cut them, either. They work better without a point and the brush length shouldn't be too long. Hence the modification. A flat, blunt edge is my preference as illustrated below.

Left: brush right outta the package and before cutting. Right: point cut off for that blunt edge with either sharp scissors or exacto blade. 

More Soviet Paras. Figure on the left is wearing a retro WW2 padded tanker helmet. 

More Durka-Durkas that you can shake a paintbrush at.

One of my favorite Soviet units were the sailors. Many were sent to help the Red Army and were very colorful units, indeed. These reassigned naval forces took part in every major action on the Eastern Front such the Leningrad siege and the defense of Sevastopol. 

Most of them kept they're signature striped shirts, if not their caps, as a unit and service identifier.

  

They were also featured in the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' in the scene when Khrushchev arrived via armored gun boat from across the Volga. 

Pretty cool!

So, of course, I gotta have at least a four man unit. Alas, these sculpts didn't come with the cross bandoleers and fixed bayonet rifles but they'll suffice.

And last, but not least, are the Strelkovy LMG teams because you can never have enough fire power especially against the Germans.

Coming up, color...