Friday 30 March 2018

Atlantik Wall

The WW2 bug has taken hold, still don't like tanks. I actually don't like elephants but except for Hannibal Brookes they weren't major players on the Western Front. Tanks are the same, I have no luck with them and handle them badly. This explains why I built a Flames of War British Para force. D-Day is therefore obviously looming and James and Dave have Brits, Germans and Americans. James has tons of brilliant terrain and Dave will no doubt go mad and build Cannes or Corentin. So I decided to build some of the Atlantik Wall, something for the Brits and Yanks to come to my rescue through.
1st up a major gun emplacement - think Point du Hoc or Guns of Navarone. In reality think the Airfix kit from when we were young. This is made from hardboard (back of a broken picture frame) and a mini Jenga set = the wooden blocks are perfect size. The gun aperture i got from Barrage Miniatures or Ainsty (can't remember which and think it's Barrage). Glue it together and apply liberal doses of filler.



Para sections and a 6lb gun. I had to build a gun platform from polystyrene as the aperture was too high. The undercoat then partially melted the polystyrene and i had to bodge a fix. This made the too low for the roof to fit on when crewed. Another bodge needed. James has some spare gun barrels so i can install them.

Painted up, dry brushed and flocked


Final fix, added blown sand, oil drums and ammo boxes. May add more. Thought about duck boards but it's supposed to be concrete so not needed


To go with it I made some beach obstacles. Didn't add mines to them yet but may later. Should be enough but need some hedgehogs and barbed wire to complete the set.


James has some spare German figs and support that I can have from him. enough to start to build an infantry regiment, still hate tanks. Will need some tank support and artillery but will give me a very nice force. I also have some commando figs which will give me another variation on raiding. Generally I've been fishing around for a new thing. I have tons of figs from many periods and need to play more but post challenge my lead pile contains stuff I don't really want to paint. WW2 appears to be it, after 40 years of not collecting it of playing it

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Analogue Hobbies Challenge VIII - The final Update

It's been ages since I've posted. The reasons for this are work (newish job is keeping me very busy, I love my job most of the time and the Boss thinks I'm fab, which is nice) and the Challenge. This is my 4th Challenge and it finished yesterday. I don't post many updates as it seems duplication and many of my followers are also Challenge participants.
This year has been another productive one and I've painted the equivalent of 760 x 28mm infantry figures and have come 5th out of 76 in productivity. Although I've bought loads of stuff I have managed to make a significant hole in my lead mountain.
Here are some of my highlights

VBCW - obviously




Numidians - love Numidians











Carthaginians

ACW - completing my collection (still have a regiment to paint but they are a pain to paint)


Russian Revolution / civil war







My 1st foray into Napoleonics wit some Portuguese


Normans








I've gotten into Flames of War - James has run some awesome battles an so i went all para





Finally i've been buying some stuff from Mr Lees - Kyle from the challenge's company. Really beautiful stuff

80mm Afro Samurai - my biggest figure ever

40mm gorillas

40mm gorilla king

I've painted other stuff. Overall a great challenge. I've now pretty much run out of space for new toys, need a new plan or a bigger house Couple of week's rest and then some new painting