Brown is the new White?

I've decided to try something a little different with my lot of painting. Instead of doing a white undercoat, I'm gonna try English Uniform. After all, it is the prime colour of the Airborne chaps!

I'm not saying that I'll never undercoat in white again, I just wanted to try something new!

This Dirty Little Hobby...

Metal shavings is just the beginning, then you get the pint splatter, ink wash and mucky fingers from basing. It really is a dirty little hobby.

British Parachute Company

I've managed to pick up a paintbrush again today and have done a little more work on my M1A1 75mm pack howitzer teams, in between painting, doing family stuff, I've also managed to sort out my Parachute Company and as is customary for me and box sets, there are a couple of bits missing (most of one command team and a broken sniper rifle). Of course, Battlefront being the great company that they are have had no problem replacing parts in the past, my only concern is how long it will take, what with it being the Christmas holidays and all!

talking of Battlefront and British Last War Armies, Battlefront have recently posted an Intelligence Briefing that can be used to field a Royal Marine Commando troop in Normandy. It's not only a free addition to the rules, but it's also a very nicely laid out, full colour PDF. You can download it here.

I've printed myself a copy and will read it sometime to see if I can easily use most of my existing British Airborne figure to build a small Royal marine Commando Troop to add some variety to my late war armies.

Basing the Commandos

After finding GIB to be too messy and uncontrollable, I decided to try DAS clay with my airborne forces with acceptable results. I use the round end of a paintbrush to give the 'earth' a walked over effect.

Next I paint the base with flat earth.

Then I highlight with Green Ochre.

Next I add some model railway gravel with PVA glue.

Then it's time for the Static grass!

And finally a little bush on each base.

Painting Diary #10

Figuring out how many bases I need to get ready - I'll refer back to the book and print outs when i place my men on the bases as well.

Bases need to be scored so that the putty will stick to them later.

Sorting out which pieces go on what base.

And they are glued into place with super glue!

Painting Diary #9

Ink washed.... now they are ready for basing!

Painting Diary #8

Painted the dirt....!

Painting Diary #7

Berets painted... only the bases and ink washing left!

Painting Diary #6

Guns painted :o)

Painting Diary #5

Boots painted!

Painting Diary #4

Webbing, backpack, etc.

It’s a Conspiracy!

Last nights game, the second in a series of a 3 game Pulp Campaign, saw me penalised from the start because I’d ‘lost my rifle’ in the first game. It was once again a set up that would have favoured a SMG rather than the rifle I was packing. Some how, in my conspirators mind, I knew that Stu had secretly realised that my main weapon of destruction was going to be a rifle and had so written a campaign that rendered my killing abilities to naught.

But luck was on my side, as my ‘penalty’ turned into an advantage, and saw me march off the board to victory in turn four, having done nothing but wait one turn, and walk for 3 turns.

The temptation for some vengeance killing was strong, but my desire to actually win one of these games kept me focussed, and off the board I marched.

Game won, advantage me.

Um, nope.

Stu in his absolute wisdom wants to ‘tweak’ the scenario (it was a good scenario, but does need some ‘tweaking’) and have us all re-play it again next fortnight.

Not that I really mind, because with some tweaking it will make a really good, and possibly hilarious Pulp scenario. It’s just that my conspirators mind is trying to tell me that it’s all just a big plan to keep me from ever winning a game…

Painting Diary #3

EnglishUniform painted - the base for all things british. 'Nuff said.

Painting Diary #2

Managed to do the skin highlights tonight - the photo doesn't really show much. Probably be a few days before I get time to do any more painting!

Painting Diary #1

So I've decided to do a painting diary, so that I can track just how long it takes me to paint these lovely miniatures. I'm the slowest painter out of my entire gaming group, and I blame in on my 360, DVD collection and of course, my lovely family. I'm not if I will remember to keep this updated, but I'll try.

I'm also gonn a try painting these a lot faster than my first half of Commandos, but with Tuesday night out because I'll be Pulping it with the Garage Gamers, and Wednesday night I'm taking my daughter to a concert, don;t expect any speedy results...

My process:
First I clean up and wash my minis, then blu-tac them to old 20 and 50 cent coins - I paint individually because I don't have Stu's skills to be able to paint after they've been based!

First a white undercoat - I tried painting with a black undercoat but it's unbearably dark. I get the shadow details by ink washing at the end.

The next step in a dark skin undertone. I'm trying a two-tone flesh approach to my British Airborne to see if they look any better to my slap happy Germans. Talking of slap happy, I'm a bit that way with the first coat of skin tone...

That's all for one day - and in my books that a lot of work for one day, even a Sunday as it is.... Hopefully I might get the skin highlights done tomorrow night.... who knows!

Commandos

The first half of my commandos painted, ready for basing...

Latest Purchase

When Lt-General ‘Boy’ Browning, the Deputy Commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, Asked Montgomery how long it would take for the reinforcements to reach the bridges, he was told it would be two days. ‘Sir’ replied Browning, ‘I think we may be going a bridge too far.”

June 6th

Mortar Platoon Finished!

The Art of War

Discovered a great website that has a heap of British war art, go have a look at theartofwar.

Currently working on...

I've almost finished basing my final 3 Mortar Teams, so to keep up my blistering pace I've decided to start my Commandos.... first couple of bases have been undercoated, hope to start painting them Friday...

The Mortar Team!

Mortars: First two bases finished!

Ink Washed and Varnished...

Now I just have to do the actual mortars and base them!

A Lazy Sunday Morning...

A lazy Sunday Morning, with the wife in bed finishing off a novel, and the ends watching a DVD enabled me a couple of hours straight to paint.

I managed to get all the fiddly bits done on my Parachute Mortar Platoon, all that is left really is the ink wash and highlighting... then of course basing them!

But blow me down with a feather if the Brits don't half carry a lot of stuff that needs to be painted different colours - four different layers of paint for the helmet alone!

Oh well, I think they will be worth it in the end!

Progress so far...

Starting my Brit Paras

Trying a two-tone approach to the skin with my paras, I may even try some extra highlighting on the face after I've finished painting the uniform etc...

28mm Pulp German

Finally painted the last of my pulp Germans... though I gave him camo and a stony grass base so he won't fit with the others!