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Dust Tactics – Final Painting Push. 

The final few troops have now been painted so that they can feature in my next Dust Tactics game.  That game is now 3 weeks behind as work is proving hard to avoid and getting in the way of our planned session.  Missing the game has allowed me to get more done though so I now have no excuse not to field a strong infantry force.

The last full unit I painted are these grim looking Sturmpioniere.  Slightly orange tones to their shoulders and a simple picking out of metal and leather were all they needed as they have no flesh on show with those gas masks.

The last 2 men were conversions, as I needed a couple of men to become observers for my medium artillery walkers. A second set of observers will allow me to target 2 different areas with my artillery instead of deploying them in the wrong place and watching them die as they run to where I really needed them…

I may get some more done in the next few weeks but the next new thing looms over us…

Dust Tactics – Painting Queue Jumpers

The Dust Tactics painting marathon (yes I have bitten off more than I can chew) continues.  As expected, the Axis Rocket Troopers have jumped up the painting queue.  They are the latest purchases for this game, and have managed to get themselves painted before figures I have owned for 2 years…

Simple paint jobs are the best way to paint Dust models I find.  Being sold ‘pre-primed’ in grey, they are ready for paint without any preparation. A few colours (flesh, black, silver and a couple of browns in this case) are all that are needed to get an acceptable table-top finish.  I have seen these painted very well by others. That is something I never seem able to do as well as I would like.

I have also added a MG squad and an anti-tank squad so feel I am doing ok at this point (it helps that our game has been delayed a couple of times due to mine and Coronasan’s work commitments).  Extra painting time always helps.

The anti-tank squad comes with an alternate figure so you can add some firepower at the exclusion of a different figure.

I decided to add a couple of alternate medium walker weapon options to the paint queue.  This would allow me to field 2 artillery walkers in the same game if I felt I needed to.

The heavy walker is a real beast with gun barrels longer than its frame on both of its weapon options.

Part way through the painting process I managed to drop the cab and break off not one, but both, of the hull mounted MG barrels!  2 full minutes of swearing was followed by 20 minutes of very careful drilling and inserting of 1mm steel tube…

While I wait for the game to be rescheduled, I may get a few more infantry done, but even though I am not finished, I feel I have done well.

15 men, a set of artillery tubes for a medium walker and a whole lot of heavy walker…

She’s a pretty fearsome beast.  Lets hope Coronasan sees her as such and overthinks his game as a result!

Dust Tactics – First Game In 6 Months

Because we have spent so much time playing Steam Wars, and probably due to my past boredom with painting grey uniforms, we haven’t played Dust Tactics very much lately.  Before the Steam Wars push, I had a decent run on painting Dust Tactics figures and used the ‘paint it to play it’ method.  This got a good number of my Axis troops and walkers painted.

We decided to pull the figures out again recently and, even though I didn’t get any photos of the actual game taken, I did manage to get a good table set up that made use of the train set I got for Xmas.

By using a few buildings as engine sheds and by using the odd warehouse, we effectively played across a shipping yard and over some railroad tracks.

One outcome of this game (a more pleasant loss than I could have ever hoped for) was the realisation that I had now painted up a good number of my Axis figures.  However, the majority of these were what might be described as specialists or elites.  Lots of lasers, zombies and apes.  This mix is destined to be fun and pleasantly thematic but is ultimately flawed for balanced gameplay.

So, time to paint up some new troops so that something new can be played.  But, what do I need to paint???

Grunts…  My paint table will be full of good, old fashioned, 5 man infantry units.  By next game my plan is to paint up 4 units of Axis Grenadiers or their equivalent.

Oh, and I will be painting some new editions to the collection too…  5 rocket troopers from the new German starter set.  Lovely figures, but only size 1 infantry, so I expect them to die fairly quickly.

To make up for the weaker infantry, and to stop me getting repetitive strain injury from painting all those infantry figures, I will also be trying to finish a huge heavy Axis walker…

A walker and 25 men. All before the next game…  Wish me luck.

Salute…

Salute – The largest one day wargaming convention of the year…

A must attend event for a whole lot of people. Visited by the most discerning of Englishmen and with an ever increasing international audience judging by the range of voices and haircuts I was exposed to this year. A yearly tradition almost.

This time I almost missed it though…  It was planned months in advance that we would all go down to Excel in one car spread the cost of parking (a cost that could lead to the re-mortgaging of ones home if done alone).  Then, 12 hours before the go, disaster strikes…

A Polo… One harmless looking, traditional English sweet, and I find myself in agony and despair.  The combination from hell: A broken tooth, done at 6pm with no dentist open to call upon, and worst of all, just before a meal out… Was my plan unravelling?

NO!  The trusty NHS comes through with an emergency dentist, opening on a Saturday morning at 07.50.  Oodles of pain relief and a pair of pliers later, I no longer have a broken tooth (I feel like I have a gaping hole in my head but no matter, Salute will distract me…)

I missed my lift but arrived only an hour or so behind.  I re-mortgaged the house and parked the car, then ventured in to see what good things were on show.

I was thankfully unaware of my drooping visage and dribbling (due to the continuing numbness in my face, not my normal response to new toys).  However, I didn’t find it too much trouble, crowds parted at my ghastly approach, so it did some good.

The drugs may have taken some sensibility from me as I purchased some items not on my list and missed some that I had planned to pick up. Quite how I came home with a submersible instead of a martial tripod heaven only knows…

Some items, like these new buildings by Sarissa Precision will have to be on next years list as they were only prototypes and not yet available.  In fact, their stand was the only one that I took a camera out at (again I blame medication not absentmindedness).

By 3pm I was about as coherent as a camel in the arctic.  With the pain relief wearing off and a face sized hole in my mouth I took my leave of the guys and headed home.  Happy with my purchases (not that I could remember at the time what I had bought) and content I had not missed out.

Needless to say, my womenfolk had no sympathy on my return home. Before I left they had informed me I would probably feel slightly poorly if I went, and had suggested that I ‘miss the show this year’.

I am that dedicated (foolish you may say) soul who knows that Salute is always worth the effort.

Finishing Touches And New Projects

After tidying my workspace, it has become obvious that the unfinished jobs in the shed, things that I have either planned or only started, FAR outweigh the finished projects…

I guess that that is the nature of wargaming as a hobby.  I often hear of the mountains of unpainted lead that people own, and aspire to paint, compared to their small hills of finished armies.

While I was moving things about I started a list of the items I found that were still in need of being finished.  Some were quick jobs (supposedly quick, but that I had still not done them, proves I had never found the time).  Things like the simple drybrushing of a couple of stone buildings to get them ready for the table.  Things like a small boat that just needs a basic brown paint job and wash…

Other jobs were things I had done most of and never quite got round to finishing.  Things like basing these knights properly.  I even used them in a couple of games with unfinished bases, the shame of it…

Some things were easily sorted…  Finding a home for things not needing anything finishing on them. Like these new fish tank shrines.

In the end I stopped writing the list as after it got to 2 sides of paper without covering everything I found, it began to look like a real mountain of work…  Time for some positivity and quick wins. So, I decided to leave a couple of bits on the paint table and get them done before I tidied them away. Bases for knights – Tick.

New base for the old general – Easy…

Now, what else can I get done before I get side-tracked again?

 

Small Changes And Big Benefits

One thing I have wanted to do for some weeks now is tidy the shed.  I’ve got to the point where everything has been got out and been used on one of a myriad of projects and now I can’t find a thing…

Anyone who knows me well will know that I have been searching for a cheap/ old writing bureau.  One that folds out when it is in use, and either rolls away or closes to hide the mess I tend to make.

This has been an on-going search with little success.  Until now…

One natty little bureau, open and working, closed and tidy.

I have also been trying to get some display cabinets for the back of the shed. A couple of these turned up over the last few weeks and have been shoehorned into the ever filling, TARDIS like shed. (Please note the mid shelf recess – I am proud to say that I did manage to cut that straight. Well, mostly straight.)

Also, I have always (for no apparent reason) painted at the back of the shed and gamed at the front.  I suppose that this became habit so that I could leave my mess out when gaming.  However, it also meant I was painting in the darkest recesses of the shed.  Obvious to all except me, that may not have been the best place to paint…

A quick shift around with the old and new furniture and all is now more inline with the positive Feng Shui.

Now however, I can paint in daylight and also close up to game in safety.  All this can be done without any fuss and with minimal effort.  Also, while I am off making the tea, my visitors can spend their time looking at some of my better bits and bobs behind my posh new glass doors.

Steam Wars – Deck Guns Finished

I have finally finished the Deck Gun mounts for casting by Black Pyramid.  These have taken far longer than expected and run to a couple of more items than I planned.  Hopefully the guys will like them and will be able to get the casts done as planned.

I have enjoyed the whole learning process and cant wait to see what the final items will be like.  I just hope they come out as well as I wanted.

One thing I have learned is that I HATE plasticard.  Not only is it unforgiving and shows every mark and miss cut. It also proves I cannot cut a straight line to save my life, and that’s with a new scalpel blade and metal ruler…

These early shots of the gun shields were ok but as soon as I try to cut curves…  Air turns blue…

Mock up with sellotape instead of welding.

Its the moment you know what final look you want but cant always get that final shape cut…

The twin Missile mount is one of my favourite pieces.

Attempted to show the ignition wires and a control panel too.

View ports were requested but are a pain to cut. An embossed panel does the trick and can be should be easily painted to show its position better.

Thank heaven for nail art gems. They provided the majority of the rivets on most parts and meant that I did not have to rely on my punch tool so much.

Some gun shield parts were designed to fit more than one mount to reduce the number of moulds needed.  All in all a nice set and a good learning opportunity for me.

Now that these have been sent off I have had time to get back to my own guns as the Navy boys need to arm their boats while the casting is done…

All guns were white washed a while back…

The lazy painter in me decided a dirty water wash was enough to get the details to stand out.

Looks like he might have been right for once…

As the boats are mainly white or beige and washed in the same way these will fit in fine.

Even the small HMG looks to have benefitted from a simple white and wash treatment.

Now the naval gun mounts are all done I need to get back to some real painting.

Steam Wars – Heavy Infantry

I started this post last month it would seem.  Then got busy again and I didn’t get back to the blog again until now.  I looked at my site info recently and I am definitely a burst blogger if there is such a thing.

Mad rush – 7-8 posts in one hit…

Embarrassed pause – 7-8 weeks with nothing.

Good job I don’t drink that way!

When last I posted something I had just added the Cap to the Steam Wars Naval force.  He worked well as a solo hero, better than expected even, but he gets lonely out there as a single heavy infantry/ close combat fellow.

So, time to add some options and give him some friends…

First up AT-43 UNA Tac Arms.  My plan is to repaint them in a suitably metallic colour and change one of the under arm laser cannons for something with a more grinding or cutting type edge.  Maybe even a concussive option…  As I say, still planning.

Next up, AT-43 Karmens.  These guys come with heavy armoured suits and fish bowl helmets…  Does anyone else see that they are wearing almost perfect diving suits? …Anyone?  No?  Just me then.

Again, just at the planning stages but maybe some plastic ‘O’ rings front and sides, quick repaint that will hide the faces (I’m not being apeist but I am not ready for Victorian ape-men quite yet…)

So, lots of extra things to add the painting queue.

Steam Wars – Captain Iron America

The painting queue has again had an influx of lead.  Ant at Black Pyramid has sent me my new infantrymen, which will be the allied marine forces for my Steam Wars naval army.  There are also a few stragglers from the originally undercoated collection, mainly crewmen without guns and a couple of characters with no defined purpose or rules profiles as yet.

John at Ironclad miniatures sent over some gun crew that I had ordered and a very special chap in a set of full and shiny armour.

As we needed to playtest heavy infantry I needed to get as many armoured chaps on the table as I could.  So, the newly named ‘Captain Iron America’ got promoted to the top of that oh so slow moving queue.

Very easy to paint in brass and silver. I have not quite finished with this chap yet, as I plan to find a small flag or stars and bars decal for his shoulder to keep him in line with the US Navy theme.

But even in his unfinished state he stands proudly next to his fellow ratings. How he will fare as a solitary figure in our Steam Wars games only time will tell.  I may need to find some friends for him to lead if he proves too weak as a solitary fighter.

So far, looking good.

About the only photo that came out any good from our game was this shot, that nicely shows the cluttered claustrophobic environment we wanted to test out our little men in.  It also shows the ships doctor riding to war in his ironclad bucket car…

Police House Finally Gets Some Finishing Touches

Sometimes we all get started on something, then get distracted for one reason or another.  I realised how that presents recently as I was setting up for a purely infantry Steam Wars game.

The game was to playtest Coronasan’s changes to the rules for infantry and close combat.  We have played many Steam Wars games now, and the rules are looking very tidy at the moment. Our playtesting continues though, with just the need for a slight balancing change every so often.  Heavy infantry and their effect on the game is one balance issue we now seem to have straightened out…

However, the moment of clarity I had before that particular game was more about my efforts at scenery collection.  When setting things up, I noted that the Warbases police house and out building that I own was still not finished.

I started this building in late December 2014 as it arrived in the shed as a perfect little Xmas gift.

Back then it was first played in its basic, naked state.

Now in March 2016, a whole 15 months later, I still found it unfinished.  The brick work and painting happened over 6 months ago but the roof remained untouched.

It has, surprisingly though, featured in many games over the time I have owned it.  Each time it was used I never needed to finish the roof because it was never really necessary. One great feature of the Warbases buildings is that the sections are all fairly interchangeable. I had managed to use this building so often because I had ‘borrowed’ a roof from another building each time I needed it for a game.

This game called for a full table of buildings so no spare roof was available this time.

This time I would have to get the job done (at last)…

One reason for not doing it before now is that it is actually a very long, messy and smelly job.  I use lasercut tile sheets made from thick paper and, due to the high number of cuts needed to make it, this stuff gets ash all over the place and leaves you with fingers that smell of burnt paper for days afterwards.

But, once done, the effort is well worth it.

A small lasercut chimney was added from the bits box and the finish is complete.  Well worth the effort but a long time coming. This means all my made up buildings are now fully usable.

Don’t get me started on the fact that I have not actually painted my Sarissa apartment blocks yet or that I have 2 small houses still unstarted from a purchase I made about 2 years ago.