This might get a bit Technical

Just to help out my buddy Ferry a bit :)

(click on the pic for a bigger size)

I have more in storage, just not in easy reach, so this will have to do for now.

1. S&S Lada Riva saloon car. Super generic resin car, fits in everywhere and as everything. Taxi, police car, civillian, car, target car. S&S even makes African and Arab half figures to glue on the windows for a drive by. S&S Lada Riva Currently retails at 6.50 UK Pounds. Single cast with 4 metal wheels. Casting is typical for S&S, so be prepared to fill in the air bubbles with some greenstuff. This one is painted as a Yugoslavian decoy for aicraft.
2. Same S&S Lada Riva saloon car, this time painted up as generic TV crew car, fitting for any warzone since the 70's
3. JB Models (now Airfix) Landrover. Plastic kit, you can buy a verson with a hardtop or a soft top, and they come with a trailer, which is supereasy for loads of armies. Price varies from a couple of euros second hand right up to some stores asking as much as 15 euros for a single kit (which is a bit ridiculous ans a proper diecast can be had for half that). Again, super generic, as a civvy, Technical or as these 2 WIP's, British Special Forces rides for the Cold War.... I really should finish those someday, even though I'm no longer in big scale Cold War conflicts, they would be very handy for TW:2K
4. Same as 3, but with AT asset, The other one will get a minigun, thx to a former SAS friend who wants to remain anonymous.
5. Hobby Den Toyota 4x4. I have a ton of these, all based up and ready to go, just paint them black, add a magnet in the back so I can slide on a Back off sign in Arabic, add a magnet in the roof so I can put a MMG/HMG/Minigun/Grenadelauncher on it. They are meant for my Blackwater project, but can double as unmarked black cars for any location and any faction, be it intelligence, government, drug lords or warlords, anything goes really. Very affordable too, these are currently priced at 6,50 euros for a single resin cast with 4 resin wheels.  Hobby Den 4x4 Toyota  Bryan also does a Technical version of the same vehicle, I reviewed that back in 2012: Hobby Den 4x4 Technical
6. This SUV is made by Britannia/Grubby Tanks, and would be a very good deal at 6 UK Pounds each, as it comes with 2 Taliban and a 12.7mm Dhssk. It has 4 metal wheels and the veicle itself is a single resin cast. Therein also lies the problem, as in the last few years I've been let down by the terrible casting quality from Britannia's caster. Having said that, this is a very smooth model, nothing like the hard cornered armoured vehicles, so it could be less affected. Although sold as Taliban, there is nothing stopping you from using this as a Special Forces ride. Afghan Technical
7. RH Models aka Liberation Miniatures Technical. Very nice ride, but due to getting my entire country blacklisted by our benevolent Dictator Rolf Hedges, no longer available to us. Included for completeness.
8. Britannia/Grubby Tanks M35 truck. Really old casting, upgraded with a aluminium tubing exhaust to bring it up to M35A2 specs, and a miscast BRDM-2 hull, cut down, added in the back, as a makeshift convoy protection vehicle for TW:2K. I didn't like the way it was going with my add on door armour, so took that all off and forgot all about it. Suitable from Vietnam up to present day, as a Government or Rebel vehicle, easily converted and less costly then the Academy M35 truck. But yeah, their current castings are shite so order at your own risk. Britannia/Grubby Tanks M35 truck
9. ICM ZIL or Jiefang truck - I picked up a dozen or so of these way back when shipping was still affordable for less then 4 euros per truck. Pretty generic truck, multi role use, civillian to military, plastic so easily converted by adding drop in loads or a baby wipe tarp.
10. RH Models Saxon. Also added for completeness, I picked up some second hand ones for use with TW:2K and was surprised a few years ago when Ukraine got about 2 dozen from the UK to help with the war effort.....and that was the last thing I ever heard or saw about them. Not really a Technical but makes for a great militia/marauder vehicle.

Now, there are a lot more Technical suitable vehicles available in 20mm. I've made a order with the Hobby Den as well as some samples to paint up for their shop,  and like I said, I have loads in my stash I need to dig out as well, but that is for a next installment.

Now, comparing these to diecasts, the diecasts are of course much cheaper, especially when bought second hand. The wheels tend to be a bit of a let down, but you can always rip them off ond base them on suitable resin wheels. Shape wise, they tend to be a bit hit/miss, I've got more then a few who look suitable but when measured up, turn out to be way oversized. Caveat Empor, bring a 20mm fig with youy when shopping, I say.

Hope you find this helpful.

La Maison Chinoise

I picked up this book at the 2nd hand store yesterday for 50 cents. It's a 1980 reprint of a 1957 book on Chinese houses (and it's in French). I picked it up due to the scenery I am building for Japan and could use fsome ideas for Chinese stuff to go with the 28mm Osprey rulesset which features a pulpy Big Trouble in Little China feel (cleverly hiding that I have forgotten what the rulesset is actually called)

In it are drawings, photographns and maps of various types of Chinese homes, official buildings and temples of various groups. Considering the age of most of the pictures and the state of China after the Cultural Revolution, I doubt there is much left standing, if anything.

But hey, the book gives me quite a bit of inspiration for future builds :) Enjoy some of the pcitures I made from the book.

Chinese scout drone (based on GZG Hornet drone)

Tried to paint tonight, but could not get into it, so packed all of the trade and sales stuff instead, labelled them and put them on the kitchen table. I want to get out tomorrow, so a great time to mail them. Small fortune in shipping costs, will be nice when the next paycheck comes in. It also reminds me I need to sell more. Anyway, Kim was pleased to see so much leave the house, bless her :)

Anyway, finished, I was shifting bags of bits left to right on my desk and I grabbed the GZG bag from the lot. The engines will have to wait as the vehicles are not here yet, but the drones I could start with. Well, 1 anyway. I removed what mouldlines it had, pinned all of the part together with fine wire and used a thicker rod for the stand. I reused the flight base by glueing it to a 20mm plastic base and sanding the edges. As Jon intended the model to be more in a fly (as the insect I mean) like position it has a hole in the chest for a flightstand. I wanted this one to be more upright in a attack position, like it just spotted something and it is facing a threat or target with his tri barrel laser, so I pinned it in the tail with a brass rod and repositioned it. I based it as just above a standard 20mm figure and the laser at headheight of a 28mm figure. (I know this makes it a bigger target but esthetically (?) it looks better and more imposing. I filled the hole with a Zinge Industries small socket from their socket set I picked up for some Adeptus Mechanicus conversions..

(Elhiem 20mm sniper for comparison)

This guy and the next will be in Chinese colours, so monocolour green with highlights and Chinese national markings on the head and numerals on the fans. I will filter that and add some light damage to them as I intend to use these for Post Apoc 28mm as well. 1 black, 1 red and 1 green or gold eye (representing the various camera types).

For 20mm I see them as PDF spotters and scouts, able to defend themselves with a carbine sized laser weapon. For 28mm I see them purely as scouts operating behind enemy lines while sending back data and being able to defend themself with a pepperpot laser pistol sized weapon, but nothing more then that. Now for 15mm... wait, I don't do that :)

Haven't got the foggiest what to name them though. They are a bit big for gnats, and I suspect they have a supressed but audible at short range buzzing sound from the duct fans. Can't have much armour, but speedy so not that easy to kill. I'll figure something out for it. Well, John calls them Hornet Drone so Giant Asian Hornet (Vespa Mandarina) is something to Google. Those things are big, so quite apt. One of the nick names is Yak-killer. I think I will stick to that, would be nice to have a Russian foe :)

Droid Slavers

" Right after the great war, with most production facilities in ruins, and most people no longer trusting them, robots and droids were rare. But there was still a need for cheap and efficient labour and servants, and this is where the robot slavers stepped in. Robots salvaging, repairing and in some cases hunting down other robots for sale to humans who would pay the price. In some cases various factions of robots would sell captured robots unsuited for them to the slavers, and they in turn to us.


You see, pre war robots function on a different level then current day examples. Scared that they would revolt again, we now have dumbed down models., with the exception of some higher end (military) models. So they are sought after, now that the great war is long behind us. Like a commodity they are sold on, mindwiped again and again, from party to party who is willing to pay the price.


As long as we buy them, Droid Slavers will exists. And that is why B85M-D3V comes to town once a month, to sell out his kind for a profit. And we keep a very close watch on what he does."


Constable Gu Lee, New Xi'an, 11th Province, CCM-23

CHI-76a Medium Laser Tank " Mazha "

Somewhere in the future, man will colonise other planets and war will break out. With this idea I have been on again and off again penning down notes and ideas about what vehicles to make, looking at modifications and making plans for the future, as I want to do this in 20mm and as some of you may know, 20mm is not a (popular) Sci-fi scale. 15mm you can buy everthing plus the kitchen sink, 28mm just a tad less, 20mm hardly anything.


First off, my sci-fi universe is a mix of various ideas (and shows/movies). It is a period after man colonized many worlds, discovered many alien species, battled a omnipotent AI and came out battered but unbroken (minor win in gaming terms), only to rise up again, start fighting amongst themselves and remnant robot forces and the odd alien. Mechs are available but rare, anti-grav is possible and anything goes worlds wise. Alien ships are common. CHI stands for China Heavy Industries - I tend to focus a lot on China as a colonising power and almost all of my builds will be for this nation as well as looking at various robots cause I always need more reasons to paint robots


The CHI-76a is a general medium tank chassis used for a variety of tasks, of simple build as to keep the costs down, for 2nd line and garission units. I'll be focusing on one PDF (Planetary Defence Force) in particular on a as yet unnamed world, CCM-23 is known for its large copper deposits and earth like climate (well, a bit hotter). No other details currently available.


This PDF uses the Mazha's (Chinese for Grasshopper/Locust depending on which translator you use. (My Chinese colleagues actually got into a argument with each other if this word or something I can't pronounce is correct, but in Dutch a Grasshopper and a Locust are the same thing so I'll leave it at that. You get the idea)) as their main battle tank. This tank is built around defense. It carries 2 main guns, medium to heavy lasers depending on the setting, that can be fired simultaneously or alternating, good for 3000 shots until ithey need to be overhauled. The laser is of a very rugged Indian design, copied by the Chinese. Very durable and low maintenance, the only odd feature is that each discharge is accompanied by a loud chirp, not unlike a grasshopper, due to the way the baffles work to vent the heated air. That and the preferred Chinese tactic of attacking/defending in larger groups while moving from location to location brought about the name, the original factory name long since forgotten.


For maximum survivability, the crew of 3 sits inline in the middle of the vehicle in armoured cocoon front to back (Driver, gunner, commander). For extra defence the vehicle comes with a twin MG turret on top, a small anti missile laser on the rear deck and optional additional ceramic ablative armour on the sides. The vehicle is tracked as that is still the most economical way to get around in most areas. A anti grav version is available, but due to the greater drain on the engine this tends to draw too much power and increases reload time for the lasers. No AI unit is available for this type of tank, but most droids/robots can take the place of the various crew if needed. As it is very noseheavy, no blower version exists. The front roadwheels and suspension wears out at an excessive rate and are rated at 1500 km's max. The engine is either a multifuel type or a small fusion reactor (not for export). Armour is low to average on the sides, but the front armour should be able to withstand hits up to 125mm....in theory. It does not carry a shield generator. Depending on the location and training of the crew, the tank is used as a sniper, lying in ambush, or as a assault tank, supporting infantry.


The chassis is used for various roles, of which later more.


I have a donor chassis selected from my stash, I ordered new barrels for the conversion and I plan to make 3 units of this particular model. Total cost per tank should not exceed 12,50 euro including all of the parts and scratchbuilding. I hope to start these in December/January, though I will base the hulls before that time.


More fiction of me in the future to go with my 20mm sci-fi project :)


I'll leave you with a link to my gaming buddy's Blog, Modhails Meanderings who just finished a beautiful True Scale Howling Griffons Space Marine and photographed in his beautiful 3D Space Hulk sections. He wants a whole unit for them in Inquisimunda. The nutter.

FAW Jiefang heavy H540 4x4 truck

The FAW Jiefang heavy H540 4x4 truck is a common sight in Chinese held territory. Rugged and reliable, this commercial truck chassis sells well on the open market and is used by civillians as well as governmental and para military organisations in China Major and the frontier.

The multi fuel engine means you will never be without a means to keep it going, its 4x4 system gets you places most other wheeled vehicles can't go and the roomy chassis has space for quite the large assortment of equipment and add-on packs. For example, we recently outfitted a shipment of new police trucks with a dozer blade to help our beloved troops clean up barricaded roads, be it manmade or caused by natural events. The honeycombed Durasteel blade comes with a 15 year normal use warranty (1 year on the damper and shock absorbers of the attatchment points) )and can be supplied to government controlled agencies only. Foreign investrors can contact our headoffice in Bejing.

My current police fleet:

Model used for this is the Flames of War BR277 Gun Tractor (2 in a pack) with no serious modifications. The models were crisply cast, no flaws, I just removed the base and added my own. The ram plough is made from a few spare Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IV turret Schürzen. Decals are from I-94 decals (numbers) and TL Decals (shield).

壁虎 Bi Hu armoured police truck

The Bi Hu (壁虎, Gecko, or Wall Tiger) is a older 6x6 armoured truck that the PRC still produces for policing duties on lesser developed locations and colonies. It is either equipped with a water cannon (with a water tank added in the back) or a 14.7mm machinegun, depending on the situation. It is very reliable, needs little maintenance but is lightly armoured and rather cramped. The vehicle is not sold to civillians, though a few private security companies operate them and it has been seen with rebels and seperatists, though those are propably captured examples.

The model itself is a 15mm FoW model, FR320 Laffly S15TOE, just released. Comes as a resin hull with metal wheels and yurret. Flashfree, hardly any cleaning to do, it did come with double the amound of small wheels needed to make it. 1 had a small chip in the back but nothing too bad. Painted in suitable police colours it's for my PRC sci-fi army. Decals are from I-94 (numbers) and TL Decals (door shield). I'd love to have some POLICE decals in this scale, but alas. Comparison pic with a droid from The Scene, based on a 1 eurocent.

Second 15mm sci-fi test

Second test complete and succesful.

Adding personality software to worker droid 614 wasn't his owners best idea. While doing repair work, 614 walked off and joined the army, cause he felt he would look better in green...

Combat droid 01 welcomes the arrival of 07, 28 and 53. He will ignore 614.

All 5 droids in my collection are now done, 1 has been converted to the worker droid I saw in the Pitts expansion of Fallout 3 (2 pieces of wire added to the back and a plasticcard sensor in the front of his head). Sadly the wash beld a bit into the yellow but he will do fine. I'm going to order a bunch more of these as they suit me very well, so more troops, a few more construction/worker droids and I'll paint 2 in Nuka Cola colours as well.

Better Red than Dead, 1 15mm sci-fi test

I've given up waiting for 20mm sci-fi and changed the label on my collection of kit of it to 15mm. A almost daily stream of releases makes it hard for me to keep ignoring it and I want to do sci-fi, dammit. Didn't make the Gunbird just to gather dust in Ireland.

So, a test to see if I can do this. In this case a 15mm droid, RB001 from The Scene.

Goodmorning class, be seated <sound of moving chairs>

Today we will discuss new intell about the Chinese Infantry Droids, and in particular the FA3 model, unofficially called Eggheads  <sounds of muffled laughter from class>. Durasteel outer shell, very efficient battery, packs a medium sized laser weapon and a CHMP-class AI system, these are programmed with a degree of flexibility. The Chinese have been using these as installation and colony guards for quite some time, but recent events have shown they can be used as field expedient combat troops as well. We assume this upgrade to come from the same, as yet unknown,  source as they acquired the specs for this droid from.  We do not have the full details, some claim this to be an upgrade called NV, but be aware that their capabilities have been increased. Rumours are circulating about support weapon variants, as well as comms and NCO’s.  Be wary men, we do not know what other types will be coming online in the future.

Now, I’ve heard chatter about their robots going rogue. Some even speak of a colony ship full of them vanishing , never to be seen again, and alien traders mentioning a colony run exclusively by bots in the Pitts system. Our intelligence is quite clear on this matter, this is all nonsense, FA3’s are not capable of this nor will they ever be as their processors can’t handle such independent thoughts.
And as a refresher, we will go over their weaknesses again <sighs from the students> ….

Excerpt Vidlog recording of Capt. Vandermeer, USA Training Academy, MARS, discussing new intell on the FA3 droid.

I've chosen the PRC as my force for, amongst others, TW.

Real size:

Sides:

PRC decal is the smallest available 1/600 one from Doms Decals in the UK, the numbers are the smallest ones available from I-94 Decals in the US. Base is 1 Eurocent. Base unfinished due to this being a test.
Model was cleancast, minimal mould line, just some excess metal where the "hands" are. Cleaning it took just a minute.