My first Shapeways order and a little story

I just made my first Shapeways order. I ordered 2 items from Brigade Models, a 1/300 water tower and 2 sets of 3 Power Pylons. More on that when they arrive, I'll do a little review then.

1/300 I hear you think? Yup. As some of you may know I'm currently unemployed and without a steady flow of cash it seems a hobby comes last, while it is badly needed to relieve stress. Since spending money on models is really a nono when you ain't got none, I've been turning my eye to my rather substantial collection over the last year and looked at what could be sold off and what kept. In this manner I want to fund what I need for big games and demos and get my priorities straight (hobby wise that is)

One of those priorities is to cut down Big Games to 1/300 and smaller from now on (with an exception for Irish Big Games). In that scale it is rather cheap, I have loads of stuff from earlier times left and it does not take up a lot of space. My 20mm forces will be cut down to skirmish level for starters (max 30 troops, some vehicles) with expansions only after they have proven themselves. 1/600 will refocus back on airgames only. The only vehicles I need for that will be targets and AA defences. My 1/3000 naval assets are in a bit of a limbo. I got tons, with lots painted, but no opposition yet and rather clueless how to game this solo.

All of my GW and other assorted 28mm was already on the choppingblock and this just sharpend the blade some more. And there is plenty of other odd stuff to get rid off, so funds should not be too much of a problem for the forseaable future. If I find enough buyers of course.

Anyway, I've started to copy my 1985 Dutch in 1/300 which is going rather well. Well, 1980 to be exact cause I don't have and can't afford yet the GHQ YPR-765 family so they are all mounted in YP-408 variants, and I'm having much fun converting them to the correct types. I'll propably paint most of the stuff in one go so you won't see them anytime soon.

What I am hitting myself over the over is the fact I sold off my Cold War Commander book 2 years ago, and now I need it again. There is a lesson in this kids, don't sell rulebooks!

If anyone has one spare and wants to get rid of it, let me know. If it is a bit tatty, not a problem for me. Open to all offers.

Minefield

For the first Big Game I had in 2010 I needed minefield for NATO to defend themselves with vs the Great Russian Horde. I spent some time cutting out 10x10 cm sheets of plasticcard, basing them, painting them and eventually just finishing 2, the rest languishing in my spares bin.

10x10 Unmarked Minefield

This turned out to be a  waste of time and resources as unmarked minefield are not put down on the table....bit of a Doh! moment <facepalm>



10x10 Marked Minefield

Looks very nice, but in the end also a waste of time and resources, cause how am I easily going to carry 10 of these without damaging them, in my transport case through 2 airports? Thinking before acting isn't my forte, thats for sure.

So, how change it? Well, like this:

Simple really, in the logic that I just need to mark the field 4 signs on the corners should suffice, right?

Easy, peasy.

Made for Rapid Fire Moderns, they are generic enough to work for other systems as well. They take hardly any time to build as well, cause the bases are 20x20mm precuts, a bit of brass wire and 0.5mm plasticcard I cut out with a punch actually meant for scrapbooking. More importantly, 1 minefield now takes up 40x40mm so more fit my small scenery storage boxes and they are a lot less susceptible to damage.

I'll be making another set with other markers, and the shape is great for most common roadsigns as well.

Test succesful.

A busy WIP table

I have a very busy WIP table at the moment, and these are just a few of the vehicles.

From left to right:
FoF Renault UE, a bit of cleaning to do and then convert it to the Wurfrahm version, my first model for KGN.
Hobbyden Technical, based and washed, ready for weathering. Just a display tester as I won't be doing Militia (any time soon that is).
Hobbyden Shorland, based and ready to be turned into a ZNN news car for the Africa game and propably quite a few other things.
Hobbyden Mercedes, suitably trashed and based, a bit of detail needs to be added before it is ready to be painted for the scrapyard.
The hard shelter of a Eastern European truck kit, based by itself, meant as a small (guard) shack for my Stalker project.

Decided to replace my MD-500 gunship (it just didn't look right)) with a old Matchbox Dauphin that I am turning into a Harbin Z-9W. So far so good, fit isn't that good but filler helps as does crossbracing the cockpit area. As the weapon mounts are quite thin my usual magnet trick didn't work so I opted for aluminum tubing. I've started out with turning 2 modern 500 pound bombs into 7.65 gun pods, just need to add the barrels, good excercise. After this I need to make a set of 23mm cannons and a set of AT missiles. Their rocket pods are a bit different compared to anything in my collection so not sure how to work my way around that. Decals weren't really easy to find but with some assistance from Sgt. Scream these have been sourced as well. Lots of work to do though, sensors, tail, more sanding, weapon pods etc. But the Rutger Base (TM) works like a charm.

I've been updating these Britannia M35 trucks into M35A2's by adding an exhaust system.

I also removed the winch from 2 of them and need to change the soft top into a hard top, basically add a bit of putty.

They are meant for transporting my US troops for Fire in the North and TW:2K but can double for almost anything as you see them second hand all over the world.

This one will double for TW:2K as well as my mercs for the Big game Africa, but is has been on and off my table for a dozen times now. I can't seem to make up my mind about what course to go with it. Uparmoured the cab area but took it all off again as it looked like shit. Anyone got ideas?

A objective for modern games (or something for the junkyard....) with Fire in the North in mind, a F-111 cockpit:

Picked up a few ECM F-111's after the holiday sales for a few euros each but their wargaming potential is minimal. At least this way I'm getting some use from it and the rest can go into the spares bin.

More letterboxes!

May Games 2011 - Cold War, Part 2

 And the attack continues....

British troops scramble into their positions.

Russian Mechanised Infantry pushing up through the middle of the board, ready to support either thrust.

The helicopters leave.

And another airstrike decimates the German defences.

While the Bolkow takes a fatal hit and explodes above the city (either the SA-8 or the Shilka took it out, can't remember)

And the Russians push on.

 

 

 

 

 

And on.

Infantry dismounts and floods the city:

The defence is valiant but largly ineffectual, being slowly pushed back.

When another airstrike hits.

And the recce unit captures a abandoned medical Fuchs (well, more like looting it actually)

On the left flank, the Bundeswehr units that remain surrender, battered into submission.

NATO command is worried, they are unable to hold the city and the British defenders start to withdraw.

A Russian victory!
Will this be their starting off point for another offensive? Will the British hold next time? Or is this just a temporary setback?

Frankly, the Russians don't care right now, and start hauling back whatever isn't tied or bolted down.

All in all, a very nice game, I finally got to use my support vehicles, getting rid of damage really helped out in the offensive. I was helped by Piers apalling dicerolling, the defenders did their best but had trouble hitting and killing. Like the AVRE tank missing the house 50 meters in front of it. oops.

My favourite unit of the game? A tie up between the recce (driving between 2 Leopard 1's at top speed while being fired at by every Bundeswehr unit in sight required a set of brass ones the size of bowling balls I reckon, and then capturing the NATO medical vehicle on top of that) and the ground attack MiG-21 drivers who consistently hit with guns, rocket pods and bombs. So our allies were actually good for something

May Games 2011 - Cold War, Part 1

The first selection of pics taking during game number 1 of my recent weekend of gaming trip in Ireland.

Cold War, 20mm, using the Rapid Fire Modern mods used for last years Big Game.  Russian attack on a German/British held town somewhere in Germany.

The table:

The British reinforcements arriving in the town:

And taking up positions:

Bundeswehr armor guarding the crossroads:

The enemy drops rounds and smoke:

A MiG-21 dives down to bomb and strafe a German position:

German fire proves ineffective, and in return the enemy brews the Leopard 2!

A German Bolkow goes infor a ineffectual pass before driven off by the Shilka:

While on the left flank, more armour pours across Germany:

Daringly, the Russian VDV deploys right under the high power lines!:

Next series of pics from this battle coming soon!