tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12083049915775120612024-03-05T12:02:27.603-08:00ByzantineFalcon's WorkbenchFrom ideas to a work in progress to the finished project, this is a collection of articles related to miniatures wargaming. Hopefully it can save others some time and inspire some new projects!ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-47886884133510568132022-12-04T16:01:00.000-08:002022-12-04T16:01:47.545-08:00Getting started with Airbrushing<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the
past few years, I seem to run into the same conversation with friends as
well as on various online forums.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Usually someone wants to get started with Airbrushing their models and
has no real idea where to start.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Having invested
a lot of time and money into answering that same question for myself, I try to
avoid the default “google it” or “check on YouTube.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">No offense to those options, but much like
the options available related to the subject, there are as many answers
available and many seem (to me) to not quite fit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As a result, I thought it might be worthwhile
to write about my experiences and what I tell people when asked that question.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">First,
some background on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started
painting models in the early 90’s with an old Hero Quest box set and some
Testors Enamel paints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moved on to
Battletech plastics, and later to 40k in the 2000’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am by no stretch of the imagination what
could be considered a ‘pro’ at this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have at least a dozen miniatures painting projects on my workbench at any given
point, in a mostly uncompleted condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think in 20 years of painting miniature figures, I have completed
maybe a dozen ‘single model’ projects, and perhaps a single ‘full’ army for a
game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I would consider myself well
versed in is learning time saving and efficiency methods so I can continue to
add more projects to my workbench and feel as though I am making progress on
them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My start
in Airbrushing was 2004 (?) with a cheap ‘airbrush kit’ from Harbor Freight
Tools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it was a single action siphon
feed airbrush, with a compressor that was supposed to be used to fill
basketballs (or maybe bike tires).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Results were middling at best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Several years later I came across an individual selling a large
collection of airbrushes (from brands I recognized) along with a compressor and
paints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had purchased them to do
body-painting and gave the endeavor up, taking the hit in cost because he just
wanted rid of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point I got
seriously involved in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four airbrushes
of a variety of makes/models (most of which were broken), an iwata compressor (for miniatures, but without an air tank), and a mix of paints (which were totally unsuited for miniatures).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Since
then, I have learned a lot about what works for me, how to clean/repair/maintain
brushes, and I have had the opportunity to learn from some very experienced
people to develop my own set up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
actual painting ability is still rudimentary (I have had way more time invested
in the cleaning/repair process than I have actually painting with it), I think
I have enough experience to at least help someone along to getting started with
their own kit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Before
digging in, it may be worth your time to familiarize yourself some basic
airbrush concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iwata (a notable
brand) has a good guide, located here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/airbrush-basics.html">https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/airbrush-basics.html</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The scope
of this article is to relate my recommendations for those new to the hobby,
based on my own trial and error, in order to make an informed decision before
jumping in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will break it down into a
few broad categories, with explanations along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with anything like this, there is no ‘right’
answer (though you can frequently find several ‘wrong’ answers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure others can and will produce the
same results as me (if not better) with different equipment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is just an explanation of what I recommend
to people and why, with a lot of the little options I have found along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this assumes you will be using the
brush to paint hobby models in a scale from 15mm to 28mm (the scales I
play).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Part 1 - Minimum Requirements<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The three
things you need to airbrush, at the very minimum, is a brush, a compressor (or source
of pressurized air), and paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything
else falls into ‘consumables’ to ‘nice to have’ or ‘quality of life’
improvements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With those three items,
you will be able to put paint onto models, which is the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Airbrush</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I have
used hobby airbrushes from a variety of manufacturers with a variety of
designs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iwata, Badger, Paasche, Aztek,
Masters, even that cheap Harbor Freight model I started with (basically the
equivalent to the no-name $20 version you can get just about anywhere).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Single action, dual action, siphon feed,
gravity feed, quick change nozzles, bare bones or all the bells and whistles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The style I continue to use and recommend is
a gravity feed, double action brush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
recommend Iwata (my preferred brand), though Badger is popular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like with a traditional brush, your choice in
airbrush should reflect what you plan to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I currently maintain two Iwata brushes,
listed below.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Iwata
Revolution HP-CR (Retail $125, Amazon $100) - <br /><a href="https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/revolution-4500-cr.html">
https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/revolution-4500-cr.html<br /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQS3UW" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQS3UW<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Iwata
Revolution HP-BR (Retail $122, Amazon $95) - <br /><a href="https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/revolution-br.html">
https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/revolution-br.html<br /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MH6Q5E" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MH6Q5E<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJnL0c6Xmp16Jbj3Q_7yLsffbGb4-TJAtvmTN6cU1uC4wIUBnQ_Vu8aovc74zIU6stZuqyD0wys9jVEdgqG-7Fp57de-YyCPVxIW4PeuD4wjYPYST2QrU696DJJMbtbvQRkj2Uq_IM9Bv0xqaSRpTSw9pWz50ijqgOZALDL1UVdz9z2FYSaleY9t1dg/s3695/IMG-7878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2388" data-original-width="3695" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJnL0c6Xmp16Jbj3Q_7yLsffbGb4-TJAtvmTN6cU1uC4wIUBnQ_Vu8aovc74zIU6stZuqyD0wys9jVEdgqG-7Fp57de-YyCPVxIW4PeuD4wjYPYST2QrU696DJJMbtbvQRkj2Uq_IM9Bv0xqaSRpTSw9pWz50ijqgOZALDL1UVdz9z2FYSaleY9t1dg/s320/IMG-7878.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The CR is
a gravity feed, dual action, with a larger paint reservoir (with an optional
lid, I’ve never used mine).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a
.5mm nozzle size, though it can be converted to .3mm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my work horse brush, used to prime
and base coat almost all my models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is a simple design, with a minimum of parts that can be adjusted or damaged compared
to some others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is capable of some
detail work, depending on the scale, and I have used it to good effect in
applying camouflage on 15mm WW2 models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I had to choose a single brush to keep and use, this would be it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy to clean, easy to maintain, good coverage,
large reservoir, great coverage for the scale of models I paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Due to the
limitations of the .5mm nozzle on the CR, I purchased the BR for more fine camo
work at 15mm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, the ‘squiggle’
camo patterns for German armored vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you need to paint a very small area with limited overspray and more
fine control, the BR is a good choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is virtually identical to the CR with a smaller reservoir and a .3mm
nozzle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When faced with the decision
between buying a whole new brush for detail work or buying the conversion kit
for the CR (and the time/effort in swapping the nozzle and needle) it made more
sense to just get the second brush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Badger
would be my backup recommendation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have used several over the years, but I have the most experience with the
Patriot 105 and SOTAR 20/20.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Badger
Patriot 105 (Amazon $126) - <br /><a href="http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Patriot_105.asp">
http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Patriot_105.asp<br /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Co-Patriot-Airbrush/dp/B002W84GTO" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Co-Patriot-Airbrush/dp/B002W84GTO<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Badger SOTAR
20/20 (Amazon $135) - <br /><a href="http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Sotar_20-20.asp">
http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Sotar_20-20.asp<br /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Co-2020-2F-Airbrush/dp/B000BROVIO" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Co-2020-2F-Airbrush/dp/B000BROVIO<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO4dfzsPGq_RwJIzxbqysgg1sV_jF0ZabFRPViBCDXwgkppYU_hOwNWSIox-TcdB3lrufUUy7eAvujDrChZ5vChZPaT57vAJkH2wKlQOp_94YofMHnkrc9McSVyGhVQSutMMsAbJ3c4nK081o737A8RhzIuYr2EflSm9jSuZea6CMe_10v9S1_5AvhQ/s3911/IMG-7879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2314" data-original-width="3911" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO4dfzsPGq_RwJIzxbqysgg1sV_jF0ZabFRPViBCDXwgkppYU_hOwNWSIox-TcdB3lrufUUy7eAvujDrChZ5vChZPaT57vAJkH2wKlQOp_94YofMHnkrc9McSVyGhVQSutMMsAbJ3c4nK081o737A8RhzIuYr2EflSm9jSuZea6CMe_10v9S1_5AvhQ/s320/IMG-7879.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I found
the badger brushes to be easy to use, but not as easy as Iwata.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are more options with regards to nozzle
swaps, fine adjustments for spray (especially on the SOTAR), and the nozzle tip
is easy to bump/damage due to it extruding from the brush without a cover (like
the Iwata has).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually bent the
nozzle/needle on my Patriot early on from regular handling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was completely user error, I was not
paying attention to where I was holding it and it brushed up against a hard
surface, but worth mentioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
advantage Patriot has is that parts are inexpensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A disadvantage is that I needed a lot of
them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also bought the extra
nozzle/needle sets for the SOTAR, giving it a much wider range of uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I include them here for options, some people
feel strongly about a particular brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">NOTE –
Badger will frequently run sales direct from their store, which cut the price
down for the available brushes significantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I purchased my badger brushes with a sale like this, and if you want to
get any of their brushes, I would HIGHLY recommend you wait for one of these
sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are good brushes, I just
feel the Iwata brushes do the job I need them to do better and for less cost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Compressor:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The second
item you will need is a way to get compressed air into the brush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An air compressor is the most common method
that I have seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is worth noting I
have seen people use individual cans of compressed air, some of which were
refillable from a regular (non-hobby) air compressor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also seen battery powered hand-held
compressors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I think those
are niche uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For most of us, you will
want a hobby compressor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Buy a
compressor with an air tank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first
compressor was just that, with no storage tank for the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ran constantly, had difficulty maintaining
pressure, and overheated (the heated air had a serious impact on the paint
job).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than that, buying a ‘name
brand’ is optional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have had very good
results from this model:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Quiet 1/5
hp Airbrush Tank Compressor - <br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001738DXU" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001738DXU<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">That model
is currently unavailable, though I have had friends recommend this similar
item:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Master
Airbrush 1/5 HP Cool Runner - <br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZQM6R83" target="_blank">
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZQM6R83<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
important thing to look for is an air storage tank and a moisture trap (that clear
plastic thing attached to it, traps the moisture coming out of the tank – very important
for humid regions).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found that
one models works about as well as any others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My compressor is going on 4 years of regular use, and the only issue is
that one of the rivets on the carry handle came loose and needs to be
reattached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Performance-wise, it is
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not too loud, no issues with
heated air or moisture, and keeps steady pressure (I paint at 20-22 psi).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">There are
name-brand options which I am sure will do the job, but at a significantly higher
cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid micro-compressors like those
designed for airbrushing nails or ‘salon’ compressors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They usually operate at a lower psi and tend
to lack an air tank (so they overheat).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can use a ‘generic’ garage compressor, like you would use to fill
tires or basketballs and such, but I would highly recommend against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with one myself but could not get
the pressure consistent (they tend to operate at a much higher psi than hobby
airbrushes), lack moisture traps, and a fluctuation of pressure at the wrong
time could result in a bad paint job or a damage airbrush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">NOTE – You
will need an air hose and possibly an adaptor to hook your airbrush up to the compressor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for a compressor that has a braided hose
(much more durable) and fits your airbrush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My badger brushes require an adaptor as all my hoses are for Iwata’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I consider this an included expense with the
compressor as many come with it but check to be sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Paint</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Use
whatever you like, just thin it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Seriously,
it is that easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My go-to is Vallejo,
though I use Army Painter, Citadel, AK Interactive, P3, and a variety of
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard of success stories
with Apple Barrel craft paints (my first airbrush paint job used that, actually).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I would recommend you go with a known
hobby paint brand, any acrylic paint should work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cheaper ‘craft paint’ just tends to have
issues with pigment (the pigment particles are larger in some cases, which
after thinning can produce a grainy finish, but not always).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You do not need to go out and buy new
paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Several
companies are producing ‘airbrush ready’ paints now, which match up with their
standard paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That works, though it
usually still needs to be thinned down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The necessary items to properly thin paints will be in the consumables
section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">With
regards to how much you should thin your paint, I have always been told to make
it the consistency of milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I still
do not know exactly what that means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
gauge it based on results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it sprays
properly and gets good coverage without being runny, its good to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it sputters, I thin it more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it comes off runny and transparent, I add
more paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, I will refer
you to YouTube and leave it to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is a lot of trial and error involved until you get a feel for
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there is interest, I will work on
getting a list of videos I have found helpful together and post that playlist
for others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">NOTE – I
will recommend Badger Stynylrez primer over any others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vallejo primers can go on a little
thick/rubbery and have had curing issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>AK primers are a mixed lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have had nothing but consistent good results from Stynylrez primers (check
amazon).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actual paints can be standard
thinned down or made for airbrush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
gloss or matte finish, you will want to get one designed for airbrushing, my
attempts at thinning down brush on clear coats have not produced good
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">There you have
it, the three items you need to get into airbrushing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All told, you can expect to spend $200-275 on
your brush and compressor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less if you
can find sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are trying to
save money, cut corners on the compressor (as long as it has an airtank and
moisture trap, you are good), not the brush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you are only trying to airbrush primer and maybe the base coat, you
can go cheap on the brush, just recognize that to get finer detail later on
(which you eventually want to expand your experience with it, like we all do) odds
are good you will be buying a new brush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Spend a little extra up front and get a good product with a variety of
uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, lets move on to the other items.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Part 2 - Consumables</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">To save
time/space, I am going to attempt to be brief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These are all items you either have to have (marked with a *) or are
really helpful to have around, and you will be buying them several times.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">* Airbrush
Cleaner – Iwata-Medea Airbrush Cleaner – I buy the large bottle (32oz) and
refill the small squirt bottle (4-16oz)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">* Airbrush
Thinner – Vallejo – Get the big bottle, you’ll use it<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Airbrush
Flow Improver – Vallejo – A small bottle will work, it’s a compliment to the
thinner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Gloves –
Dealmed Medical Exam Gloves/Nitrile (Black) – I prefer the black gloves, but
anything will do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wear them on the hand
holding the model so you don’t get paint all over yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Q-Tips –
For cleaning <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Alcohol –
For cleaning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Distilled Water
– For cleaning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Toothpicks
– For mixing paint<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Dropper
bottle for Alcohol/Water <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Acetone/Mineral
Spirits – The ‘nuclear option’ for cleaning, use sparingly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Shop
Towels – I prefer the thicker blue shop towels, but any paper towels will
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both for cleaning up as well as
test spray<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quality
of Life Improvements</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Here are a
variety of items I have added to my airbrush set-up with a brief explanation of
how I use them:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Airbrush Booth/Vent
- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NLQ019A">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NLQ019A</a> - This is a dual-purpose spray
area with a vent (and lights if you get the version that has them).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Important for indoor airbrushing or areas
with limited ventilation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Canvas
Drop Cloth – Harbor Freight – Something to protect my table, as well as one to
put under my whole painting station for spills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just saves me scrubbing things later to remove spilled paint.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">“Dump
Bucket” – Any hardware store – Standard 5-gallon bucket or small mopping
bucket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easier to dump waste paint/cleaner/water
into this while working than getting up and going to the sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll put a little water in initially so
nothing dries in it, then as I change paints, clean the reservoir, etc, I just
dump into the bucket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dispose
appropriately at the end of the painting session.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Airbrush
Cleaning Kit – These usually have both a ‘spray pot’ (where you stick the
nozzle of the airbrush into it and spray to clean it out without spraying paint
everywhere) and a brush set (pipe cleaners).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some have pick sets as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
good to have for those hard to reach clogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Brush
Holder – Something that will clamp on to your table where you can rest your
airbrush in an upright position (in case there is paint inside it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spray pot will work just as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Apron –
Keeps spills off your clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Tool Box –
If you are planning on transporting your kit, find a big enough tool box to
hold everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a rolling tool
box that has my compressor, brushes, tools, paints, everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Golf-Tees/Blue-tack
– How I hold my models while painting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Ultrasonic
Jewelry Cleaner – Useful when you need to do a deep-clean after a few painting
sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll do a general cleaning
after I am done for the day, but after a few sessions things will build
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strip the brush down to its
component parts, soak it, get into it with the picks and q-tips, then let it
spend some time in the ultrasonic cleaner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Reassemble, lubricate, and should be good to go.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Soaking
Glass – I have a small somaek (Korean mixed drink, Soju and beer) glass that
fits my airbrush perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll fill it
up so that the cleaner covers the reservoir (but not the trigger) to soak if I
am taking an extended break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Professional”
opinions are mixed on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some say
never to soak your airbrush, others highly recommend it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve found it helps with cleaning and keeps
paint from drying if you take a break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Long
bristle synthetic brush – I use this both for mixing paint in the reservoir as
well as cleaning out anything deep in there when I’m changing paints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Synthetic brushes hold up better and are
stiffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LONG bristle, you want to be
able to get into the recesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preferably
with a plastic handle so it doesn’t crack when you leave it in the soaking
glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Various
Tools – Tweezers, nozzle removal tools, picks, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is not a painting session that goes by
where I don’t wish I had something on hand, then forget to add it to the
collection when I’m done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll find a
variety of odds and ends that would have come in handy, just remember to have
them available (and accessible with one hand).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Quick
Change Valves – I was using 4 airbrushes at one point, so I tried the
quick-change values to switch between them without loosing all my air
pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They never worked quite
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">For most
of these items, a quick search on amazon or a trip to the local craft store
should get you what you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
included photos of my setup for reference as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone has questions or I missed anything,
please let me know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is likely to be
a work-in-progress as I find new items or new ways of doing things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just hope my mistakes can help save others
the same cost and trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Here are some photos of my set-up:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBztSQlgp3k2LfAbGLqXykSwnn8TitzkLRiJwLyxTZNnBubRkjVh9UiSb3xJYAJSTTBU8ZT0mIpLqJL6XtL1K08TFsnegK0q29zh6whrY6dnghlZUU1VUtNvpSH6d9LU6JuQ5KwK6DGO14q-UZVmYS-u46UDGGu8hsqOnN6RHI6ms5tRfKyWJYnZp0Eg/s4032/IMG-7872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBztSQlgp3k2LfAbGLqXykSwnn8TitzkLRiJwLyxTZNnBubRkjVh9UiSb3xJYAJSTTBU8ZT0mIpLqJL6XtL1K08TFsnegK0q29zh6whrY6dnghlZUU1VUtNvpSH6d9LU6JuQ5KwK6DGO14q-UZVmYS-u46UDGGu8hsqOnN6RHI6ms5tRfKyWJYnZp0Eg/s320/IMG-7872.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUXCKmQ9Ldrx3qONI0OK-goHWtVwNRAzQlB61dYrFFsHvyJneE-Wjfu_LiT_bn02jsm5-XeCspoGYcrRIfm2MzGwD_gPtx39-FbAIG0auZSKRfJ5LknUysI2o72JCP5jxiFJOSX2lt_-27g7g87RR3YM0r8VIghh_b9GWIUF4r3nLAwypv8J-tKBoKg/s4032/IMG-7874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUXCKmQ9Ldrx3qONI0OK-goHWtVwNRAzQlB61dYrFFsHvyJneE-Wjfu_LiT_bn02jsm5-XeCspoGYcrRIfm2MzGwD_gPtx39-FbAIG0auZSKRfJ5LknUysI2o72JCP5jxiFJOSX2lt_-27g7g87RR3YM0r8VIghh_b9GWIUF4r3nLAwypv8J-tKBoKg/s320/IMG-7874.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5PsrGmNOo8i82WfC8kncHEeSwyx62rVpV1wvBMoLvYA1h2uE06B3_s23ot66Dw2r50edM7CtEe_SVLHc9DGXerAqHuuyPaBrtRU2ZNdc_c1bn40aJhU9md5K54U83l4M9air45WTto2qOF3ofYPlBanTx0yo0g3h0w3bw_b9mqCxsc-QnCZNjnyACw/s4032/IMG-7875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5PsrGmNOo8i82WfC8kncHEeSwyx62rVpV1wvBMoLvYA1h2uE06B3_s23ot66Dw2r50edM7CtEe_SVLHc9DGXerAqHuuyPaBrtRU2ZNdc_c1bn40aJhU9md5K54U83l4M9air45WTto2qOF3ofYPlBanTx0yo0g3h0w3bw_b9mqCxsc-QnCZNjnyACw/s320/IMG-7875.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My travel box - Assembled, packed up, and the full contents</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fLzgz74hAJIYmwOmdMlSo1Qnbx4SGtPQUqaVQ_ZRUckIUi1QjHoAXbK07nD3cVX8KGYXu53gQvl4glMF0BwGvTtPkaL74K5lMQtvingjlOeR5mSPYO3FKli1KGrxbMUo97Hnnp60RohRuBmtxQIWhH1KfbQsqsvt26-Tn2JaWdlXUTRTNelN4Rz_NA/s4032/IMG-7886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fLzgz74hAJIYmwOmdMlSo1Qnbx4SGtPQUqaVQ_ZRUckIUi1QjHoAXbK07nD3cVX8KGYXu53gQvl4glMF0BwGvTtPkaL74K5lMQtvingjlOeR5mSPYO3FKli1KGrxbMUo97Hnnp60RohRuBmtxQIWhH1KfbQsqsvt26-Tn2JaWdlXUTRTNelN4Rz_NA/s320/IMG-7886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My tool box</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRffbhgpnWVTSTb5dwklp3yslfqKV907qZAaEngf7mC8PeOVNCy-1vlaX3kdqxpDnYV6WIdir5zQBrSN8Wwc0Si1pdKTY98sfqIiu-IcM3TTks_9_kbcBkjZb4NYI6j1jEh4ZeLPUx6s1tx8GgjtS-PANW9aU_O9ndNXB-FAPzaqiJxTkZ4ByaRGZwtg/s4032/IMG-7887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRffbhgpnWVTSTb5dwklp3yslfqKV907qZAaEngf7mC8PeOVNCy-1vlaX3kdqxpDnYV6WIdir5zQBrSN8Wwc0Si1pdKTY98sfqIiu-IcM3TTks_9_kbcBkjZb4NYI6j1jEh4ZeLPUx6s1tx8GgjtS-PANW9aU_O9ndNXB-FAPzaqiJxTkZ4ByaRGZwtg/s320/IMG-7887.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlJECULZcpeyaSl3v_VZtWsFYam6c1pggcglHI_lWu2fHAbpsDPCertYsuWK_bT6ub4Osn5VFJV4iuaLIY86vyvpJ293SPVw1OZH5H8E7Dddt2JC1SX9t7QRk3VC-aFhQ8Mn7uFU-LSpCXyS3DKgYkovnSrVn6S3zslqs2HS2WU35ZrJuaxFhPG-Tvw/s4032/IMG-7888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlJECULZcpeyaSl3v_VZtWsFYam6c1pggcglHI_lWu2fHAbpsDPCertYsuWK_bT6ub4Osn5VFJV4iuaLIY86vyvpJ293SPVw1OZH5H8E7Dddt2JC1SX9t7QRk3VC-aFhQ8Mn7uFU-LSpCXyS3DKgYkovnSrVn6S3zslqs2HS2WU35ZrJuaxFhPG-Tvw/s320/IMG-7888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Painting area all ready to go</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWQ4SGwmju4MuxOMlyf3dpYXQN_C28ha47q4IZWPdJtYt9gDTcI76ugRRF0kroK72n5YXMfhZLTFaX6h9zHAHNvGxZbWcRgcb1RO_TkyqWNeQh5R84Jfo05wMk7E7SgOjxNFE5dtA5zkKWHHRuiUfjBSuUN_CQaeS8Yhz8Bejjy0TOsXaUo-2XNg82Q/s4032/IMG-7880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWQ4SGwmju4MuxOMlyf3dpYXQN_C28ha47q4IZWPdJtYt9gDTcI76ugRRF0kroK72n5YXMfhZLTFaX6h9zHAHNvGxZbWcRgcb1RO_TkyqWNeQh5R84Jfo05wMk7E7SgOjxNFE5dtA5zkKWHHRuiUfjBSuUN_CQaeS8Yhz8Bejjy0TOsXaUo-2XNg82Q/s320/IMG-7880.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSS9VphfL3ZYykrIe-_knYt3fCEpdTqX3bLo3Tznjw8JzjHOrqgiYuKJdLtN8VUPQLjlgSZe2ENQhS9FiD_alVRhYK9FMwLc73cij995k4c3kJrr57raXtHh-HXzF3Ai1MuY0AGqTh7TjATGY3oSQ411SijOab-RTEAchlmkLwPsFjaO1ZlmCSdRX_g/s4032/IMG-7931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSS9VphfL3ZYykrIe-_knYt3fCEpdTqX3bLo3Tznjw8JzjHOrqgiYuKJdLtN8VUPQLjlgSZe2ENQhS9FiD_alVRhYK9FMwLc73cij995k4c3kJrr57raXtHh-HXzF3Ai1MuY0AGqTh7TjATGY3oSQ411SijOab-RTEAchlmkLwPsFjaO1ZlmCSdRX_g/s320/IMG-7931.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My painting booth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(I used poser board and tape to line the inside, as this is going to be set up for a longer period, which will save me from having to clean off the inside walls later on - If you are not planning to relocate, this is a big time saving step)</div></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p>ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-89637824873540758852019-09-30T05:19:00.001-07:002019-09-30T05:19:09.863-07:00Northern WiP thoughts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The weekend started off with an attempt to live-stream my painting at the request of a few who wanted to see how the contrast paints work. Spent an hour getting things set up with the webcam, the right angle, lighting, etc. In the end though, it was kind of a wash, as my camera was having issues getting the model I was working on in focus. Tried it on Facebook rather than twitch, so the rest of the weekend was spent looking up ways to adjust the camera settings in OBS (my streaming software) to possibly allow for recording that way. <br />
<br />
End result? Very little painting done, but a better understanding of what I would need if I was going to do how-to videos. Next up, I'll try using my old iPad mini to film, then voice-over the painting footage. Its not ideal, but the camera is still pretty good for being as old as it is. A few extra steps, but without an actual camera (rather than a webcam) I think I'm going to have to stick to streaming gaming rather than projects for the moment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZqMehGEubmf0h2DK8tBzuDOjofGqqVFSBSE1Acz7P98WgqBMvRtLi_8yEQkQ_u-mEVWWU94RKewsPj99lBZ_KdLN8sl7brgOd6cFFDThraWXm2T_7y3G8JwVZ_r8UKNKJRdzCNFQOVBT/s1600/IMG-1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZqMehGEubmf0h2DK8tBzuDOjofGqqVFSBSE1Acz7P98WgqBMvRtLi_8yEQkQ_u-mEVWWU94RKewsPj99lBZ_KdLN8sl7brgOd6cFFDThraWXm2T_7y3G8JwVZ_r8UKNKJRdzCNFQOVBT/s320/IMG-1301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
With all this going on, I did manage to get a bit of work done on my northern army. I have everything base coated with the contrast paint except for a few paratroopers I am saving for when I can get a camera set up to record it. After the failed stream, I went and decided to knock out all the models on my desk, only to realize at the end I hadnt gotten the footage needed. So those will be sitting here until I can try it again this week. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2WOPp-vI6znKPTjs_jBwZMG4FnRgzSDWMQt4OB5Grl9eWlBBPla588Lb4PvN4BNdfs4DbsaUlQQldzvp9DRuwsvr85pt_aBfYeAdI3GgpYrs1c-x3FsFJyQK1rZJT4LQA3RWnB8J4FPD/s1600/IMG-1312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2WOPp-vI6znKPTjs_jBwZMG4FnRgzSDWMQt4OB5Grl9eWlBBPla588Lb4PvN4BNdfs4DbsaUlQQldzvp9DRuwsvr85pt_aBfYeAdI3GgpYrs1c-x3FsFJyQK1rZJT4LQA3RWnB8J4FPD/s320/IMG-1312.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjD3PMCNeiGsNkm52qFrTrQcfhX1SbKPUWOy8a52XVif4g_QkYdZekMJk7ygxT2JAQaIZBmn3qhrqAVD_dtx4F6SqnJtHT23ObpkQ_DFJXTSjoYZR2V20ciNmBuE1awQiYT1mvvkn1kh61/s1600/IMG-1311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjD3PMCNeiGsNkm52qFrTrQcfhX1SbKPUWOy8a52XVif4g_QkYdZekMJk7ygxT2JAQaIZBmn3qhrqAVD_dtx4F6SqnJtHT23ObpkQ_DFJXTSjoYZR2V20ciNmBuE1awQiYT1mvvkn1kh61/s320/IMG-1311.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div>
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On the left, you have the WiP of the Stripped Down Hunter. Militarium Green contrast paint for the ballistic cloth on the arms/legs. It looks good enough in a photo, but doesnt look quite right in person. The recesses are dark, gives the green look I wanted, but the flat areas of padding are splotchy and not the right shade for me. So then you have the model on the right, where I took a 'faded OD green' (Mekong Moss from the Heavy Gear paint set) and wet brushed the raised areas. Much better. Gives the faded look while also showing off the texture. Adds more to the process, but gets the right look. I am still not sure if I should possibly undercoat the cloth areas with a regular green prior to the contrast paint, but in the interest of getting these done with the fewest steps possible, I think they should be fine without it. Opinions?<br />
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This test was a flop. I wanted to see how the Blood Angel red contrast paint would look on the head of my airborne troops. I was going for more of a maroon, ended up with a bright red. I think I am going to need to re-paint the heads using a dark grey if I want to use the contrast paint, or simply paint them the color I'm going for. Below is a photo of the Asp I painted with a red shoulder, which was a grey base, and it has more of the muted red look I'm after. <br />
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I'll try another one with regular paint before I go and re-do all the heads with a darker base color. The red shoulders might look darker because of the overall tone of the model, rather than actually being darker. Still, its progress. <br />
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ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-55977396829219277182019-09-19T18:43:00.004-07:002019-09-19T18:43:54.213-07:00Southern Paint Experiment and Future Projects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The testing continues! So far my experiments with the contrast paints have worked out well. I started with the squad of Asp's as the test run, but given how well they came out I went ahead and did the entire force like that. I'll post the complete color list and step-by-step on my next post, once I have finished models to show off.<br />
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Once I had the entire force base-coated, I tried a few different colors with my two Gila's (Duelists). One in purple, which turned out too dark with the grey primer (and later turned out to still be too dark even on a white base, I think it might work if thinned down, but did not try that). The other in green, which I liked. That green is a runner up for choice with the army, but grey just felt more appropriate for a Southern group. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRXS3glOfCMrdyHx7ZLTCd6xwtoxxasvsC6N-XesHqwHwqB0d8aapEh8TcM-ms04aGkU0fzasafTrhN09vC1-p8r0pbLbW-APT8YY8J_zN_blko5Vinun4EZH5KMyRaE9lUL9JMRBjVhp/s1600/70722953_2324298334489143_3463823598748172288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRXS3glOfCMrdyHx7ZLTCd6xwtoxxasvsC6N-XesHqwHwqB0d8aapEh8TcM-ms04aGkU0fzasafTrhN09vC1-p8r0pbLbW-APT8YY8J_zN_blko5Vinun4EZH5KMyRaE9lUL9JMRBjVhp/s400/70722953_2324298334489143_3463823598748172288_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did the Asp's with red shoulders, then considered a different color for each group. Started to go back and forth with it, thinking about doing the whole force with red shoulders instead, so I asked for advice. After explaining to my wife the dilemma (for what is basically a 'platoon' or 'company' sized element, they really should all have the same markings), her response was perfect. "Yes, I know that's not how the military works.. but this is space robots... sooo..." She was right, as it turns out. </div>
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Each squad got its own shoulder color, chosen from the colors that I thought would stand out. Tactical? No, not at all. But its "space robots" so I can let that go. The only squad that did not use contrast paints for the shoulder was the command squad, which had issues with the purple contrast paint being a bit too dark. I went with a regular paint (non-contrast) purple instead. </div>
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Testing details. Red for the optics (green was considered, especially as the missile pods are also red, but growing up with movies like 'The Terminator' robots have red eyes.. it just didnt feel right otherwise), yellow bands around the missile pods for the warning stripes, etc. I painted a few weapons in a full metallic grey and another set in black. The black looked better, so repainted the metallic ones. I'll probably hit details in gunmetal and drybrush it.</div>
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Final bit of testing was the base. I picked up a few big tubes of non-hobby paint on sale at a craft store a month or two ago for basing/terrain use. Painted the sandy/rocky area with a burnt umber, then the squares like concrete slabs. A wash of Agrax Earthshade tied it all together and gave it the weathered/dirty look I wanted. Might hit the sand with a light drybrush before looking for appropriate desert foliage tufts to stick on a few of them. </div>
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For me, one of the most time consuming parts of painting a force is figuring out what to paint which color. There are still little details I keep having to go back to get as I realize I missed them (the road wheels in the feet/legs, pouches/knives on the waist, grenades, accessories, etc). I take a lot of notes with what I try, what I decided to go with, and the order I paint them in. Then, when I take another year or so off from painting somethings (or need to go back and make a new squad that looks the same) I have the hard part taken care of. It also helps when people ask how I did them. </div>
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This is really exciting for me. As I've mentioned, I have been painting and playing with miniatures in one form or another since the mid-90's. I do not think I have ever been this close to a finished army in any game I have played. Most of the hard part is done, and trying to stick to a commitment of spending at least 30 minutes a day doing something hobby related has really gotten some solid work done. </div>
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Next up will be my Northern army, which I have also done some testing with. Ideas are abound there, mostly in how I can improve the technique. For the contrast paint I am using as the 'base coat' I think I will try to thin it down some, maybe avoid those brown 'spots' I got when it was left to dry while too thick. The green on the ballistic padding (a feature on any stripped down or paratrooper gear) did not turn out well either, so I may paint those with a different green as the base, then wash with either a contrast paint or something else. The fiddly bits will be much the same as the south. Eyes, weapons, accessories, they can all match the southern models. </div>
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Long-term is a plastic Caprice army from the kickstarter. As of now, I think I have 4-5 models assembled, the rest are still on sprues and in a box. Once both the other two are done, I'll see if I have the drive to push on to a third army. Good news is I already have quite a bit figured out with them with regards to painting. I intend to do them up in a red shade (probably the Blood Angel Red contrast) and the basing will be a red-oxide colored paste that should simulate Caprice well enough (it has a very 'Mars' look to it). My big hang-up with that army is magnets. I have several good guides to work from with how to magnetize the army, its just finding the appropriate magnets I am finding difficulty with. I'll keep looking while I get these two done. </div>
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I have a game coming up this weekend with a completely new player, so I'm going to try and get as much done as I can before then. I'll keep things updated here as best I can.</div>
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ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-22520689670832083252019-08-20T11:03:00.000-07:002019-08-20T11:03:25.677-07:00Testing Contrast Paints (Heavy Gear)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I took a few hours and tried out a northern and southern paint scheme last weekend. As I have two fairly large armies for Heavy Gear, I wanted to do something that would let me get a decent paint job on them without committing to time that I just dont have to spend on them. First, the armies.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsHXZ1mOlRHKvq-KlCkVkyhuISgN17iGXrYLMwVtGz6WyBZ8GfxXYaRqecpiB7LSf1jJbPNVxY14aXFx3y3iyOGzrwdEE1NZy5H5G_Jjx3Wm3YxkHX8rcVI3bBoq-iVG-4BBXYtFh9hKJ/s1600/IMG_1075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsHXZ1mOlRHKvq-KlCkVkyhuISgN17iGXrYLMwVtGz6WyBZ8GfxXYaRqecpiB7LSf1jJbPNVxY14aXFx3y3iyOGzrwdEE1NZy5H5G_Jjx3Wm3YxkHX8rcVI3bBoq-iVG-4BBXYtFh9hKJ/s320/IMG_1075.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Army (ESE)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn8i1RlqZHyRdhNwYZOgsZNvv1AMLnAx9xG798P6kDqRnQc0CaGFsDD6hV9wwf0jh8GCM53AyjbIyXRPLAKAQLnn2yTPrzgcB_5hvcRk1PW3uuZqczdTbHcEU8AS3l-kKbXqcQkKnIROw/s1600/IMG_1077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn8i1RlqZHyRdhNwYZOgsZNvv1AMLnAx9xG798P6kDqRnQc0CaGFsDD6hV9wwf0jh8GCM53AyjbIyXRPLAKAQLnn2yTPrzgcB_5hvcRk1PW3uuZqczdTbHcEU8AS3l-kKbXqcQkKnIROw/s320/IMG_1077.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Army (WFPA)</td></tr>
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As you can see, there is a lot there. Not bad for starting sometime in 2013. Managed to get an army assembled and primed in less than a decade. Now for the real test, can I get them painted before 2020?<br />
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To start with, there is a color 'theme' with factions in HG. The north tends to go for lighter earth-tones (yellows, browns, etc) while the South tends to go with darker colors (grey, green, etc). While I have yet to find a resource in any of the old books I own, sometimes things like this just happen. Like painting WW2 Germans as a grey rather than grey-green. I digress.<br />
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Citadel recently came out with a line of Contrast Paints. I wont bother linking to a video or review, just do a search, you'll find a ton. My review came from a local game store, and the results were pretty good for the work put in. The idea is that it is a one-layer paint/wash all in one. It pools in the lower areas, giving it a lighter look on raised area and darker in the recesses. My main concern was coverage, and how it would look on wide flat areas. First attempt at using them was to paint some British Vospers for Cruel Seas that I did not plan to use. Lets have a look.<br />
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As you can see, I also painted a few of my Italian ships after I tried them, except with a white primer. The color of the primer can make a big difference in the final look of it, because of how transparent the contrast paints are. If you look at the bottom, I used (from left to right) Basilicanum Grey, Creed camo, and Militarum Green (not counting the three that were left in the grey primer). I also used the Basilicanum Grey on the Italians, but with the white primer they came out with a much lighter grey than the dark look (almost like a black wash) on the grey primer. Good enough for now.<br />
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Once the army was primed, I picked a sacrificial unit from each as my color test unit. Something that could look different from the others if I didnt like it, and it would make sense. Asp's for the South, Stripped-Down Hunters for the North. Here is the test run.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18kpRkMdGsw6-1FjD2fKVuzXZOz2_S063YYRG7ZG5yeC_5bO6VcxLg9mlCUl2HPIShcIGuoeoztrt4PznRmtWews9ZEzQxeTxc07kFpG4XuIK9xS7lDWCN4c7EKarUN1TF9xKI3Aylk-G/s1600/IMG-1150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18kpRkMdGsw6-1FjD2fKVuzXZOz2_S063YYRG7ZG5yeC_5bO6VcxLg9mlCUl2HPIShcIGuoeoztrt4PznRmtWews9ZEzQxeTxc07kFpG4XuIK9xS7lDWCN4c7EKarUN1TF9xKI3Aylk-G/s320/IMG-1150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Top photo is the primer with the contrast paint test on the Asp, below that is a Stripped-Down Hunter and some infantry. Once I got going on the contrast paints, I didnt really want to stop. The infantry used Skeleton Horde for the body and Aggaros Dunes for the helmet. For some reason, even though it is the same primer the Aggaros Dunes turned out much brighter on the Gear than on the helmets. Maybe it was the surface area, or I used too much. Still, I wanted to tie the two units together with a similar color. I also find it very interesting that the resulting color does not really match the color shades shown on the various charts for the contrast paints. My advice there is to buy what looks right in the bottle, and try it out. You can also use helpful references like this: <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/GjwQxcy">https://imgur.com/gallery/GjwQxcy</a><br />
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For the Asp, I did the main body with Basilicanum Grey, one shoulder in Blood Angels Red, and the weapons (gun and grenade packs on shoulders) with Black Templar. The Hunter got Aggaros Dunes, with Militarum Green for the ballistic cloth. I started to use Black Templar on the rifle, but the primer was too bright so I opted to just go back over with an actual black paint later on. Here are the finish squads.<br />
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Some things to pay attention to. You'll notice one Hunter has really brown shoulders. That was accidental, when I went over a mostly dry section that had been painted once already with another layer. Radically changed the color. In this case, it works out. That will be my Group Leader (CGL), but it is something to pay attention to. There is a little play with the colors when they first go on, but if you try to touch it up later with spots you miss, you'll end up changing the color of anything that has dried. I first noticed this with the Italian ships above, and it is a race to cover everything with a single layer before it starts to dry, without accidentally doubling up on coverage. This is going to make larger models (like ships) a challenge. <br />
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The other thing I noticed is that the Militarum Green on the ballistic cloth seemed to be very light on the raised areas. Almost too light, with the tan showing through. I went back over with a second layer there, which didnt drastically altar the overall color, but made the dark recesses very dark. I'm not sure if I should maybe paint a layer of a green roughly over the areas on future models, then add the contrast paint. Its worth some testing. <br />
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All in all, I am happy with the results. Minus a few details (guns, sensors, exhaust and other weathering) the Asps are done, which took me about an hour overall. The hunters took a little more time, because I had to use two colors on specific areas, as well as having to be very careful with coverage. <br />
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For those of us who want to try and save time whenever possible, I think the Contrast Paint line will certainly help. I wont get into the debate over DIY contrast paints vs the Citadel versions and all that. Thats something else you can dig up if you want to get into it. I will say that once I have a stable studio, I may look into making a contrast paint base in a large quantity, then using inks to make my own, but thats way down the line. For now, this works. It isnt a one-stop painting solution, but it did save me quite a bit of time. Some thought has to be put into it by using the right color primer to get the final result you want, but it did save me time in the wash/highlight step. The result isnt perfect, but certainly good enough for table-ready models. I'll be sure to post up photos of the finished squads so you can make up your mind there.<br />
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ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-73217039572656227542019-08-03T15:35:00.000-07:002019-08-03T15:35:59.014-07:00Model Prep and Build Process<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am occasionally asked what my process is for getting my models put together and ready to use. Here, I am going to explain what works for me and give an overview of the process.<br />
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Before I get going, I want to do a review of the tools I use. It is not necessary to have all of this, you can do almost everything necessary with a sharp hobby knife and some files. I am always on the look out for a more efficient way to do things, which leads me to try a variety of products. I've also found specific tools help with the odd unexpected situation, so I leave them in my case should I need them again.<br />
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Both of my cases were purchased on amazon, some sort of electronics storage case or other small tool case. I travel a lot, so having them all in a portable and compact carry case made sense. I can put them in a small box with whatever my current project is and have everything I need to work on them when I have the time.<br />
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Main Case:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Wire Cutters</li>
<li>Flathead pliers ( square tip - no teeth)</li>
<li>Pointed tip sprue cutters</li>
<li>Steel needle files</li>
<li>Emery Board (for sanding fingernails)</li>
<li>Citadel Moldline Remover</li>
<li>Tamiya paint stirrer</li>
<li>Variety of Hobby Tweezers</li>
<li>Padded grip hobby knife (with cover)</li>
<li>Tamiya precision pin vice and bits</li>
<li>Scrap plastic (to check pin vice bit sizes)</li>
<li>Variety of pin vices</li>
</ul>
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Second Case:</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Dremel drill bits </li>
<li>Pinning rods (with the same size bits)</li>
<li>Small cutting board</li>
<li>Extra hobby knife blades</li>
<li>Old wire cutters/sprue trimmers</li>
<li>Second Hobby Knife</li>
<li>Hobby saw</li>
<li>Second Tamiya paint stirrer</li>
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Most of this case is 'left over' stuff, or extras. I take my cutters and put them in this case when they start wearing out and I buy new ones. Sometimes, you have to use them to cut through some thick models or other things that would damage/dull a new set. Better to break a set you are no longer using or one that is already dull than replacing new. I also have a plastic tub that is full of many more left over or old tools I no longer use that I'll occasionally dig into. Never discard things unnecessarily, it might save you some time to use it again down the line. Also, buy in bulk (hobby knife blades and files especially).</div>
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Now, on to the models.<br />
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To start with, you'll get your models in whatever pack they come in. For this, I decided to go with Heavy Gear, as I have several in various stages of completion to use an example. Just remove them from the package, try to brush off or trim any mold lines or other unnecessary bits, and get to work.<br />
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Start by removing mold lines with a hobby knife and files. Try to trim up and identify any flaws with the model. Get an idea of how you will be attaching it to your base, and how the parts fit together. Pinning, if you plan to do it (based on how secure the pieces are in attaching together) can be started here. For these models, I usually pin the arms to the torso, and another pin in the foot to attach it to the base.<br />
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When that is all done with and you have a model that is ready to be put together, you'll need to clean it up first. This step is necessary for most (if not all) metal and resin models (NOTE - I've been told plastics need it as well, I have yet to wash my plastic models and have never had an issue - opinions vary). It removes the various chemicals that are used in the molding process, which can cause paint to not adhere to the model. It will also remove your finger oils, dust, and debris (like the metal flakes from filing) from your models, making it much easier to assemble and paint.<br />
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I have used a variety of products over the years. From oven cleaner, to brake fluid, simple green, and dish soap. I prefer Super Clean (also known as "Purple Power"). Its a multi-purpose cleaner, smells nice, wont damage plastics, and not harmful if you get it on your skin. (NOTE - This stuff is also great at stripping paint and glue from models!)<br />
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Just throw the models in a little plastic container of the right size to submerge them, add your cleaner, and let set. You can leave it for as long as you like, it really doesnt need much time at all (soaking not required, I just do it because I'm working on other things). Pull them out and take an old toothbrush to them. Get in all the little areas, rinse them off throughly with plain water, and put them somewhere to dry. A side note - If you have hard water, try to get them as dry as possible before setting them to air dry, you'll avoid any deposits of minerals from the water on your model that way.<br />
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Following this, you will attach the model to whatever base you have decided to use. I can do a write up on how I base my figures in another article, but that should all be done ahead of time. As I said, I put a pin in the leg to secure to the base (I've found metal models can detach from the base if you just use glue, especially for dynamic poses).<br />
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You'll also want to put your pins into whatever parts get them. For this Jager, you can see each arm has a pin which was small enough to be put inside the nub that goes into the torso already. I figured doubling up on securing it was worthwhile, and did not take me much more time. Pinning might seem like a long and unnecessary process to some, but having had several of my models not survive casual gaming or transport because the glue failed, I have a habit of putting a pin connection in just about anything. For this model, the shoulder rocket pod and backpack could both benefit from it. Probably not the head though, it is not nearly big enough to get a good hole in there to secure it down. Below you can see the rest of the squad, with the extra holes in the arm slots for the pins which I added to the arms.<br />
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At this point, you can finish the model assembly and give it a layer of primer. For these models, being metal, I used a small bottle of brush-on nail glue (the stuff for fake fingernails). This is just a higher quality Ethyl Cyanoacrylate than the generic hobby glues you can get at any shop. I feel like it bonds a little better, and I like the brush included in there (it helps me not make as much of a mess). In the end, you should have something that looks like this:</div>
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There it is, from start to finish, this is how I prep and build my models. There are a few specifics that I do not cover at all (basing, how to pin, airbrushing the primer) but those are easy to find on youtube. This process will work for just about any model you need to put together, and can easily be stopped or started if you need to take a break. Quite a few of the models below were started years ago, and waited in a box for me to get around to finishing them up. No breaks, no failed joins, and having a standardized process let me know exactly where I left off. </div>
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Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think and whatever else you would like to read about here.</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-24281516733228499252019-08-01T14:43:00.003-07:002022-10-24T22:25:10.380-07:00Summer 2019 Update <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, the best laid plans... Spring of 2016 as my last update? That just wont work.<br />
<br />
Presently, I am "playing" the following games (I say "playing" because a lot of what I'm doing is often on the workbench, but the intent is there!):<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Bolt Action</li>
<li>Heavy Gear</li>
<li>Cruel Seas</li>
</ul>
<div>
As you can see, I've paired down my list of games by a big margin. Now, I still have everything I need to play Flames of War, Tanks, and others. I have just found that either the current edition of the rules do not suit me, or there are no players in my area. I mention them, because I intend to work on them, they are just a low priority compared to the three games I actively play now. </div>
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I went through others over the past few years. Bought Team Yankee. Sold Team Yankee. Bought Blood Red Skies. Still have it... played it twice. Cleared out of all of my Force on Force/Tomorrows War stuff. Briefly dabbled in Kill Team (40k), but handed that off to the next generation (gave it all to my son). X-wing is sitting on a shelf, maybe off to the sale bin (again). I even got into doing 1:800 scale warships, though that has fallen off since I got into Cruel Seas (its 1:300). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So what next? First, I need to look through here, see what my plans were, and compare them to what my plans currently are. I'm anxious to get some how-to guides up. My year in Korea was very well spent, both work and hobby related. I learned a lot, and I want to share that. I'm interested in figuring out a way to record hobby videos. My current youtube channel is all my streaming (link below for those interested), but I feel that making some guides might be helpful, if only to motivate me to get working on stuff. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I've been trying out new products. New techniques. Actually putting paint on models and putting models on the table to play. Its crazy. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I attended my first gaming convention last month. Historicon 2019 in Lancaster, PA. It did wonders to get me fired up again to work on these projects, as well as to share it with whoever is interested. So here I am. </div>
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<br /></div>
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What can you expect here? At this time, I'm setting up a status update with my main three games. Full photo spread of what I have, what I'm working on, and what I'd like to see happen with them. From there, maybe a video or two. It will be rough, but new projects always are. I'm thinking I'll start with Heavy Gear, as there are already plenty of good videos out for Bolt Action and Cruel Seas, I'm not sure I can really add much to that at this time. </div>
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All in all, I just need to keep up the motivation, and get these projects off my bench and onto the table!</div>
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Until then, check me out on YouTube and Twitch. I mainly run World of Warships, but I'm trying to get set up for tutorial videos (or something similar):</div>
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<br /></div>
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YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/ByzantineFalcon/</div>
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Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/byzantinefalcon/</div>
</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-57607037450145093312016-03-26T22:16:00.002-07:002019-08-08T12:07:13.020-07:00Spring 2016 Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It would seem the buzz over Team Yankee has died down somewhat. Considering I pre-ordered the rulebook from a store a few hours away in December, but it is almost four months later and I have yet to even read the rules, I will admit my own interest in waning. I still plan to work on the models I purchased in 6mm, so hopefully actually getting the rules in my hands will get me motivated. <br />
<br />
Though, I have to admit, I am somewhat glad it went this way. Battlefront just announced the new rules set for the <a href="http://www.team-yankee.com/Default.aspx?tabid=878&art_id=5125">Afgantsy Air Assault Battalion</a> which is how I had wanted to run my Soviet force anyway. Of course, this means I need more Hinds. <br />
<br />
Flames of War is on a semi-hiatus as well, at least with playing. One player moved, another found a new hobby (that I also share), and another is on a different shift. Makes scheduling games fairly difficult. Still, work is proceeding along, just at a slow pace. I would like to make this the year I FINALLY finish an entire army, and I have fairly high hopes of accomplishing that. My Soviets are all in the beginning stages of painting, with the infantry almost done, and the tanks moving along. If I can just keep from adding any more units, I should be fine. Also, by the time I get it done, maybe the tournament points will return to a higher total so I can run the horde I had planned. <br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heavygearblitz/heavy-gear-blitz-war-for-terra-nova-starter-set">Heavy Gear Kickstarter</a> is showing some progress. It was supposed to be delivered last November, but they are being good with the communication on status, and the delays are understandable. The <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/144759/Heavy-Gear-Blitz-Tabletop-Wargaming--Living-Rulebook-Beta">Living Rulebook (Beta)</a> looks to be pretty solid as well. I played a game about a year and a half ago that went fairly well. Since then, I have been content to just continue working on the figures I have, planning lists, and watching videos. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLnkNAsI80A_nAee1uekVW_ACEmKXyUgND" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
I have some rough ideas of how I want these figures to look. Basing is pretty much set, I decided to go with the Privateer Press 'lipped' bases, and I am heavily pinning most of the models. My Southern force has been worked on since I started buying them up in 2013. The Northern figures I have are coming along much more slowly, I had to re-plan the whole force with the Beta rules. I still have the Peace River models unopened in their boxes, I wont even get into that until at least one of the other ones is finished. <br />
<br />
Recently I decided to get back into X-Wing Miniatures. There are a few local players, and it seems to be a much better casual play game, so I have been able to play it much more easily. I am amazed at how much it has changed since I played last. New faction, several new waves, and a fairly active organized play structure. A friend and I started a cinematic play campaign using his Rebel Transport, and that has been pretty fun. I wont go into a lot of detail on that, but felt it was worth mentioning. <br />
<br />
I want to try and keep this updated, but the time I spent writing, I am not using to finish projects. Still, I imagine a few people still read this, so I want to make it worthwhile. As I can, I will update projects, post photos, and have some resources available for those that are interested. </div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-75812979529059223472015-11-22T04:40:00.000-08:002019-08-08T12:07:22.957-07:00Considering DBA 3.0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my first ventures into ancient/medieval wargaming was De Bellis Antiquitatis (or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Bellis_Antiquitatis">DBA</a> for short). I believe it was 2008/2009 when my friend Mark introduced me to a simple, quick play historical game. I was skeptical at first, not really needing another game to get into, but after a few rounds I was hooked. It had just what I was looking for with small armies (12 bases per army, not counting optional units) and it was also a lot of what I liked about the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism - another long-term hobby) in that you could either do strict historical scenarios or a free-for-all with history. Soon we had about a half-dozen players at the store, with everyone wanting to give it a try. The game was cheap enough to make this possible, no matter how strapped you were with your other games, putting a whole army together for less than $20 was easy enough. <br />
<br />
Anyway, eventually this fell to the side for me, though I never got rid of my models. Even my unassembled armies (I had purchased several that I never got around to) are still in my model box. This past week I had the pleasure of meeting another local gamer who has a lot of experience with wargames, and eventually we got to talking about DBA. I knew it was moving into 3.0 with the rules edition, though I had not had an opportunity to play it yet. I was mostly waiting around to see if I would need to get new armies (if any of the lists changed). Turns out, they didnt. So my Romans and Huns (likely my Landsknechts, Byzantines, and Samurai as well) are still good. Since I have not been able to sell off my almost finished Field of Glory Imperial Roman army, I might as well put it to use in DBA. <br />
<br />
I may have to post some photos of what I have, as well as any side projects I get into. One thing I really enjoyed about the game is that if I dont feel like setting aside a block of time to work on one of my current projects (I generally spend 3-4 hours per Flames of War platoon, give or take), I can do something for DBA in less than an hour. A piece of terrain, a camp, a few bases of figures, whatever. I can test out new methods, and if it doesnt work, who cares? <br />
<br />
The game is played on a 2' x 2' board. When I got into it Mark had several which I think were a part of some sort of modular game board system. One was flat, another with a mountain on one corner, and another had some random hills. The only one I ended up with was the flat one, figuring I could adjust the terrain as needed rather than having a permanent hill or other features on it. Anyway, it is gone now, and I am left trying to find a new game board. <br />
<br />
Some articles I have run across detail some creative ideas. <a href="http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~kuijt/miscellania/Terrain.html">This</a> article details making them out of plywood squares so you can mix and match as needed with built in terrain. With that in mind, <a href="http://15mm-madness.blogspot.com/2011/10/dba-hott-board-tiles.html">another</a> article suggests the use of canvas squares (like, a painting canvas) with much of the same idea overall. I like the idea of modular boards so you can change things around as well as having some of the terrain built into the table (something that has been fairly difficult for me to figure out without a dedicated gaming space). Water, roads, fields and hills all look better when you can make it more permanent. <br />
<br />
Camps are another easy terrain project. I have a box full of random odds and ends I have collected over the past 5-6 years with the intent of building camps or towns with them. Some pages that have excellent examples are <a href="http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~kuijt/dbaCamps/camps.html">here</a> and on the fanaticus website <a href="http://fanaticus.org/DBA/eyecandy/camps/index.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I wanted to put some of my thoughts down and see how motivated I am to follow through on it. I already have a lot on the bench currently, but if I find myself working on it, and maybe talking some of my fellow gamers in the area into trying it, I may just see how far along I can get things.<br />
<br />
<br />
01JAN2016 Update - Between my inability to secure a copy of the rules and the abundance of other projects, DBA has been shelved again. It seemed like a worthwhile idea, and if I had anyone interested in playing it locally, it would be worth looking into. Until then, back into the box.</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-12843051893782482872015-11-21T05:21:00.002-08:002019-08-08T12:07:51.846-07:00From Start to Finish - Part 2 - Planning and Purchasing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, I have decided on a game (<a href="http://www.team-yankee.com/" target="_blank">Team Yankee</a>), decided on a scale (6mm), now I need to start pricing out miniatures. Considering the rulebook has not yet been released, I do not have much go to on. The pre-release list of units that should be available gives me a rough guide to what I should be looking for, and the two box sets (<a href="http://www.thewarstore.com/product104401.html" target="_blank">Bannon's Boys</a> and <a href="http://www.thewarstore.com/product104401.html" target="_blank">Potecknov's Bears</a>) provide a baseline of what a 'starter' force should be. This also gives me a good opportunity to show the differences in price.<br />
<br />
Bannon's Boys ($90) contains:<br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">5x Plastic M1 Abrams Tanks </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">2x Plastic AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopters </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">1x Special Objective </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">2x Decal Sheets </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">7x Unit Cards </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="" white="">1x Template</span><br />
<br />
Potecknov's Bears ($120) contains:<br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">9x Plastic T-72 Tanks </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">2x Plastic MI-24 Hind Assault Helicopters </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">2x Decal Sheets </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">8x Unit Cards </span><br />
<span 12px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" inherit="">1x Template</span><br />
<br />
Team Yankee Rulebook - $25.00 ($22.50 on sale/pre-order)<br />
<br />
<br />
By comparison, the most expensive 6mm supplier (GHQ, which is also regarded as one of the best in quality) I would end up spending the following:<br />
<br />
Bannon's Boys - 5x M1 Abrams, 2x AH-1 - $23.90<br />
Potecknov's Bears - 10x T-72, 2x Mi-24 Hind - $47.80<br />
<br />
<br />
I can get an equivalent number of models to both starter boxes and the rulebook for $94.20 (not counting tax, shipping, etc). For a little over the cost of the least expensive box set, I can get everything I need to play. For the purpose of gaming on the cheap, 6mm seems very much like the way to go. <br />
<br />
Currently, I am torn between holding off on ordering any figures until the rules are available, and having two forces ready to go when the book does come out. I think I may just order the basic items listed here to start, and expand once the rules are available so lists can be drawn up. Otherwise, I may be tempted to buy one of everything, "just in case." I may also have a work-related project to do in 6mm, so I can always tack that on with this order.<br />
<br />
Once I have ordered everything I will post an unboxing and prep-work post to detail everything.<br />
<br />
Edit - 27 November 2015: GHQ ran a decent Black Friday sale, so I picked up enough to run a 75 point force for both US and USSR (which really was not much in the way of figures). </div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-49906518350020094282015-11-18T05:39:00.002-08:002019-08-08T12:08:02.657-07:00From Start to Finish - Part 1 - New Game, New Army<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my goals has been to detail how I select a game to play and put a collection of models together, then to record the whole process (with pictures). I had a great opportunity to do so when I started up a Soviet Tankovy for Flames of War a few months ago, but in my rush to get it up and running I completely forgot about documenting it. <br />
<br />
Luckily, I have another opportunity. Battlefront is set to release a new game <strike>this month</strike> next month, called <a href="http://www.team-yankee.com/" target="_blank">Team Yankee</a>. Based on the novel by Harold Coyle (currently available on <a href="http://amzn.com/B00YWE3YGM" target="_blank">Amazon</a> in the Kindle store), it details a what-if scenario of WW3 set in Germany in 1985. I am about half-way through the book, but by chapter 2 I had already pre-ordered the rulebook. Armor-based units were what got me into Flames of War, and this looks to be along those lines. The M1 Abrams vs the T-72, Cobras vs Hinds, and A-10's busting up Soviet tanks. Initially the previews did not really hook me, but the book has.<br />
<br />
So, now I have another game to play. But, this one is different, because even though Battlefront is providing a range of 15mm models for the game (of which I may pick up a few individual ones, for Force on Force if nothing else.. they do look good), it seems there is a fairly large community of players who are going to be playing it in 6mm. Micro-armor is a field I never really got into up until this point. I briefly considered Epic Warhammer 40,000 when I was in Colorado, but that was about it. Technically Battletech is in the same scale. 6mm is 1:285 scale, though from what I am reading it is pretty much the same as 1:300, as well as being pretty much the same scale the military uses. <br />
<br />
Now I have a game I am interested in, with a new scale people are actually using. So it is time to start researching what I will need. Some useful links I have found so far are listed below:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/military-models-modern-micro-armour.html">http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/military-models-modern-micro-armour.html</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pfc-cinc.com/front_page.html">http://www.pfc-cinc.com/front_page.html</a><br />
<a href="http://6mm.wargaming.info/index.htm">http://6mm.wargaming.info/index.htm</a><br />
<br />
At this point, I have a plan. Next step will be to get an idea of what models I need and who I will be ordering them from.<br />
<br />
<br />
Continued in: <span style="background-color: #edf4ff; color: #888888; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://byzantinefalcon.blogspot.com/2015/11/from-start-to-finish-part-2-planning.html">From Start to Finish - Part 2 - Planning and Purchasing</a></span></div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-29001539564581645122014-09-08T00:05:00.002-07:002014-09-08T00:05:37.158-07:00Finding Supplies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, let me start off by saying I am the kind of person who likes to be prepared for things. When I find a tool I like, I buy two, just in case one breaks or gets lost. I find a paint I like, I tend to have a few, or a line on them. New box that works well? I will probably use several, might as well have them ready. <div>
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That being said, I rarely find myself in a situation where I run out of something and am unable to replace it. But, it does happen, and is incredibly frustrating. </div>
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In this case, it would be the Battlefront spray paint, specifically the Mid/Late War German Armor (dunkelgelb or a medium dark yellow). It was perfect for a base coat. Put a layer on, airbrush the other camo colors, add details, and that was that. Naturally, it has been out of stock since 2012 when I got back into playing. I had figured I would exhaust my supply, paint all my vehicles, and by the time I got back into playing (or whenever I saw it available) I would pick up a new can. Turns out, it never came back into stock. Looks like they just quit making it, and even the other companies that tried up make up for the lack have also run out. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
This could be a mixed blessing, I suppose. In 1945, at the end of the war, many vehicles were rushed right out of the factories with a variety of paint jobs done, so I could paint different units in different styles to reflect this. I also managed to get most of my armor base coated in the spray while I had it, so there are only a few units that really NEED it. Still, frustrating. Feels like I am reinventing the process I had set up. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Also trying to find suppliers for the few models I still need. Bartertown has gotten me much of what I needed, but there are still a few packs I need to buy to be done with it. No stores in my area stock Flames of War, so I am back to looking online. Joy. </div>
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Ah well, at least something is getting done.</div>
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ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-89784290415235502812014-08-26T00:52:00.001-07:002014-08-26T00:52:48.984-07:00Back Home and Gaming Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
That was quite a break. Between getting ready to head home from the middle east, to the actual move, then settling in, gaming took a back seat to just about everything else. That is not to say I was not gaming, just that I did not have the time to really write about it. My apologies to anyone that actually reads these. I am hoping to correct the sporadic nature of my posts. <br />
<br />
While I was away, some things changed in the games I played. <br />
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<b>Flames of War - </b>I picked up two more late-war books covering German and US forces. Between the main four I own (<i>Bridge at Remagen, Desperate Measures, Blood Guts and Glory, </i>and <i>Nuts!</i>) I have enough to run a nice mix from both. Settled on the Heavy Panzer list from <i>Bridge at Remagen, </i>the Panzer Kampfgruppe from <i>Desperate Measures</i>, and the Volksgrenadier list from <i>Nuts!</i> as the primary three. I could do more, but those have a nice overlap and use a good portion of the miniatures I own currently. I would have dropped the Volks, but I have already finished nearly half the army, so might as well get that one wrapped up. <br />
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For the US there are two armored lists (one in <i>Bridge</i> the other in <i>BG&G</i>) that are pretty much the same, with a few different options. Good news there is that I also pretty much have everything I need. All I really want is enough to have 2-3 decent forces to play with, because I think the odds of finding local FoW players is slim to none. The gaming community here is fairly small, and seems to be limited to 40k and Warmachine. If I have two nice looking armies, maybe I can inspire folks to give it a try.<br />
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<b>SAGA - </b>They finished up SAGA in the Viking age with the Byzantine supplement while I was still deployed. Nothing new there. Then they went and released a set of SAGA rules for the Crusades (<i>Saga: The Cross and the Crescent</i>). Naturally, I had them on pre-order. I think they are getting delivered this week. <br />
<br />
I am sticking with my plan of doing them up in 15mm. Originally I had considered doing a single force in 25/28mm, and even traded for a full Norman army to assemble. While I am not sure if I want to follow through with that or not (it mostly depends on how much I can get done over the next month with other projects). 15mm is quick and easy, and cheap. I can assemble several forces, and even get a decent table set up without too much effort. Pretty much everything I play is in 15mm, and it just works better. I might be supplying both sides for every game I play, but I had planned to do that anyway, and this way I can afford to do so. <br />
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<b>Heavy Gear - </b>We got a whole new rules set while I was away. Frustrating, because everything I had planned to do with the Southern list I assembled has to be reevaluated. The Northern list I was working on (the Crazy 8's!) also got changed. Presently, the rules are in the Beta Test stage, they even released a cheap printed rulebook for that. As it stands, I am thinking I will just use the models I have to actually PLAY, maybe assemble a few other squads, and worry about the overall scope of the units once the rules are set. As I said, it is still very frustrating... Putting together a few lists and buying models for those lists, just to have them tossed aside with a rules change. That is a big part of why I quit playing 40k and anything else made by Games Workshop. Still, they have one free one here, the rules DID need an overhaul, and it looks to be an improvement. <br />
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<b>Force on Force/Tomorrows War - </b>I wish I could say I had some grand plans here, but that is not the case. I have my painted forces for FoF and any Zombie related game, but they have been in foam since they got painted. I can barely find anyone interested in gaming in general. I THINK I could get some military interest in FoF, based on the tactical nature of the game, but my heart is just not in it right now. I know I am not trimming back on those games, but I would need some serious interest from another player to get going again there. Possible, but not a high priority. Same deal though, I have a few models that do need to get painted up. <br />
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I am going to have quite a bit of free time over the next few weeks, so my plan is to write up a plan of action with getting models assembled and painted, see what I can get done, and adjust as necessary after that. I have trimmed out so many other games, I am down to the few that I have any interest in at all, but if I can not muster the interest in the time I have (currently in abundance) then I should probably reevaluate the whole thing. Lets see how I do.</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-55258129982349706292013-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:002015-11-21T05:27:15.874-08:00Resources<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A collection of useful articles, pages, and other information.<br />
<br />
Updated: 21 November 2015<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><b>Games</b></u></div>
Heavy Gear (Dream Pod 9) - <a href="http://www.dp9.com/">www.dp9.com</a><br />
Force on Force/Tomorrow's War (Ambush Alley Games) -<br />
Flames of War (Battlefront) - <a href="http://www.flamesofwar.com/">www.flamesofwar.com</a><br />
Team Yankee - <a href="http://www.team-yankee.com/" target="_blank">www.team-yankee.com/</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>LGS (Local Game Stores)</u></b></div>
<b>Colorado Springs, CO:</b><br />
The Yellow King - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/The-Yellow-King-132983833429520/" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/The-Yellow-King-132983833429520/</a><br />
Gamers Haven - <a href="http://www.gamershavenco.com/" target="_blank">www.gamershavenco.com</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<u><b> </b></u><br />
<b>Tucson, AZ:</b><br />
Hats Games - <a href="http://hatsgames.com/" target="_blank">hatsgames.com</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Online Suppliers</u></b></div>
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ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-8340344069021608212013-10-15T00:47:00.001-07:002016-03-26T21:44:17.824-07:00Eastern Sun Emirates (ESE) "OpFor" Planning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Initially, I had planned to put together two small forces to use in games. Mainly, to save on the overall cost of the project, but also to leave room for expansion as I went along. Then I went looking for lots of miniatures online, Bartertown mostly, and ended up with a lot of Southern Gears (and about twice as many Northern). This was troublesome, as I was leaning towards Leagueless and PRDF. While Leagueless can use both, it was recommended that I start with a non-Leagueless force, as they are set up mostly for experienced players due to how you can customize the Army. At one point, it was suggested I put what I had together into a Southern force of some sort. <br />
<br />
I had wanted to do a Mekong Dominion unit. I liked the idea of Bushido-based "marshals" in gears, not to mention the Vibro Katanas (I mean, come on... big stompy robots with katanas, might as well go big or go home). Problem is, when I was originally looking at this I was using the Locked and Loaded rulebook as my guide (which would of worked). After getting a look in Forged in Fire (The Southern Leagues sourcebook), running Mekong would require that I buy almost all of my core units... counter-productive to turning a box of extras into a playable force. It was not that I did not have enough units to run a Southern force of some sort, the models are mostly the same between factions, but special rules favor some units over others depending on who you play. To make the most of those rules, I would have to buy entirely different squads (cadres), or a variety of parts to modify what I did have. It was not going to work.<br />
<br />
That was when I took a look at some of the guides on the Dream Pod 9 forum and noticed the ESE. To quote <a href="http://dp9forum.com/index.php?showtopic=15601" target="_blank">Korochun</a>: <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"Finally, we have the <b>Eastern Sun Emirates</b>,
or the ESE, or the feudal hellhole of Terra Nova. While nominally in
the AST Domain, and while their current Patriarch, Nigel Shirow is a
much better dude than the former one, the Eastern Sun Emirates are still
run like a feudal state. Meaning that there are thirty-something major
feudal lords (or Emirs) which are more or less kings in their own
territory, as well as hundreds of minor ones. Their allegiances tend
to…differ. As in, they run the gamut of everything from AST to CEF to
the North. This is quite possibly the most diverse faction you can play,
as they can use units from any faction on Terra Nova and beyond, and
even use some of their special rules. They can also field Iguanas and
Basilisks galore, because they have a massive industrial base and
Territorial Arms sold them rights to these designs. They can also swap
any Black Mamba to a Gila, which makes for a very scary, very smashy
army. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
On the downside, ESE is generally one of the most backward places on
Terra Nova, to the point where even the Dominionites, who have <i>institutionalized slavery</i>,
consider them generally barbaric. The society is very stratified with
peasants, or shajahalin, at the very bottom, several castes of middle
managers, and Emirs at the top. Before Nigel Shirow’s rise to power, the
country’s most popular past time was televised bloodsports of any kind
imaginable, and even though that has waned considerably since Shirow won
his rebellion, many Emirs are still loyal to the old values and treat
their population like dirt. Ah. So good to end this section on a
cheerful note."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">Sounds like it could be fun. Seriously though, the fluff aside, their Army is versitile, which was the key for me. The ESE has alliances based on the specific Emirate, which seem to be vague in the books (a good thing, being undefined like that), but can add in squads from just about every other faction in the game (on Terra Nova, at least). So, I could add in Northern units, PRDF units, or Leagueless units (which are the ultimate in using whatever you have on hand). Alternately, I could add in Mekong rules as well if I wanted. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">I spent a few hours looking at the rules, comparing it to the list of figures I had on hand, and settling on a list. Drew it up, posted it on the forum for review, got feedback, revised the list, posted, feedback, revised, and finally settled on this:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">ESE OpFor <acronym class="bbc" title="Gear Regiment">S_GEAR</acronym>, Gear Regiment ESEG.</span></b> <br />800 TV, PL 2, 3 SPs, 6 CPs</span><br />
Ruleset: Gear Up 5 Threat Values<br /><i>OpFor list for demo games - ESE with option for other factions</i><br /><br /><b>Veteran Line Strike Cadre</b> (Specialist) [Army Command Group] <b>420TV</b><br /><i>Allow Tankhunter upgrade</i><br />
</span></span><br />
<ul class="bbc"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 4, Sensors 1, Comm 2, AutoComm 5, Actions 1 (Arms, Backup Sensors, ECM (3), ECCM (3))">Black Box Iguana</acronym> [3/4/3/4] (14/42 LHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="MPZF -1 (6/24/--) x15 M">MPZF</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> CGL, ArmyCmdr (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Black Mamba->Iguana -5 TV->Black Box Iguana 0 TV) EW +1 (Regimental benefit) +5 TV, Def +1 (AC, 1act) +5 TV, EW +1 (AC, 1act) +5 TV, Ld to 3 +10 TV, LD +1 (AC, required) +10 TV, ATT, DEF +1 +10 TV">8 options</acronym>) 105TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 3, Sensors 1, Comm 1, AutoComm 4, Actions 1 (Arms, Airdroppable, Weak Facing (rear), Autopilot)">Long Fang Black Mamba</acronym> [3/3/1/0] (17/51 LHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="MAC 0 (18/72/oo) x10 RoF 1 R">MAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="MRP/36 -1 (12/48/oo) x18 RoF 4 IF, LINKED">MRP/36</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="MRP/36 -1 (12/48/oo) x18 RoF 4 IF, LINKED">MRP/36</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Black Mamba->Long Fang Black Mamba +35 TV) ATT, DEF +1 +10 TV">2 options</acronym>) 100TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 3, Sensors 1, Comm 1, AutoComm 4, Actions 1 (Arms, Airdroppable, Weak Facing (rear), Exposed FireCon, Autopilot)">Blazing Mamba</acronym> [3/3/1/0] (17/51 LHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="HGLC 1 (12/48/oo) x16 RoF 1 MB3">HGLC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Black Mamba->Blazing Mamba 0 TV) ATT, DEF +1 +10 TV">2 options</acronym>) 65TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms, Reinforced Armor (F 3), Sensor Dependent)">Black Adder</acronym> [3/3/1/0] (16/64 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="SC -1 (6/24/oo) x28 SNP">SC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="MRP/36 -1 (12/48/oo) x18 RoF 4 IF">MRP/36</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Jager->Black Adder +25 TV) ATT, DEF +1 +10 TV, 1 Snipered SC (Tankhunter) +5 TV">3 options</acronym>) 74TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms, Reinforced Armor (F 3), Sensor Dependent)">Black Adder</acronym> [3/3/1/0] (16/64 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="SC -1 (6/24/oo) x28 SNP">SC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="MRP/36 -1 (12/48/oo) x18 RoF 4 IF">MRP/36</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Jager->Black Adder +25 TV) ATT, DEF +1 +10 TV, 1 Snipered SC (Tankhunter) +5 TV">3 options</acronym>) 74TV<br /> </li>
</span></span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<b>Veteran Gearhunter Cadre</b> (Core) <b>200TV</b><br />
</span></span><br />
<ul class="bbc"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 1, AutoComm 4, Actions 1 (Arms)">Command Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/1] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> CGL 35TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Brawler Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LGL -1 (6/24/oo) x15 RoF 2 IF, AE2">LGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Jager-> +10 TV) ">1 options</acronym>) 44TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Brawler Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LGL -1 (6/24/oo) x15 RoF 2 IF, AE2">LGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> (<acronym class="bbc" title="(Jager-> +10 TV) ">1 options</acronym>) 44TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Striking Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LBZK 0 (12/48/oo) x15 ">LBZK</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 38TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Striking Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LBZK 0 (12/48/oo) x15 ">LBZK</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 38TV<br /> </li>
</span></span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<b>Gearhunter Cadre</b> (Core) <b>180TV</b><br />
<ul class="bbc">
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 1, AutoComm 4, Actions 1 (Arms)">Command Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/1] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> CGL 35TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 34TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LAC 0 (12/48/oo) x8 RoF 2 R">LAC</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 34TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Striking Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LBZK 0 (12/48/oo) x15 ">LBZK</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 38TV</li>
<li><acronym class="bbc" title="Detect 2, Sensors 0, Comm 0, AutoComm 3, Actions 1 (Arms)">Striking Jager</acronym> [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC)<i> <acronym class="bbc" title="LBZK 0 (12/48/oo) x15 ">LBZK</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="LRP/24 -1 (6/24/oo) x12 RoF 3 IF">LRP/24</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="APGL -1 (6/24/--) x4 IF, AI, AE3, M">APGL</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="HG -1 (//) x15 T, AI, AE2">HG</acronym> <acronym class="bbc" title="VB 0 (//) S+2 M">VB</acronym></i> 38TV</li>
</ul>
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">It makes good use of the mass of Jagers I had from the starter boxes and the lots (most common gear = everyone has a ton of the things), as well as the pair of odd models here and there that I had also picked up (DP9 sells most gears in box sets of 5 gears, and single packs of 2 gears.. but I am noticing that for some cadres you need THREE of any given gear for the composition... hmm....). </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">The idea is that you have one really tooled up Veteran cadre, likely a portion of the Emir's household guard, and then two General Purpose (GP) Cadres that are there as an escort. At PL2 I had two Veteran slots open, so I guess one Cadre is simply better at surviving than the other. Made use of the models I had on hand, required a minimum of assembly for the rest of it, and I did not have to spend more than $5 on parts to finish it off. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">I would speculate on how I am going to expand it later, but that might be for another post, as I am sure it will change later on. So, without further delay, here are my work in progress photos of this unit.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130906_225058_044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130906_225058_044.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern GP Cadre (bought painted)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20131003_032651_880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20131003_032651_880.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start of second GP Cadre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20131003_025226_593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20131003_025226_593.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up showing basing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">I am running into some snags with getting pictures from my phone, onto photobucket, then having that open so I can link here (and on the forums). Generally, I prefer Google Drive, but direct linking is not as easy. If I can get my photos from the phone to the computer, I can upload directly from there.. but I digress. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">As of today, I have 4 gears in the final stages of completion (arms/weapons) and one more I need to base. I also have a few alternates that are available, if I wanted to use different loadouts. That is not even counting the PRDF/Leagueless/Northern squad that I could add, if necessary.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">Once I have the whole unit taken care of, I will post the pictures up. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">Future plans for this include stripping the paint off of the painted minis, reassembling and basing those, then the painting begins. Other than going with a desert/urban theme (the plasticard on the bases will be painted like concrete/stone slabs with sand/rocks around them), I am not entirely sure how I want to do the paint jobs. Quick and easy, but this is also a great opportunity to try new things. If they turn out horrible, hey, its an OpFor army anyway, so no worries. A multicam-like scheme is being considered, as well as some more generic desert patterns. I do not want the green/grey like the cadre above, I know that. I could also attempt solid colors with some blacklining. I may go that route, so I can get some experience with it. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">More to follow! </span></span></span></div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-71677008620482325442013-10-05T06:47:00.002-07:002013-10-05T06:47:30.871-07:00Heavy Gear Project Update (September 2013)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A week late, but I have been busy. <br />
<br />
Currently I am sitting on the materials for three different forces:<br />
- WFPA 08th Airborne "Drop Bears"<br />- ESE "OpFor"<br />
- PRDF<br />
<br />
It would figure that the ESE is going the best. I only have so much to work with, and I do not plan to buy anything for it beyond what I have, so getting settled on a list seems fairly simple. Planning for 750pts for a "demo" army, with options to expand as necessary. I have the whole thing nearly done, with one GP squad having just been assembled and based. I am thinking about taking the other squad home with me and stripping the paint as I am able, so I can reassemble it when I get back. All that is left is the Strike Cadre. I do have photos, but I wanted to post this up before I worked on that.<br />
<br />
The Drop Bears are a bit more difficult. Same deal, I am pretty sure I have everything I need to play it, but settling on the options for an army that has a TON of great options is not as easy as expected. Regardless, planning it for the 1000-1500 range, so that I can mix and match for smaller games. It should also leave me with a bunch of extra figures, which I can go on to sell/trade. <br />
<br />
PRDF is sitting in a box in the closet, waiting on the release of the new PRDF manual, supposedly by the holidays. Either way, its not an issue, that is where they will remain until the book comes out. I have two assembled squads that came that way which I can use in the ERE force if I need to. <br />
<br />
I have VIDEO! Got my setup together and recorded an unboxing of the Starter Set, Arena, as well as some basic "how I clean up my minis" viewing. I still need to edit it and put it up on youtube though, which I am hesitant to do. Still, its good experience. I just want to have more of a 'script' if you know what I mean? There are already so many good videos out there, its just that none of them really cover some of the things I am covering. <br />
<br />
The plan is to do it all on my mac, I think there are a few programs on this that will let me edit the video, add effects, etc. Its going to be amateurish, but its something.</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-73083454671481607852013-09-12T12:01:00.003-07:002013-09-12T20:57:53.508-07:00Selecting an Army<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You found a game you are interested in, and decided that you want to get into it. Outstanding! I would hope this game would have a local community of players who are active, but sometimes I realize you might want to play a game that no one else does simply because you like it. Maybe you just like the models? Regardless of the reason, you selected a game, and now it is time to choose a force within that game that you are going to use.<br />
<br />
If you have never played the game before, I would highly recommend you find a way to do so before making the investment. Gaming IS an investment, in both time and money, and it is important that you know it is going to be a worthwhile one before you follow through. Over the years I have bought into several games on a whim, or because it was the 'next big thing' at my local store. Usually I played at least one game, and then picked up enough stuff to play, and just kept buying. It was rare that I still played it six months later. I was sold on the hype, the newness, and ended up with a bunch of minis for a game I was not that interested in, not to mention a serious case of buyers remorse.<br />
<br />
So, lets say you have played the game a few times. There is regular group of players locally that you have access to. The next step is to try out a few different factions in your game. I can not speak for every group, but most are very anxious to get new players interested in the hobby. That is one of the things I enjoy most about it, the sense of community. Chances are you will have several players with several different factions. Look them over. You should have a copy of the rules already, and that should give you an overview of what options you have. Look at the figures. Ask questions. If they are willing, maybe try playing a game with whatever faction you are interested in. Take the time to be sure what you want to play. <br />
<br />
Some key points to consider here:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Do you like how the models look?</b> - You are going to be spending long hours assembling and painting these figures, so if something bothers you with the aesthetics of the model, or the fluff (background or story) of the faction, you might want to try something else.</li>
<li><b>Is it an Elite, Regular, or Horde force?</b> - Elite armies tend to be fairly small in model count. They are the best of the best, so there are not many of them. Hordes tend to be of lower quality in the game, or have some sort of serious disadvantage game-wise, so there are a LOT of models. Regular forces are generally a balance of the two. Model count determines cost. Elite armies are less expensive, but if you do not LIKE it (and so you do not play with them) the whole investment is wasted.</li>
<li><b>Do other players at the store play the same force?</b> - This has advantages and disadvantages. Some games have so few factions that doubling up is not a bad thing. You can trade parts and unused models with another player, or maybe pick some up on the cheap from them. Other times, if you like two forces about equally, having diversity in the community is a good thing. In the end, though, it is your decision. If you are sold on one faction, go with it, regardless of who else might also be playing it. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Now, its story time. I will relate to you how I made some gaming decisions of my own, and what I learned from it. The rest of this article is made up of my personal experiences with choosing a force for games I have played, which is what shaped this article. <br />
<br />
<b>Warhammer 40,000:</b><br />
<br />
As I posted in an earlier article, I first saw 40k being played before I really knew what it was. My next experience with it was in 2001 in Colorado Springs. We had gone to eat Chinese that night, and next door to the restaurant was a hobby store, <a href="http://www.gamershavenco.com/" target="_blank">Gamers Haven</a>. While looking around, I noticed they stocked the game I saw when I was a kid, so I asked about it. They were extremely helpful, explaining how it worked, various factions, and showing me examples of painted armies. Rob, the owner, even took the time to set up a mini game for me so I could see how it worked.<br />
<br />
I played with a squad of Blood Angels Space Marines against a Mob of Orks. It was fun! I liked the models, the colors, the mechanics of the game, all of it. Over the next few weeks, when I went into the store, I looked at the various Armies. I looked it up online, and saw what forces were available. Finally, I settled on the Blood Angels. I liked the jet packs and the Death Company (a special unit made up of models picked from squads that are like berserkers). They were fairly elite, so cost would be low. Still, the Tau were brand new, and I really liked how they had a "protoss" (from Star Craft) feel to them. Battle armor, drones, and the look of their armor all appealed to me.<br />
<br />
In the end, being between jobs and broke meant I did not buy either. I went back to Battletech, which I already had books and minis for, and mostly forgot about 40k again. Then, a few years later, a friend that owed me some money gave me a box full of 40k figures to pay his debt off. I figured I could sell them off, and he was on hard times, so it worked out. They were Space Wolves, one of the Space Marine factions I was interested in but decided against because I was into medieval recreation at the time, and they had a bit too much of a "viking" feel to them.<br />
<br />
So off I went down to the other local game store, <i>Compleat Games & Hobbies</i>, and when the group played I showed up to sell my figures. I figured, someone would be interested in them, so I could make some money on the whole thing. Turns out, no one was interested, but since the group was new they were starting up a league in the next few weeks. I could easily play with what I had, all I needed was a rulebook. They had one on the used shelf, which I picked up, and next thing you know, I am playing Warhammer 40,000. That was in the Fall of 2003. <br />
<br />
I would go on to play 40k regularly for six years, and only finally sold off the last of my models last year (2012). I ended up playing several different armies over that time (Tau, Necrons, then Tau again, as well as a 'home made' Space Marine chapter). Still, the Space Wolves were my primary army. A very good friend of mine had been a long time Space Wolf player and he gifted me with quite a few vintage figures, which I still have. He died last year, so I kept the models he gave me, as well as a few others, so I guess technically I am still able to play (though I consider myself out of that particular game). <br />
<br />
Sometimes, you pick your force. Other times, your force picks you. There were no space wolf players at the store when I started. I had a bunch of models already. My friend played, and had a bunch of extra figures. Plus, I got into the fluff of the army.. who doesnt like giant armored space vikings? All of these things contributed to an army for a game I no longer play, but I still keep, because of the connection I built to it. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Warhammer Fantasy:</b><br />
<br />
This was 40k's 'sister' game. Basically the medieval/fantasy version. Our gaming group at <i>Compleat</i> was talking about starting up a beginners league, similar to the one that got me hooked with 40k, that most of my friends were playing in. It was a chance for the long-time players to start playing again, as well as a good excuse for the rest of us to start a new game. So, there was an enthusiastic group of players and a prime opportunity to get into it as a beginner. <br />
<br />
When looking over the armies available, my friend (and in-game rival), Mike, sold me on an army with a single phrase. "Deathwing with an 18 inch charge." To translate that, it means a highly elite force, that is heavily armored, that is very fast (speed is usually the Achilles heel of elite armored forces). Next thing you know, I am starting a Bretonnian force.<br />
<br />
In this case, I did not exercise good judgement. First, I was already heavily invested in 40k. I was dividing my time between the two games, leaving me less time to really focus (and finish up projects) for either. My plate was way too full. Second, while I did go with a very elite force, it needed a horde to support it to be effective. This meant if I wanted to have a chance at winning games, I needed to buy even more figures. Third, while I liked the late medieval British/French look they had, I still wanted to do some heavy modification to them to get them how I wanted them.<br />
<br />
The end result was an army I played maybe a dozen games with over the course of a year, then sold off for much less than I paid just to get my money back. I had assembled them well, but never even managed to get them primed for painting. The game itself had flaws that I found difficult to overlook at the time, and I was burned out on the "win big / loose big" way I played. There were few close games for me.. they were wrapped up in a few turns, one way or the other.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Warmachine:</b><br />
<br />
As the interest in 40k and Fantasy died down, this was the next league that got started up at <i>Compleat</i>. You may be noticing a pattern. Still, I had a friend at work who was looking to get into it and had a rulebook to give me. After spending a week reading the rules and looking at the armies, I decided to give it at try. It was still a fairly new game, established enough that it was going to be around, but not so established it was daunting for a new player.<br />
<br />
There were only four factions at the time. I was torn between two of them (Khador and Cygnar), but one of the other players at the store was running Khador, so I decided against that. It was a small group still, and there were no Cygnar players. Turns out, this was a good decision, as the strategy and tactics fit my play style better. The look was what really got me interested. I had played Final Fantasy 6 (FF3 for the SNES) as a kid, and Cygnar really had that 'feel' about it. The turn of the century soldiers mixed with magic and steam-driven technology. They also had decent colors (Blue and Gold).<br />
<br />
Cygnar is a regular style force, with a mix of elite and horde, and needed a certain mindset to play. I did well with them, almost winning the league (I think, I know I did fairly well). However, the way I used them was not popular with some players, which undercut my enjoyment in the game. To be effective (and to win points in the league) I had to use them how I felt was best, which many considered to be 'cheap' or 'cheesy'. However, this is nothing I could of known at the time I was choosing my army, as everything I read was pretty clear that ANY army could be broken in such a fashion. It was how they designed the game.<br />
<br />
I eventually sold off my collection to pursue another hobby (reenactment, in this case), but a recent Kickstarter project for a Warmachine video game that I picked up carried with it a great deal on the new starter boxes, so I picked one up. It was cheap, the models were plastic (the old ones were metal, and very expensive), and I still like the look even if I am not terribly interested in the game itself. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Flames of War:</b><br />
<br />
While playing another game at <i>Gamers Haven</i> I noticed several gentlemen setting up a very big table with some very nice looking terrain. That got my interest, especially the detail they were putting into setting up rivers, buildings, and hills so that it looked like a modern battlefield. I went over to look after my game, and it turned out they were playing a WW2 miniatures game. It was a smaller scale than the games I was playing (15mm rather than 28mm), and they had some amazing detail in the figures. After talking for awhile, I was invited to come back next week when they set up a large multi-player scenario and I could join in (I would of played then but was on my way elsewhere).<br />
<br />
In that game, I got to play a platoon of US armor and some artillery units as a part of a general allied offensive against the Germans, set in the later years of WW2. I was hooked. The game mechanics were clean and easy to pick up, the models were smaller (thus, cheaper), and I have always been interested in history. Next step was to choose a force to play.<br />
<br />
Some things were covered by the group. The game is broken into periods of the war, and Late War (1944-1945) was the primary one being played. I could go with any of the major powers (US, British, German, and Russian). All appealed to me except the British. While I was looking over the rules and armies, another friend, Randy, was also interested in the game. We considered picking up the starter set, which was US and German, and he wanted to play the Germans. We never did pick that set up, but I got a rulebook and a few sourcebooks, and continued to consider armies. Until then, I bought a single model that I really liked the look of, the <span class="st">Königstiger (German for Bengal Tiger, though we call it the King Tiger/Tiger II). </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">In the end it was the considerations above that sold me on Germany. I liked the look of their tanks! Cost was also a heavy factor in my decision, and German armor was the elite, so I would only need a few tanks. Already owning one </span><span class="st">King Tiger I found the list that used that tank and started checking around. No one else played a Schwere Panzerkompanie (Heavy Tank Company), so I decided on that. The look, the cost, and the uniqueness (especially for a game with so many different factions). It was another win big/loose big list, which has its own stigma in games, but I had a very different mindset with my gaming at this point. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">That force has since expanded into a variety of other German armies, as one of the things I like about Flames of War is that you can use your units in a variety of different configurations. I still have my King Tigers, and bring them to the table every now and then. But, that start kept me interested in the game, and motivated to build and paint, which in turn maintains my interest and motivation. That is part of why I feel it is very important to put that time and effort into your first force in any game. </span></div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-28228345500782177392013-09-11T12:41:00.001-07:002013-12-29T16:58:45.313-08:00So, you want to get into Wargaming?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was 1995 when I saw my first table top wargame being played. My dad had driven my best friend and I down to Kenova (roughly an hour drive from where we lived outside of Charleston, WV) so that we could pick up some Magic: The Gathering cards and play a few games. Game stores were not terribly successful in West Virginia at that point, so it was not a regular thing.<br />
<br />
While going through cards, I noticed a bunch of people around a big table. When I went over to see what was going on, it was set up with a variety of buildings, hills, and other odds and ends. It was really impressive, especially the realistic terrain and painted armies involved. I want to say one side was made up of Space Marines (though I did not know it at the time, they were just guys in blue armor with guns). This was Warhammer 40,000, and all I knew is that I would of liked to have played if we would of had the time. What I knew of the game was that it was like a board game, but not, and expensive (seriously, I had no idea things like that existed up until that point, and this was the comment that stuck with me). So, that was that.<br />
<br />
A year later, at a new store that had opened up closer to my home, I picked up a Battletech box set that had a variety of plastic models in it. So, that was the first actual wargame I had ever actually owned. Over the 18 years since I saw that first game, I have owned dozens of different games, more miniatures and books than I care to talk about (my bank account and I were not on speaking terms for several years thanks to my hobbies), and I think back now that if I could have some time to talk to that younger me, what I would say to him?<br />
<br />
So, that is what this all is. My attempt to relate the things I have learned over that time that could of saved me so much time and money. Things that might of had me playing more of the games I enjoyed rather than muddling through what is a fairly involved hobby.<br />
<br />
My goal here is to break it into a few different sections. <b>Getting Started</b> is geared more towards someone that is fairly new to the hobby, or maybe starting a new game. <b>Gaming On The Cheap (GOTC)</b> are all the things that that I do so I can make the most of my gaming, for as little as possible. This hobby is expensive as it is, why spend more than you have to? I will also have the occasional <b>Workbench</b> topic, which details how I do something or another. Painting, assembly, finishing, transport, or any other 'how-to' article. At some point I hope to be able to do some sort of review articles of games I play, or have played, but I do not have a catchy name for those yet. <br />
<br />
That being said, I hope someone can get some use out of this, and if you have anything to say, please do! This is just my own personal experiences. Every gamer has their own story, and every little bit helps!</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-30766170763425179282013-09-04T09:06:00.001-07:002013-09-04T09:06:16.875-07:00Layout, Changes, and Video!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ever since I got back to posting here, I have had this idea in my head of how I want things to look, but I could not quite figure out how to make it happen. Still playing around with the layout of the page, trying to get it there, but still do not quite have it. I like the colors, but the bar on the right might need some tweaking. Also, I was thinking of a menu at the top with kind of a collection of links to various pages. Breaking up the posts based on "How-to's" and "Projects" or some such.<br />
<br />
Also, I am really thinking about adding video. I have an iPad mini that has a pretty decent 1080p HD camera on it. Maybe not as good as a dedicated video camera, but certainly good enough to get some tutorial videos up and running. Any opinions on that? <br />
<br />
I think I have a camera figured out, a friend offered to loan me one until I get back to the US and can pick up a decent one of my own (they wont ship to APO, probably because of the battery). <br />
<br />
So, as things fall into place with getting the projects documented, I wanted to overhaul the site at the same time. Maybe edit some old posts, clean up the tutorials I have already made. Some other pages I have seen have elements I like that I might modify to work towards what I am thinking. Only so much you can do with these templates.<br />
<br />
<br />
My ultimate goal here is to have a resource like I would want to use. Useful articles, lots of links, photos, guides, and all of the things I never managed to find (or only found after a lot of searching) all in one place, in an easily navigated format. Mostly geared towards people that are newer to the hobby, but maybe still useful to someone who has been around for a minute. <br />
<br />
Feedback from anyone who reads this on what you would like to see would be awesome. </div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-21463743239383380222013-09-01T11:57:00.002-07:002013-09-01T11:57:43.723-07:00Heavy Gear: Start to Finish (a project)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometime around 2000-2001 I was made aware of a game called "Heavy Gear". I had been a fan of Battletech for several years at this point (having started in 1995, or maybe earlier), and had vague memories of a game for the Playstation that involved giant armored robot suits in urban style combat. Where Battletech had these several-story tall walking mountains of armor and weapons, Heavy Gear was more about squads of armored suits that, while bigger than a regular infantryman, were not quite the size of buildings. I think it was the rifles (carried like rifles) and shoulder-mounted rocket pods that stuck with me.<br />
<br />
So, around that time, I got a copy of the Heavy Gear RPG. I might of actually had it for longer, but I can recall sitting around one day reading about it. It was a fairly rich setting. Based on the planet Terra Nova and set several thousand years in the future, Humanity had reached out to the stars. Terra Nova was one of the colony worlds. At some point, Earth had pulled back, leaving the colony in chaos, until things settled down and there were two major 'nations', the North and South. The planet was similar to earth, but without the water (it was there, just scarce, especially around the equatorial 'badlands'). Anyway, in the setting of the game the two factions had settled into a Cold War of sorts, with combat being mainly carried out by Gears. These were, basically, giant armored suits that fit the gap between unarmored infantry and tanks. Earth had invaded again, had been repulsed, and things were settling back into the North vs South conflict. <br />
<br />
What had me interested, in addition to the detailed history, was that none of the technology seemed too far-fetched. Hard Science-Fiction, though I did not know what that meant at the time. The suits were computer assisted (so, no true AI), ran on highly efficient diesel engines (so, no fusion or such), and fired large caliber but otherwise 'normal' rifles. It had more of a military feel to it than other combat games I was interested in at the time.<br />
<br />
At a local game store, I saw some of the miniatures for the table-top version (as opposed to the RPG, which was the book I had.. and no one to play with). They looked really good, if slightly bigger than I was expecting, but naturally the cost kept me from even entertaining the idea of playing it. I filed it away in the back of my head as "neat" and eventually sold the rulebook I had, forgetting about the whole thing. <br />
<br />
Several years later, I saw some Gears being painted at that same store. They were much smaller, much nicer, and new.. so I asked about it. Turned out, the company had not gone under as I had thought. They had re-released the game in a new scale and it was looking to make a comeback. I think I might of looked at the rules a bit, but never got a chance to try it, and figured it would be one of those obscure games that a few people played, so why invest? I was more interested in other games that were regularly played, so again, filed it away in the back of my head as "neat" and forgot about it. <br />
<br />
Again, a few years later, while working on getting some models together for Tomorrow's War, I was browsing bartertown, and came across someone selling a gear for Heavy Gear: Blitz! I had always liked the look of the Gears, and it was fairly close to 15mm (the scale I was using), so I picked it up. HGB is actually 12mm, but for the suits that did not matter. Close enough. After getting it and putting it together, I got to thinking about the game itself. This was 2011. While at the mall in Tucson I went into one of the hobby stores and saw that they stocked the game. Initially I was just looking for more Gears to add to my Tomorrow's War force, but the starter set looked like a pretty good deal to get into the game. Still, more than I was willing to spend, and while I had some folks interested in playing, I already had too many projects on my plate (as you can go back into the archives from 2011 to see, I had plenty to do). I never picked it up, and soon I was busy with life anyway, so it got filed away again.<br />
<br />
So, here we are in 2013. Again, back on bartertown, and I saw a post for a lot of Gears for a great price. Again, thinking about Tomorrow's War (and I still am thinking about suits for my UAE army), I picked it up. It was a bunch of Northern Gears that were all ready to be assembled (and a lot of work had been put into them, pinning joints, filing, etc, so I got a smoking deal there). Got it in the mail, looked them over, and put them back in the box. Figured I would work on my models when I got home. <br />
<br />
Then I started to read the rulebooks. So, you have models I like, combined with rules that seemed simple enough, and a storyline that was fairly in depth. That got me checking out the webpage, which got me onto the forums, and it turns out the game was more active than I thought. Still, it was yet another game, and I had plenty already, so I packed it all up and moved on. <br />
<br />
A few months later I came across another lot on bartertown. Then another, and another. Well, that got the wheels a turning. While there were people playing, there were many others who had gotten into it and decided it was not for them. I started poking through the rules again to get a handle on what was for sale, and one good deal turned into multiple good deals, and the next thing you know.. I have almost enough for three decent sized armies (and for an excellent price!). <br />
<br />
Now, I am never the type to miss an opportunity for a good project, and this was just the sort of thing I wish I had done with other games I have played. So, here we are. I have an opportunity to document, from the beginning, the steps I took to acquire, assemble, built, paint, and finish an army for a game. I could combine putting together models for a game I was interested in into something worth writing about, and even if I could not find any other players.. well, I have more than enough for a few armies, so I can always talk other gamers into trying it. If that failed, at least I had enough for Tomorrow's War, or just to paint and display. <br />
<br />
So, here we are. That is the scope of my project. Detailing how I got started, how I got my models, cleaning and assembly, painting, and finishing at least one force for Heavy Gear. Then, if the first draft is not where I want it, I can do the whole thing over again with the next force. One way or another, I will have a fairly detailed "Start-to-Finish" guide with how I do things. <br />
<br />
Heck, it got me writing, so either way, that's a win!</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-46687312586315037252013-08-23T01:05:00.000-07:002013-12-29T16:59:29.149-08:00Heavy Gear BatRep - First Attempt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
(Played in August 2013, Written October 2013)<br />
<br />
One of the lots of figures I purchased included two painted squads of Gears. Pretty much your typical GP squad, with some special weapons, all ready to go. After having to reassmeble some of them from shipping damage, they were good to go. Another lot included a variety of buildings which are mosty to scale for Heavy Gear. What I had was enough to play a game.<br />
<br />
Convincing a friend of mine to spend a free day trying it out yielded a pretty fun game. We had both looked over the rules, but had not really gotten familiar with the details, so mistakes were made. Some we picked up on during the game, others after. All in all, the attempt was a smooth one, giving us both a pretty positive impression of the game. Certainly enough that I felt I wanted to learn more. <br />
<br />
I will not give a round by round narrative, in part because I do not remember the details, but I will say it was a prime example of seeing defeat snatched from the jaws of victory! My initial tactics resulted in most of my squad getting overwhelmed and taken out, but the two survivors played a game of fall back/reenage, picking his squad apart one at a time. I had some amazing rolls (firing full Rate of Fire(RoF) on some weapons and never running out/jamming, for example) while he had some horrible ones (grenades, especially). He should of taken it when I was willing to concede mid-game. We decided to play it out, and my shift in tactics won the battle.<br />
<br />
If I were to do a demo like this again, I would go with the recommended 3 vs 3 with 'matched' forces (more or less) and a smaller play area. Otherwise, it went well.<br />
<br />
I was running the Northern Squad (Tan/Yellow), my friend was running the Southern Cadre (Green/Grey).<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113630_595-1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113630_595-1-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bulk of my squad using containers as cover</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113617_109-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113617_109-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern center defense while the South took the flanks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_120610_085-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_120610_085-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Gears close to melee contact</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113646_115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113646_115.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern flanker took out a Hunter...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113610_330-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/OmartheFalcon/Gaming/Heavy%20Gear/IMG_20130825_113610_330-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.. only to run into another with a Snub Cannon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-42409281358025455892013-08-13T17:47:00.001-07:002019-08-08T12:08:25.568-07:00Ayrun (UAE Colony World) - Tomorrow's War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I posted this in the <a href="http://ambushalleygames.com/forum/" target="_blank">Ambush Alley Games forum</a> in Dec 2011. My plans for how I would play in the "Tomorrowverse." Mostly a work in progress, but wanted to see if I could drum up some ideas/suggestions. In re-reading it, I am seeing several similarities not only to Battletech, but also to Heavy Gear, which was not really intentional. It was like I took fluff from other games I liked and tried to add them all. Not sure if that is good or bad. I dont want to be blatent, but I have been influenced by those sources. Go or No-Go?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>United Arab Emirates (UAE)</strong><br />
Military Tech Level: 2+<br />
Civilian Tech Level: 2+<br />
Standard of Living: Average<br />
<br />
Founding
(Treaty of Amman) 2264 in wake of 2nd Iran-Iraq War. Sunni Arab. Next
50 years coalescing into a moderate Arab emirate ruled by elected emirs
who serve five year terms. The Emir is elected by a council of emirs,
composed of the royal families of the UAE’s members nations.<br />
<br />
Member
Nations: Former UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar,
and the Federated States of Iraq (Sunni & Kurdish regions of Iraq).<br />
<br />
Friendly
with neighbors is good except for UIT and Yemen. Space expansion ha
been cautious and very cost-conscious. Colony world of Ayrun has
potential to become as productive as Grissom, despite violent and
unpredictable weather patterns (classified Marginal as result). Involved
in mining in Asteroid Belt. Neutral in most disputes between great
powers, but will side with OPS vs UIT.<br />
<br />
Military is mixed bag.
Each member state remained protective of their independence. Most
difficulties have been smoothed over, but some resentment and jealousies
remain. Most equipment is a generation or so behind that of most OPS
natioins. Assortment of Russian, French, US, British, and German left
over from pre-treaty days.<br />
<br />
Most vehicles track/wheeled, a few
first generation AGV’s fielded primarily by units assigned to ‘security’
in the Asteroid Belt.<br />
<br />
Robots mostly used for rear-echelon
duties. Dumbbots are used, AI is anathema to the UAE for cultural
reasons (Iraqis being possible exception). Synthetic humans are often
purchased second hand by wealthier states and used like Janissaries of
old.<br />
<br />
Aerospace is still a generation or so behind, but better
than UIT. Pilots highly trained. Cold Navy consists of (four) older
British Frigates and a dozen gunboats purchases from the PRC. Rumor of
UAE contracting with the NEU to build a new light cruiser designed for
naval expansion, but seems contingent on the UAE’s successful
colonization of Aryun.<br />
<br />
<em>(from Tomorrows War – p22-24)</em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Ayrun – Marginal World (UAE)</strong><br />
<br />
Roughly
between the size of Earth and Mars, with a vertical axis (I think that
is right.. the planet has no tilt so no seasons), the planet has what
could be considered a typical assortment of earth-like environments. The
southern hemisphere consists of several tropical regions, while the
northern hemisphere has both arid and temperate environments. Both poles
are frozen, standard gravity, abundant water and resources. The storms
that denied the planet Garden World status are a result of both solar
activity and the proximity of several gas giants in the system that are
on non-standard orbits of the sun. With no seasons, this means no
regular system of rain/snow, high winds, or other phenomena. This has
lead to the development of an agricultural base that is not reliant upon
‘sensitive’ crops, and has forced the colonists to adjust to every
possible type of weather.<br />
<br />
The planet was opened to each of the
member nations of the UAE, though the ‘good’ land was snatched up by the
more wealthy and influential nations, leaving the others to get what
they could. The counter to this is that most of the wealthier nations
were unable to quickly populate their regions, while the poorer nations
had many of their citizens who were willing to travel to the colony to
start a new life with more opportunity.<br />
<br />
While there is no
outright hostility between the nation-states on Ayrun, there is still
conflict between them. Grabs are made for resources and ‘safe havens’
(regions of the planet where the weather patterns are either more
predictable, or have less of an effect). To maintain the unity of the
colonial armed forces in case of an outside attack, a system of rules
were adopted and are accepted by all who live there. Better to have a
set of rules that all can follow to settle their disputes than to end up
in a civil war.<br />
<br />
Conflict over territory and resources are
generally announced, and rarely take place near the objects contested.
There are limits to the size of forces allowed to be used in these
conflicts, and to try and claim a territory means you must put up a
stake of similar value should you loose. Surrenders are always accepted,
and prisoners are treated fairly. Those taken in these conflicts are
given the option of either paying a ransom to return home, or to serve
the nation-state that captured them for a set period of time. At the end
of that time, if it is wished, the captured may remain with their
captors and join their armed forces. No social stigma is attached to
this practice, and any dependents are afforded safe passage to their new
state. In this way, some battles can revolve more around who is
captured from the opposing side rather than what is being fought over.
You may loose a town, but if you gain a crack unit in the process (even
for a period of time), it can be worth it. These captured soldiers are
treated like the Mamlukes of old.<br />
<br />
In the face of an outside
threat, all internal conflict is set aside so that the whole of the
Colony can deal with the crisis. Even the most deep-seated issues
between nation-states can be put aside until the security of the whole
is assured. As soon as the threat is gone, the conflicts can resume.
While not an ideal system, it seems to work, and has lead to rapid
expansion on Ayrun.<br />
<br />
Other efforts have been made to further
safeguard the regular fighting forces of the colony in the use of
dumb-bots as ‘first wave’ troops. It is not uncommon to have battles
decided without the loss of any human life (though “accidents” do happen
from time to time).<br />
<br />
The nature of the climate and terrain on
Ayrun has produced an overall military that is capable of operating
almost anywhere. Most units are at least familiar with vacuum/zero-g
operations, arctic, desert, and even limited urban operations. While
their skill is high, their lack of modern equipment is a distinct
disadvantage when fighting non-UAE opponents. They are also very careful
not to let their rules of internal-warfare hamper their operations
against outside threats. It should be noted that they still try to avoid
unnecessary loss of life, both on the part of their forces, as well as
their enemies. Surrenders will be readily accepted, and some converts
from non-UAE forces are known. Efforts are made to limit civilian
casualties, and their tactics lean more towards the defensive when
dealing with off-world operations. This has lead to several units to
strike out on their own as mercenaries in external conflicts, as their
rules and conduct has made them very desirable to those that are worried
about expansionist neighbors.<br />
<br />
<br />
Notes: I borrowed heavily from
the rules of warfare followed by the Clans of Battletech, as well as
setting up a basis for UAE themed mercenary units. Their skill at arms
and motivation is off-set by their lack of advanced tech, to put them on
par with most other nations. The use of dumb-bots as the first wave
would work with this as well. Bots are not cheap, but better to loose a
dozen replaceable machines than one skilled soldier.<br />
<br />
I visualize
the planet as being somewhere between Mars and Earth in size, with a
‘typical’ earth like layout/climate. Some larger continents with oceans.
The southern continents would be similar to southeast asia, as well as
the ‘wetlands’ of the US (Louisiana and Florida). The northern
continents would be more like the steppes of Russia/eastern Europe.
Mountain ranges can be found all over, with more present near the hot
and arid equator.<br />
<br />
What I really wanted was a ‘middle-eastern’
style force that felt more like the Arabs of the middle-ages than modern
day middle-eastern conflict. Gone are the IED’s and hordes of
irregulars. Returned are the noble armies of Saladin and Moorish Spain.
Opponents who would prefer you convert to their way of life, but are
content to leave you in peace provided you pay the proper taxes and
abstain from interference. Soldiers you could readily surrender to in a
loosing battle with little fear of mistreatment. That sort of conduct
can be taken advantage of, but it generally stops the sort of atrocities
that have become all too common in war.<br />
<br />
<br />
Additional Ideas:<br />
<br />
NSF (Neo-Soviet Federation) - Synthetic rebels</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-59676701331004415692013-08-11T17:43:00.002-07:002013-09-11T13:39:44.544-07:00Content Inbound<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Things have been busy. Not so busy that I could not plan and work on projects, but busy enough that posting has been difficult. So, just in case anyone reads these still, I am sorry for that. I actually have several posts following up on my Volksgrenadier posts that I wrote without internet access. Trying to find a way to date them for when I wrote them, but will get them up regardless.<br />
<br />
Currently I am away from the majority of my gaming supplies, including tools, paint, and a suitable location to even assemble what I do have. That problem should be taken care of soon, but even without that I plan to catch up on all of my 'planning' articles. <br />
<br />
Right now, my gaming list is as follows:<br />
<br />
Force on Force - US, Insurgent<br />
Flames of War - LW German (variety)<br />
Historical - DBA Roman, DBA Hun<br />
<br />
That is what I have available to play as is. Small list, especially compared to my 'to-do' list, which is as follows:<br />
<br />
Force on Force - US (support/extras), Russian<br />
Flames of War - LW American Armored, LW Named German Armored (Bäke possibly)<br />
Heavy Gear - PRDF, Leagueless (Desert Wolves), WFPA<br />
Historical - DBA Byzantine, Saga Byzantine, Saga Norman<br />
<br />
<br />
Part of the reason I started the blog was to document my process in my hobbies. Originally, with DBA/Historicals, I went looking for "how-to" guides and found very little that was useful. So, getting some advice from local painters (many thanks to Mark Krabbenhoft and the other painters at Compleat Games and Hobbies in Colorado Springs [now most of whom are at The Yellow King, also in Colorado Springs]), I set out to document what I was doing. Maybe someone can use it, but also, I would know what I did when I took some time off from the hobby (as I do from time to time). <br />
<br />
I am going to work on documenting the whole process, from getting my first pack to having a completed force for Heavy Gear, in the hopes to turn it into a full-blown guide later on. I think I might do the same with Saga as well. <br />
<br />
There is also an article on "Gaming for Less" in how you can get the most bang for your buck with hobbies. Games can be incredibly expensive, but they do not HAVE to be so expensive. I have managed to do it fairly well, so maybe I could help another future gamer get into a hobby they might not of otherwise due to cost. <br />
<br />
There is a lot of material in my notebook that will end up here. Right now, I am trying to find a decent camera set up for better photos, as well as some way to record video (because sometimes, you just need to SEE how something is done.. well, I do anyway). If anyone has suggestions on either, it would be appreciated. <br />
<br />
Getting excited for the upcoming projects, so if you are reading, thank you for sticking with me!</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-47074343064237292502012-12-09T17:35:00.000-08:002013-09-11T13:38:19.641-07:00German Camo - WW2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So far, I have not been terribly ambitious with regards to
camouflage with my 15mm figures. For
moderns, with ACU I went with a ‘generic’ look as the digital pattern is all
but impossible to do at that scale. The
attempt at multicam worked out fairly well I think. Still, not a fan of camo at this scale. For WW2, maybe I should of gone US (who only briefly used camoflague) or Soviets (who did not use it, as far as I am aware). <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The Germans
made use of camo on every level it seems, and my early attempts at painting
them totally ignored this. This time around, however, I decided to give it a try. First, I had to figure out what models should
be painted appropriately. Took me some
time to recognize which models had helmet covers and camouflage jackets. Once I did, I then had to figure out what
pattern they used.<br />
<br />
Most of the info I
have on it came from “The Art of War” from Battlefront. The Heer had their own version of the
“splinter” pattern that was the most common.
So, I painted a few models up with that, and they looked… ok. I have seen better and worse. My rank and file will all have that pattern
on their garments, as well as the rolled poncho attached to some figures. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I got started on my 2iC and Scouts, I went looking to
see if the Heer ever used other patterns, such as what the SS had. From everything I read, it was not really
common, but acceptable to have the odd figure in a pattern from another
branch. I decided if anyone was likely
to have “better” camo (going on the assumption that the SS generally had the
best in the way of gear) it would be the command teams and scouts. I actually tried to find as many models as I
could wearing camo for my scouts for that reason. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oak Leaf was the pattern I went with, based on THIS
article. I decided for Autumn colors
since I did not do a winter theme. I did
the odd helmet cover in the pattern for the scouts, with the 2iC having a
jacket in the pattern. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The pattern was so much easier to make look right (to me
anyway) than Splinter. I immediately saw
it, where I had to really play around with the splinter to get it to look
passable. Makes me want to try the Plane
Tree or Pea Dot patterns for future models.
My hesitation to do a SS force was in part due to the number of other
players playing SS at my last store, but also the supposed complexity of the
camo patterns. Should I ever get a
foolish notion to do another German army, I could see it being SS now. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Photos (to be posted later). </div>
</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-82098139505010030462012-11-25T09:42:00.002-08:002013-09-11T13:38:00.052-07:0012. Volksgrenadier (list)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
12. Volksgrenadier Division (LW German – NUTS!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HQ – AR/PF, AR/PF + PzShreck<br />
Sturm Platoon – Full<br />
Schutzen Platoon – Full<br />
Mortars (8cm) – 2 Sections<br />
MG – 2 Sections<br />
Scouts – 2 Rifle Squads, Command AR/PF<br />
3 StuG G (late)<br />
Light Artillery – 3 10.5cm<br />
Me 262 A2a Sturmvogel – Sporadic Support<br />
<br />
1550pts – 7 Platoons</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The biggest issue that this list will have is the lack of anti-tank guns. I really wish I could get some PaK40’s in there, but as I only have 2 guns and no crews I decided to leave them out for the time being. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should I run into a tank heavy list I imagine I will try to move to a good position and dig my infantry in, then let the tanks come to me. Somehow, I do not imagine they will, considering the number of Panzerfaust’s that are present. My artillery and mortars can keep a smoke screen up for movement, while I can try to use my Air Support to hit high value targets. The StuG’s will be there to defend against enemy light armor. Still, parts of it look fragile. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The scouts will give me the Always Attack rule against other infantry lists, as well as a Spearhead move for my Sturm and Shutzen platoons. That should work for getting them fairly close to their targets early on. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a departure from any sort of force I have fielded before. It has both offensive and defensive attributes. I play armor, not infantry. Having to play defensively will be a new experience, so I imagine there will be a bit of a learning curve for me. Still, I am excited to try it. I played a generic Grenadier list for the Infantry Aces campaign and did fairly well. It should teach me things about infantry that I might be able to use when playing armor, which is good considering the trouble I usually have against them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 1750 the only real change would be to add the 3 PaK40’s and a battery of 3 NW41’s, while dropping the Panzershreck team. Not totally sold on that idea either. If I can scrape the models together for enough PzShreck teams, I could just as easily drop the NW41’s in favor of 3 more PzShreck teams (I would have to change the StuG’s back to regular rather than late models).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An alternate for 1750 that would work much better has me replacing the StuG’s for 3 Panthers from the 12.SS-Panzerdivision (making them Fearless Trained instead), and dropping the MG Platoon for a battery of 6 NW41’s. Guess I need to get the rest of my Nebelwerfers done up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing about this list screams tournament winner to me. But, I am interested in playing it and it looks fun, so does that really matter? It is a constant struggle with my inner power-gamer. I want to win (who doesn’t?), and have been known to choose my armies based on that. Going with an actual unit rather than a generic list is part of my attempt to get away from that, so I guess I will see what I can do with this. It was cheap to put together with models I (mostly) already had and is from a battle I have a lot of interest in (the Ardennes Offensive / Battle of the Bulge). PLUS, as a ‘reward’ to myself for getting this done, I can always expand into a US Airborne army in the form of the 101<sup>st</sup> (specifically, E Co, of “Band of Brothers” fame) if I want to have an opposed force from the same battle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next up, I am going to go over my armored lists. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(note - Since writing this, LW points have gone up to 1780. I have work to do)</div>
</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208304991577512061.post-13615591268207417192012-11-20T07:06:00.001-08:002013-09-11T13:37:32.087-07:00LW Germans - Volksgrenadier<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At last, they released a sourcebook for a period of WW2 I have a strong interest in. Specifically, the non-SS German units involved in the Ardennes Offensive. I settled on the 12. Volksgrenadier list, a Confident/Veteran infantry list. <br />
<br />
It features a heavy dose of Assault Rifle armed infantry, and it seems that everyone has a Panzerfaust. There is a healthy mix of support weapons, not to mention armor and the Sturmvogel (the first jet aircraft used in the war). All in all, I thought it was an interesting mix that would not require me to buy much of anything in the way of new models. All I have to do is change a few things around and paint what I have. <br />
<br />
I have not abandoned my armored lists. I actually got the airbrush out and painted a few up for a friend at the LGS last week. With that, I am setting myself up to be able to run either a generic King<br />
Tiger list, the Begleit StuG list, or possibly the Bake list (all from Grey Wolf). In playing over the past few months I discovered that when playing armored lists, it needs to be all vehicles (or nearly so). Infantry can work, but taking non-mobile artillery was not a good idea. That works out, because the Volksgrenadier list has no mobile artillery, so there can be a clear split there. <br />
<br />
Back to the project at hand. I scaled down my projects, working on 1-2 units at a time, at most. Large units (like full 6 base + HQ platoons) get done one at a time. This way I can go through the steps and (mostly) finish in a day or two of work, rather than spreading out the work and getting discouraged when game day comes around and they are all still on their painting sticks. Since starting this method I have gotten the painting done on a Mortar Platoon, all the crews for the Panzerwerfers, and almost done with my Scout Platoon. Moving on to the Assault Platoon next. The 'finished' units need a wash of the Army Painter dip, then onto the bases. From there, I can base them whenever.. they are ready to play. <br />
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Internet is extremely limited, which makes posting here difficult. I want to do a walk-through with one of my platoons so I can document how I paint them, what paints I use, etc. The camo especially. I REALLY want to get back to writing here. I said it a few months back, but taking the time to write this stuff down (and people responding) gives me motivation to post more, which gets me working. Also, should something happen to my notes again, I will have a resource that tells me how I did what, so I dont have to guess. <br />
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I will post the list I plan to run at different point levels, as well as the 'to-do' list for the available forces. Pictures will come as I take them. Work will progress as long as I keep the shift I am on, having all night long to paint is a big bonus. Getting caught up on Babylon 5 as well.. re-watching the whole series. I get about a season every 3 days or so (while at work), so should be done by months end. To that end, I should also have the core of my Volksgrenadiers done by then as well.</div>
ByzantineFalconhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014669646140211113noreply@blogger.com0