Flames of War T34s ,Tigers and Canadian Snipers on Ebay.

Hantusch Tiger No.221

(Flames of War, Tigers Marsch)

Here are a few pics of my latest models that are about to be auctioned on Ebay.

Four are of Wittmann's Tigers from the Tigers Marsch set and four T34s for the Barbarossa fans.

The T34s are scenically based on Battlefronts large bases using various materials making each model a vignette in its own right. Airbrushed in Vallejo Air I have used multiple shades of green and browns to achieve a worn tonal effect, common to Russian vehicles, before weathering with Mig Filters and powders.

Regular readers of this blog will know that the "Tigers Marsch" set is probably my favourite set by Battlefront for the Flames of War series and the first to be added to my signature range. For extra realism on these particular models I have added some damage to the side skirts and toned down the decals with my own specially blended decal filter.

All the models come with individual brass rod aerials for that extra detail and realism.

Being Signature models these tanks are assembled and painted to the highest standards. Delicate parts such as the gun barrels and fuel tanks on the T34s are all secured with brass rod and the turrets benifit from rare earth magnets adding extra security and playability

Hantusch Tiger No.221

(Flames of War, Tigers Marsch)

Ebay Number SOLD
Canadian SniperTeam
Normandy 1944

Ebay Number SOLD
T34/85 Tank Platoon
Russia 1943/1944


SOLD


SOLD


SOLD

SOLD

Painting the LRDG Chevrolet from"The Sting of the Scorpion" by Battlefront for Flames of War

I have always had a particular liking for the way the LRDG adapted their Chevrolet trucks (1942 Canadian Chevy, right hand drive, India format to give them their correct title). Loads of stowage and MGs of various types and the hotchpotch uniforms of the crew make these interesting subjects to model and paint.

The models included in the “Sting of the Scorpion” wargame set, from the Flames of War range by Battlefront, are beautifully detailed and crying out for a proper paint job. I have never liked the way Battlefront painted these Flames of War models for their promotional material, black lining, little or no weathering and dry brushing in my opinion gave the impression of a rushed paint job and gives the models a basic and rather crude toy soldier like quality. I have applied techniques which I believe create a much more realistic and satisfactory appearance worthy of such well detailed models.

There is plenty of research material and photographs available of the actual vehicles and some inspirational larger scale models available on the web as a simple search on Google will prove. This research is important to be able achieve the weather beaten and eclectic look of the vehicles.



The first part of the job as always is to clean and undercoat the models. Games Workshop Skull White is more effective than black for sand/ochre coloured models and keeps the colour bright and clean. The models were then airbrushed overall Sand Yellow from the Vallejo air range of colours.

Once the basic colour has dried sufficiently it is time to start the shading of the truck. This is done with the excellent washes from Games Workshop. These need to be thinned and applied in near transparent layers to achieve the subtle graduation of the shading required for the LRDG Chevy. I employed the full range of browns through black and these were painted on rather than simply flooded or washed over the model. This is a time consuming task but the overall effect and the subtlety than can be achieved is well worth the effort.



The stowage and other detail on the model need to be picked out before painting it in detail. This effectively lifts the detail of the model and makes it much easier to paint. The tyres (tires for our American cousins) were painted basalt grey and then detailed with numerous washes of black before receiving a final layer of Devlan Brown to finish. This provides a fine weathered appearance that won’t need dry brushing.

The highlights for the model are simply a mix of Sand Yellow and white thinned to about 7 parts water to 3 parts paint and applied in layers. This is what gives the model of the LRDG Chevrolet its sun bleached quality. Once this is done the model is set aside to allow the paint to dry thoroughly before painting in the stowage. Again I referenced the colours of the equipment on Google before painting. The stowage is painted in exactly the same manner I paint my figures. Blocked, shaded and high lighted for effect.



A few stone chips and some peeling paint detail was added just to finish and give the model Chevy the necessary workhorse appearance that the LRDG vehicles achieved in the field.




These models will be available individually on Ebay Should you require any other vehicle painted to this standard please contact me with your requirements at lowlesr@hotmail.co.uk for a quote. All payments can be made, and are preferred, through Paypal, shipping is at cost.

Valiant 1/72 scale American GI boxed set for Days of Wonder's "Memoir'44"

For a long time I have been keen on the “Memoir’44” game from Days of Wonder based on the Command and Colours system by Richard Borg as first seen in Avalon Hills “Battle Cry”.Large mounted Maps and variable terrain allow you to recreate major battles of WWII in spectacular fashion with model soldiers, tanks and guns to represent the units under your command. The game models while attractive come moulded in a polythene plastic not really suitable for painting, as the paint will chip and flake, due to the flexible nature of the polythene.

This is where the excellent and affordable “hard Plastic” figures from Valiant come in. At approximately 9 GBP per box for around 65 model soldiers in 1/72 scale these are ideal replacements for the Days of Wonder miniatures supplied in the boxed game. Offering greater detail and a variety of poses, these, once painted enhance the overall visual gaming experience.

The equipment needed is pretty basic, a set of side clippers, modelling knife, file, glue, a set of paints and inks, a drill bit, and size 2 and 0 brushes.

As with all model kits you will need to clip the pieces from the sprue and clean any mould lines and spurs before assembling with polystyrene cement to complete the figure. Once you are satisfied with the overall appearance a quick dip in some warm soapy water to remove any residual release agents and its time to under coat. Games Workshops excellent Chaos Black spray undercoat is employed for this and once dry its time to paint.

The US paint set from Battlefront provides all the basic colours for the uniform and saves any messing about trying to get the correct shade. Having standard colours will speed up the painting process greatly and provide a nice uniform appearance across the models.

Starting with the trousers simply block in “Field Drab”, and as these are very quick drying and I normally paint in batches of 8 or so figures by the time the last model has his trousers on so to speak the first will be dry enough to allow you to continue.

It is best that you create your own routine, i.e. trousers, jacket, helmet, boots, webbing, face, hands, and weapon. This assures that you get a good rhythm going which will speed up the overall process considerably.

All the colours are simply blocked in, except for the face, it is extremely important that the colours are applied in a neat and even manner.

1. Field Drab trousers and shirt.

2. Khaki jacket

3. Brown Violet helmet

4. Red Leather boots

5. Green Grey webbing and gaiters

I paint the weapon with a mix of Games Workshop Snakebite Leather and Battlefronts Red Leather and the mix also goes on the hands and face. Note I do not paint the metallic at this stage as these are always done last so to ensure that there is no contamination of the base colours. There is nothing worse than individual metallic flakes sparkling from Brown Violet or British Khaki !

The face is painted in the traditional manner flesh over brown leaving just enough of the base coat to shadow the eyes nose and mouth.

You now need to set the figure aside for about half an hour to allow the paint to dry thoroughly before applying the wash. Games workshops new washes are an amazing product, allowing you to apply different coloured shading to each area in a controlled manner while working in a similar fashion to the ubiquitous dip method that is proving so popular these days. I use Gryphonne Sienna for the trousers and skin, Ogryn Flesh for boots and weapon,and a 60/40mix of Sienna and Thraka Green for the khaki and Green Grey. Once dry this process will leave you with a very tidy and tonally shaded model. Many people are happy to leave the figure at this stage, as it is reasonably effective. However with a little high lighting you can really breathe life into the figure and turn it from an adequate gaming piece to a little miniature work of art.

As the wash has done the shading for you it is a very simple task to pick out the highlights. Starting with the base colour simply pick out the folds and areas you want to highlight. Then adding white to the colour build up the highlight gradually until you are happy with the effect.

This is an effective method that with some practice should be within the capabilities of most modellers. However if you neither have the time, patience, skill or whatever, I can supply figures painted to exactly the same standard illustrated in this article for only £3.00 per figure. This includes the cost of the figure .

Tigers Marsch! Part II

The nice thing about the Infinity airbrush from Harder and Steenbeck is that while it is a double action in the truest sense it is possible to adjust the amount of paint dispensed by adjusting the simple but effective needle adjustment lock. This ensures a very controlled flow and reduces the possibility of spoiling the work through inadvertently pulling back to hard on the trigger.

Using the supplied Tiger tank artwork as reference I applied the brown camo first and once dry the green. Care really needs to be taken at this stage get it wrong and it will simply be a case of break out the model stripper and start again. Initially the colours will look a little light in tone but this is done to allow for the filters which once applied these will darken the finish and enhance the detail to create a realistic looking model.

Flames of War Tiger 1E´s, from the "Tigers Marsch" boxed set, painted and filtered ready for detailing

Once the filters have been applied and allowed to dry thoroughly it is time to then paint the tracks and add the detail to the models, cables, tools and boxes etc. This was again done with my own blend of colour to ensure that the models comply as closely as possible with the supplied artwork. The filters have done an excellent job of weathering the Tigers and I intend to apply a minimal amount of powders etc as I do not want to overdo the wear and tear to these behemoths of the battlefield.

Next up will be the crew figures. The crew models, for me, are what make Battlefronts Flames of War models special and add that little extra character that makes these models so collectable. Spending that little bit of extra time on the uniforms and facial detail will be well rewarded and I will cover this in my next Blog entry.

Tigers Marsch!

I recently received a painting and modelling service commission for a set of models that I have wanted to do since their release earlier this year. The Tigers Marsch set replicating Wittmann and his platoon of Tigers in Normandy
is one that I have wanted an excuse to tackle for sometime.

Consisting of 5 individual models, all with different damage and setups, the kits create a highly detailed and individual platoon. Coming in the now familiar Battlefront packaging, with a dramatic representation of Wittmann leading his men into battle in the Bocage, and an internal clamshell securing the multitude of parts it is hard not to break out the glue straight away and get stuck into the assembly.

The parts are cleanly cast and full of detail. The special dice set and markers included in the set are an excellent addition and will make fielding these gems just that bit extra special. I will be ordering a set of these extremely atmospheric and evocative models for my own collection in the very near future. There is a real heft to these models and combined with their sheer size they are guaranteed to make any allied player think twice before tackling such an imposing and dangerous enemy.

The models are as usual, from Battlefronts Flames of War series, mixed media and require a certain amount of preparation and dry runs before final assembly. This is the norm for these kinds of kits, but time spent in preparation is rewarded with a set of fine set of SS Tigers.

The client requested a particular scheme that he had found on the internet. To facilitate an accurate representation of the colours in the artwork provided I have specially blended a set of bespoke colours matching as accurately as possible the artwork provided.

With all the assembly, cleaning, undercoating and colour blending done it is time to apply the base yellow. With this applied they are starting to look like SS Tigers and the moulded detail on these fine Flames of War models starts to come to life.

Wittmann's Tigers assembled and base coated

The next job will be to apply the green and brown dispersed camouflage pattern. Using an especially fine needle and nozzle in the airbrush, specifically ordered for the task, my next Blog entry will cover how this was applied prior to detailing, decaling and weathering.
Click here for part 2

The Generals Paintbrush: Tigers Marsch! Part II