Warlord Games Review

Hi Chaps,

My order from Warlord Games arrived in good time and I have to say I am very impressed with the quality of their product.

Project Z is their Zombie game and range and although I am not really interested in buying the game as I already have a chosen ruleset I did want to look at the figures and paints.

Firstly the paints, £19.99 for a combination of 10 pots of paint and washes plus a brush. This is pretty cheap and although the paints seem to have less pigment than Vallejo they are a very useful mix and not just for your medieval Zeds. Instructions on the bottle read shake well so maybe I did just not shake enough to get a good mix......?

Next I opened the figures which I believe originated as Wargames Factory products until Warlord bought them out. Now I have all the old WF boxes and I have to say Warlord have transformed the figures onto a higher level of quality. All the zombies have deeper and more realistic detail and there are a few new sculpts in the box too. I particularly like the old dude holding onto his drip feed trolley....I have painted him as a survivor as he will be perfect as a scenario objective.

The pic is a work in progress as he is still waiting for some highlights but you can see the character the little model possess'. some of the female zombies are pretty hot (wierd but true) and I think a box of figures to form civilians going about their daily lives would be really useful incase anyone from Warlord is reading? There would be many uses for that box.....

The Special Operations team is fantastic and comes with options to create US, Russian or Brits, obviously I created a British squad but gave the sniper an M-4 variant as squaddies love to try out new toys....sorry kit.

Both boxes came with some good quality cards for the Warlord tabletop game but they are of little use to me unless I ever cave in and buy the game. I really would recommend these producys to anyone interested in zombie games or modern 28mm. My shelves now hold over 60 Zeds and counting, they are so easy to paint and they are so different it really is hard to stop collecting them.

Keep blogging....I need you ideas!

Mantic Games are excellent value

Hi Chaps,

This week has brought with it a really pleasant surprise or two. I can only reveal one for the moment but this one is a revelation for me at least.

After reading the Frostgrave rules I realised that I had next to nothing in the way of fantasy miniatures so I ordered a few Reaper mini's from ebay. This company produce decent quality miniatures at a decent price and I intend to use them for Ice giants, Wizards and hoes (yes the ladies).

 Whilst on that most tempting of sites (the ebay one) I purchased some skeletons from Caliver books-I did not even realise that they were Mantic until later. They were cheap, incredibly easy to paint and full of detail. The sprues also contained ghouls which I have painted with a healthy skin tone so that they can double as beggars (even useful in my modern games...I can use them as the Leyland Aldi beggars!).

You may have noticed the anarchy that passes as my paint station-I am off in search of a computer desk to give me more surface area....untidy work stations absolutely do my nut in! The skeletons are on plain 30mm bases, I am undecided about this experiment but the wizards etc are on even bigger slabs of mdf so it does not look too out of place.

The last pic is of a couple of GW Flagellants that will form an unusual unit of bidowers for my Lion Rampant games or double as a background prop in pics etc....they are just for fun.

Thanks for looking Chaps, have a great Sunday.

Vice in miniature! (an a cart or two)

Hi Chaps,

For my bases I usually order from Warbases http://war-bases.co.uk/ this excellent company not only can sort all your basing needs but also your miniature vices as well! My last purchase of bases also had with it a few ladies of the night which have painted up OK and will help populate my slowly growing Victorian metropolis.

These are a work in progress and will eventually have cobbled or stone bases....one of these girls looks worryingly male-maybe it was a thing but my research will go no further on this.

Another purchase was from ebay and consisted of three Lledo carts, they seem to fit 28mm close enough and will in time receive a new coat of paint and a base....less than £5 posted proves that bargains for skint gamers are still out there.

Finally the bartender from reaper mini's who has been waiting patiently for a year or more has gotten a coat of paint....now just to build him and the girls a bar to work in.

Keep blogging Chaps....this hobby can still be cheap.

20mm German Section for Bolt Action

Hi,

This is just a quick update on the Valiant miniature Germans. These hard plastic figures are super easy to paint and full of detail and now I am beginning to care even less if they are over sized. In no time at all I will have a Rapid Fire battalion ready...so in Bolt Action terms that could be....? I will work it out later!

The helmets are now painted (some had been missed on these pics) and the odd base now has a few flowers! A mortar stand and the HQ Company are on the work bench-these are very easy to paint and it will be interesting to see if the Italeri Russians will be as co operative!

Keep painting Chaps !

Prepping German and Russian Armies in 20mm

Hi Chaps,

It has been a dark and wet start to the weekend here in the north of England which is excellent weather for prepping miniatures!

My Italeri Russians are now on their bases as are the Valiant Germans which is a good start to any army as the clipping, gluing and adding of basing material is hardly the glamour side to our (pastime/sport?)/hobby.

So now I have a complete rapid Fire battalion for both Russian and German which will also be used for Bolt action. It is sad but true that I always number the bases so that the companies are always kept together, I have no idea when or why this habit started but I have no inclination to stop doing it now, I do remember playing Operation Warboard as a youth and the numbering thing may have started way back then!

The German Infantry Gun is a simple model as are the crew but they did appear to be on the small side for 1/72....then I made two Valiant crewmen who appear to be a little on the large side for 1/72...you just can't win but I do not care at all. The Hat crew are retired and the Valiant men will take over just because they will paint up nicer.

Well have a good weekend Chaps, I will be busy painting as I had 6 cans of beer last night and never want to see the foul stuff again!

20mm World War Two French.

Hi Chaps,

I do hope that all went well in the festive season and we can now look forward to the campaigns to be had in 2016.

The first figures to fall under the brush this year have been some old Hat (groan) 20mm French artillery. The box said late war (one) but these will form part of a WW2 force with the infantry being from Caesar.

There are the LMG figures )with the loaders being Hat artillerymen) and another company of infantry to finish yet but as these were painted to fill time there is no rush. The French infantry uniform was an odd colour to match and I used a Vallejo Khaki with a black was over it then highlighted with the khaki again. Probably not accurate but as close as I could get without spending money on a paint I will probably never use again.

The Germans which are my main interest are from Hat (artillery again) and Valiant for the infantry....there are lots of people moaning about the size of Valiant figures but I care not a jot. My beloved Britannia models are over size and no one ever seemed to care back in the day. On the table these figures will rarely be mixed with others so I won't even notice.

Speaking of tables there will be actual games appearing on this blog shortly! The old faithful Rapid Fire set has been dusted off and another copy of Bolt Action has been ordered. I must explain that the copy of Bolt Action that I took to Thailand to read has stayed there-essential to have some reading when it is too hot to venture out.

Well I hope that you guys are busy planning, painting or gaming-I am really looking forward to this year and I hope to see some people at the northern shows in the UK.

Keep blogging.

Under Fire Miniatures are Fantastic....

Hi Chaps,

It is not often that I am blown away by something unexpected in this hobby but I was driven to amazement by the quality of the miniatures from "Under Fire Miniatures".

http://www.underfireminiatures.com/index.htm

The castings are very well proportioned and detail is clear and recognisable even from a distance on these 20mm figures. The quality is so good in fact I had to check against another miniature to make sure that they were 20mm!

Being on a (strict) budget I was at first reluctant to pay £1 a figure (yes it is a damned tight budget) but as I wanted to field a few vehicles and a helicopter or two I was cornered into purchasing what turn out to be some of the best sculpted figures that I have ever seen. And yes they are well worth the measly £1 that I was worrying about!

The figures shown are a mix of Chechens which I had to oder just to look at. Originally the order just consisted of Rhodesian Infantry but the longer that you stay on the Under Fire website the more things will catch your eye.....I wonder what their World War Two stuff looks like? Bolt Action suddenly becomes more affordable despite the 28mm plastics when you take the vehicles and terrain into account is 20mm is the way to go?

The Festive season stuff has slowed my painting but a cheap ICM BTR152 has been completed-my modelling skills did not extend far enough to cope with all the drive shaft gubbins but they cannot be seen anyway!

Transport is now sorted for a few of my Warsaw Pact types, this vehicle will acquire a base soon enough.

Have a really good Christmas lads (and ladies?) and keep posting your plans for the new campaigning season, I steal your brilliant ideas constantly.

The Israeli Infantry arrive

Hi Chaps,

It has been a slow week hobby wise but my Orion Israeli Infantry arrived and I am happy to report they are gamer friendly. The castings are free from flash and the figures are a nice chunky size that allows my old eyes to paint them and it gives them a presence on the tabletop.

Colour wise the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is a bit of a nightmare with people using kit they have been issued with years ago (so it has become faded) alongside newbies with brand new uniform. In a way it makes life easy for the painter as you cannot go wrong.

The box art is a bit misleading as the infantry are all armed with M16 rifles or its later versions and I also found when looking on the web that the uniform is usually a darker green...also the webbing is a pale green or brown/khaki. Anyway as they are my toys I painted them a darker green but the next batch will be lighter and I will mix them up when they are put into their units.

The photo is a little misleading as the colours seem exaggerated but I hope that you get the idea. The only other bits I worked on this week were a couple of old Lesney cars and two SU 152s which saw service in Egypt and Iraq so they got a desert colour.

Hopefully the Force on Force ruleset will arrive this week-I have been reading The Bush War supplement and it is very well written and presented, I really do recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in modern Africa.

Keep blogging Chaps, we are the only sane people I know.

Grubby Tanks Taliban and BRDM 2

Hi,

Well they arrived! An order to Grubby Tanks usually always arrives within 4 or 5 days and he always includes a figure (or in this case 3) extra which is great customer service. The figures are full of character and will be a useful addition to my plastic 20 MM bunch who need the support weapons.

The BRDM may end up in Africa as will the stowage which is destined to be put on the back of two toy trucks...they are a little small to be heavy haulers but will work as 7.5 or 10 tonne mules! As you may have guessed the 20 MM bug has really taken hold probably due to the Force on Force primer I downloaded...for some reason it just clicked.

Hopefully before weekend I will have in my possession the Bush Wars Force on Force supplement and also a box of Orion IDF troops. Any advice on uniform colours (with the paint name and number if possible) would be greatly appreciated as I have no idea where to start with these but I have wanted them for a while and if necessary I can put them away for a rainy day.

This lot should complete my Taliban project for now at least but I think few wargamers ever consider an army complete?

I am off now to dismember a VW camper van and two identical trucks, I will photograph the process and they should be ready to re appear in 20 MM Africa soon.

Keep blogging Chaps!

20 MM Taliban Plastics-the full set

Hi Chaps,

I cannot remember the last time that I ever painted every piece from a box of plastic figures...so Ultima Ratio take a bow! It is almost as if the guys at Ultima Ratio (who ever and wherever they are) knew what a war gamer would want. Robust strong figures in usable poses-all of them useful to the gamer and contrary to what the plastic soldier review thinks those donkeys are damned useful.

So the Taliban have taken over my painting table no doubt waiting for the Grubby Tanks order to arrive with their HMG, Commander, Mortar and civilians...and of course the goats to keep the lads happy. It will be interesting to see how the figures mix with the metal castings and for sure once they are painted that is the "army" complete.

The painting of 20 MM will not end with these chaps though! Modern African "troops" are already on the table awaiting some camouflage which is proving trickier than I first thought. Maybe I should wait until the Osprey Bush Wars book arrives?

A final thought...would anyone like to swap (or even sell for reasonable English money) a copy of Force on Force core rulebook? I have to trade an excellent copy of Hail Caesar? I like the book I just don't have the time to paint an ancient army!

Thanks for looking and keep blogging, you are all very creative!

20 MM Taliban-on the cheap!

Hi Chaps,

Well I am fairly broke! It is nearing Christmas, the winter bills are rolling in etc etc so my financial condition has gone from skint to acutely skint. Fortunately the war gaming Gods smile kindly on those in my situation and one can swerve the shortage of cash problem by adopting a smaller scale, going for skirmish or going plastic.

This month I went ebay plastic-to the extreme of 1/72 scale! A new company called Ultima Ratio has in it's catalogue a box of Taliban which have painted up quite well. They also produce some Soviet mechanised infantry but I have not been able to track these down (forgive the pun).

The plastic is hard and the castings thick enough to prevent any bending or the dreaded curved barrel! These chaps got a coating of PVA to protect them from general wear and tear...they have lots of comrades soon to join them including some great pack donkeys and a man armed with a stinger missile! I have just noticed I missed the lenses on the binoculars....I will sort that!

Back soon when my Grubby Tanks order arrives and I can complete the T 55 which is a cheap ebay Fabbri find....keep busy lads it's the only way to stay sane.

20 MM Afghanistan here I come!

Hi,

Today was very interesting. The postie arrived with a few packages of goodies that I have been eagerly waiting for what seems ages (OK last weekend).

The first pleasant surprise was the Ultima Ratio box of 1/72 figures portraying the Mujahidin, Taliban Al Qaeda bad guys/drug dealing scum or if you are that way inclined freedom fighters? The figures are well proportioned with useful poses and all of them can be used-especially the pack donkeys! I have never heard of this company before but they are certainly worth a look and I will keep an eye out for future releases.

Next to be examined were the Warbases MDF bases which as always were perfect arriving within 2 days of ordering. I just cannot stand basing light plastic figures onto pennies...it unbalances them so much, just a pet hate of mine sorted for less than a pint of lager.

The Fabbri (I think) T 55 was won off ebay, delivered for less than £7. I have never tried painting modern armour before so I could not resist starting a repaint with the Russian Green from Vallejo...it may be totally wrong but it is too late now. Weathering and stowage will be added over the next few days.

I have on order from Grubby Tanks some crew for this ancient beast as well as command and a few heavy weapons. My table will also acquire some civilians from a few manufacturers including the old Britannia range.

So there we have it a force of around 50 infantry, a tank and some civvies for less than £50, I don't need to do the maths to know that I could not have afforded this in 28 MM which is a shame but when life gives you lemons...

Keep blogging Chaps I need your ideas!

By the way if you need some modern inspiration or are just curious as too what can be achieved in 20 MM check this guys work out...he is a total genius!

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=59008.15

Osprey Black Ops

Hi Chaps,

I am sure that you are all aware of the upcoming Osprey Black Ops rule book which is due for release in October? They sound amazing!  A quick read on Amazon will give you a good idea of what to expect....I have been waiting for a set of rules covering this genre for a long time....finally this could be just that set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Ops-Tactical-Espionage-Wargaming/dp/1472807812

A project for the autumn,,,,,,,,

The Assault Group update

Thought I would post an update on my modern figures. The Assault Group sculpts are so easy to paint-I have been enjoying painting these tremendously...I would urge anyone to buy from this company as the service is first class.

Today was the first day of sunshine in weeks so I popped into the garden to take some snaps...the neighbours already think that I am odd so I do not care!
Why is it that I rarely ever think that an army is complete? Are you chaps the same? Just when I think that I'm done another must have unit springs to mind!