AK47 Competition - Tamiya Fiat G-91

 

As I set up the latest competition on the AK47 Facebook Group, I thought it was only fair that I actually took part. A rummage in my kit stash turned up a few potential models but I've picked out this Tamiya 1/100th scale Fiat G-91, which is perfect as a ground attack plane. 

I'm going to swap the drop tanks for a couple of rocket pods pinched from a diecast helicopter, which just happen to be a perfect fit on the pylons, but otherwise I'll just build it as it is. It's a simple kit but should look good once I've added a suitably interesting camo scheme.

These jet fighter aircraft were used by the Portuguese in Mozambique and Angola, so a very good fit for AK47 and appropriate as an air asset for a colonial settlers army, one of which I have all based up ready for painting at some point this year, although it will need some tweaking to fit.

Freikorps Armoured Cars

 

The Red Actions Freikorps project is one step closer to kick off now, as I've just received my order from QRF of a 15mm Erhart armoured car. It's a nice model and one of the better offerings from QRF, whose castings can be a bit hit and miss. I now only need a couple of trucks and I'll be ready to get started for Freikorps February.

Airfix Roland CII Update

 

It's been another very busy weekend, so progress on the Roland CII painting has been a bit slow. The camouflage has now been completed and tidied up, so the next job will be to do some detailing in black and white, then paint the windows and props, before adding some washes and highlights. I've had to shift the game along a couple of weeks, however, so that I can get these finished without having to rush them. The aim now is to complete them by half term in a couple of week's time.

Book Bargains

 

We took the lad back to university in Plymouth yesterday and, on the way, stopped off in Tavistock for a look around the market and charity shops, of which there are quite a few. The result is a very nice selection of second hand but good condition hardback books on subjects which are of interest either as potential projects or just for reading, all for less than fifteen quid. Bargain!

Fixed Wing February

 

After my last attempt was a bit of a damp squib, I've started a new competition on the AK-47 FB group, this one a fixed wing ground attack aircraft model, photographed 'in action' for the added 'ka-boom' factor. The rules don't allow pre-painted models but you can use model kits, diecasts, 3D printed models and so on.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/387096823305709/permalink/568117105203679/

Fat Frank's Desert Roads

 

After much prevarication and futile thoughts of 'I could make that myself one day', I got round to acquiring some desert road pieces from Fat Frank, which you see being used a lot for various wargaming purposes. These are homemade from black plastic material coated in glue and sand then dry-brushed in a suitably arid shade of what looks like magnolia emulsion. As such, they are pretty simple but no less effective, plugging an obvious gap in my 28mm scaled desert terrain. I chose the 70mm wide version which works as a single lane track in 28mm and a double lane roadway in 15mm, so pretty handy for skirmish games in both scales. I'm quite pleased with these as long as they don't curl up or fall to bits, but I may do a little bit more painting and decorating with some tufts to blend them with my existing terrain. Now, where did I put that stagecoach.....?

Digging In

A late birthday present turned up a few days ago in the shape of this new book on WW1 trench system construction for wargaming. It's full of really good ideas and techniques, which I'd really like to try if I had a project on the go. The recently established FB group for Through the Mud and Blood has also inspired me to do something with 15mm Peter Pig figures in this direction but it won't be anytime soon!

Fistful of Lead Club Games

 

The lad and I had a great Fistful of Lead back to back scenario session at the club last night. In the first game, we set up the head hunting scenario which ended up with the lawmen posse all but wiped out but winning by a whisker, with the gunslinger shooting the bandit gang leader in the back on top of the building!

The second game was a mash up of the stagecoach, train robbery and hang em high scenarios, with a train replacing the stagecoach. The banditos had blocked the railroad track and had to rescue a gang member held in the wagon, while the lawmen had to stop them. It was a shane that we ran out of time with this game, as it was going really well, so we'll definitely do a replay. Great fun!

Mad for War Is Here

 

My pre-order hardback copy of Mad for War has popped through the letter box and it is absolutely stunning! I haven't had time to sit down and read through it yet but, for the asking price, it's worth every penny if only for the production values, which are right up there will the big wargaming publishers. Added to that, you have a tried and tested set of rules with fantastic product support, not to mention a dedicated line of miniatures. Hats off the Barry Hilton for an superb effort!

Back of Beyond Locomotive

I was sorting out my boxes of terrain for the Fistful of Lead game tomorrow, including my repainted toy Wild West train and railroad tracks, when I found this plastic toy locomotive that I'd completely forgotten about. It was shoved in a box on top of the other stuff, so no wonder I couldn't remember where it was.

I'm pretty sure I found it at a charity shop and, as it was the same basic model as my existing train, I picked it up for a couple of quid. It's more of a European style locomotive, however, so I will dismantle and rebuild it for my Back of Beyond games, using it with the tender that I have already painted.

It needs some minor surgery and sanding down, then I can add some extra details before giving it a quick painting and weathering to match my rolling stock. I'm now on the lookout for some more of the plastic carriages that come with these models, so that I can make up a longer train with some purpose made wagons for the Back of Beyond. 

Airfix Roland CII Update

It's been a bit of a hectic day but the Roland CII models have had the lower fuselage and wings painted in Vallejo Pale Grey Blue and the brown camouflage added using Foundry Soearshaft Shade. I didn't quite finish the job but it was so cold in the garage that I had to call it a day. The paintwork is a bit rough and ready but I will fine tune it once I've added the green camouflage bands. 

Freikorps Armoured Trains

The extra Peter Pig figures for the Red Actions! project arrived in the post, so I'm now just waiting for my QRF order to turn up before I can get started. The only thing I haven't got is an armoured train, a small number of which were used by the Freikorps in Latvia in 1919, either captured from the Reds or improvised by the Latvians. I have some old Triang TT gauge flat wagons and well wagons than I'm thinking of using for this, adding a superstructure and turrets or perhaps even a naval gun mounting, the guns being supplied by the Royal Navy! 

Yet Another Cunning Plan!

I woke up this morning with yet another 'cunning plan', which popped into my head from out of the blue. I've had a copy of Neil Thomas' book One Hour Wargames for a few months but haven't done anything with it. It's ideal for a quick weekend project and thereafter for pick-up games requiring very little preparation, the numerous scenarios providing plenty of inspiration and the terrain being a basic 3' x 3' with a few features plonked on top. 

The plan is also very simple. 

Using the cheap and cheerful Warlord Epic ACW sprues, one of each for the Union and Confederates, together with my very under-utilised hexon terrain tiles and a selection of easily scratch-built terrain and MDF  buildings, I can have a One Hour Wargames American Civil War set up in no time at all on a very tight budget. I already have the hexon and have ordered some figure sprues from an eBay seller for £20 for four, which is more than enough for two armies. I will have four guns, plenty of infantry bases for six units and skirmishers using one figure strip per base. 

I can order some snake rail fencing from Pendraken or Blotz and I'm on the lookout for some inexpensive mdf or resin buildings. Some stone walled fields can easily be made using mdf terrain templates and I can also scratch-build some woodland using the same DIY approach. I can even have a railroad using some N gauge track that I already have somewhere in the shed. Not only will the terrain look good, assuming I spend a bit of time on it, but it will also be portable and flexible enough to be adapted to the scenarios in the book.

....all I need now is a long weekend with no other projects on the workbench!

Battle of the Bathtubs

I had a bit of time at lunch today so banged out the scenario briefing for the upcoming Knights of the Sky multiplayer game in a couple of weeks' time. This is a pretty straightforward 'there and back again' mission for the Germans, with the British aiming to shoot down as many of the enemy crates as possible. The setup and objectives are also simple, allowing for about twelve players, give or take, to participate and giving a clear outcome at the end. It should work well, as I've run similar games in the past, so I just need to get those Airfix Roland CII models finished!

Fistful of Lead Stagecoach Shootout

 

The lad is heading back to university in a few days time so wanted a final game at the club before he leaves, his first choice bring an old favourite, a Fistful of Lead. We haven't played this for ages and although I would have liked to have painted a few more figures for a game, we'll be using my old Mexican posse and Lawmen for a proper old shootout. The plan is to try a different scenario from the selection in the rule book, so that we don't go over the same old ground again, a stagecoach hold up being the top option. I haven't actually got a stagecoach but I do have a bank bullion wagon that I can use instead, so we're ready to go!