Back of Beyond Expedition [19]

I've finished most of the blocking in on the expedition figures this evening with only a few bits left tp sort out.

I've not tried this approach before as I normally do one bit at a time using three stages of shading. It's quicker in terms of the coverage but I don't think the overall effect is as rewarding, given the fact that the figures look very basic in just the base layer.

I'll crack on with some layering and shading tomorrow, so that they look less like toys and more like proper wargaming figures. 

Charlie Don't Surf

I discovered another reason to explain why I originally shelved the Charlie Don't Surf option today. I ran a few calculations on the number of 15mm figures I'd need for a USMC company and a PAVN company sized force, based on the Semper Fi scenario in Surf's Up.

These came out at a whopping 146 figures for the Marines and a slightly less whopping 96 figures for the North Vietnamese. All in all that's nearly 250 figures to base and paint up, without even thinking about the extra support bits and bobs.

Blimey!

I suppose I could start on a small scale with one or two platoons a side, say 30 to 50 figures each, but that somehow seems to be missing the point. It would take me ages to paint up the full on company sized forces, assuming I've got enough figures to cover them in the first place, but it's not outside the realms of possibility.

 I think I'll need to sit down a think about it a bit more to see how feasible it will be to go ahead with CDS, as opposed to just sticking with DMZ or The Men of Company B. In the meantime, I'll probably just focus on the Indochina French and Vietminh skirmish level option for Force on Force, which I will only need a fraction of the figures that CDS requires.

Vietnam in 15mm

I've been thinking about the Force on Force options and what I'd need to put together for an initial project. So far, I'm planning to use my handful of Eureka figures for the First Indochina War as a starting point but, in the longer term, I reckon that this could spill over into a full on 15mm Vietnam project using my Peter Pig 15mm leadpile.

I've had plans to do Vietnam before, using the Men of Company B or From the Delta to the DMZ, both of which use mulitple figure bases. As a result, I've stockpiled a load of ARVN, US and VC/NVA figures over the last few years. When Charlie Don't Surf came out a couple of years ago, I couldn't make up my mind about the basing options, so shelved the project while other things were tackled.

Now, with the forthcoming Ambush Valley Vietnam supplement for Force on Force on the way, I can go down the single figure basing route without limiting myself to one set of rules (thanks for the heads up Steve). I'll need a shedload of figures painted up for Charlie Don't Surf, as it's a company level set of rules, but I can start with a couple of platoons and still get some games in using Force on Force.

I'll also be able to continue with the Indochina option, re-using the terrain I'll need to scratchbuild for both the 1950's and the 1960's conflict. In fact, I'll be killing four birds with one stone, as I can also re-use some of the terrain  for AK47. Very efficient and a great time saver when it comes to getting Vietnam in 15mm off the ground. I'm thinking of making this my Summer project to be tackled in the activity week in July.

Back of Beyond Expedition [18]

I've got a fair way with the blocking in on the oil explorers using a whole load of Foundry colours that I lined up on the workbench. I've tried to stick with a limited range of shades, most of which are variations on a toned down theme, although the denim blue shirts stand out a bit. I haven't quite finished but will probably get the last of the black bits covered over tomorrow. I'll then start on the mid tones and highlights, taking each shade in turn to speed things up.

Force on Force First Impressions

I've had a skim through the Force on Force rulebook today, the first time I've had to give it a decent look at since it arrived in the post. It's well presented with plenty of illustrations and diagrams to help orientate your way through the rules. There are a few typos but that's to be expected these days!

It's quite a thick rulebook and I imagine it would take a few games to navigate the various sections but the basic system seems to be based on common sense, so I suspect it wouldn't take too long to get to grips with. It's also a very handy size, the same as a paperback Osprey book, so less hefty than the usual hardback rules on the market.

I particularly like the emphasis on small unit actions, with a handful of figures on either side. This appeals to my limited budget and time allowance, together with my limited attention span when it comes to painting hordes of figures. It's also designed for 15mm as a baseline figure scale, which cuts the cost down even further.

Perhaps the best feature, as far as I'm concerned, is the limited space required to set up a typical scenario, with a 2' x 2' board being the usual space required. This will allow for some really good quality bespoke terrain construction, which would make games visually impressive. It also makes transportability a doddle.

With this in mind, I've been rummaging in the AK47 collection for suitable modern figures to use as a testbed for the rules. As previously mentioned, my first thoughts were to use some of my Peter Pig FFL, Vietnam US/VC or Isrealis. However, in my scrabblings under the workbench, I found two small boxes of 15mm Eureka figures for the First Indo China War that I snapped up on ebay ages ago, which gave me another option.

I have about thirty or so of the French and Vietminh figures, including some heavy weapons and command types, so pretty much all I'd need for a testdrive. I might get a few extra figures to fill in the gaps but I don't really need anything else. I have some Peter Pig Vietnamese civilians and hootches that I can use too. I can also scratchbuild some cracking terrain using what I've already got in the way of scenic bits and bobs.

There's a lot of potential here for a quick start....I just have to find the time!

Brigadier '38

These look like an interesting set of rules for VBCW, which may get me to finish of the Red Workers Militia at some point in the not too distant future. They are designed for brigade level actions which might be stretching it a bit for my humble forces, although I could always add some additional units to flesh out what I've already got.

Anyway, I've pre-ordered a copy in advance of it's release at the end of the month. If it isn't a good fit for platoon or company level games, I can always revert to Through the Mud and Blood, which would be my first choice for this period. I quite fancy VBCW in 10mm or 15mm, so perhaps the Brigadier 38 rules might fit in well for smaller scales?

Back of Beyond Expedition [17]

The recent hang ups with Blogger wiped out my last post, so here it is again. I finished off the white unit yesterday and spray varnished them with Citadel Hardcoat satin and Army Painter matt varnish. They need the texturing done and the bases painted but that can wait until later.

This weekend I'm going to start on the unit of eight roustabouts, the sniper, staff officer, commander and machine gun figures. I may also tackle a vehicle or two just for a change. We're pretty busy this tomorrow, however, so I may not get much done.

T34 T-Shirt

My club gaming polo shirt got trashed by the washing machine the other day. It was pretty scruffy anyway, having been worn for club nights and shows for four or five years. So, looking for a temporary replacement, I came across this T34 T shirt, which I think will do the job very well.

For The Motherland!

Back of Beyond Expedition [16]

I didn't get much done this evening as the kids had some friends over to play after school and everything got shifted two hours to the left, metaphorically speaking (if you know what I mean?). I painted the hair on half the figures using three stages of either Foundry African Flesh or Chestnut. The others will have black or grey hair in order to keep things as simple as possible.

I've reached another 'ho hum' point with this lot, as you can see from the photo, but I reckon a final push will finish off the last bits and tidy them up. I need to do a bit of fine-lining with a suitably brown / black wash in order to tidy up and define the edges. I also need to sharpen up the detailing, with particular reference to the buttons, buckles and cap badges. All pretty fiddly but it needs to be done.

Forward Planning

I've been making good progress on the Back of Beyond White figures this month, having painted the hats, boots and eyes last night, so I've been thinking ahead to the end of the month by which time I should (fingers crossed) have finished the rest of the figures and vehicles.

The Force on Force rules arrived yesterday, so that might be a possible quick mini-project to be thinking about. I haven't had time to look through them in detail but they are very well presented and packed full of interesting stuff. I have plenty of suitable 15mm figures so it would be easy to paint up a handful of FFL and bad guys, with a couple of vehicles for good measure.

A second option would be to finish off the Rapid Fire! figures which have been gathering dust over the last few weeks. I have only a few to do but somehow the appeal has fizzled out a bit recently. I think I'll save them for the activity week in July when I plan to tackle two or three of  my half finished projects including the PITS dervishes and the Tumbling Dice ironclads, for example.

A third possibility would be the 1.300th scale Ironcow ONESS English force, which would be a quick drybrush and wash operation. This is something I'd enjoy as painting things rather than figures is something I'm better at and find easier to do. I have been promised a game if I get the mech brigade painted up, so that's an added incentive to get on with it.

Finally, I quite fancy having a go at something in 15mm, with the AK47 dictatorship army that I've cleaned up and based being a good option. I haven't painted any 15mm stuff for a year or more, so it would be great to scale down from 28mm for a change. I could also finish off my objective markers and perhaps build some more terrain bits and bobs so that I can play some solo games on a half decent scenery set up.

If you'd like to suggest the project you'd want to see tackled next, then drop me a line and I'll put it at the top of the list. :O)

PS I haven't forgotten the 633 Squadron project. I'm saving it for next year!