What a Tanker! Soviet Light Tanks

I've been way too busy at work for any modelling this week but, as it's the weekend, I'm planning to get the Panzer IV's and a couple of Stug's underway first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, I thought I'd splash some pay day funds on a box of three 1/72nd scale T-70 light tanks from Plastic Soldier Company. These are small models but will be a good addition to my Soviet tank forces, especially as they are one of the career entry point options at Level 3 in the campaign ladder. They are also really nice kits, from what I've read in reviews online, so I'm looking forward to assembling them when they turn up in the post.

20mm Villista Renegades

Here are the six 20mm Shellhole Scenics Villista Dorado figures that I'll be using for the Patton's First Fight scenario, in the role of Julio Cardenas and his men. I thought about preparing mounted version of these foot figures as well, which came with the army pack that I bought, but decided to leave that for a later time. The scenario only uses six dismounted figures anyway. I'm hoping to slap some paint onto these over the weekend.

Armourfast StuH 42

I now have two Armourfast StuH 42 assault guns to add to the German tanks that I'm going to be working on over the next week or so, one of which may well be converted back into a StuG III if I can find an alternative 75mm gun barrel. These will go very well alongside my existing StuG IV and the Pzkpfw IV Ausf G/H that I'm already assembling. I'm now on the look out for something unusual to round off the Panzer production line, perhaps a captured Russian tank in German markings, or maybe just a couple of bog standard Panzer Mark III's?

What a Tanker! Panzer Plans

I've decided to crack straight on with the What a Tanker! project, this time going back to the Panzerwaffe with a trio of Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IV's and the single Armourfast Stug IV that I started on a while back. As you can see, this lot takes up quite a lot of workbench space but, once I've assembled the various bits into tank shaped objects, it should be a lot less crowded. 

I like the fact that the tracks are separate components in these PSC kits, which should speed up the production line and avoid the fiddly painting round the road wheels that I've had to deal with of late. I may well add another assault gun to this lot or something else to beef up the baddies, once I've put the Panzer IV's together over the coming week. 

The Mark IV's have been undercoated in Halfords Ultra Matt Khaki and will be painted up in snow camouflage just like the Panther and Jagdpanther that I've already completed, with at least one minus the hull bazooka skirts for a bit of visual variety. I'll aim to decal the three tanks with common insignia in order to give them the look of a proper unit, albeit at reduced strength due to battle losses.

What a Tanker! Soviet Tanks Finished

I pushed it this evening to get the Russian tanks and tank destroyer finished by the end of the half term holiday, which I have now achieved albeit after quite a lot of colourful language, especially when the decals went pear shaped. I was using some old Verlinden 1/35th scale rub down transfers which are great on flat surfaces but a right bugger on anything curved. As a result, I had to salvage several attempts at various slogans and tank numbers, which meant that it took longer than usual. I also mixed up the decal set with some liquid poly at one point, which was almost a total disaster but was swiftly covered up with some more snow camouflage. Phew! It's onto some Panzer IV's next but I think I'll have a break first and paint some Mexicans.

Patton's First Fight Terrain Tweaks

I bashed this little lean to stable hitching post thing out of matchsticks and half a laser cut mdf terrain base this morning. The idea is to have a removable bit that can be repositioned either inside or outside the hacienda courtyard, as required by the scenario. It's nothing special but I think it does the job and looks okay, even if I overcooked the dry brushed weathering effect a bit too much!

Patton's First Fight Terrain

I've just about finished the 20mm hacienda building for the Viva La Revolucion! Fistful of Lead scenario, give or take some final touches and the construction of a removable lean to in one corner of the courtyard. The building is a bit basic and not quite the same floor plan as the scenario suggests, but it's close enough and is about the right size, so it will do. I have also prepared, based and undercoated six dismounted 20mm figures to use as the Villista renegades  in the scenario, using half of the Dorado foot figures from the army pack that I bought a while back. I'll start painting these as soon as I can clear the workbench of tanks!

What a Tanker! Wash and Brush Up

I have now completed the basic whitewash camouflage on the Soviet tanks and have also done a few ink washes to bring out the details on the wheels and engine decks. I've tried to vary the camo a bit but keep the overall effect relatively similar, so that they don't look funny next to each other. I'm hoping to get the tracks painted tomorrow but, as it's the last day of the half term holidays, I expect we'll be out for at least some of the day. It shouldn't take long now to get these finished off, with the decals and some final weathering to do to wrap them up!

What a Tanker! Winter Whitewash

I've now added a basecoat of winter whitewash camouflage to the various Soviet medium tanks and tank destroyer, ready for a wash in Future based ink after they've thoroughly dried out. I've already washed one of the T34/76 and the M3 Lee that I kit bashed yesterday, so you can see the difference in the overall effect. The wash adds some definition and a bit of weathering, which can then be detailed with rust streaks and mud splashes, as well as some GW Nuln Oil shading. I also need to paint the tracks but that is easier to do once the white camouflage has been applied first.

Breakout into Brittany Build Up

 

I've been planning the Summer Project this week, which I'll be packing for the holidays at the end of July, so have decided to go for the Plastic Soldier Company option rather than do anything in lead. I have a US starter company box set for this but this only came with one sprue of plastic infantry, so I've found a second hand, unused box set on eBay for £14 to fill out the ranks of GI's. These figures wouldn't be my first choice but you can't really argue with 145 of them for £14!

The PSC infantry are much smaller than either Peter Pig or Battlefront figures, so can only really be used alongside other PSC stuff. This isn't a problem, however, as I can also use the PSC Fallschirmjager and late war German infantry sets, which are perfect for the campaign in Brittany in 1944. I could even make use of the early war infantry for naval troops or second rate Ostruppen units. 

I now have pretty much everything I need to get started on the US forces for I Ain't Been Shot Mum, although I would quite like some PSC M4A2's or M10 tank destroyers to add to Task Force A. There's plenty of options in the IABSM support lists to build upon a basic infantry company, so I have lots of choices as long as it fits with the historical units involved.