What "Another" Sherman .. this time 10mm from Pendrakon

As part of the props for the Wargames Developments (WD) Convention Demonstration Game 2024 of Arnhem (1944), I decided I needed to paint up a Sherman tank. I needed a relatively small one, ignoring the fact that I had several suitable models already (15mm and 1/200), I thought it appropriate to use a Pendrakon 10mm Sherman V seeing as the game was going to be ran at their Battleground Show (see below, the Sherman faced off against a Stug IIIG and some German Infantry moving up a linear battle track/ladder): 

It went together, four pieces, no flash, fitting in tightly together with a tiny bit of filing. 

The painting scheme was:

• A grey primer (Airfix Acrylic 001), with a Vallejo Brown Dipping Wash liberally spread into the cracks. 
• Next an undercoat shade of (924) Russian Uniform Green.
• Base layer of 50% Olive Grey (888) and 50% Russian Uniform Green (924).
• Final highlight Olive Grey (924). 
• Tracks matt Black (950) and dry brushed Gun Metal (863).

I planned but epically failed to put any decals on it but I did manage to put it on a base (not shown above) which took more time than I thought, hence no decals!

Note: The Sherman faced against the Stug III shown in an earlier post (click link)!

Painting 1/200 Me 109s (Warlord Games - Blood Red Skies) - The Luftwaffe Ready Room

Seeking painting inspiration I toured the internet for videos on how to paint WWII German Luftwaffe Me 109s circa 1940:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4V6BQo8tyQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&rlz=1C1JZAP_enGB834GB834&sxsrf=APwXEdfZY4A5444DZzh2nGo8DTEftsbQ5A%3A1686928428885&ei=LHyMZNS1NfiThbIPzOC7yAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjU-46Oisj_AhX4SUEAHUzwDkkQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIFCAAQogQyBQgAEKIEOggIABCiBBCwA0oECEEYAVCZDViaKmDnK2gBcAB4AIABhwGIAcwNkgEENC4xMpgBAKABAcABAcgBBA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea18ff39,vid:Pbopp8mOSeA

http://www.dogfighter.com/Messerschmitt-Me-Bf-109-E-3/0344.html

My final recipe was as follows: 

• Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic Primer
• Vallejo Black Wash (to highlight detail) 
• Light Blue (Base) Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic
• Vallejo Model (Base) Dark Grey
• Vallejo Model (Base) Light Grey
• Vallejo Game Colour Bone White foundation for (Base) Yellow area on nose
• Vallejo Game Colour (Base) Golden Yellow
• Vallejo Brown Ink 
• Vallejo Game Colour (Highlight) Yellow (see below, half way through): 

• Vallejo Yellow Ink
• Final Vallejo Game Colour Yellow (Highlight) 
• Smoke Wash
• Vallejo Black on Canopy
• Vallejo Model Colour German Grey on Propeller
• Vallejo Model Colour Black Propeller
• (Highlight) Dark Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Blue
• Micro Sol preparation of decal area 
• Decals: Warlord Games Decal Pack - 1/200 JG-26 using Micro Sol (see below): 

• Micro Set
• Humbrol Satin Varnish

The end result (see below): 

Off to play Blood Red Skies next Battle of France 1940!

Heading to Beda Fomm .. a troop of A13 Mk IIa (10mm Pendrakon)

All this talk of the simulation of the battle of Beda Fomm has left me (or the collective "us") a few models short of being ale to create the British RTRs for Beda Fomm on the table top. Particularly because the A9, A10 and A13 fleets of British cruiser tanks did not have a long shelf life, particularly when they later came into contact with the Africa Korp. So A9s, A10a and A13s don't make it into the 1942+ battles, which is the popular 8th Army collection phase [for us currently]. Therefore "I had to" (or rather chose to) order some early war British kit from Pendrakon - well that was my excuse anyhow. That really meant I better start painting the three A13's I already had (see below, stunned into action I have primed in the Airfix acrylic primer grey): 

Next stop will be a Vallejo Brown Wash and a dark sand colour. I am thinking four collections of three tanks  (comprising or rather representing a squadron) would make up the armoured regiment, with a couple of the precious CS tanks (which could fire HE to take out AT Guns and fire smoke) in the HQ Troop. That should be enough for Beda Fomm as the cruiser formations were understrength by that point in the campaign anyhow.

Bucket List: Fantasy Monsters - I always wanted a .. decent Minotaur figure (WIP)

The Minotaur is an iconic monster and one I never had as a kid, but it was always on the "bucket list" of D&D monsters to get. Lock-down and internet browsing lets certain things happen and while "purchasing" a WW2 28mm German infantry gun (more about that in another post) from Black Tree Design something dropped into the Cart and once in I just could not figure how to remove it (see below, I think they called it a Minotaur Champion but it looks like how any Minotaur should look to me - based up on Milliput to avoid it embarrassingly falling over): 

The base texturing came from my son's hobby tip courtesy of the Critical Roll podcasts - crumple up some tin foil into a small ball and roll it over the still pliable Milliput. He took pity on his farther cursing his old school efforts with an old toothbrush. Airfix Acrylic primer under coat was added (see below, ready for the painting tray to begin proper - really impressed with this sculpt): 

Note: This one might be a race against time to get this one ready for his (or its) campaign debut! Just saying to any PCs casually reading this blog post ;)  

15mm Essex Hoplite Refurbishment (WIP)

Once upon a time, when my wargaming interests finally expanded outside the Twentieth Century World Wars, it came to pass I had to [just had to] try and paint an ancient Greek DBA(ish) army - knowing not quite what even a hoplite was. As it was in those days I picked up a few random packets of Essex miniatures at a wargames show and "experimented" (see below, please note how unashamedly naively I mixed up my Ancient Greek and Macedonian painting schemes - I owned not one Osprey at this point [don't tell the wife that as she would say "happy days"]):  

 

Note !the horrid stylised throwing posture of the spear", in fact the spear is an infeasibly large trunk of a spear (yuk), the inadvertent 'bendiness" of the spear after the first handling of it on a wargames table (it was never ever straight again) was hated and then there was small matter of the shield - you either had basic hand painted symbol or simple decal shield designs [no Little Big Man works of art here]]. I cursed these figures as I superglued the spears onto their tiny little hands (and off they came and on they were put again ... etc ... )! I also made the classic rookie mistake of basing them first, undercoated them and then tried to paint them - awkward .. but eventually they were finished and even flocked. But I hated them and only used them as matters of last resort as I moved onto other figure ranges .. I think it was the chunky spears I hated. About a dozen times I think I came close to throwing them out (see below, some twenty years later I decided a quick change of spear to the wire, like I had used for the Xyston boys may, just may, rejuvenate them - with little sense of expectation I started the renovation): 

Instantly they "felt" (or rather 'looked') better. The eye was not drawn to the horrific spear, The un-Greek blue and green colour schemes and ugly shield decals were over-painted with Airfix Acrylic primer and with old hands but better skills new Vallejo paint licked their surfaces (see above and below, they suddenly looked half decent - so "washes" were applied and highlights made):   

Although a little touching up is still required - I think the shields will get a free-hand basic symbol - they are "wargames table passable" to my eyes (see below, they will certainly do as "filler" hoplites for me .. in service of Greek .. Macedonian .. Persian "overlords" [delete as applicable]):  

In total I have nine stands of Essex hoplites and the throwing out of the old Essex spear for new brass wire IMHO has given them all a new least of life!

On the Subject of Soviet WWII Armour: The T-35 Land-ship

It is everyone's secret desire to have a T-35 even though may not admit it, or like me even know what they would do with it if they ever made one (see below, the S-Models "two in a pack T-35" offer of a lifetime): 

Admittedly it did look slightly out of place on the painting tray, sharing time with a "brigade" of 20mm ACW Union troops - although to be honest the technology didn't seem too different (see below, the painful process of clipping the brittle plastic of the S-Model without breaking delicate parts is now far behind me): 

Delightfully the "multiple small rollers" track casting came literally in one part. So provided that you were careful clipping it out there was no "Matilda" or "Churchill" hell (those who have put together those Airfix kits will know what I am talking about) to contend with (see below, a multi-turreted monster - but still lovable at the same time): 

Harder than putting it together (and I did have a choice moment or two when I put the radio aerial on the turret) is painting the blooming thing. It took quite a long time and quite a lot of Airfix primer to finally cover it (see below, a ghostly post-build but pre-paint apparition - I originally thought they did but I was told that they never made it to the Winter War with Finland, I must double check that): 

Next came a refreshingly messy stage as I daubed the whole kit and caboodle in Vallejo Sepia Brown Wash (see below, I know they didn't see much combat - deployed and destroyed around Kiev in 1941, but they did a fair bit of travelling in the dusty Russian Summer, so my two T-35's are going to look grubby rather than factory finish):  

Next Stage: Time to break out the Vallejo Russian Green!

Moria Troll "Washed"

Again a beastie that stares at me from the library shelf, strategically placed in line-of-sight. Taunted I first primed it in Airfix Grey Acrylic Primer then Vallejo Washed him in Sepia Brown (see below, he looks and angry chap): 

Anybody seen a hobbit? (see below, that is the spear aimed as in the first film at Frodo Baggins): 

Good first step. Watch this space for the next ;)

Corona Virus Project 2c - WIP: USN Midway Destroyers (DD)

Onto the painting tray, flash metal trimmed away, based on hard cardboard and sea textured with the spreading of a DIY flexible sealant and the US Destroyer is well under way (see below, a flotilla of thirty "boats" should see all my early war needs fulfilled, and courtesy of the "Navwar Leyte Gulf party pack" I bought way back when - I have another fifty mid-late war Fletcher class DDs to add at some point in the future):

It is also nice when a 'sensible storage solution' comes along as the same time as a collection takes shape. The BAs, BBs, CVs, CVLs, CVEs, CAs, CLs and CL-AAs of the USN pacific Fleet have a variety of small plastic boxes to fit into, but I was struggling for something for the DDs, things were just not the "right size". Then a magazine shipping package" (akin to  a very thin pizza box) I had kept for no better reason than I thought "one day it might be useful", on closer inspection was "just what I needed" for the destroyer flotillas' home (see below, TF8, TF16, TF17 destroyer contingents - along with four WWI era four-stackers I needed for the Battle of the Java Sea I did a while back):

Following the basing and texturing, the metal was covered in Airfix Gray Acrylic Primer (01) and the sea base around the ships received the same ad-hoc mixture of Anita's Acrylics as the previoys projects (see below - Navy Blue, Jungle Green and Midnight Blue in approximate thirds - forming the dark sea-base):

The last stage of the "shade coat priming" is to give the destroyers a Vallejo "Black" Wash all over (see below, the darkness of the resulting shadows makes the painting of the grey base and subsequent highlighting stage much easier):

Next stage: Grey hulls-superstructure and blue decks.

Second Corona Project: WWII Pacific Pre-War Carrier Fleet

Next up on the "Painting Tray" are some old naval friends from WWII (see below, Navwar 1/3000 USN commissioned pre-war CVs): 

The hulls as painted in Airfix Grey Primer and the bases covered by a thin layer of cheap DIY flexible filler(see below, the painted "hull" one to the left is CV1 USS Langley in her converted [again] to a seaplane carrier):

Next came the painting of the sea bases, something I had done before so a search of my blog manually revealed nothing - but a Google search of my blog found this link:
http://exiledfog.blogspot.com/2010/10/note-to-self-painting-sea-bases-fro.html

Something about automated AI indexed being far better over large complex data sets than manual tagging methinks! Thankfully I even had the original Anita Acrylic paints in the loft. The magic formula being: (50:50) - Midnight Blue/Navy Blue with Jungle Green, which I erroneously  interpreted as a 'blue mix' or a 'green mix' - we'll see how it goes (see below, "end state one", everything dark blue or dark green blue; I also touched up the grey primer again as some waves had inadvertently splashed over the sides):

Fast Forward - This is the desired end point, but again I have forgotten exactly "how" I achieved it and my note to self does not really seem to cover to get to this effect (see below, the USS Washington and the USS South Dakota - the sea is also varnished Satin if my memory serves me correctly);

Moving on .. next .. experimenting with a "wash".

Update: It seemed to be a Gloss followed my Matte varnish!
http://exiledfog.blogspot.com/search/label/USS%20South%20Dakota

The First Corona Project Completed: An Italian Western Desert Task Force

Next comes the armour (see below, there may be fifty shades of grey but I am using three grades of sand on top of one layer of primer that gets washed in "Vallejo Brown Wash"):

I took one vehicle (M11/39) through to completion to get a feel of what to do (see below, kinda got it, taking Green Ochre (914), mixing it with Buff (976) and finally highlighting in pure Buff):

The tracks were initially painted in Flat Brown (984) and the highlighted in Gun Metal, flowed by a Black Wash and further Gun Metal highlight (see below, primed and ready for action):

From another angle coming at you (see below, the 47mm gun is the hull is anachronistic, the Italians only ever bothered equipping two battalions in the Western Desert with them, but a tank is still a tank when the other side does not have one):

The finished one alongside the other painted in the base coat Green Ochre (914) on the 40mm bases (see below, the Italian armoured column is taking shape):

The 10mm Western Desert Italian Project (see below, Infantry done, supports painted and half based, armour just started painting):

Pause for thought .. mu eldest wanted some help painting a D&D figure (Iron Golem) so while he was learning the secrets of "bronze armour" - I also experimented with Citadel Texture pain and under-painted bases (see red-orange-yellow). The idea being you paint over the bright colours in thick back texture paint goo. The goo dries, cracks and the colours of hell seep through the cracks. It can be extremely dramatic and very effective. Part way through this process I thought - they would be quite good as Chain of Command "shock markers (see below, the acolyte in training and are those "shock markers" I see?): 

An aerial shot of the painting table (see below, 28mm WWII British Infantry sprues on the top left, 28mm GW Fantasy bottom left, 10mm Pendrakon WWII Italians in the middle):

A close-up of the WIP 10mm Italians (see below, I am having second thoughts on how "light" the sand is on the finished infantry bases):

The Italians from another angle (see below, in the background you can see the bottom half of a Steve Young San Fran QB "Action Figure" - although it has to be said I am more of a Joe Montana fan):

An artistic shot of the Painting Table and a hint at my bookshelf (see below, a lot of Vallejo Paints [and unopened can of Carlsberg Export] - including duplicates - see previous post for details):

Another look at those bases (see below, they definitely look like "shock markers" to me): 

The Italian armoured column gets a Green Ochre and Buff 50:50 mix (see below, I can see the effect coming on nicely):

Buff highlight and I think we are there. Other bits, exhausts Flat Brown with Red Leather Highlight. Spades and MGs, black with Gun Metal highlight, tyres black with a mixed a dark grey highlight (see below, based on PVA dunked in sand and grit, soaked with an Anita's Acrylic Coffee Brown diluted wash):

Now came a a depressing moment when I took yet another look at the infantry basing and finally accepted that they were too light (see below, I preferred the look of the infantry supports and armour): 

The horrible answer was to Brown Wash the bases and start from the mid-tone up again (see below, once I had done one base I knew it was the right thing to do, that way they were all based the same too - which as a collection works better IMHO):

Finally painted awaiting a matte varnish (see below, after all the effort I put into these I decided I was not going to skimp on a varnish to make the wargaming figures more "wearable" or protect from hand-to-hand contact or is that clumsy handling combat?):

The Italian Infantry package (see below, note the alternative use of a chocolate box - which needs a bit of strengthening and interior divisions, so they don't all end up in a heap in transport):

The "Final Showcase I" (see below, head-on a furious sight of Italian armour and infantry in rapid advance):

The "Final Showcase II" (see below, side-on - a nice target for artillery):

The Italian Army is now in search of the British Western Desert Force (WDF) under General Richard O'Connor.

More importantly in the context of current world events - this is my first (perhaps of many) Corona Virus Lock-Down [UK] Projects.

WW2 Western Desert Italians: 10mm

A Note to Self: This is how I painted these (so I can remember how I did it when I get another set or want to paint Italians in a different scale)

The Italian Western Desert Party Pack (Blitzkreg Commander - alt high I don't have that particular set of rules we have plenty more that can just be as useful)  of 10mm wonder from Pendrakon Miniatures, which I am proud to say is a local 'Smoggie' firm near Middlesbrough, UK (see below, a mixture of roughly some 40 infantry with MG supports (3), mortars (3) and anti-tank guns (2); plus a mixture of Italian light armour - to be fair they didn't have anything really heavy metal to speak of - an armoured car AB/41, 3 x M13/40 and 2 x M11/39, plus a random truck, which I suppose the CO can travel around in): 

Separating out the infantry into sections of thee (see below, that way I can get a ten plus  bases to make platoon or  squad/section bases for most WWII Battalion-Company OrBats):

"Ubiquitous" general purpose coffee stirrers [one thousand and one other uses thereof] are used to based the files and washed miniatures (see below, a good strong [but relatively cheap] drop of superglue attaches said figures to the coffee stirrers, strong enough to hold them in place through the following painting process):

The infantry are "en masse" primed with Airfix Acrylic (01) Grey Primer - my favourite priming tipple, now back in circulation (see below, painted on not sprayed - you get to know the figures better that way):

Vallejo Brown wash is liberally inserted into all their nooks and crannies (see below, that overall yucky brown which accentuates shadows and is a lovely surface to paint on with the paint adhering beautifully):

Vallejo Game Colour Dark Flesh (see below, faces, hands and the off sunburned pair of legs in Italian football shorts):

An undercoat of Khaki (Vallejo Model Colour 70.988) for all the material parts of the Italian kit, a base colour (see below, this just lightened the grey/brown washed area to paint the true colours on later):

Helmets come next, Vallejo Model Colour 70.914 - Ochre Green (see below, there must be fifty shades of sand to match their fifty shades of grey in the Vallejo paint ranges):

The soldiers long socks (puttees - which are just like long rolls of bandages) are next with Vallejo Model Colour 70.888 Olive Grey (see below, a little green which comes as a bit of light relief):

Getting their the base-coats are now pretty much their apart from the shoes and rifles (see below, an Italian officer "becoming the part"):

I am adopting the "factory style" production line, trying to be a "ruthless finisher" of projects (see below - keeping pesky 28mm models that need assembling to one side out of sight, just for now at least):

This is the point where I start to believe it's working, the Vallejo Model Desert Yellow 70.977 takes hold on the tunics and pants (see below, I see them now as "sons of the desert"):

Khaki (70.988) is (re)applied on the canvas bags, water bottles and webbing, in addition to the famous Italian desert jacket so beloved by their officers, the Sahariana Jacket (see below, the Italian equivalent of the "the Rommel look"):

Vallejo Game Colour of Beasty Brown on the rifle stocks (see below, a small and quick detail):

Next comes the shoes and belts, Vallejo Model 70.894 Flat Brown (see below, small changes but creeping towards a finished product):

Flat Black on the rifle barrels, Vallejo Model Colour 70. and the face and hands [and some knees] gets the flesh highlight Vallejo Game Colour Dwarf Flesh (below, the model has now been covered all over since the Vallejo Brown Wash stage - the flesh highlight bringing them "to life"):

A little closer inspection on the WIP (see below, it has been a bit of a trek to get to this point and it is tempting to base "as-is" but a few extra highlights is well worth it):

Highlight on the tunic, mixing Desert Yellow (70.977) with Buff (70.976) on the upper edges (see below, it lightens the figures up nicely):

Highlighting the puttees with Olive Grey (70.888) mixed with Khaki (70.988) to sparkle the socks (see below, just a tiny dab you hardly notice):

Highlight the rifle with Gun Metal to give a light shine on the edges (see below, it breaks the black up nicely):

Highlight the shoes and belts with Red Leather (70.818) for a highlight spot effect (see below, the shoes get a dab and the belt a fine traced line, less is more here):

Highlight the canvas with Khaki (70.988) and Stone Grey (70.884) aka the bags and fancy commander jackets (see below, coming together nicely):

Highlight the Rifle Stock with Snakebite Leather (see below, to be fair the before and after shot looked the same to me so you could easily skip this step):

Highlight the helmet Green Ochre (70.914) mixed with Buff (70.976) to give a nice reflective contrast (see below, the figures are technically complete):

A quick check that nothing has been missed (see below, there is always something that is missed on the first pass):

The gallery tour: A Commander in cool Sahariana Jacket (see below, obviously looking at something far off on the horizon, perhaps an approaching Rommel in his 250 half-track or a 8th Army Matilda):

The Commander with some infantry (see below, they seem pretty animated chaps):

A strip of infantry, not many infantry poses [four I think] but they mix well (see below, all told I painted thirty seven for my battalion/company/platoon [delete as applicable] force):

Varnish: Using Humbrol Matte Coat as my varnish of choice, as in what was close to hand and seems to work nicely despite being twenty years old [surely not?] - safe to say that I don't varnish as a matter of course, perhaps it is the smell that puts me off (see below, the overall effect is to dull down, conceal any chalkiness of the paints and homogenise the feel of the figure):

My Italian "paint" part of the the Job has been done (see below, I am quite proud of them):

Next Stage: Basing them in the "sands of the desert" as "sons of the desert".