Never be bored as there is always basing to be done ..

My collection will never be finished, I know that, particularly the WWII one. However I do get a buzz from getting various bits to different stages .. basing is one of those stages (see below, Caesar miniatures are beautiful, but the more recent Italeri certainly give them a run for their money, as do Pegasus Hobbies, Plastic Soldier Company):

These dudes are some of my WWII Soviets and they are one stage along the production line. 

Caesar Miniatures - 1/72 Modern US Infantry

In the "box of goodies" in the loft I found two of the excellent Caesar Miniatures sets of modern US figures (see below, Iraq and Afghanistan are covered here): 

The sculpting is of an incredibly high standard (see below, certainly for one like me who was used to a variable Airfix standard as a child [of the late seventies and eighties] - the Caesar semi-rigid plastic is very forgiving, not too brittle not to soft): 

For a more European (ETO) feel a similar group of figures and poses was found in this set (see below, excellent sculpts):  

The basing process has now started, PVA and grit to follow, then prime. I think I will skip the PVA coat (as I think it would cover up too much detail) and rely on generous coat of varnish to hold the figures rigid (see below, a nice little platoon formation): 

They should mix well with the old, but still good, Italeri [as in old ESCI mould] US Modern set I have got to the partially painted status!

Phishing for Figures in a ModelShop: WWII Chinese

One of the pleasures of "phishing" (aka randomly looking) around in a large model shop (yes, a physcal one) is just the sheer joy of finding something different. On the internet you start with an idea, then I find I can start collecting "too much", whereas the physical constraints of 'what is in the shop' is a welcoming restraint for me (an gives me a different form of temptation). So when I found something I have no apparent use for but at the same time intrigued me, an impulse buy (see below, some WWII Chinese Infantry from Caesar miniatures): 

One of my motto's is that "you cannot go wrong with Caesar Miniatures, as their quality is just basically "good to excellent". Even though the review from Plastic Miniature Soldier Review did question the necessity for a large (fantasy style) machete (da-dao broadswords apparently) being included on two poses. I'll forgive them for that as I think they look cool. I do not know anyone who has gamed this period. The closest I know for somebody doing this period is of a fellow wargamer Renko (see link1, link2, link3), doing a 15mm FoW army as a painting commission for a friend. I will have to pump him for ideas on scenarios and sources of info, as he'll have done a 'deep dive' for that!

Additional Resources: 

https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/03/second-world-war-chinese-national-army.html

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXe1yBKUSyalsBv1wuTGnZA

Something Completely Different: 1:72 Baseball Figures (WIP) Caesar Miniatures

Small but yet perfectly formed sportsmen (see below, as per the normal WWII infantrymen of the same scale they are based and primed): 

Plastic Soldier Review link: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2283

(Note the final figure in the review(see link for this to make sense) was not included in my box, instead I received three of the penultimate model instead.)

The pitcher is the first up as a tester for a Vallejo "brown dipping wash" (see below, I think it will be a fast ball): 

The team being put through their paces (see below, two teams in fact, the top "washed" section are all fielding and the bottom primed five are all the batters): 

Moving on to the batters, time to put the base colours of the Cincinnati Reds. Here is a Big Red hitting it out of the park (see below, they seem to take a life and character once the paint is applied, highlights still to come): 

The final base and highlights are painted (but not yet terrain based) batting line-up, two batters and three base runners - just in case "loaded bases comes up" (see below, numbers and team logo still yet to be applied): 

A close up of "Smoking Joe" (note, a name I just made up) ready to hit a home run (see below, there are three shades at play, as I followed my standard 28mm painting pattern): 

Exhibition style, once again the Cincinnati Reds Batting team in their away colours (see below, I am pausing for breath before I dare tackle the numbers, some would say searching for a brush small enough to do the job): 

In the meantime I decided to pay some attention to the fielding side, aka the Oakland A's (see below, base colours applied - using Vallejo Game Colour range as they are nice and bright): 

Highlights applied (see below, seems to work well): 

From the reverse side (see below, not a pitcher despite its poised posture): 

Very small front number and team logo (see below, the white 'A' on the hat will come later): 

Finally I make a tentative stab at the numbers (see below, an application of green, followed by touching up areas with white and yellow. It seemed to work): 

It is a slow labour of love. Thanks to "gawd" it is not an American football team with more players on the pitch!

Strange Bedfellows from Caesar Miniatures

You can never make a bad buy from Caesar miniatures, so when I was buying for my brother an unusual set of "baseball" miniatures [it was for an old Avalon Hill "sports game" to replace the rather blank/bland counters] I could not resist treating myself to the Modern British Infantry set I spied (see below, de-busing from a Chinook): 

All Caesar wargaming miniatures are beautiful sculpts and I can safely say I was also impressed with their Sports Figures too ;) 

Modern Skirmish Project: US and Middle East Militia (WIP)

This post is mainly a reminder to myself that I have a small scale modern skirmish project (WIP - aimed at a Modern Chain of Command Rule-Set [platoon level OoB]) "still in play" (aka get off your backside and finish it). These Americans are [old] Revell Modern US (although you could really date them back to late 1980's-1990's, so perhaps they are not that really that 'modern-modern' - they are in fact at least 25 years old). I have already taken a few US troops past the undercoating stage [in fact I am almost finished a squad, see this post] but, confession, ahem, got 'distracted' with 'other things' as is per my wargaming butterfly instinct (see below, my US Alpha platoon):   

They need some opposition and for modern peace-keeping operations Caesar provide a variety or Urban Resistors, Somali and Middle-East "resistors" (see below, "hundreds of them Sarge!" equipped with a variety of interesting weapons - generic enough to be on table together):   

I also have a small collection of 20mm vehicles that deserve their "time in the sun!"

20mm American WWII Infantry (Airfix Battles and Chain of Command)

With an eye to playing an American force with the 'Chain of Command' rules and using figures instead of counters in Airfix Battles I gathered together my various "virgin, part painted and fully painted" plastic US Infantry figures. None of the "fully painted" category makes it to the full OrBat as required so some "painting tray" work needs to be done. As it stands I have US Infantry (excluding paratroopers and US Marine Corp) from the following manufacturers:

• Valiant Miniatures (23mm)
• Plastic Soldier Company
• Caesar Miniatures
• Revell
• Italeri (new not old Esci)

Given the OrBat needs of "riflemen" no one manufacturers (with the possible exception of Valiant) packet suffices to make a whole 'Chain of Command Platoon'. However each manufacturer's packet can easily make an individual squad though. Therefore by careful deduction as I need three squads plus a HQ section, multiple manufacturers shall be used:

• Platoon HQ: Lt (Carbine), Sgt (SMG) and Bazooka Team (Bazooka + 2 Crew)
• Squad 1: Corp (SMG),  Rifle Section (8 Rifles) and BAR Section  (BAR + 2 Crew and 1 Rifle)
• Squad 2: Corp (SMG),  Rifle Section (8 Rifles) and BAR Section  (BAR + 2 Crew and 1 Rifle)
• Squad 3: Corp (SMG),  Rifle Section (8 Rifles) and BAR Section  (BAR + 2 Crew and 1 Rifle)

I decided to paint a section from the Plastic Soldier Company, (new) Italeri, Caesar and finish painting up a squad I started a decade ago of Revell 'Ardennes Infantry' which gives me four squads (yes one more than I need, but there are extra things also required from the American "support list" and an extra squad is one of them). They are also all 'size compatible/interchangeable' something that Valiant fails at (it would have to be a full OrBat or nothing). This means the "painting tray" looks rather full (see below):

I am following my preferred painting pattern as of late. Airfix Grey 01 Acrylic primer followed by a Vallejo Wash, in this case Black. The Plastic Soldier Company (PSC) are first up "primed" (see below):

The "washed" Black (see below, though this may not go down in history as the most informative picture I have ever taken!):

Next stepis to follow my old posts on Valiant US Painting instructions.

Platoon 20: WWII British Infantry (Continued from a while back)

The Tray of Wonders: 

After getting the paints out for the Skytrex Action 200 (1/200) kit it made sense to try and finish off my British "Platoon 20" 1944-45 collection (see picture below). The top 41 figures have been painted and the middle row of seventeen remain "outstanding" on the ledger. The bottom sixteen figures are Dixon LRDP/SAS figures fro another "skirmish" project.

Thank goodness I posted this to myself:
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/note-to-self-british-infantry-painting.html

So far I an still at the putting on the base colours stage,WIP for sure.

Light (50mm) Mortar Section, the left most section (two firing and two moving) and four odds-and-sods infantrymen, rightmost section (see below):

A support stand of three engineers (left) and the ubiquitous Vickers HMG team, that spoiled many a German infantryman's day in both the First and Second World Wars (see below):

The 81mm Medium/Heavy Mortar section (see below):

These troops are also destined to play "Fire and Movement: Battalion Attack" (see Phil Sabin's Simulating War Book - WWII Tactical Gaming section). Note: Once the Platoon 20 British Infantry project is complete I also have the following (as in plenty of Vallejo paint to use up) mini-projects for my remaining HO/00, 1/72 or 1/76 British Infantry:

WWII: 

• WWII Platoon 20 (Late War WIP)
• WWII Airfix (Mid-Late War)
• WWII Revell (Late War)
• WWII Valiant (Late War:Normandy)
• WWII Plastic Soldier Company (Late War)
• WWII Caesar (Late War)
• WWII Italeri/Esci (Mid-Late War)
• WWII SHQ (BEF)
• WWII Zvezda (BEF, yet to acquire)

WWI: 

• WWI Tumbling Dice (1916-18)
• WWI (BEF) Tumbling Dice (1914-15)
• WWI Airfix (BEF: 1914-15)
• WWI Airfix RHA
• WWI Emhar (1916-18)

What is missing from the above? Italeric (ex-ESCI/ERTL) come to mind and the long lost Matchbox box, HaT must have some too. Any others in "plastic"? SHQ and Newline (although I have a few of these sneaking into the "Platoon 20" collection) are missing from "metals". Other suggestions appreciated

Trying to keep the modern interest alive, along with the Renaissance and Ancients ;)

Inspirational Footnote Link:  http://ww20mm.blogspot.co.uk/

2010 Review: Xmas and New Year Shopping Treats

I think I have the whole of this year's painting/modelling projects sorted out after a visit to Edinburgh's Wonderland Models

A great shop

Strolling through the isles, and it is SO, SO nice to touch and feel,  I saw kits/figures I had but only dreamed about and never seen as such in my local town model shop(s). For me it was 20mm heaven. In particular the Chinese manufacturer Caesar Miniatures:

Then Pegasus caught my eye, a crazy must have:

Then Plastic Soldier, who I had heard so much about but never seen:

And finally a new fast build Italeri kit I wanted:

Then my Xmas money was all out :(
That "no money" teenager feeling all over again!

I therefore could not get any of the new Airfix Truck kits they had in stock, the half dozen other Caesar and Pegasus kits/figures I liked, the tempting Valient Miniatures (German sets of intantry) or even start looking at the Hat or ArmourFast models. I also averted my eyes from their 1/600 and 1/700 naval kits.

Still I knew that I also have a Airfix Fairey Battle "in the post" coming to me :)

I left contented that a job had been done

Partisans

The painting brushes have stayed firmly rooted in the jam jar so far in February. A few figures have been meekly looked at but the room (man cave) is just so full  of clutter at the moment some serious sorting (nay a good Spring clean) is needed.

Nevertheless I have increased my stock of figures. I gave in to some long standing "figure lusting" and ordered via Hannants (UK) some plastic figures that had continually caught my attention. My only defence is that one packet in particular was of a limited edition and soon sure to disappear. They are:

And:

They came and I was amazed at their quality. Already pre-cut from the sprue in a resealable plastic bag which is nice, minimal flash (if any) and the most complete range of partisan figures I will ever need. Excellent detail. Already I am looking forward to painting them :) 

I'll have to schedule them in straight after the Platoon 20 WWII British Infantry figures. I am eyeing Caesar Miniatures for additional purchases for their more standard infantry ranges. They certainly give the more expensive metals a good run for their money!