SmoggyCon 2012 Haul (Part III) : Something "Wickedly Plastic and 40K" This Way Cometh

SmoggyCon 2012 wrap up ...

Time was not my ally on the convention circuit, as I had but a few hours in the morning to take everything in, a "shopping list" of things I needed and there were a few "Hellos" to say to some old friends to boot, so it was going to be a fast paced affair. I also had a small chap on his first ever "wargames convention" with me, my eldest son who was on his best behavior (as in he didn't break anything). He has a keen eye for things he likes ("lad a bit like dad"perhaps) and he noticed and remembered the 'exact location' of the trader selling made-up (but unpainted) Games Workshop Sci-Fi stuff. I let him take a look the first time and he spied something of interest (see below). So I said we should see the rest of the show first (I had my shopping list still clenched in the sweaty palm of my hand) and if he still liked it "best" we could come back later (Note: I thought it was a bit pricey for what it was ... there should be a resounding "ha" to me on that, "pot calling kettle, pot calling kettle"). 

We duly did a round trip of the convention and he was still keen on the "Eldar Space Vyper Jet Bike" (its identify was confirmed much later after a Google Images search) and seeing how patient he had been when I had deliberated so long over my "Irregular pile of lead" I forked out the "tenner" (gulp) and he was as 'Happy as Larry'. The woman behind the counter smiled knowingly at my son and wrapped it up very neatly for him, so off we went home to report to mum and the rest of the family (who by now would be driving her to distraction).

Post-convention I discovered that my little chap had actually got the "buy of the day" as the kit was only 60% of RRP in the shops (unmade). There you go Dad it was not a silly Sci-Fi thing after all, it does look quite 'cool' and to date he has looked after it very well. Still not painted and don't mention the possibility of putting some "decals" on it too (decals seem to be my bugbear as I never get round to doing them)!

;)

SmoggyCom 2012 Haul (Part I) : 20mm WWI Pz IB Bef x 2 (FrontLine)

The Early War Panzer Battalion Project: 

At last years SmoggyCon (2012) I picked up two Pz III E's (37mm Guns) from FrontLine Miniatures to "legitimise"my France 1940 Panzer Battalion (previous to that I would have had to sneak in some Barbarossa HaT Pz III F/G's with their short 50mm - pedantic and sad I know, but it's also nice to get a collection to that "all correct to Order of Battle" stage). This year I decided to get a proper "pipsqueak" command tank for my early-war Light Tank company commanders,instead of just using Pz1 and Pz II models. (Note: The Battalion Commander already had his plush Esci Pz IB Bef).

For the price of "two in resin" from FrontLine (totaling just under £8.00) , it was the same or cheaper as picking up one old Esci or new Italeri Pz IB Bef plastic kit and much less of a hassle "number of pieces wise" of putting then together for pretty much the same effect (see below for my first tank off the production line):  

I also discovered what I consider a 'neat trick' in assembly of the tracks to the chassis. The weakness of resin kits (FrontLine in particular) is getting a good connection between the superglue and the tracks/chassis (I am not a big fan of using Milliput in a "gluing mode"). I used some old cardboard (mine literally came from a greeting card I had to hand when inspiration struck me) glued it to the chassis, it dried in less than a minute, then I glued the tracks to the card which was bond to the chassis. When it dries completely it dries rock solid, but when you are placing the tracks on, there is just that little bit of gentle 'give' in the cardstock to get a good connection between the resin parts.

Well I now have my pair assembled and undercoated (see below): 

Confession: It has been years since I have done a WWII game in 20mm (as an afterthought I do have the 1/200 kit that could be used for CD III as well). So here I am claiming to be Command Decision proficient, however methinks my "player's license" has probably long since lapsed ;)

Therefore I am determined to put on at least a solo game over Xmas .. watch this space (that should raise a cheer from Al and Paul in NZ)!

What's that Under The Bed at SmoggyCon?: Pz III Ausf E's

Well blow me if it's not a Pz III Ausf E in resin! Now I can go into Poland in style with the correct allocation and mark of Pz III's (see below, resin kit in four parts from Under the Bed Enterprises ["FrontLine kit" being the manufacturer] retailing at £4.90 on the day).

So I bought two, which means I can go proudly into France with the correct Order of Battle (OoB), if you let me use a HaT Pz III Ausf G as a command tank (or alternatively that dinky little Panzer1 Bef Ausf B). The two under coated black kits are another pair of Hat Pz III Ausf G's I already "had in the bag" (see below).

By my calculations I will be ready to rumble in "early Barabarossa" when they are finished. The process of upgrading from the Pz III Ausf E to Pz III Ausf F+ have not been completed, most battalions had lingering Pz III Ausf E's lying around. Again I may need to press the Pz I Bef Ausf B into service much to the chagrin of the Panzer Battalion commander.  

The "Frontline" resin kits slipped together nicely with a generous dollop of super-glue. Despite their relative cheapness (comparable to the HaT offerings) they are nicely detailed with a rotating turret. The gun barrels are cheap metal, finished in a rounded fashion (better than I remember the first Frontline kits). So I am very happy with them. The resin seems good to reasonable in quality with only a few air bubbles I'll need to fill in later (certainly much better than my Faust Miniature Panzer I Ausf A's with their 25mm Breda Gun).

My one reservation is the tracks as they are ambitiously also cast in resin, other manufacturers use metal to avoid brittle chipping disasters. Mine are fine at the moment but I intend to "finally" mount them on small scenic bases as I suspect longer term use will "degrade" them after the first if "drop". Fortified with a 'cup of char' the Panzer III fleet gets its base colours (see above and below).

A final close up of the two Pz III Ausf E's from Frontline shows their 1/76 scaling next to the larger 1/72 HaT Pz III Ausf G cousin. The Frontline kit is about the same body size as the old Matchbox Pz III Ausf J size for comparison.

Note: In the background you can see my 25/28mm Perry Renaissance Mercenaries still in "stasis" waiting their turn patiently on the painting tray

Impetus at SmoggyCon: The Armies

The karma of my world was upset last weekend. Imagine the only wargaming convention that is literally within walking distance from me was last weekend. You guessed it. I was required to "work" forty miles away in the opposite direction! Heaping insult to injury I had to physically drive past the building. I literally "saw" the traders unloading their wares. Ironically I managed to finish work and get back to Middlesbrough just in time to see the same transit vans drive away into the distance. Talk about a tease.

I nevertheless entered the building "to search for survivors" as the tables were being packed away. I did manage to sit down with my Hartlepool friends and "chew the fat" and catch several Impetus "end games" being played out to the last dice roll. I have to say all the Impetus players I saw without exception seemed to be extremely friendly. A bunch unlike any other competition gamers I've seen or heard of before, they were literally "helping" each other play the games. Brilliant, no sign of any dummies, rattles or torn rule books on the floor!

Pop Quiz: Can you name me name these armies? I certainly couldn't, answers in the comments (no peeking).

Figure 1: Something "pike" versus "something else"? (see above).

Figure 2: Hmm, lots of 'warbandy' things versus a legion I think? (see above).

Figure 3: An intimidating long line (of Normans?) versus a shorted line of mounted things? (see above).

Figure 4: Erm, there seemed to be more 'dead' than 'living' on this table, with the remaining mounted chaps not wanting to close with the foot-sloggers? (see above).

Figure 5: Not at all sure here, one army may have been Numidian but that's a guess, the other side seemed sort of more ordered? (see above).

Footnote:
All was not lost as I visited "Ender the Bed Enterprises" and picked up something 20mm/1/76 WW2 (to be revealed in a later posting). I uncharacteristically restrained myself from buying (on impulse) a 1/2400(? or smaller) Napoleonic Trafalgar party pack from Tumbling Dice Miniatures. Maybe next time, it has set me thinking.