What's on Mark's Workbench?

Updated today  a quick run down of what our very own Mark C. has on his workbench!

WW2 German Half Tracks

Various vehicles and infantry for a VBCW set-up

More WW2 stuff, incl German recovery tank and some softskins

Various Self Propelled guns

And a couple of Jagd Panther if I'm not mistaken

AHPC XVI: From Mike W - My last post of the Challenge or Odds & ends on my Workbench (45 Points)

 Well this is my last post for this challenge, as ever it had been fun and as the name implies - challenging!

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone involved in running the challenge, great work! And let's all join the two wee guys below and raise a glass to all our beloved minions...

As the title of this post suggests  I have literally looked to clear all those stray items on my workbench that have stalled and hit a backwater in the last few months.

First off are two Warlord Games ECW Highlanders who along with their compatriots are being readied for a potential future game. These two seemed to have been waylaid at the pub and were missed when I completed their friends last summer.

Two Highlanders celebrating the end of this year's challenge!

Although the figures give a sense of wearing tartan, actually bottled out trying to pait full tartan on these guys. instaed after doing a base colour of green or blue, I used marker pens to draw lines in a chequered pattern over the base colour. I tried to make the lines follow the flow of eth cloth but didn't worry too much about making them too acurate.

A couple of spots in contrasting colors before applying a varnish - the imporatnat thing here being it was an oil based varnish as the markers were water soluable and using water based varnish literally wipes teh lines out! Once the varnish was dry (overnight) I was then able to apply Army Painter washes & Inks to add shading to the cloth and it turned a dodgey child like tartan into something that is in my opinion tabletop passable!

The reverse view

Below is a test figure I did based upon a sprue of figures on the front of a magazine some time ago, I forget now if it was a Perrys or a Wargames Atlantic product....

Later War MP34 infantryman

Finally painted and based!

Another view

At my Wargames Club we are gearing up for a campaign set in the Marion Wars (Mary Queen of Scots) period of Scottish history. The crossbowman below us another figure that got separated and lost from his parent unit on my workbench...

.... yes, my workbench can get quite chaoticat times and usually only gets sorted and cleaned when my wife puts her foot down!

Completed Crossboman

He could be on either side of teh conflict

These Zombicide Invader Survivors have finally been completed, I started these when I was doing my Xenos earlier in the challenge.

Five more Zombicide Survivors

For some reason, I always struggle with doing the survivor figures in these post Apocalyptic games - the monsters always seem more fun to paint. That said I'm almost decided to use North Star figures to provide the Survivors for scenarios I put on as I will develop stats cards for them to be Mining Corporation Marines, providing security for the Corporations mining sites - I like the figures better and I find them more fun to paint!

In case you wondered, Commander Amadi in the Yellow Power Suit
and Madame Singleton to his right

Left to Right: Cloud, Emma & Val

Friday Night Games: WW2 Finns v Russians

Friday 17/10/25, we met up af Rupery's gaff for werk 2 of Mark's WW2 Finnish attack on Russian forces.

Mark was using adapted 'What a Tanker!' Rules and used models and figures from his own collection.

Ruddisns were played by Mike W ( who subbed in to replace Mike N, ftom week one), whilst the Finns were played by Rupert, John & Mat.

Week One had seen the Finns surprise and prettu much destroy a Russian Tank unit as it camped  at the start of Werk Two, the Ginbs vompleted the job by destroying the one remaining Russian tank!

However the very next turn Rusdian reenforcrments began to artive, in ghr gorm of 3 x SU76s as well ad some AT Guns and a tank.

Fun was had by all , with the Russians taking out two of the SU76s and the tank in a cat and mouse fight arojnd the village.

Mark's Workbench Update!

A real quicky post here - three photos of gear that Mark is working on for future games...

As with others at the club, Mark's fancy has been tickled by Sci-Fi topics in recent weeks,
here are various pieces of machinery.

Amid the worktop, a couple of WW2 Italian armoured trucks.

A Condor Legion Heinkel He 51B-1,
being paintd for Phil's SCW collection

Friday Night Games: WW2 Eastern Front

Words by Mark, Mat & Steve.

Photos by Mark & Mat

Friday 11th April saw Mark put on a WW2 game from his Eastern front series of linked games, all models and rules are his and ark umpired the game at Rupert's house.

Mark's Narrative for Scenario

The scenario is during the breakthrough in the Crimea as a Russian  column commanded by Steve & Rupert  attempts to get to Kerch and safety. 

The Romanian persuers, commanded by Dave and Mat are out not only to stop them but also secure the last airfield in the area. 

So far, the column has suffered from air attack and the NKVD "suggesting" they stand. 

All the Romanian troops - mostly infantry are on the table and engaging rear elements. 

Russian equipment is a mix of units with some odd stuff for eye candy. Thanks to Rupert for hosting.

Mat's Romanian Commentary

This is a very biased narrative by the umpire. A more even handed account is below:

When German units stalled in the Crimea, dashing Romanian forces staged a breakthrough that smashed overwhelming Russian forces. Knowing they could not face such iron will, the Russians fled, desperate to reach Kerch. 

Romanian forces have pursued, and though outgunned and massively outnumbered, they use guile, courage and pure vim to overcome their foe. Cleverly manoeuvring their light tankettes the brave Romanians have destroyed the Russian's Odessa Super-tank…

... a land leviathan that had held the SS at bay for weeks. Now heroic infantry units are chasing Communist armoured divisions across the bare Crimean landscape towards the cowering airfield. Ceaseless bombing missions and strafing sorties are smashing the Russians…

... there can be no escape!

Steve's Russian perspective

Very bias narrative from both Mark and Matt, here's the truth from the  latest issue of PRAVDA.

Unbeknown to the Rumanians they bombed the last, and only, supply depot housing LSV, bottles of "Last Stand Vodka", (Break cap in an emergency).

The now alcohol deprived Russians are flinging caution to the wind and confronting the real enemy, the NKVD, in order to reach "Yeltsins bar" in the village at the end of the table and use it as a "hache queue" for the next stage of the operation.

Rumour has it that a cargo plane full of LSV is being flown in to the airfield and then delivered to the bar so the airfield must be liberated before the Russian army starts suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The game is not about a retreating Russian army but one pushing backwards towards the rear, bravely tackling the NKDV, best of luck to the Romainians when they reach their road block, and then getting the LSV off the table.

20mm WW2 Axis vehicles

By Mark.

 l'm painting the last of my leftovers l have in my odds and sods box most of which are late 19th cent. So will have to have a big victorian civil war battle at some point but the rate that l'm painting at the moment will probably be in 2 years time!

Russian tank pressed into German service

Anti-Aircraft half track

Above tank is generally known as P40-painted as used by Germans in anti-partisan actions and at least once against Brits in 1945, originally an Italian vehicle.

Naval Battle in the Java Sea

The game was put on for Friday 6th December by Mat, using rules supplied by Mark and hosted by Mat, who also supplied the models.

Dutch Vessels

ABDA (American, British & Dutch) allies under Admiral Mark set sail at speed to intercept Japanese invasion force east of Java

American & British Vessels

Admiral Dave had a stronger Japanese force well covered by air power, but his forces were initially scattered so he encountered the Allies piecemeal.

The Japanese Fleet

Admiral Dave was bold to close range using his light cruisers and destroyers whilst high level bombers tried to smash the allies. Initial inaccurate fire soon started to play heavy on the Japanese, with both light cruisers having to turn tail after serious hits from British and US guns took a toll

But at the critical moment the two heavy cruisers of the Japanese fleet sailed into range and in ten devastating minutes sank the Dutch Cruiser Java that brave Admiral Mark had deployed at the van of his line, generously taking second position in his flagship!

Explosions erupt around teh head of the fleet

Sensing that all chance of victory was gone ABDA Float retired - just as in the real historical battle - one cruiser down!

Friday Night Games: Battle for the Denistr River, Tiraspol, Romania 1944

22nd November, saw Mark's 20mm WW2 game staged at Rupert's pad. The scenario saw a Romanian force, backed by some German support attack Russian positions across the Dinistr River bridges.

Early view of the tabletop, prior to placement of Russian Defensive lines

Rules are those devised by Mark, who also umpired. Leading the Romanians were Phil, Mat and Mike W, whilst the Russians were played by Mike N and Rupert.

The two main bridge crossings over the river,
to left the rail bridge and to right the road bridge

Opening moves were taken up with Romanian recce and exploratory advances across the two bridges.

Small Russian Village

Russian pill boxes were attacked with some success  with two knocked out by units crossing the road bridge.

Weckage of a downed Russian Aircraft

Resistance to the rail bridge crossings was arguably stronger, resulting in a squad of engineers and a squad of infantry being eliminated as they attempted their crossings.

View of the tabletop from the Romanian side of teh table

Another view

Rear echelon russian Trenches

Romanians begin to cross the rail bridge

Initial Romanian gun deployment on the road bridge

Another view of the tabletop, from the Romanian side

Romanian Recce Aircraft starts a series of sweeps to locate enemy units and postitions

Infanty advance to the road bridge to exploit success aginat enemy pill boxes

Mortar support nre the road bridge

Romanian HQ secure the high ground

Knocked out Russian pill box

More Romanian recce sorties

Romanian 'heavy' armour arrives on the tabletop, at the rail bridge!

Additional support arrives at the road bridge

Romanian view of teh advance along the rail bridge,
note the Engineer section and their foothold on the far back, left of bridge

Advance across the road bridge reaches the half way mark