RobH - Anyscale Models - RAM Kangaroos (110 points)

 

The RAM Kangaroo APCs were used until the end of the Second World War, notably during the campaigns in the Netherlands and Germany. The Kangaroos enabled the infantry to advance at the same pace as the tanks, which allowed better coordination with the other armoured vehicles. 

When I started to build my Canadian Bolt Action force, I knew that I would need some RAM Kangaroos to act as my armoured troop carriers. Looking around at the various options available I decided to purchase them from Anyscale Models. At the time, they offered the best price for my wallet.

I had purchased a box of Warlord Games WW2 British Infantry which I knew would be used to cannibalise the figures to provide removable infantry for my APCs. I used all the whole torsos that were available and then sliced another 6 bodies off at the waist.

These were first edition. I am not a model maker. My thumbs are too big and my eyes too weak to do justice to the work. I am happier just buying a complete metal figure. I couldn't manipulate the figures for the life of me to put weapons in their hands to to get them to fit in the opening in the top of the vehicle 

Points

3 - 28mm Vehicles  x 20 Points = 60 Points

12 - 28mm Foot x 5 Points = 60 Points (discretion of the minion for sure since they are chopped off at the knees)

Total 110 Points

_____________________________

Lovely work Rob! I think the Kangaroos look excellent, but its your passenger kitbash which I think is truly inspired - well done! 

This post has personal interest for me as my great-uncle served in the Algonquin Regiment during WWII, and from my understanding the regiment was sometimes deployed in Kangaroos. I'll definitely think of your work here when I decide to add some Kangaroos to my force.

- Curt

RobH - Anyscale Models - RAM Badger (20 Points)

The Badger was a flamethrower equipped tank used in NW Europe by the Canadian Army. The first Badgers were Ram Kangaroos with the Wasp II flamethrowing equipment (as used on the Universal Carrier) installed in place of the bow MG. Later models were turreted Rams with the equipment in place of the main gun. 

 

I don't have a lot of experience with weathering vehicles so I went with a basic black (Vallejo German Grey) followed by brown (Vallejo Beastly Brown) washes. I made sure that some texture paint was smeared over the tacks and boogy wheels to represent the muddy conditions the army fought through in the fall-winter of 1944-45. 

According to Wikipedia, the Ram was a cruiser tank designed and built by Canada in the Second World War, based on the U.S. M3 Medium tank chassis. Due to standardization on the American Sherman tank for frontline units, it was used exclusively for training purposes and was never used in combat as a gun tank. The chassis was used for several other combat roles however, such as a flamethrower tank, observation post, and armoured personnel carrier.

________________________

Excellent work, Rob! You've provided a great bit of Canadian armoured history here (I didn't know that they produced a flamethrowing variant). I think you've done a terrific job on the weathering, especially the cloying mud in the tracks and mechanicals. Well done.

- Curt