From JamesM: 15mm Bobbins, Fireflies and Battery CP's (48pts)

Hi folks,

More green painted tanks from me, to end my challenge on. 

First up, some D-day oddities. 15mm resin printed 'Bobbin' AVRE Churchills. These tanks were 'carpet layers' designed to unroll a reinforced matting over soft sand/clay areas. This would provide a very temporary surface which other vehicles could use to prevent getting stuck on the beach. It could have the additional effect of flattening barbed wire to allow infantry easy crossing. As far as I'm aware, these attachments only really saw action on D-Day, although the concept was pursued in other forms post war. 

I've added some paint bottles for size references to some pictures, as it has been mentioned it's hard to define the scale sometimes - unfortunately I don't keep a banana near my desk. 

These models came from 'Butlers Printed Models' who have an excellent range of 3d printed 'funnies'. This was an expensive buy as I went for the 'all resin' option, but as soon as I saw these I knew my 'breaching teams' needed some. 

These tanks will see the table soon - this year me, MartinC and DaveD planning to do five large 15mm games - one for each of the D-Day beaches. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a challenge without me painting more 15mm Shermans*. 

Since I'd finished my Sherman DD's earlier in the challenge, I also painted the three firefly tanks that would join the squadron once the beach was a little more secure. 

These models are old metal and resin Battlefront kits I've had for a while. However, they have been 'upgraded' with more modern plastic Battlefront 17-pdr gun barrels, as the plastic offering is far thinner and more realistic looking than the old metal offerings. 

Decals and such are for the Fort Garry Horse. I've kept them very light on stowage, as they were a rush job and I can always add that later once I've seen what reference pics might be out there. After much interanl debate I also decided to base these the same way as the DD tanks. 

Lastly, a Battlefield3d resin printed Sexton Command Post model. 

This model has no real purpose other than it was unusual and I wanted to add one to my collection. As my Canadian Sextons has a Ram OP tank, I thought I'd add this oddity to my Polish artillery pool. Really just set dressing for games, it does look cool and took little effort, what with the canvas cover. 

Six 15mm scale tanks, at 8 points each, for a total of 48 points. 

* Like DaveD with his camels, although I've made sure the type of Sherman used is correct. 

_____________________________________________

It wouldn't be a proper Challenge without James doing some 15mm WWII armour, would it? Love the assorted 'funnies' and the oddball Sexton Command vehicle. It's these outliers that really make for an interesting tabletop. Well done James and best of luck with your upcoming D-Day monster games! 

Until next year!

-Curt

From JamesM: 15mm British Snipers and Radio Truck (24 points)

Hi folks,

Just a small entry from me this week, as I clear the last few bits of WW2 stuff from my painting shelf (for now, at least) and work on some more Necromunda models. 

First up is a 15mm 3d printed Fordson WOT2D Radio Truck from Battlefield3d. I had no specific plan for this vehicle in my collection, so it's just decaled up as part of 51st highland Divisions signals regiment. Shown here alongside my recently completed LAD diorama. 

I've applied my usual selection of teeny decals, added a radio antenna and based to match the rest of my collection. No doubt this will find a role on the table at some point, even if it's just as set dressing. 

Alongside this vehicle, I finished off four bases of sniper teams for my British infantry battalion. When I last had the opportunity to parade my four infantry companies, I realised I was missing some sniper teams (an option from 3rd Ed of Flames of War). I was aware that the infantry battalions of 51st Highland Division had a sniper/scout platoon as part of the Support Company. These bases now give me enough to have three sniper teams per company, or a platoon of 13 bases plus an HQ. 

Utterly pointless game wise for 4th Ed, but the completionism in me wanted to use the figures up. These are metal Battlefront models.  

One of the sniper figures has some conversion work done, to change a beret into a Tam O'Shanter and adding a scope to the rifle held by the same figure. The others consist of older Battlefront sniper minis with a variety of other Battlefront models as spotters. 

Again, figures are based to my usual standard, with a selection of tufts. 

Points wise, it's one 15mm vehicle at 8 points, and eight 15mm figures at 16 points, for a total of 24 points. 

Minion Miles: Another fantastic 15mm entry.  I continue to be impressed with the quality of your 15mm painting.

(For Curtis)From JamesM: 15mm REME vignette (Directors Chair) - 50 points

Hi folks,

Having reached the rarefied gates of the Directors Studio, I paused to survey my pile of 'wouldn't it be cool if...' minis. 

Viewing the assembled hodgepodge of projects I quickly had to decide what submission would best get the executive principle to shift long enough for me to film my much awaited documentary. Which currently has the hard hitting working title of 'Storage Wars - What Really Useful Boxes are ACTUALLY doing with your hobby money'. 

I've got my clickbait documentary thumbnail all ready to go!

Could I persuade him to relinquish his chair through the excitement of 3mm Titans? Or perhaps the nostalgia of more Battlefleet Gothic? The pharmaceutical effects of 1980's Dutch?

In the end, I decided my best bet was to lull him to sleep with a version of my well known classic 'Vallejo Russian Uniform 70.924'. 

So 15mm WW2 British trucks it was!

Vallejo bottle for scale - please note the decals are f*cking tiny

For my directors chair entry, I sheepishly submit a 15mm vignette of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 'somewhere in Normandy'. 

A REME related diorama piece for my collection has been in my head for a while, as I have had a idea  in the past that it would be cool to represent all the various combat arms of the 51st Highland Division. This idea happened to collide with access to 3d printed models through Battlefield3d, and specifically the ability to request models from the Marco Bergman catalogue. 

Hence, the 15mm resin printed Austin K6 Gantry Lorry and Austin Tilly van were procured, at the same time as I picked up last years water and fuel trucks. 

While I'm pretty certain that a Gantry Lorry like the one I've painted here would be much further behind the lines - and I'm not even certain that an infantry brigade workshop unit would have something like this. It was a recovery and repair vehicles however, so I decided to represent some repair work being undertaken by 154 Brigade Workshop, 51st Highland Division. 

For this vignette the front wheel/axle repairs to a 40th Light AA Regiment Morris CDSW (another 51st Highland Division unit) is being repaired. 

The Morris is a resin and metal Battlefront mini I'd had spare, which was a bit beaten up in my bits box. I added some basic bits of stowage for fun and repaired most of the damage. A spare splinter of MDF was used to show the vehicle being propped up.  

The REME decals came from Skytrex - although the resolution is such that I couldn't make out the number on them. I also used Skytrex decals for my Highland Division markings, as my Doms Decals sheet has finally given up the ghost. The AA unit decal was a Doms Decal offering, as were some of the bridging weights. Vehicle registration numbers are a mix of Doms and I-94. Allied stars are a mix of Battlefront and Doms Decals. 

All three vehicles have unit markings front and back, registration numbers and recognition stars. 

The three infantry figures are Battlefront metals with a small amount of conversion work to one in order to remove a rifle. Otherwise, unrealistically these chaps are wearing webbing and stuff they probably wouldn't have had on while working. However, there is a real lack of non-combat 15mm figures, so I made do. The two crouching figures look like they are working on the axle, while the other chap is asking if he should get a brew on (or pop to the NAAFI wagon) 

I'm afraid I did make a conscious artistic decision not to paint the 'mikey mouse' type black camo that these vehicles might have had - both for sanity and aesthetic reasons. My usual over highlighting is done using Mig Dio Paint - Medium Green. 

Having built the scene, and glued everything down, I realised it was still a little bare, so added some bits and bobs of scatter terrain. A couple of piles of spare tyres, jerry cans, crates and barrels - along with a makeshift work bench with toolbox and tools. My usual selection of tufts and flowers rounds it all out. 

One last thing to mention, I had my dad firmly in mind while painting this. He's always been 'into' vehicles and some of my earliest memories are of riding in big trucks with him or staring into engine blocks. So this one sits in my collection in memory of my dad, and innumerable changed spark plugs and oily rags. 

Hopefully, this trio of green lorries will give me the time I need to set the Director snoring and get in get me use of the top studio for a few hours! Without Big Storage catching on to my investigation. 

Points work out as three 15mm vehicles (24 points), three 15mm infantry (6 points) and studio location (20 points) for a total of 50 points. 

Minion Miles: This is a fnatastic vintage and I would have guessed 28mm if you didn't tell me the scale,  Superb work.  Oh and ummm I KNOW WHAT REALLY USEFUL BOXES DOES WITH OUR HOBBY MONEY and it just isn't pretty........

From JamesM: A Bridge(ing tank) too far! (Historical Dramas)(28 points)

Hi Folks,

Following on from my visit to the 'High Adventure' studio, a brief stroll over to the 'Historical Dramas' studio was blocked by a river of tears caused by my stretching of studio themes. Tankfully(!) I have just the thing to get across...  

My entry for the Historical Drama studio is another painting desk lurker. Which now makes the slow journey to join its comrades in the retirement home for miniatures that is my model storage boxes. Slow being the operative word, when combined with a Valentine II tank hull carrying a 9 ton folding bridge. 

These vehicles, which came about following developments as far back as WW1, were part of a fleet of specialist armour developed by the British in order to undertake engineering tasks while under fire. These particular vehicles carried a bridge capable of supporting Sherman or Cromwell tanks and were undoubtedly used during Market Garden - but were more likely used for crossing cratered roads, blown culverts or larger ditches/anti-tank trenches than for crossing rivers. However, the main theme for the vehicle comes from my obsession with adding unusual oddities to my collection - especially engineering related ones!  

This model is a resin 3d print from Battlefield3d of a 'Valentine Bridgelayer' tank, and came with a rather nifty folding bridge due to a hinge point which came pre-setup for me. These vehicles were assigned as support elements to armoured brigade HQs, carried a bridge capable of crossing a 10 meter gap and carrying a 30 ton vehicle.  

As per many items in my collection for Flames of War, these vehicles are not represented in the rules (although there are rules of the Churchill bridgelayer). This is also the second bridging tank in my collection - hence it being a bridging tank too far. Or A Bridge Too Far, for short! 

However, we do play big scenario driver games, and this type of model is just too cool not to have! 

The model was lovely to paint up after all those Chaos Cultists. Decals have been applied to my usual standard - with markings for 33 Armoured Brigade command being applied ('170' in a red square, with the black and green hourglass motif of the brigade). I've also added some War Department serial numbers, and a bridging weight disk (which took some research). I was unable to add allied recognition stars, due to a lack of any suitable surface. However, looking at the vehicles on display in museums, I could see no stars present on them anyway. 

This 15mm vehicle would be 8 points. Plus 20 points for the studio. 

 Minion Miles: Ok 4 submissions in a single day, no matter how lovely the miniature and this is a very nice engineering tank, is definitely a violation of the Minions Collective Bargaining Agreement.  You, Sir, should expect a labor action from Minions local 402. You have brought this dire fate upon yourself.  As per the agreement, the painting of picketing signs DOES count as terrain for Challenge scoring.

From JamesM: 15mm WW2 British battalion CP, commanders and signals vehicle (61 points)(Vulcan)

Hi folks,

It appears that with every challenge, I come up with some elaborate 15mm diorama idea at the last minute - regardless of what else I had prepped! 

This year has been no exception, with a last minute concept taking up far too much time and brain power. This entry features a battalion command team (medium base with four men), battalion 2ic team (small base with three men), a Bedford MWR Radio Truck and an battalion command post. All at 15mm and for my WW2 Normandy collection. 

Behind this entry is a convoluted story about searching my collection for a model to replace one with weak ankles, and a distant idea about a 'command post' diorama for my British infantry battalion. I set about digging though loose models and bits boxes, and came up with something suitable. 

The bunker model is a Battlefront one, which is long out of production. Possibly from 1st or 2nd edition. I had one given to me by a friend and it just was not busy enough for my tastes - so I added figures and 'stuff'. The aim is to tell a story, with radio operators, a runner receiving directions from an officer and a bored Jock guarding the post.  

The boxes, sign post, barrels and other kit all came from my bits box and supply of 15mm stowage. I believe the table with maps, etc, came from Peter Pig. The radio on the table is a Battlefront bit from somewhere, while the aerials are all fishing line. The infantry figures are all 15mm Battlefront models, from various eras and sets. 

The decals on the signpost came from Doms Decals and Modeldads. My idea is that this will be placed on the table near my battalion aid post model, hence the 'CCP' (Casualty Clearing Post) sign. 

Alongside this, I had a specialise radio truck from Battlefield3d so decided to do a signals vehicle supporting the infantry battalion command post. This vehicle is decaled up as one from the 51st HD's divisional signals unit. 

And since I have a full infantry battalion for Flames of War at 15mm scale, I thought I had better have a battalion commander and 2nd in charge, just in case. No rules for any such thing in FoW, but we are suitably megalomaniacal in our games that I'm sure we can make some up. I've used a medium command base for the big boss just to make him stand out a bit as a commander. I may add some markings to the rear of the base just to mark these out as special as well. 

Scoring wise, I have counted the CP base as a 15mm vehicle - I know it's technically terrain, but it's around the size of a large 15mm vehicle and involved some brush work and decals. The CP model also has a figure 'half out' of the resin using a radio, so I have counted that as a half model. 

15mm infantry x 12.5 = 25 points

15mm vehicles x 2 = 16 points

Finally, this entry is for the planet Vulcan. While there are no pointy ears in sight, I consider that if anything on a WW2 battlefield full of MG42s can be considered logical, it's going to battle with nothing but a swagger stick or walking cane...

More seriously, my thinking was that a command post and communications network are logical things and so should qualify.  

Vulcan landing = 20 points. 

Total = 61 points

Love the story on the diorama that grew out of looking for a figure without weak ankles!  Great work on this little gem and all the supporting stuff.  Your logic is sketchy but so is my brain today so I'll buy it.  It is great to see the support stuff painted up so nicely, it's add's skids of colour to the table top and makes for great scenario ideas.

From JamesM: 15mm British CMP Trucks (24 Points)

Hi folks,

Breaking my duck this challenge, and keeping to my tradition of painting non-combat models which will rarely see the table as part of the challenge! This time, some resin 3d printed CMP trucks from Battlefield3d in 15mm scale. 

These are (from left to right) a CMP F60 Lorry, a CMP 60L Water Tanker, and a CMP 60L Petrol Tanker. Vallejo bottle for some scale. 

When I saw these models, I knew I had to get some in order to represent the ''A' Echelon' troops of 144th Royal Armoured Corps. Each tank battalion was divided into three echelons, F, A and B. 

'F' echelon represented the fighting element and vehicles of the unit, which would go into battle. 'A' echelon represented vehicles and men which were needed to look after the immediate needs of the battalion - providing rations, fuel, ammunition, cooking facilities, etc. 'B' echelon represented vehicles and men normally deployed further from the fighting and looking after long term stores, admin and repairs. 

Those men who's jobs involved driving a lorry full of fuel or ammunition via busy (possibly unsecure/mined/shelled) roads at night up to forward position in a warzone where front lines were not always clear or secure, are often overlooked. 

In fact, a while ago I came across a story from men of this unit who had driven forward at night to unload fuel and ammo to tanks in a forward position, only to discover they were German tanks after they had unloaded... They promptly scarpered. 

Given how plain these models were, I unwisely decided to apply a 'mickey mouse' style paint scheme to the ammo lorry. This was time consuming and tricky, and while historic its something I normally try to avoid. 

All vehicles have been marked up with appropriate decals and based as per my standard scheme. These trucks are set slightly far back on the bases as my one issue with the 3d printed resin is that the models are brittle - in fact, one of the tankers snapped in half just by me placing it on the table too firmly. I'm hoping that placing the fronts further back will help protect the bumpers from damage. 

So to get myself on the scoreboard, that is 3 x 15mm vehicles at 8 points each, for a total of 24 points. 

Welcome back to the Challenge this year James, nice to see your posts again.  Good work on these less glamorous but or so essential service trucks.  I can't imagine riding in one of these ticking time bombs.  I always admire folks who can do decals so crisply, not one of my skill sets what so ever.  I also like the basing on these vehicles.