From DallasE: Keep on Truckin' (Fraud)(235 points)

So this week's submission is trucks. Lots of trucks. These were in a bag behind my stairs for a year or two but the current winter Russians project added some impetus to get them painted.

I undercoated them black, then sprayed them with a great paint - Krylon camouflage green. It's a light olive-y green but comes down nicely when washed with Agrax Earthshade. I love this colour for Russian vehicles, especially Cold War and modern stuff. But I thought it would be a suitable colour for "generic" WW2 truckin'. I washed the models with Agrax Earthshade AND Nuln Oil before sponging on the Corax White winter camo.

The trucks are perfect transport for the Soviet infantry, especially these ones based on 20mm squares. Six of 'em fit perfectly in the bed of the trucks.

While I was painting the trucks I snuck in another Maxim gun and crew for the winter Soviets.

Nice metal models, from Warlord Games of course.

While I was painting the winter trucks I thought I would also do the rest of the ones I had left to do. The great thing about these trucks is that they're so generic looking they could really pass for use in most WW2 forces, as long as you squint a bit. So I painted these up in camo green washed with AE and NO so they can be used in a Soviet WW2 force, as well as for Americans or Brits in a pinch. I painted a bunch a couple years ago in a desert tan for NW Africa usage on either side.

This is where we get to the Circle theme: Fraud. The models look pretty good in the pictures right? Like they were built from a kit? Or maybe cast in resin? But flip 'em over and you see the real deal. These are basically dollar-store toys, flimsy plastic junk. But when you paint them I think they look OK. And they're trucks, after all... they are never going to be the focus of anyone's wargames table. So I figure saving a bit on these makes sense.

They do look decent though I think!

Here's one of them with the Bad Squiddo Soviet traffic controllers.

Points:

10x 28mm vehicles        200

3x 28mm infantry            15

Fraud Circle bonus          20

Total                               235 points
 

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Fabulous lorry borne troopers Dallas! Your winter effects are fabulous - frosty but not overburdened by ice and snow. Dollar store or no, its very effective indeed! They might be soft skinned vehicles but anyone is going to be challenged to shoot 10 of them off the table before they can unload. Great job!

- Paul

From JohnB: Sinews of War 1/43? Corgi Cameo Trucks Requisitioned for the War Effort (60 points)

Well my planned entries are slipping behind - story of 2024/25 it seems. Anyway I got in my now usual toyshow trip for inspiration at Yuletide. Except it was not the big Doncaster show, as my lift was unavailable, instead we made it to York in January. And it seemed very slim pickings - all 1/72 plastic kit stuff was £10 or above (some of these kits are available on the high street for £6!!!!) - zero bargains. The railway bits and bobs also failed to move on my money. Then I found in quick succession three old style trucks and somehow paid £3 for the lot as I was inspired by a logistics moment.

They are Corgi Cameo range grain trucks and apparently scale at 1/43 - but you will know if wargamers are quirky on scale its no different in toy car land. So my minion will need to rule if its 28mm or 20mm or something else. I have opted for 20mm as I think they will work whereas the 28mm figures will look too big?

Compared to my Nexus Space Warriors these guys needed just a prime (white - so I could see the detail) black undercoat and then Vallejo MC096 Camoflage Olive Green. A dry brush of MC124 Iraqi Sand finished the bodies.

I made a timber load area base for the truck missing its grain load - just biro lined card overpainted with Citadel Nazreg Yellow Colour Contrast. The Grain sacks were painted in a Yellow Ochre and again overcoated with Nazreg Yellow.

In true logistics confusion the lorries are returning fully loaded - which way to the front lads? No Dante Comedy aspect this time and I am struggling with greed at the moment. Hey Ho. Points are 3x15pts for 20mm trucks = 45pts with 0 Comedy contribution.

I had hoped to dodge the scale bullet, but dam**, here comes John. Ah well. To get the awkward part out of the way first: if the cars are 1/43 scale, that would translate to approximately 40mm. Obviously, that's to big, considering the size of the figures next to them. Now it is difficult to judge from the photograph, which is very nice by the way, as the figures are on bases and the trucks are not, but I think they actually might work with 25mm figures. I found an online dealer stating that the Cameo vehicles varied between 1/45 and 1/76, and that they classify all as 1/60 for ease of storage.  That seems sensible, and 1/60 roughly translates to 25mm. Therefore, I will score them as 25mm vehicles, and 60 points it is. Then the fun part: I really like your idea of repurposing these trucks, and I think they came out very well. The timber load is a nice little detail, and the finished vehicles look very good. Well done, John!

Martijn