Finished: US Para HQ and 60mm Mortar Squads

 

If you recall my Wednesday Workbench post, I did indeed finish them today!

HQ Squad

Platoon Sergeant, Lt, 2nd Lt plus rifleman

60mm Mortar Squad

The HQ squad figures are all Crusader; the mortar squad are all Artizan apart from the kneeling chap with carbine which is Crusader.

And that is it (for now) for my US Para force. All in, I have painted 90 figures in slightly over 3 weeks (which included a few days of painting breaks). At some point I will be adding rank insignia decals and tufting the bases.The decals will have to wait until I next place an order with Warlord.

My next project will be more airborne troops, this time some Polish paras for my Arnhem collection. The first figures are out on the table ready for me to begin painting them:

There are just eighteen figures for this mini-project, which I will paint in batches of nine. Conveniently nine are in berets and nine are in helmets.

Wednesday Workbench 21 April & Podcast

 

I decided to take a couple of days off painting and only made a start on the final batch of US Paras this evening. So far I've only done the flesh; with just ten figures in the batch I should be able to get the buk of the painting done tomorrow and have them finished on Friday.

Podcast

A few days since publication, but a bit quicker than the last one I posted links to. In this episode we discuss whether ACW rules should include bonus factors for the quantity and style of facial hair of the respective commanders or whether it is even worth gaming the period at all. Adam makes the mistake of asking how I would paint the white caparisons of Teutonic knights, rather than asking how I think he should do so. Also the usual garbage the less than magnificent seven are famed* for.

* if having 2 or 3 listeners can be counted as "fame".

Finished: US Rifle Squad 4

Another day, another "Finished" post and it is more US Paras. You may be getting almost as bored of these as I am, but never fear - there is only one more batch to go after these!

Squad Sergeant & LMG Team

Rifle Team

The Sergeant and the chap with a carbine in the LMG team are from Crusader; all the others are from Artizan.

Given the quite different styles of the Crusader and Artizan figures, I am considering a reorganisation of the figures so that the main platoon is all Artizan, with the support squads being all Crusader. As it is unlikely that i will ever field two full platoons, I may rebase the HQ squad figures as Jump Off Points.

Finished: US Para Rifle Squad 3

 

Well, that's two "Finished" posts in two days, if only because I forgot to post the previous batch on Thursday.

Squad Sergeant & LMG Team

Rifle Team

The LMG gunner and loader are from Artizan, all the other figures are from Crusader. I've made a good start on the next batch - the fourth rifle squad and should finish painting them tomorrow which means they'll be varnished and ready for posting on Monday.

Finished: US Para Supports

 

I could (and probably should) have posted these yesterday, but I got a bit caught up doing other things. However, here they are now for you to admire or denigrate as you choose.

Tripod MG Team

The MG gunner and assistant are from Crusader, the rest of the group are Artizan. I'll be using them as either a .30 cal MMG or .50 cal HMG.

Assorted Supports and Jump Off Point

Jump Off Point

Medic and Engineer

Forward Observer and Sniper

These ones are all Artizan.

It occurred to me when I was taking these photos that I never took proper photos of the test figures I painted a couple of weeks ago, so I took the opportunity to do just that.

BARs

Bazooka Teams

The BARs and Bazookas are all Artizan.

I should have the next batch finished and ready for posting tomorrow.

Wednesday Workbench 14 April & Podcast

 

I've taken things slow and steady on this batch of US Paras. I finished painting them this afternoon; they'll be varnished tomorrow.

Next up will be a rifle squad from the 2nd platoon.

Podcast

I have kept forgetting to post a link to the most recent episode of "Seven Idiots Rambling", so it's about time I did. We recorded the next edition on Monday, which should be published on Friday.

The plan, now that lockdown is easing in the UK, is to switch to two-weekly recording with occasional specials recorded and released in-between. I suspect that the first "special" will be a discussion of the changes to ADLG in the 4th edition, once we have all received our copies.