Clever Hans - Part 11 (Volksgrenadiers done!)

 Somehow I've managed to fit in a spot of painting here and there into my now regularly packed daily schedule and lo and behold... I have completed the last 8 members of my 10-man German Volksgrenadier Squad (Last show-cased in April!)! Now, I have to admit, Father Time has had his way with my health and it seems that my eye-sight has deteriorated somewhat, so my detail work is not up to my previous work levels - This sucks mightily and my ego doesn't like accepting this shortcoming one bit, but I guess it means that whatever I paint from here on in will happen a little more quickly as I am forced to not spend as much time on the small areas (eyes, etc) as I used to?

No idea how this pic looked just fine on my phone after it was taken, and yet when I post it here it is eversoslightly out of focus? Annoying. 

These sculpts are by Warlord Games from their 28mm Bolt Action WW2 range and are produced in white metal with separate heads. Whilst not being part of their official "Winter Range", the scarves sculpted about their heads and the addition of white trousers, helmets and helmet covers will hopefully make them blend in well enough with the rest of my Winter German collection. 

Those feldgrau jackets and trousers have a little more depth to them in real life. The light I used in these pics seems to have washed out any shade that is present. Also annoying.

I love the sculpts and details on these minis and the poses are all distinctly different and interesting I think. As always though, they took a while to get done - German troops have so much extra gear compared to the average Soviet or Brit soldier and that gear comes in so many different colours to boot! (I still intend to go back a paint on the Panzerfaust labels at a later date)

(No grass tufts or clump bush pieces on these. One, my glue dried up (!) and two, it'll help the previously previewed squad sergeant stand out.)

So that's that, my original Winter Germans project is officially "Fully Painted" and I feel pretty chuffed about it. Now I will be able to put on demo games of Bolt Action for my gaming mates when time allows in the New Year. I'll still be trying to get some more stuff done if I can find time before the end of the year, but first I feel a parade of my Winter German force might be in order after being inspired by Keith's recent postings of his impressive minis collections from many gaming genres on his own blog (Check it out here!) , so keep an eye out for that after the weekend. 

(What's more, there might be a few more additions to this force in 2023 including some Great Coated Grenadiers, an MG42 team and a fearsome Panzer 4 tank.)

Thanks for taking the time to drop by my humble blog and especially for leaving a comment!

- Dai

I'm not dead yet

 

Infact, I feel happy.

Always good to start off a post with a Monty Python quote.

April was such a long time ago and the last time I posted here. It's the deadest this blog has ever been. Not the plan at all for my hobby in all honesty, but sadly one that was necessary as Real Life responsibilities have made further demands on my free time. Some might optimistically  query as to whether this might mean I've since fallen into a tonne of disposable cash and am now far too busy to pick up a brush because of all the jet-setting and lady-killing and, in some dark (un-married, of course) recess of my gross imagination, they'd be correct. Sadly, imagination is about as close to that lifestyle as things get this end, but it's a nice thought, at least for a while until I remind myself that all those women would get on my nerves in a very short amount of time and that the money... well, who doesn't want more money in their life? 

So yes, I've been very busy and nothing at all has seen the light of day in my hobby area these past months. Add to that, I no longer have space at home to set up a paint station which is also frustrating. I did receive some new minis in the post from a Kickstarter I backed earlier in the year which was nice, only to regretfully stick them up in a cupboard. 

Will this state of affairs last in perpetuity? No. I'm hoping that by February or thereabouts for things to be lots easier and for there to be a lot more opportunity to get back on the hobby "horse" sotospeak. But until then, I will continue to read blog posts, leave comments when time allows and live vicariously through you all. (If anyone reads this meagre dead blog any longer, that is)

Am hoping 2023 will offer lots more incentive and opportunity to get my teeth stuck into my unloved projects, thanks to one and all and the Russian bots for taking the time to read this post.

- Dai

Clever Hans - part 10 (Volksgrenadiers, Hanomag, Flame Thrower and Observer)

Finding time to paint of late has been tricky, but this weekend my wife had a hair appointment and a shopping trip so out came the painting station and I got to work on some more WW2 Winter Germans in an effort to get that project done and ready for the gaming table!

Covering the medic previewed in my last post as he helps get the injured to the half-track. 

First up a closer look at the platoon's Sd.Kfz. 251D half-track. These armoured transports were iconic and the Germans used them throughout the war, with other nations utilizing the design for quite a bit after the war's end in their own armed forces. Featuring an MG42 machinegun both fore and aft of the vehicle, they not only were splendid for transporting troops where they needed to go on the battlefield, but also could provide suppressive fire support once the troops offloaded at their destination. Sadly, in the Bolt Action rules set these things are a bit naff, costing far too much points-wise for how survivable they end up being on the tabletop - but they are iconic, so I had to include one in my force!

What's missing from these pics? That's right, markings. For now. Decals to come at a later date when I have more time to get back to hobby.

Tried to make it look a little dirty/muddy on that flooring.

This is a Warlord Games plastic kit. Went together relatively easy and was VERY happy to only have to deal with single piece track sculpts! 

Tried to show wear on the paint work from where passengers likely clambered in and out from. I mean, there's doors at the back, but who uses doors?

Doors and mud and snow and more wear. Forgive the focus being out on this pic, phone wasn't playing ball at all.

After the halftrack I got on with the next part of my plan, a 10-man Volksgrenadier squad. Volksgrens (For short) were a type of unit created by Hitler's orders to help bolster his then retreating armies in the later stages of WW2. Whilst they got spiffy new uniforms and were outfitted with the best kit (Read, LOTS of Panzerfausts and Assault Rifles), they were far too rushed to the front lines and received equally rushed training. Their creation was more of a propaganda effort than anything else and their exploits in the field were very mixed.

The first two of my squad are the squad's sergeant and his mate who's about to toss a primed potato-masher grenade.

Both Warlord Games metal sculpts of a very nicely detailed set. Not Winter theme'd though, so expect more white-painted helmets and trousers from future posts in an effort to make them fit in with the rest of my Winter Germans. 

This is the first Warlord metal squad where rank badges weren't sculpted onto the figs. I'm of half a mind to leave the sergeant's uniform bare of them as it's pretty obvious that the only pointing bloke in the squad MUST be the leader, right?

Not wanting to get bogged down painting all the Volksgren's at once, I then moved on to a support team for these frosty fellows, a nice flame-thrower duo. Another Warlord Games effort, this time from their Winter line. Am very much loving the sculpts and as they were mostly "Greatcoats" as far as painting was concerned, they were relatively swift to get done.

Flame-Thrower packs were heavy kit in general. German ones were apparently heavier than most. No wonder this poor bugger is having a rest before having to muster out to BBQ his next victims.

Another pointing sculpt. But not a sergeant seeing as he's holding a rifle and not an SMG, so he obviously doesn't count. Obviously.

Last up for today's post is an Artillery Observer/Spotter. A fun pose where this "camouflaged" chap is doing his best to stay hidden whilst he gives the artillery crew the co-ordinates for their next barrage into a portable field radio.

Not that one should have an Observer in a position to require him to have to actually shoot a gun in-game, but just in case he should need to, I stuck a spare Soviet SMG on his base for the job. 

Snow covered bushes to help hide him. Not sure they'll do a very good job tho.

Getting these six things finished up keeps me on track for my personal pledge of a minimum of 2 a week with it being Week 15 of the year and my total of fully painted models up to 30 now. Good stuff.

And that's it for now. Easter weekend will be a family affair and I'll have no time to myself for more hobby so not sure when I'll have anything new to show off. 

04/12/2022, week# 15 - 30/100 mini's done

Clever Hans - part 9 (Medic and a birthday gift)

 A quick post today to show off four more mini's painted to add to my quota for the year to date.

First off a WW2 German medic sculpted in a Winter theme. A very cool sculpt and was relatively swift to paint up once I figured out who's arm was where and so forth. Completely forgot to add my usual red wash to the exposed flesh areas like the rest of my Winter collection so I may well go back and do that at a later date.

Mini by Warlord Games. 

My Freehanded Red Crosses are pretty poor now I'm looking at them. 

If you've got a bandage over your eye, then there needs to be blood seeping through. It is so.

 Next up are a trio of Oathsworn Miniatures Burrows and Badgers figs. I painted them up for my friend Derek as a everso slightly belated birthday gift for his 43rd birthday this last St Patricks Day. We got together a bit ago and played our first game of this ruleset and as I'd hoped (Read: planned) he liked it so much he announced he'd invest in the rulebook and his own team in the nearish future. So these three can be added to his own planned warband or not - his choice. He at least seemed to like them. :)

First off a Bat Assassin. Or "Batssassin" as he's known. Simple paint job on a characterful sculpt as always.

Grass tuft's superglue dried white! >_< Told Derek to add a drop of brown wash over it and that shold take care of it.

Next up is a Mole warrior wearing some other critter's bones. He has a very low-tech look which I like.

Little blue markings to look like simple woad designs or some such. The Toad has similar markings on it's Bone pieces too.

This is a fearsome Toad warrior wearing (I believe) the skull of a Wildcat. I like to think he/she gets power from the dead spirits who formerly called that skull their "head".

Creepy Toad-ish sideways pupils.

Tried to make the cloak look like a Badgers pelt taken from a fallen enemy. Nasty bugger this Toad.

Note the simple blue woad type markings on the bone areas to key in with the Mole.

And that's it for a while. Taking a week off from the paint station so hoping to have more to show off in a fortnight. 

Hope all are staying well out there,

- Dai

03/21/2022, week# 12 - 24/100 mini's done (Still on target).

Personal Hobby Challenge

It would seem that the number “100” keeps popping up in my online hobby searches and so forth.

Brad on the Cast Dice podcast (A mostly Bolt Action theme’d wargaming podcast that I like to listen to, but they do cover lots of other game topics.) has challenged himself to paint at least 100 minis before year’s end.

Stew at the Terrible Loss of Lead and Wealth blog needing to paint up 100 more Dark Ages warriors in order to meet his self-imposed goals.

The 100 infantry minis alone that I’d need to purchase (And most definitely will not – at least not now) were I to start buying for the Defence of Greece WW2 Bolt Action project that I was all-of-a-sudden inspired to list up.

The $100 (And probably more than that) I’ll need to scramble together somehow in order to be able to pledge toward the upcoming (No date announced yet mind) next Burrows and Badgers Kickstarter.

Okay, writing those out, “100” doesn’t seem too prolific in my online “searches and so forth” afterall, but I guess they are enough to get me thinking on it at the very least. So the main thing though was Brad’s small self-imposed challenge to paint at least 100 miniatures in 2022. This wasn’t too far-fetched and heck knows my unpainted mountain is overflowing with untouched miniatures, some almost as old as I am, screaming out to finally get some hobby love and have a half-decent paint job applied to them.

100 isn’t all that tough really in the scheme of things and as the podcast mentioned, there’s 52 weeks in a year, so that’s a very doable average of a little less than 2 mini’s a week. Now I know there are plenty of prolific batch-painters out there that might read this and scoff at such a small number, but for me, this seems like a sweet-spot to achieve within my limited hobby time.

Now we are in March (Already!?), 10 weeks into the year and I’ve already painted 20 since the start of the year (I’m counting finished terrain as single pieces too). That's me totally on track and I think I can make the 100 by year’s end without too much trouble.

I'm going to start keeping a tally of where I'm at on the bottom of each new post from here on that I put up here and also I'll label each post with "Paint 100 2022" to help keep track too. And... if anyone feels a need to hop on, they can call this a "challenge" and join in the fun, etc.

Congrats if you got down this far. Apologies to those annoyed that I didn't post up any actual hobby progress, I promise my next post will be far more thrilling and fulfilling in that respect!

- Dai

03/11/2022, week# 10 - 20/100 mini's done.

Clever Hans - part 8 (Winter Grenadiers squad compete!)

These nine Grenadiers are from a project last visited in 2018 (!!!) and their completion finishes up a 10-man squad for my WW2 Winter Germans for Bolt Action project. My main hobby goal for the first half of this year is to get my German force painted and ready for play before the Summer so that I can have two fully painted armies (My WW2 Soviets are already done) to run demo games for mates. 

The sculpts are all Warlord Games from their metal Winter Grenadiers Squad set. Very well detailed miniatures with most of them featuring separate heads which I liked playing around with to get the best looks possible. The only negative aspect is the sculptor's choice of equipping so many Assault Rifles and Panzerfausts - Regular Rifles were far more common in general and I prefer the look in general, but that's a personal preference I guess.

Painting German troops in WW2 is a different beast compared to my previous Canadians and Soviets in that they have SO MUCH KIT and each piece is a flippin different colour which took ages to pick out! But other than that, they painted up nicely and I really like the finished results. Per my previous Winter posts, these fellows got some red/pink added to their faces and hands to represent the cold they are supposed to be fighting in and I managed to get eyes on all but two who's headgear made that effort impractical. (Not all eyes were done "well", mind. But I just wanted these finished so after a couple attempts left them as-is on some.)

Here are some individual pics highlighting all the mess-ups and crappy eye-jobs. :)

This bloke is a prime example of where I just couldn't get the eyes right. Good thing he's looking down a bit to read the instructions on that Panzerfaust so on the table you can't see his peepers.

All of these mini's bases snow effects are still drying in these pics. For those wanting to know, it's Games Workshop's snow effect product - Vallhallan somethingorother.

Aforementioned bloke who's cap is pulled down too low to be able to attempt eyes. yay.

Liking his helmet hooked onto his belt.

Cold effects on this one's face are a little too "rouge-like", but they'll look fine on the game table. 

Added a little snow to the bottom of his boot - it made sense at the time

This guy has a bit of a googly-eyes syndrome. 

The squad's Light Machinegun team in the classic, "Here, rest the weapon on my shoulder and deafen me" pose.

Actually I'm a big fan of this duo. They just look cool.

Managed to give the bloke in the foreground a fun "This sucks" expression, which I thought was rather appropriate.

Another face I'm rather happy with. He has the "100 yard stare" that you see in many photos from the war.

Must have tried to get this bloke's left eye (Viewer's left, not his) done four times before I just gave up. I also neglected to paint the strap on his helmet (Bugger!) so I'll have to go back and do that later.

The last chap in this squad and he's about to let go of that potato masher, or at least I hope he does. 

So that's my effort at "Batch Painting", something I've long avoided in the past, but getting these 9 figs done was a satisfying endeavour and not as bad a challenge as I'd feared once I'd gotten past the base colours stage. 

Next up I'll be tackling the remainder of this Medic (Pictured below) and a Sniper Team (Not pictured below), then a Hanomag halftrack and the last outstanding squad of VolksGrenadiers to complete the initial list. There will still be a few more options to be painted (Another squad of Winter Grenadiers, Flame Thrower team, MG42 team and a Panzer IV), but they'll be saved for when I feel up to it. 

So as these partially painted fellows limp off painfully into the snowy hell of the East Front, I'll end this post here.

Hope all are staying safe and well out there,

- Dai