A WaW Project Log

[Kris]

Hello all

Over in another post I mentioned that I might log my progress as I attempt to build two opposing forces for Battlefield Evolution - World At War ...so here goes.

* * *

I have been thinking of getting into WWII wargaming for a while now, and after doing a little research on the internet, BE:WaW sounded just like the kind of thing I was looking for.

Needless to say, the book alone wouldn't be much use to me (since I have absolutely no WWII miniatures), so I went ahead and purchased a couple of boxes of 1:72 scale figures to get me started (as I figured this scale would allow me to build my forces relatively cheaply - and also because I always used to play with these types of figures when I was a kid ).

Here's what I have got:

The German figures are the better of the two, and one sprue alone (you get 3 sprues in the box) is enough to build a full SS Command Squad and two 'Team 1's' for two regular SS squads (which is pretty much the minimum requirements when building a platoon).

Now I'm not a fantastic painter or anything like that, but here's a quick picture of the Command Squad (Team 1) that I've got finished:

I've also nearly finished Team 1 of the first squad - so hopefully a few pictures of them will be following shortly.

Also, this just arrived...

...but I think I'll try to finish off the compulsory infantry models first before starting on one of those

 

[Kris]

As promised, here's a picture of Team 1 of the first squad...

I've had to put a few bushes around the crate that the MG is resting on to hide the fact that the one side of the crate is hollow (I assume for moulding purposes).

As far as weapons are concerned, this squad has been upgraded with 2 Gewehr 43 (semi-automatic) rifles and a Panzerfaust.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

Those are amazing minis for a first attempt. The colours are crisp and well-separated. My only advice would be to consider a black wash for the faces and hands - water down some black paint and pay it on the area so it seeps into the cracks, and it'll bring out the detail more.

 

[Kris]

Thanks for the kind words

It's probably worth pointing out that I have painted regular 28mm miniatures before (mostly for RPG purposes) ...this is just my first attempt at the smaller 1:72 scale plastic 'toy soldiers' types (so apologies for any confusion).

It doesn't really show very well on the pictures, but the flesh does have a brown wash over it (which is then highlighted again with the original flesh colour). Here's a close-up:

...and a size comparison for anyone who is interested (when sat next to a regular 28mm fantasy miniature):

 

[Agis]

I like what you have done, and honestly I am 100% with you to NOT use a black wash.
Your minis look very neat and clean, I love the look. Maybe one more highlight on the flesh and all is done. 8)

 

[Kris]

Yeah, I can see how more shading/highlighting would make them look a little better, but in all honesty I'm not that good a painter, and I would struggle a little if I tried to add more detail.

I also think they would benefit from some dirt/mud stains in places - but once again, I'm afraid I might mess them up if I try. So for now I'm probably going to leave them as they are ...which is far from perfect - but good enough to game with

* * *

In addition, here's the SS army I'm planning - which should come to 1000 points exactly.

Command Squad (Upgrades: kubelwagen)
Squad 1 (Upgrades: 2 Gewehr 43 rifles, panzerfaust, no team 2)
Squad 2 (Upgrades: 3 StG 44 rifles, no team 2)
Mortar Team
Panther V tank

I'm currently painting team 2 of the command squad - so I'll hopefully post a picture of them some time tomorrow

 

[Kris]

I'm a bit late in posting this (and they aren't terribly good pictures) but here is the finished command squad:

...and the finished mortar team:

I've also had a few more things arrive in the post...

 

[Murphy]

Nice paint jobs on those Germans! I made a similar move from 28mm to painting 1:72 models earlier this year, your results are much better than mine

You seem to have found the Italeri Fast Assembly models and the Armourfast tanks. Both are great ways to get an army built cheaply. Pegasus Hobbies also do some fast assembly models which are packaged two in a box, most of them are Russian tanks but there are some German Opel trucks that might be useful if you want some transport for your squads.

 

[Kris]

Thanks. I have to admit that the 1:72 figures are a little more challenging (read: pain in the @## ) than 'heroic 28mm' miniatures ...but you can't really beat the price

I also decided on the 'fast build' type tanks - as I don't really have much interest in the building aspect of the models, so the fewer parts the better as far as I'm concerned (and as you say, the price is not too bad either). I'll also have to check out the Pegasus stuff too

Anyway, here's the last SS infantry squad that I'll be painting for a while...

The MG figure is not great (the way the gun is positioned on the wall is just plain wrong) ...and I had to add some rubble around the base of the wall itself - but it'll do for now.

So, with those done I think it's time to start work on some British Para's

 

[Kris]

Right then ...here's the first squad of British Paratroopers that I've got finished:

...which is pretty much as it appears in the army list.

I've also received this in the post today...

...which is from a 1:72 range called Sky Masters (cost me £2.99 plus around £2 P&P I think), and looks to be pretty well painted/detailed considering the price - though I'll have to figure out some way of making a flying base for it (any cheap/easy suggestions are most welcome ).

 

[Rolls Dice]

Kris, love what you've done so far and love that you're doing something so similar to me in terms of scale/timing. We've gone about it slightly differently but not much.

I like the crisp, clean look of your figures; the subtle shading and highlighting of the grey works really well. If I hadn't seen your figures first I'd have said a wash was the way to go but having seen them I agree with previous comments, don't do it! (Strangely I wouldn't be without a black wash for my own...)

Looking forward to whatever comes next. Are you planning on blogging your games/batreps, etc., or just your modelling and painting?

 

[Kris]

...Are you planning on blogging your games/batreps, etc...

In all honesty, I don't really know anyone who plays as of yet

I just figured that if I've got two small (1000pt) armies painted up then I'm pretty much ready to go should anyone take an interest

 

[Murphy]

...which is from a 1:72 range called Sky Masters (cost me £2.99 plus around £2 P&P I think), and looks to be pretty well painted/detailed considering the price - though I'll have to figure out some way of making a flying base for it (any cheap/easy suggestions are most welcome ).

That looks like a bargain way to get some pre-painted air support. I'd be interested in seeing some pictures once it's assembled, I might get a few of those myself.

For bases, you could use GW's large flying base (2.50 for 3), the plane should be quite light and so it won't need much to hold it up. However the "post" part of the GW bases is only about 5 cm off the ground so your planes would be very low flying. The really cheap alternative would be to make your own using thin wood for the base and some thick(ish) copper wire for the post. A trip to B and Q should get you what you need.

 

[Kris]

Here's a look at the pre-painted Spitfire model/toy once it has been assembled:

It's basically a snap together kit, and on the whole, I think it's not too bad at all.
(note that the stats for Spitfires are included in S&P #56).

I've also got my two Cromwell tanks finished (though in the photographs you can't really notice much highlighting or shading - but you'll get the idea).

 

[Murphy]

I like the spitfire! I wasn't going to bother with aircraft for my armies, but at that price and pre-painted I might have to pick up a couple.

 

[Kris]

...I might have to pick up a couple.

Indeed, I may have to pick up a couple more myself

Anyway, over the weekend I pretty much completed my first phase of painting …that's two 1000pt armies ready to go (though it's taken me a month to do it).

The second squad of British paratroopers is exactly the same as the first one (posted above) - so there is little point in repeating photographs that are going to be 99% the same. I've also fashioned a temporary stand for the Spitfire from a GW base, a golf tee, and a couple of paper-clips

So the British force is comprised of:
2 Paratrooper squads
2 Cromwell tanks
1 Spitfire

I've also changed my mind about the Kubelwagen for the German force, and so (for only a few points less) I have included another panzerfaust in that army.

And finally …I've got my Panther finished…

…I started painting it around the same time as the Cromwells, but I had to wait for some decals to arrive before I could call it done. It's my first attempt at camouflage of any kind - so it's not great, but good enough for the tabletop I think.

(note that I'll try and get a couple of group shots of both armies later on)

 

[Agis]

Very nice, you have a good clean looking painting style, I like it a lot!

 

[Murphy]

That Panther looks great! I wish I could paint camo like that.

I can't wait to see some groups shots.

 

[Kris]

Hello all ...apologies for the long absence (and my lack of posts).

Anyway, I've started to expand my armies a little over the past few weeks (along with a bit of reorganising). I've still got a few more things to do to balance the forces out (points wise) - but I thought I would post a quick group shot of what I have got done so far (since I never got around to posting any group shots last time).

(sorry the pic's aren't that great - and the flash hasn't done them any favours either)

The main additions are two 'Team 2's' to the SS squads, and reorganising them so that all the weapons in Team 1 have the 'auto' trait and all those in Team 2 do not (simply for convenient fire zones). Also, the para's now have a command section with a PIAT team.

In the next week or two I hope to do a SS sniper team (for the German army) and a Paratrooper MMG team (for the British army) - which will bring the armies to within 1 point of each other.

However, I was wondering how you guys use models that have multiple figures on one base? For example, if I were to put a guy with MG and a guy with the MG ammo on a single base (just like lots of the pictures of MG teams in the rulebook show) - do you think it is plausible to use it a single model with 2 hits - with the second figure on the base not really using it's own weapon? (though when allocating damage dice the base may still have two dice placed on it before moving on to the next closest figure?).

 

[Iain McGhee]

When bases with multiple figures are fired at, I treat them just as you describe for assigning dice. If there's less dice than figures I assign dice randomly. If figures other than the heavy weapon become casualties, I just place a marker next to the base for each one. If the heavy weapon becomes a casualty, I replace the base with single figures (just for those remaining figures with small arms, I ignore others).

I let the figures use either the heavy weapon or whatever small arms the crew figures are depicted with when using a Shoot action, but not both. If the heavy weapon requires a Ready action to prepare, I have it lose Readied status if the crew fires small arms instead.

Nice painting, BTW. I use those figures for my Germans too.