Ignoring the Treaty of Versailles

or “The Devil’s in the Decals”

So this is how many painted German “Motorized infantry” I have now. inverted commas are there because my research tells me there were many forms of such a thing over the course of the war, and- being lazy I want to be able to play operation squad, and maybe later bolt action with a single force, and not have to have different troops for different periods in the war. – to some extent yes, I’ll be versatile with which weapons are suitable, but for your basic soldat with kar98, well you know what I’m saying I think.

These are the chaps you’ve already seen, – shoulder board edges painted white to reflect infantry (not pink for panzergrenadier as I was debating because of their lateness in the war, I figure white makes them more generally acceptable) helmet and some rank decals and a “chest eagle” heh.

Two NCOs my research tells me the pink edges on the shoulder boards over the white tells us their rank… counter intuitively for me, the arm chevrons are for lance corps and PFC (or their equivalent rather.. haven't learned German rank names.. feldwebel? or summat..) but once you get to proper |NCO’s they lose them… (I’m fully prepared to be corrected)

MG section, this one’s an MG34, I have a couple more of these needing paint, and a ‘42

Specialists with the STG, these models are actually intended to be SS, but I figure as they didn’t have the monopoly on camo smoks if I use the right camo pattern I might get away with it.. you be the judge.

Big Boom. an 8cm mortar. which I cant use in operation Squad.. I do have a 5cm waiting for paint.. which I can use

 

Sni…

Research on this guy is what told me that Heer wore camo smoks, so heer he is (boom boom)

Spotters, not used in the rules I intend to play first, but I painted them as some rulesets do require them for different pieces and crews.

And so let’s finish where we started, more PBI.. Soldat with Kar98.

Now I know these aren't my best work, but I’ve had immense fun being able to do research and try to get things “right” even though I’ve failed, and compromised etc. I’ve also found it satisfying as this is now a playable Operation Squad force. that’s huge, as usually this much painting effort isn't close to a feildable force. hell half again and it’s a decent bolt action force. that’s crazy.

anyway I’ve some more to paint up to round out my options, I’ve some terrain to knock up, and some US Airborne to get my head around, well.. cant not have an opfor in the house.. what if someone wanted a demo game?

Ze Germans

Christmas has come and gone and left me with a small invasion of WW2 stuff to do.

Please don’t think I’m done with 40k, far from it, but a small distraction is often the best way back in for me after a short absence.

These models are for a small skirmish for for “Operation Squad”, which I haven't yet played, but looks like a very elegant rule set.

Now I’m not the WW2 enthusiast some of you out there will be, so colours will be “wrong”, likewise, I’ll be mixing early war and late war models.. I’ve done enough research to know that late war these boots are wrong… at least the German weapon nomenclature helps, as the year of first use is in the name of the weapon.. MG42, MP40, STG44 etc..

I’ve some US airborne coming, and I Intend to make a modular type board for this, as the scenery and scale of scenery is very different to 40k or fantasy stuff.

anyhoo, this small scale stuff is a good place for me at the moment as I’m feeling overwhelmed by the size of space wolves force I have unpainted compared with the free time I’ve had, this “army” I can paint in a weekend as a whole force is only rifle section size, or section plus support at most, 14 models or so.

here’s some more detailed pictures of what I’ve got wrong

The Christmas Elves

Seem to have something of a sense of Irony. After my recent post lamenting my hobby time, and the long list of projects stacked up, they have deemed it wise to bring me more to do!

Notably, this:

Not that I am complaining – I’ve been interested in Super Dungeon Explore for a while, and my partner and I both love board games, so it seemed like a good fit.

She’ll even paint a model or two if the must moves her. so this box might be something we can work through together.

for those who don’t know it, it’s a dungeon smash much like heroquest or descent, but very differently themed around a terrible Japanese rpg

if I had to I suppose the best description might be a board game version of a japanese ripoff of “gauntlet” (WIZARD NEEDS FOOD)

I spend an afternoon putting the figs together, which isn't an easy task for a novice, and would be the only thing preventing my recommending this with universal appeal.

When you open the box, your greeted by some card…

The rulebook, which is fairly concise and helpful, and some punch out tokens, these come off the frame easily and should be sorted into baggies for ease of use…

Next are the playing tiles and the meat of the package, the figs…

These come in their own wee baggies, and with many many small parts, take a couple of hours to put together even for an experienced modeler. this alone might be the barrier that prevent a lot of people playing this.. I hope not, cos it’s a cracking game.

 

Models themselves are good quality hard plastic, a few mold lines exist but are easily removed and not huge in any case.

The Desk, mid-build….

And the completed horde.

My partner and I had a quick game to test it out, it’s quick to pick up, plays well and fast and is good fun, if anything the desk is pretty stacked in the hero side of things.. I’m going to have to get devious as consul to give them a challenge.

Coming Up for Air

Wow. What a term. (for new readers, yes, I’m a teacher. more accurately I look after the Games Design Courses at a College). I cant remember one like it.

Apologies for my absence from the blog, several things happened at once, leaving me with less time and energy than usual. I know for those of us with an academic profession and a blog the blog does tend to suffer at the start of a new academic year, but I really wanted, and had managed to avoid that this year.

Sadly events were to conspire. in September my department had three part time lecturers, a manager myself and two other full time lecturers. for reasons that aren't really relevant, that became Myself and three part timers. with no diminution in workload across the area.

That’s been the case for two months now and its taken its toll not just on my free time, with the added weight of prep and marking etc, but on my energy levels. luckily a few xbox games have come along and kept me interested wile the sofa embraced my ass, but I’ve missed the hobby, haven't touched a brush since the charity model you see below, which I still need to post, apologies man, it’s on it’s way soon, I promise.

Okay so xcom didn’t help, cos it really grabbed me, but its about enrgy as well, no really..

The workbench is full of projects, and I really want to get back to it, so will have to see what kind of free time Santa brings in amongst the commitments.

so far in the queue ()not withstanding the whole, finish a space wolf army and start an ork one, and the whole “doing a golden demon entry” things)

• That charity guy, apply his decals and send him awaaay
• Objective markers for 40k to track “points values”
• a grey hunter squad half done
• a titan I am painting for a friend
• a german rifle squad for “operation squad”
• some suitable terrain for above
• a tau forge world suit that needs repair

The one I feel worst about, – the three things there that are for toher people, obviously, Ive had the titan for ages, and it should have been done by now.. the charity fig, he should have been in the post weeks ago.. Sorry guys…

I’ll admit I’m most excited about a small historical foray with ze germans. I’m painting Heer, I cant quite bring myself to have SS “toys” no judgment on those who do, just doesn’t sit right with me.. so I’ll have some regular army guys, and maybe in the future an opfor, – operation squad is small enough you could have a few forces form different nations and still not have as many figs as a 1k guard army.

Still a few guys from warlord to keep this fellow company has me quite interested, and should paint up quickly too.

the blog hit 400 followers while I was looking the other way, that’s amazing, especially given the recent lull, so thankyou everyone for your continued interest and faith that I’d resume.

So there we have it, the Queens speech for this blog… and really lacking in pictures.. sorry about the wall o text, and sorry again about the absence guys, I’ll see if I cant pick things back up going forwards.

This passed me by..

http://thefallenprinces.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/competition-voting-time.html

its the voting for the Badab war deathwatch squad that i am contributing to.. I AM contributing... honest.. in the post this weekend...

Oh yeah, Ive been away a while... it's not burnout, its work.. We've lost three full time members off staff from my department.. which was.. well four full time members of staff...

so when i get home i barely have the energy to hit the xbox.. and i mean barely.. ive watched more crap telly in the last couple of moths...

It should pick up over Christmas.. once i pick myself up again.

so apologies to my readership, which i see is moving tantalizingly close to 400! wow...

and please go and vote on the fallen princes comp.. not for me, but for the best model!

and support the charity once the auction comes up, it should be wicked :)