1:50 Soviet T-55 Tank

Who doesn't love the T-55?? Workhorse of the Soviet and Warsaw Pact armoured forces for nearly three decades (not to mention a stalwart part of many tin-plated dictators' armed forces even still), the T-55's squat silhouette just bespeaks "Cold War". For awhile now I've had this diecast T-55 sitting in a box, but in a sudden rush of inspiration earlier this week I decided to paint it.

The hull colour is a superb spray - Rust-Oleum Specialty Camouflage ultra-flat green. After removing the tracks, the model was sprayed all over.

This was followed up with Mechanicus Standard Grey on the roadwheel tires, Leadbelcher on the DshK machinegun, and XV-88/Zandri Dust on the mantlet, then the whole model was washed with Agrax Earthshade.

Decals from the GW vehicle sheet were used, and the IR lamp was painted gem-style red. Is that what an IR lens looks like? Who knows, but it looks cool.

I also tried, for the first time, something I've often thought of doing on tracked vehicle models with stretchy rubber or vinyl tracks. These tend to bug me because the track's top run stretches straight from drive sprocket to idler sprocket and don't "sag" onto the roadwheels like the real thing. So I decided to engineer a solution for that (above).

On the T-55 model I drilled holes above the first and last roadwheels on each side, a track's width above the wheels, large enough to fit a stiff wire through. I then ran a wire through the holes and fitted the tracks so they fit between the wire and the roadwheel. This pushes the tracks' top run down onto the roadwheels, giving an impression of sag. Not as good as link-and-length tracks by any means, but works well enough on a suspension setup like the T-55's, or on other tanks like Tigers or Panthers where the upper run of track is supported by the roadwheels.

Some light weathering done with GW Rhinox Hide and Mournfang Brown.

Eureka tank crew make another appearance. Scale of the T-55 looks good compared to these models.

Not sure what kind of game we'd use a T-55 in (as our Cold War 28mm gaming takes place in the '80s or '90s, after the Soviets had pretty much moved on from the T-55), but the model looks good and was really fun to paint. I think the tracks mod worked out OK and I might just use that on other models with vinyl tracks, in future.

Stay healthy gang!

1:48 Marder III and Perry Miniatures Crew

Well, say what you want about the pandemic, but all of this isolation has certainly been conducive to getting some painting done. This seems especially true when it comes to odd little projects or models that don't take up much time, but for which there hasn't seem to have been any time...

One such project is painting crew for open-topped AFVs. I only have a few of these in my collections but it always irritates me to put them out on the table with no crew. So when I ordered the British and US tank crews from the Perrys I took the opportunity to order a German crew for this vehicle too.

This, friends, is a New Millenium diecast 1:48 Panzerjaeger 38(t) mit 7.5cm PaK40/3 Ausf M (Marder III) - Sdkfz 138. It came pretty much just as seen and cost about $15, ten years ago. The only things I've done on the model were to wash it with good ol' Agrax Earthshade and touch up the exhaust and muffler. That's it.

The crew are from Perry Miniatures - their pack #GWW7 - Marder crew. The models are really intended for North Africa, but I've painted them for NW Europe or Eastern Front duty. There are six models in the pack but the two not shown are really North African-specific in appearance. Fortunately these four are in shirtsleeves, so I've painted them with grey shirts and field-grey wool trousers.

These guys look great crewing the Marder III.

View from the rear of the vehicle.

Here's the two fellows from the crew compartment. The officer at right wears Afrikakorps-issue high desert boots, but they aren't visible when he's in the vehicle.

Marder III is very well painted and detailed right out of the box. As noted, it just needed a wash of Agrax to tone down the colours and punch up the panel lines. The vehicle bears insignia of the 12. SS Panzergrenadierdivision "HJ" so I've given some of the crew sleeve eagles on their service shirts.

Fairly detailed interior but really only room for two figures.

The Marder III as it will go into tabletop action.

Job done... looking forward to seeing this model out on the table for battle soon, but who knows when that might be...

So until next time - stay healthy friends!

Acastus Knights for Adeptus Titanicus

"Acastus" class knight banner for GW's re-booted Adeptus Titanicus. Plastic models from GW.

More scary machines from the grim darkness of the far future.  These are "Acastus" class Knights for GW's rebooted "Adeptus Titanicus" game. In that game, the knights are relatively small fry, needing to operate nimbly, and in groups, in order to be successful - after all, the battlefield features massive battle titans armed with batteries of weapons which can level entire city blocks with one shot. But the "Acastus" knights are a sort-of-hybrid machine - still knights, but armed with titan-level weapons.

Crew hatch, and view of the retractable rocket launcher system.

The "Acastus" knights are the largest knights available, quite large compared to the "Cerastus" and "Questoris" machines, and, as you can see in the pictures, nearly as big as a Warhound-class battle titan, and their weapons can not only cook enemy knights but are also capable of dealing out long-range harm to enemy battle titans. The look of these models certainly reflects that role well - not only are they bigger, but their limbs are encased in more armour plating, and the plating is found on the sides and back, not just the front.

Various sizes of knight and, in the background, some titans.

Almost as big as a Warhound...

While these knights do hit harder, they will still need to be used carefully on an "Adpetus Titanicus" battlefield - one blast from a "volcanon cannon" will still render them to slag.  But working in conjunction with other war machines, the "Acastus" knights can be a real threat to enemy Princeps. They can also serve as a stout flank guard for allied titans, easily capably of blasting enemy knights and leaving the bigger titans free to concentrate on bigger game, as it were.

I've not had any occasion to use these models in a game (obviously) and I've not seem them used myself, but I note that in a recent FAQ GW has already dialed back these models, shrinking the maximum size of the "banner" to two machines (down from a max of four), limiting the number of "banners" which can be deployed in a force and increasing the points cost for some elements.  When GW screws up these sorts of things, they seem to use "FAQs" to dial them back, and these specific changes would indicate to me that these machines must be rather potent indeed...

More armour...even the back has plate covering for extra protection.

Scary guns, of course...

Lots of cables and other details...these are truly fantastic models.

These models are painted in the blue/teal and white colours I use for the Knight House in my collection that fights alongside Legio Mortis, and as such these machines will do battle in the name of Horus Lupercal, the glorious Warmaster! Horus for hope!

Lots of decals come with the kits...just fantastic.

And you need to have a banner, right? Obviously.

"Horus for hope!"

While these models were of course fantastic, GW f**ked up the assembly instruction booklet - the part numbers vs. actual parts for key components of the legs are reversed in the booklet vs. how they actually appear on the sprue...so you will need to proceed with caution. If you look at these models, you will see one of them has very small leg greaves on the exterior side vs. interior side...not the end of the world, but it is what will happen if you are not careful and miss the mistake in the instructions.

Updated "family photo" for Legio Mortis & friends.

I hope everyone is safe, and able to find some relaxation with your hobbies during these times of quarantine and "physical distancing".

Cerastus Knights for Adeptus Titanicus

A banner of Cerastus Knights armed with Shock Lances for GW's re-booted "Adpetus Titanicus".

As the quarantine painting rolls along, I thought it would be good to get back to some sci-fi subjects.  I've been painting a lot of historical stuff lately (and plan to do even more!) but every so often I find I need to apply the brushes to pieces of war machinery from GW's rebooted Adeptus Titanicus. This a banner of three "Cerastus" type Knights for GW's re-booted "Adeptus Titanicus" game.

These models...the detail is just incredible. Yes, the price is eye-watering...but GW has really hit it out of the park with their new Adpetus Titanicus models, just amazing.

"Titanicus" is a game of giant, city-crushing machines blasting and beating each other until their reactors cook off.  In that environment, the Knights play a supporting role, harassing and flanking the much larger titans like the Reavers and Warlords.  The individual Knights are perhaps not impressive compared to the massive battle titans, but when they operate in groups, and are used properly, Knights are a real threat to enemy war engines.

Incredible detail on the rear of the Knights' chassis.

These Cerastus Knights, armed with "Shock Lances", need to get close, very close, to the enemy war engines in order to strike - but their charge can be devastating, and the lances can cause fatal damage to enemy titans. These Knights are organized into "banners", and in the case of these types of Knights they max out at three machines per banner.  I opted to put together a full strength banner, just to maximize their chances of survival on the table.  These Knights are bigger than the other "Questoris" style engines, but thankfully are slightly tougher, and can move very fast on the battlefield. Opposing Princeps will need to be wary!

Power shields can fend off the assaults of other Knights...and in a group, the shields can work together to TRY and hold out under the bombardment of enemy titans...but speed is the better defence there...

Read to move out and spread "hope" - Horus for hope!

I really like the Knight models, but the actual back story of the Knights is pretty lame...best just to think of them as a sort of sub-force for the great Titan Orders.  These fellows are painted int the same teal/green colours I use for the Knights that support my Legio Mortis forces, and they will fight in the name of the Warmaster, Horus Lupercal, and his bold plans to make the Imperium great again...

I try to keep my "Titanicus" collection relatively balanced between rebel and loyalist forces, but as we go through the Quarantine Challenge I'm hoping to add a few more engines to the Warmaster's side of the equation...can always balance that out later :)

"Family photo" of my rebel Adeptus Titanicus forces...the Legio Mortis engines loom in the background...

I keep saying it, but "Titanicus" is really a great game, yet another example of how GW can crank out fantastic rule sets if they feel like it.  The advantages of the Knights over the more ponderous and more heavily equipped battle titans are subtle but real, and they can add a lot to the game.  The re-booted "Titanicus" is a just superb set of rules overall, and the new range of models that go with them are equally amazing. These particular kits have been a real treat to work with. And they are, of course, expensive...glad I purchased these before the economy collapsed...

Thanks for reading, I hope everyone is having a great day - and is staying safe.

Star Wars: Legion - Han shot first!

I painted Han Solo for Star Wars Legion. The figure is sculpted as Han in Return of the Jedi.










The eyes are sculpted as mere slits. I did not bother painting eyeballs. The eyes have nice sculpting around them, what with the eyelids and all that. The pose is excellent. I like how Han torques into his shooting posture. Most other sculpts have his right leg forward as he fires with his right hand; a much simpler posture to sculpt. The newer Legion  models going forward will be injection moulded plastic instead of soft plastic. I am looking forward to seeing what they can do.

Went with a more Star Wars (A New Hope) look for his pants, and painted his coat as more of a duster than a camouflage smock. Airbrushed zenithal highlights, acrylic washes, and artists’ oils to finish the face and for various blending and details.

Now I need to work on R2-D2 and C-3PO to finish off the first family of the original trilogy.




Rebel Scum:




Imperials (aka Space Nazis) :




The current COVID-19 crisis has everyone hunkered down at home. Now that I have over 70 models for Star Wars Legion, I cannot have the Conscripts over to play! However, online vlogger Crabbok has come to the rescue. He has created an AI card system to allow you to play Legion solo!

http://www.crabbok.com/custom-content/legion-ai-system/

I fully intend to play a few solo games, and post them to the Fawcett Avenue Conscripts blog. Stay tuned!

More Tankers: Perry Miniatures British and US Tank Crews

I'd previously posted photos of Perry Miniatures' lovely British and US tank crews, but I'd only finished the half-figures for the hatches. However the brothers Perry even thoughtfully provide two dismounted crew figures in each pack. I painted those the other day and present them here.

Here are the two GIs - one armed with an M3 "Grease Gun" and the other carrying a jerrycan and .45. The Grease Gunner wears the ubiquitous tanker jacket that was so popular among GIs, while the other tanker wears wool-lined winter combat overalls and wool shirt.

Two British tankers are pictured in front of their Sherman (with Canadian "Fort Garry Horse" markings) that recently got updated as well. The model and its troop-mate are from Solido and were originally equipped with a chunky 105mm main gun. However I recently ordered 75mm turned-brass barrels from RB Models to replace them. The barrels were cheap and fitting them was pretty easy, using a Dremel to cut off the old barrel and drill out a mount for the new one. I think they look much better now.

I painted the tankers with tan/drab shirts and wool battledress trousers. They'll fit in pretty much anywhere. Again, these Perry tankers are highly recommended if you need some crew for your WW2 AFVs.