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Monday 7 September 2015

15mm Vietnam tests

I played a game with Ian and Steve at the Defenders club a couple of weeks back, of Force on Force, set in Vietnam, using Steve's collection of mainly Peterpig forces.  It inspired me to think about building a platoon scale force for the USA and possibly Australians, as well as VC and NVA.  I remembered that I had some odd Peterpig Vietnam figures that I had won in an ebay auction a couple of years ago, so thought I'd dig them out and try and paint them to see if I could get a result I'm happy with.  These are the result.

I figured I had enough for an HQ section, with an officer, medic, M79 grenadier and three M16 armed riflemen.  I read a few painting guides online and came up with these - the base uniform is Vallejo Russian Green, heavily dry brushed with Russian Green mixed with Deck Tan.  Helmets are Luftwaffe camo green with flat earth and Russian Green splodges.  Pouches are golden olive dry brushed khaki.  Boots are olive drab.  Some figures have red and white Marlborough cigarette packets taped to their helmets.


A rifle section of two 4 man fire teams, one with 2 M16 riflemen, an M60 gunner and M16 armed assistant, the other with three M16 riflemen and a LAW gunner, who also carries an M16.


The other section, organised similarly.


I also had two other figures, on the left a shotgun armed tunnel rat and on the right a downed helicopter crew man armed with a pistol.


The whole group.  A few more riflemen and there should be enough for a platoon scale action.


Thanks for looking.
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4 comments:

  1. Just Jack7 September 2015 at 23:33

    Andy,

    Looking good man. I will admit that, as much as I like PP moderns and VC, I'm not really a fan of their US 'regular' troops or NVA. The U.S., to me, looks too neat and uniform, more at home in Cold War Europe than Vietnam, and I hate how the boot blouses are almost up to their knees.

    But that is just me, and despite this, I'd be proud to play with yours, you did a great job!

    Two quick things: just FYI, the cigarettes are under the helmet band (not taped; I've got an Iraq story about an orange Bic), and the Medics didn't mark themselves in the field (but I understand if you're doing it just to make him easily recognizable on the table).

    I'm working on a platoon of Vietnam USMC for The Hill Fights by 3rd Marines near Khe Sanh in '68. Lord knows when I'll get to it...

    V/R,
    Jack

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    1. Andy Canham8 September 2015 at 08:21

      Thank Jack,

      I spent quite a bit of time trying to get a mix of greens that looked right, it's always a challenge when everything is one shade of green or another so you are trying to find shades that show up the detail and still feel right overall.

      Thanks for the insights on the helmet tapes - presumably they are a similar colour to the uniform. As for the medic, I think he's actually a WW2 paratrooper (he was in the mixed ebay bag) and as you say, he's marked up with red crosses so there's no doubt as to who he is on the table.

      As I need some more to complete the unit, which manufacturers range would/did you go for, for your Vietnam figures?

      Cheers, Andy

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    2. Just Jack8 September 2015 at 22:05

      Andy,

      I'm with you man, I'm never happy with US Vietnam-era paint jobs I've done. I'm literally thinking of painting the whole damn figure olive drab. Helmets, uniforms, gear, all of it.

      I know I won't be happy with it, but every time I look at photos of Vietnam-era Marines, that's what I see, olive drab head to toe. The only exception being, ever once in awhile you see an oddly faded helmet cover or flak jacket that is damn near bright yellow, but I sure as hell ain't painting that ;)

      I got my Marines from Flashpoint Miniatures in Australia. A couple 'dogs,' but most of the poses, weapons, and gear are great, and they're all useable. I've got them cleaned and on sticks, but not primed yet. I need to get them done (and finish my VC), but all my time has gone to playing lately.

      V/R,
      Jack

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  2. Andy Canham8 September 2015 at 22:49

    Cheers Jack

    I guess that's why they called it "the Green".

    I'll take a look at Flashpoint Minis..

    Cheers, Andy

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