20mm Caesar Late WW1 Germans

Here are some more of the Caesar late WW1 German figures.  The riflemen at the back and the officer I've posted before, but thought they were a bit dark, so I've added some more painted in a lighter grey green and field grey mix, which I think looks a lot better.  I might try a couple of figures with the multi-colour patterned helmets, but that does restrict them to the last couple of months of the war and post-war Freikorps, etc.

One of the figure poses in more detail showing front and back views.

Darker finish on the figure on the left, lighter on the right.

Same figure pair, rear view.

They all work, but I'm much happier with the lighter finish, albeit it's a subtle difference.  I have another box and a half of these to finish off now.

Here's to a very Happy New Year and all the very best for 2017.  As ever, thanks for looking.

20mm WW1 British desert mounted officer

This figure was a very kind gift from Will McNally (http://willwarweb.blogspot.co.uk/).  I'm not sure what set he comes from, something Colonial/Sudan/NW Frontier (unfortunately I can't check at the moment as Plastic Soldier Review seems to be off-line).  He's perfect for my WW1 desert force, representing British and Empire forces in Palestine, Mesopotamia and, potentially, Southern Russia.  I suspect he's going to be the C-in-C for British Empire forces in Andreivia.

I've painted him in a similar way to my Indian Army British and Sikh troops.  Base khaki grey, heavily dry brushed Iraqi Sand and washed in Agrax Earthshade.  The horse is painted what is fast becoming my preferred version of Chestnut, a base of Mahogany with Agrax Earthshade wash and Ivory hooves/socks.

I managed to finish off a couple more test figures in the run up to Christmas, so will try and post these before the year runs out.  Hope you've all had a great Christmas.  Thanks for looking.

20mm Mk IV Female tank and some WW1 painting experiments

Well, I should be at the Defenders Xmas do tonight, but as I'm not feeling well, I thought I might as well share some more photos of the WW1 kit I'm working on at the moment.

First up is an Emhar Mark IV Female tank.  The kit was relatively straightforward to complete and looks good, although the "roll bar" on the roof should have two supporting struts but they are only modelled with one (ironically the box cover art shows the correct arrangement).

I've painted this one in khaki grey and dry brushed it Iraqi sand for a dusty look.  Tracks are oily steel dry brushed orange brown and washed with Nuln Oil.  Exhaust is orange brown and weapons are NATO black dry brushed basalt grey.

Decals from the kit included J12, Jericho, which I thought looked suitable.  There are some interesting beute tank markings for captured tanks in German service, which include skull and cross bones that are going on another vehicle.

Not bad for a kit picked up at a bring n buy table at the Derby/Castle Donnington show for £2.  Bargain!

Next up I a try out of some late war German figures from Ceasar, picked up at the same show for £1 per box.  These are painted in a 50:50 mix of field grey and german grey with khaki grey puttees, saddle brown boots and pouches, German grey bandoleers and black belts, with German camo beige grenade/ammo bags, washed in Agrax earthshade.  They still seem to be a bit dark to me, I'll try and lighten the next batch.

Then I experimented with an early war figure in Picklehaube - an old Airfix figure from the early 70's.  Field grey and mid-grey tunic and German uniform and mid-grey trousers, both lightened with Ivory.  Saddle brown boots, webbing and pouches.  German camo beige helmet cover and flat red regimental sign on helmet and piping on tunic.  I quite like the way he looks.

Finally, as a try out, this is another early 70's vintage Airfix WW1 soldier, painted in field blue with mid-grey tousers, grey-blue puttees and water bottle and saddle brown webbing and pouches, with a German camo beige bread bag.  All washed in Agrax earthshade, but then I highlighted the field blue as it turned a more khaki colour than I liked.

Again, I quite like the look of the French soldier, so will try the same technique on a few more figures.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW1 Don Cossacks in summer dress

Another unit of Cossacks for WW1, the Russian Civil War and Andreivia.  These are the Strelets set of WW1 Don Cossacks in summer dress.  Nice figures, minimal flash, just a pain to free up the two levelled lances from the sprue for the two figures in the front row.

These guys wear a grey-green uniform jacket and hat, with dark blue trousers with red stripe.  All are washed in GW Agrax earthshade to pick out details and blend the colours.

More close ups of individual figures.

A final view of the unit.

Looking forward to seeing these on the tabletop in Andreivia.

Thanks for looking.

20mm Australian Light Horse

Some mobility for the forces of the British Empire in the form of mounted Imperial Yeomanry, courtesy of the Australian Light Horse.  These are from the Hat set, which provides enough dismounted figures for three four-man sections, three men armed with carbines and a fourth horse holder, although only enough standing horses are supplied for two horses, rather than the four each should have.  There are enough mounted figures with carbones or open hands that will take a carbine to provide three mounted sections as well.  There are also enough charging figures with bayonet (three) to replace a carbine armed rider with a bayonet, to show they are charging into hand-to-hand combat.

In the image below, the front groups comprise the three dismounted sections with horse holders behind.  Behind them are three mounted sections, with the three figures charging with bayonets at the rear.

One of the three dismounted sections.

Another view showing the horse holder from the side.

The mounted sections.

A mounted section showing the charging figure with bayonet drawn.

These will find their way into Great War scenarios in the Middle East, as well as in Allied intervention forces during the Russian Civil War and they will, of course, be available for Andreivia.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW1 British 18lbr

Just a quick post for now.  I've added a British 18lbr with 4 crew from Irregular Minitures to my British and Empire forces suitable for Palestine, Persia and Russian Civil War intervention forces.

The crew is suitable for summer scenarios as well as arid climates, as they have discarded their tunics and are carrying out their warm work in shirt sleeves.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW1 Russians

So, this week I have mostly been painting WW1 Russian infantry.  These are mainly from the HAT Russian infantry box, together with some officers, a machine gun and a couple of mortars from the HAT Russian Heavy Weapons pack.  They are painted in Russian Uniform, highlighted green grey, with black boots, khaki grey, London grey and blue grey greatcoat rolls, saddle brown for leather pouches and water bottles, oily steel for belt buckles and cap badges.

The whole platoon, four sections, each of 10 riflemen, an officer with runner and a senior officer with field telephone operator.

The officer, standing with pistol and runner in marching pose.  The officer is from the heavy weapons pack.

Senior officer and field telephone operator.

A selection of riflemen.

More riflemen.

Heavy weapons (L-R) a Maxim MG, a Litonov 47mm mortar and a French 58mm motar, each with three crewmen.

The Maxim MG.

The Litonov mortar.

The French 58mm mortar.

A selection of spare officers, telephone operators and spotters.

The colourful chap rear right is painted to look like one of the more colourful "White" Russian units, the Drozdovsky Regiment.  If I see another pack of figures, I'll add a platoon from the Drozdovsky or maybe the Kornilov Regiment, possibly a couple of sections from both.

Some heavy artillery support, A 76mm field gun with 4 crew, from Irregular Miniatures.

Another force suitable for Andreivia, alongside the Cossacks and the Garford-Putilov armoured car that I've posted on earlier.

As ever, thanks for looking.

20mm WW1 Western Front British

Well, it's Remembrance Sunday here in the U.K., so fairly appropriate to post some pictures of the latest additions to my collection, some WW1 British/Commonwealth infantry for the Western Front.  These guys are mainly HAT WW1 Canadians, generally good figures, no flash, but not a lot of detail in the faces and fine for British, Canadian and other Commonwealth/Empire troops.

I went with English Uniform for the err ..... uniform, khaki grey for the puttees, NATO black for boots and weapons, brown beige for rifle stocks, Citadel Ogryn Camo for belts, webbing, gas mask cases, cartridge cases and packs, Russian uniform for helmets.  All are washed with Agrax Earthshade, then flat flesh for faces and hands, washed with Reikland flesh wash.

First up, the whole platoon.  The platoon commander at the front with batman/runner and sniper, then 4 10 man sections, two with Lewis light machine guns and two with grenadiers, so two LMG sections and two bomber sections.  At the back are a couple of spare officers, snipers and a spare Lewis gun team.

The platoon commander, runner and sniper.

Riflemen.

More riflemen.

Bombers in the centre.

More riflemen.

Then we have, at the back, half a platoon of mortars and, in front, half a platoon of Vickers machine guns.  The mortars have a command team of officer and telephone operator, surprisingly identical to the spotter team in the front row.  In the middle is an officer standing brandishing a pistol plus two crouching officers, also with pistols.

Mortar team.

Vickers MG team.

Spotter team.

Various officer figures.

These figures are quite appropriate for 1916 onwards and so are also suitable for my intervention force in the Andreivian Civil War for 1918.

They are dressed as all four of my son's great grandfathers would have been, all of whom survived the war more or less intact, as well as a fair few of their brothers, including Private Francis Victor Harding of the Royal West Kent Regiment and Private Robert McNeil of the Cheshire Regiment, neither of whom survived the war and are both buried in Flanders.

As ever, thanks for looking.