Mugabian Border Post (Modern 15mm Imagi-Nation)

I finally managed to build the rest of the stuff needed for my 15mm Mugabian border crossing.  In addition to the watch tower that I build previously, I completed two customs buildings, some signs and fences. The buildings and other odds and ends are based on or inspired by various border crossings between Kenya and its neighbors.

The building walls are made of blue foam, the roofs are textured styrene from Evergreen and Plastruct. 

The fence is HO scale Hairpin Fence from Atlas.

 

The signs were made with Photoshop, printed and sealed and glued onto styrene  and brass sign posts.

With this stuff done, I can finally get some battles on the table top.

15mm Odds and Ends, Modern/Post War Vehicles and Infantry

I've been trying to get stuff off of my painting table, and this weekend, I finally addressed some 15mm problem children that have been hanging around.

First off are some QRF BRDM1 AT3s.  I had actually ordered the later version on the BRDM chassis, but received the earlier version.  As these are for Mugabia, that wasn't really a problem, but when I opened the bags, I discovered that each was missing the rear super-structure/upper hull.  After waiting a bit for the missing parts to show up, I got impatient and just decided to scratch-built the missing portion.  I built up the rear hull missile compartment, and made a new roof and missile launcher out of styrene.  I probably should have taken the time to add a little more detail, but they will pass.

Another snafu were two Ferrets that I ordered.   The problem is that I actually wanted the turreted Ferret Mk2, but ordered the Ferret Mk1/2 per the incorrect photo for the model on the QRF website, and actually got the Ferret Mk1/2 model, not the model shown in the photo.  So, I made some turrets to convert them to Ferret Mk2s.

And compared to the proper QRF Ferret Mk2 on the right below.

Next up were some  AT4 Spigot anti-tank missile teams that I bought sometime back.  These are rather nice and came proper and complete, but the QRF figure base doesn't fit my infantry basing system.  So, I created a new figure base with AT-4 tripod type launcher built into it, with the result being a little more compact and fitting into my normal infantry basing format a bit better.

Combine these with the Peter Pig armor crewmen that I painted, and it was a pretty productive weekend.  Now if I can just get that Mugabian border crossing done, I can get some games in next weekend.

Slow Progress with African Imagi-nations

Back in November, with much enthusiasm, I rolled up the next batch of scenarios in the Uwanda-Mugabia war between my African Imagi-nations.  I worked out a list of new miniatures  that I needed to play out the scenarios.  My wife offered to order many of the figs as a Christmas gift, and I figured that I'd paint and play shortly after Christmas during the time off that I would be taking.

As I rolled through December, I realized that I was simply going to lose a week of that time off, as work was just  too busy. Christmas came, but the my wife's order didn't.  So I waited on Imagi-Africa, and made some progress on old sci-fi projects. 

After 145 days of waiting, we cancelled the Christmas order.  Meanwhile, I had altered my scenarios and list of figs to permit me to order some different stuff  from another company in February, a company that has always given me great service.  As fate would have it, after two weeks, nothing arrived.  Trying to be patient, I waited another two weeks before contacting them, and after about six weeks the order showed up, mis-marked by the post office for surface shipment only.  By the time it arrived, I was back to working crazy hours, and it took a few more days for me to inspect the package.   As it turned out, a part was missing from each of the key vehicles in the order.  I'm still waiting for the missing parts.

In addition to the new miniatures, I needed to build some new terrain for the upcoming battles; a Mugabian border checkpoint, bunkers, and 10-12 new town buildings.  About a week's worth of evenings work.  Started on this back in November too.

So here we are seven months later, and my only accomplishment is to have started on some of the bits for the border checkpoint.  Here are a few photos:

That's it, seven months work, not including the armored car and the little dude.  Here is a close-up of the watch tower.

And one of the obstacles.

The border check point still needs an immigration office, a couple of gun emplacements, some  other defensive positions, and some clutter such as "Welcome to Mugabia" signs and whatnot.  I'm thinking that I'm just going to scratch-build the missing parts of the vehicles, and once this is all done, at least I can get to playing the first battle of the next phase of the war.

The way my own personal little cloud of doom has been, I'm guessing this may take me into next Christmas.   I will do my best to post again soon with more photos and less whining.

A Little Progress on my Rides (28mm Sc-fi Recce Cars)

Haven't had much free time lately, so I haven't been able to do much, but did manage to work on the second turret for my 28mm sci-fi recce cars.

 

 

As I suggested previously, they will simply be Mk1 and Mk2 versions of the car with different turret configuration and a couple of slight differences in the hull. Unfortunately, that is all I have to share for now.

Rides Update: 28mm Sci-fi Recce Cars and Other Progress

The second vehicle type for my old imperial guard figs is the Recce car.  I went back and forth during the design between something more similar to the French VBL and something  closer to a WWII armored car.  I ended up opting for the  more WWIIish  design.

The vehicle has a three man crew with seating for 5-6 in a pinch.  The small turret carries a light auto cannon and  a drone for detecting the bad guys is carried on the rear deck.  Here are a couple of pics of the current progress:

 

I've also made some progress on the wheeled APC, particularly on the hull front and sides, and a little on the smaller turret:

 

And the last photo with all three of my sci-fi vehicle types, including the larger tracked APC from awhile back, to give a size comparison. 

I think the second recce car may get a different turret.  The first one is mostly done and came out okay, but I liked the look of it better on the drawing.  The other version that I sketched out looks a bit more like the turret of the BTR-80A.  I figure the cars can be a Mk I and a Mk II.  We'll see.

Rides for my Old Imperial Guard Figs (WIPs of a 28mm Sci-fi APC)

Been working a bunch again, but squeezing in a little hobby time, whenever I can.  High on the to-do list are rides for old Imperial Guard figs. 

In order to be mobile, my Guard company need a bunch of vehicles, including APCs, a command vehicle, and scout cars.  I've had a number of designs setting about for a long time, so in recent days have reworked a couple of the old ideas a little.

The regular squads will get a six wheeled APC/MICV with a light auto-cannon in a low profile turret.  The platoon HQs will get a version of the same vehicle with a larger turret with a heavier gun.  The command vehicle will be a boxier version of the APC with raised superstructure and no turret, and the scouts will get two copies of a completely different four wheeled recce car with turret and light cannon, and will also carry a drone.

Here are a few WIPs of the APC and the two turrets, the first two photos show the PHQ turret as it was being shaped:
 

The PAC with the roughed out PHQ variant turret.

 

With PHQ turret close to final shape.

 

With low profile turret for regular APC

 

And better view of the hull.

 

I need 13-14 of these things, so am going to make a master and cast it in resin.  Tires, gun barrels, and hatches will be separate pieces.  There may be other separate detail parts as well.

The weapon mount on the small turret will be behind and to the left of the hatch opening.  The larger turret has a big weapons pod on the left side, with the entire pod moving to elevate or depress the gun. 

The big turret still needs some shaping to soften the lines, but I'm not sure that I'm going to go with it.  The rounded cast shape sort of clashes with the angular shape of the hull and small turret and I'm not altogether sold on the split turret idea either.  After I get more done, I'll see how the hull and turret look together and decide then.

Dawgies's Men - Part 2

Eighteen days into 2015, and I have equaled my total painting output for 2014.  "Dawgie's Men", my 28mm old GW Imperial Guard (mostly) army (not for 40K) is painted.  Well, the troops are painted.  They still need rides, but that will come later.  Right now they are table top ready, though I have one step before they are truly finished. 

In addition to the troops shown in my last blog entry, I added the company headquarters (six more figs that I had left off of my painting tray originally), and a recce section (another six figs), which are also painted.  The complete company now numbers 120 figs, though I am missing two figs from one platoon HQ, which I will have to find and add later in the year.

Anyway, here are Dawgie's men:

The entire company; CHQ in front, recce on the extreme left,

1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoon left to right with PHQs in front of

 the respective platoons.

 

Close up of the CHQ

 

2nd Platoon HQ

 

Troops from 1st Platoon

The majority are old GW Imperial Guard figures, with about half having some sort of conversion work done on them.  There are also a few newer GW guard figs, and an assortment of non-GW figs sprinkled throughout.

One thing I still need to do, is to add their names back onto the bases.  I've experimented with painting them on, but my brush "writing" is inconsistent, so now I'm considering doing it with a paint pen.  Hopefully, I'll have that done in the next week.  Then they can join battle in the wastes of the post apocalypse or defending colonies on new worlds.