Fast Tankovy finished for Flames of War

With my last edition of 8 KhT-130 is my fast Tankovy battalion finally finished from Rising sun. I have painted 38 tanks and 6 trucked gun teams and one air plane over a period of 7 months. I am very pleased with the result the force is coherent and tanks looks really worn and used. If you are interested in my painting technique look at this post: http://torbjorn-blom.blogspot.se/2014/03/soviet-tank-painting-guide.html

I am pleased with my flame tanks and this is the first time I try to do light effect on 15mm. I could have done that better but you never learn if you don´t try, Here are a few close ups on the flame tanks with flame plumes made from steel wire and clump foilage.

My favourite unit is the SU-12 gun teams. On the paper are they not that great and they are very vulnerable for enemy artillery fire.  But when they are allowed to shoot at duggin infantry when standing still is very deadly sins they have rate of fire 2 and fire power 3+ and volly fire (reroll misses).

So here is my planed 1500p list:

I know that it´s only 5 platoons but it´s always attacking so there is only a few missions where it´s really hurts. I have to make the platoons to small to get the extra points in 1500p games. This is my first list, I have to play it to see if I need to change it. There will be a tournament beginning of next year that will be the trial for this list or any derivate of it. You never now what happens when I get the Barbarossa book in my hands.

Next painting challenge will be to finalize my US Vietnam infantry and there support weapons. They are 70% done already.

And here is the complete force and some close up´s of each company:

First BT-7 company

Second BT-7 company

T-26 support company

SU-12 support trucks

KhT-130 Flame support

I-153 Air support

Infinity Operation Ice storm

When I was glancing around on various game sites did I see that Corvus Belli are making a new starter sett for Infinity which includes there 3rd generation rules. I have looking at Infinity for some years but newer taken the leap in to the game. I love the models and the Scifi setting they have created. Corvus Belli are probably making the best metal models on the market at the moment. But I have not been convinced to start because of the criticism from the 1# edition and the flaws and badly written rules.

The models for this box looks really good.

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I listened on a few pod casts and read a few reviews about the 3rd generation rules for Infinity and it seams that they have solved allot of problems and clarified the rules. Operation Ice storm seams also to be good value for my money. So I placed a order on Wayland games and the official release should be tomorrow (19-sep). I am really psyched to get the models and start painting. But today do I receive a message that Op. Ice storm is so popular that there will be a delay of two weeks. May be this is a good thing now do I have time to finish my other project in time before I start painting Infinity models and get to deep in to that universe.

But one that wait for some thing good always wait to long :)

I will keep updating my blog more regularly with my progress with op. Ice.

Malifaux Izamu and Thosiro

Time for a few older models.
I had the opportunity to photo them so I though why not post them here also.

It´s two plastic Malifaux models that I really enjoyed to paint. It´s Izamu a semi large model and Toshiro.
They where painted to support my Yan Lo crew.

So until next time, happy painting.

Modular terrain board ready

I have finished my first set off modular terrain boards. It´s primary for 15mm, 10mm and 6mm games. But should work for 28mm also. They are designed to be light and sturdy. My base dimensions are 60x120cm / board. So three of them will create the normal 180x120cm gaming table.

Base design is 6mm MDF board supported by 28x45mm framework. This creates a strong and light design. It also creates a space on the back side of 45mm which is use to make fixed mountains and depressions to create lakes.

I might do a walk through on request. But not if no one is interested.

Here is the result:

1:144 I-153 Chaika completed

Hello all

I am still working with my early war Soviet fast tankovy company. Latest addition is the  I-153 Chaika air plane from Battle front. It´s painted with the same method as my T-26 and BT-7 tanks and decals from minibits.net.
I am pleased with the result and it will be a good addition to my force. It´s main objective is to spread out the opponent and hunt heavy tanks. I have no other weapon that can hurt the Brittish Matilda tanks.

Here are a few pictures:

I also finished my last BT-7 platoon. I added decals from I-95 to add some flavour and easy recognition between the companies. Here are a few pictures.

Next time should my last edition to the Fast tankovy be done and the 1500p list should be ready to kick some ass ;)

Entrance porch built

Hello all.

The spring has come to Sweden and it´s time go out side again. Last weekend started my father and me the build season at my house. First project was a porch at the entrance of the house. This is the first step before we can start with the setting of stones on the house entrance. So here is the result:

As you see it´s also approved by my wife and son.

Soviet tank painting guide.

Hello all

I got question how I painted my BT-7 and SU-12 vehicles for my Flames of war EW fast tankovy in my previous post (link). I tough it could be good to make a guide how I painted them when I add my next element for the tankovy.

I am pleased with the speed and the final result of the tanks and it always feels good too. To get this do you need a Airbrush, I do not think there are any other way to get the smooth blends and fast result otherwise.

BT-7 tanks and SU-12 guns painted

Hello all

It´s been a while sins my last post. But I have been busy painting and tournament. I was last weekend at Gothenburg open Flames of War tournament 1715p LW. My score was really bad and my Fallshirmjägers did not work very well. But on the plus side they won me best painted of 24 contesters, so I am pleased with the result.

At Wizard games in Gothenburg Sweden are they starting a Flames of War Early war point escalation campaign. I though it was time for me to paint some Soviet tanks from Rising sun book. The heavy tanks are to few and I think they will work bad with Hen and Chick. So I will try to build a Fast or a Light tankovy. My first models on my painting desk are 10 BT-7 and a battery of SU-12 guns.

I used same method as on the Hornisse tanks that I painted previously.
Here are the result:

15mm Hornisse / Nashorn Panzer jägers

I have repainted a few of my old models to complement my previous painted Fallschirmjägers. This time are they built from Grey Wolf and should fight against the mighty force of Soviet. So I needed some good mobile AT that could take care of the Soviet IS-2 tanks that seams to be very popular know.

My insperation and guide for this project have been from this blogg. http://www.heresybrush.com/2012/videotutoriales-como-pintar-tanques-alemanes-15mm/
It is one of the better sites on the net for help and improving my painting skills.

I will try to improve the mud effect, it´s to unified at the moment. But have some idea for adding contrast and life to the mud. Might comeback with an update.

DEFCON 2! Epic Cold war Command battle

Spring 1983: Soviet union diplomats have been harder and harder pressing land control demands towards the NATO countries. Minor border clashes and commando expeditions from Soviet side have been issued to test the responsiveness of the NATO forces. NATO´s war cabinet meets and decides to act before the WARPAC is in full mobilization and launch there expected offensive.

These are the grounds for our first major battle with the Cold war Commander rules. We where 4 people per side and each controlled one battle group. The mission was Deliberate attack where NATO was the attacking force. We made list with 4000 points/group for NATO and 2000 points/group for WARPAC.

We had tree objectives on the a board of 240x180cm. Objectives where in the two villages and the airport on the furthest right seen from NATO.

6mm game mat project

I might found me new project for 6mm terrain. I want to have easy transported terrain that I can bring to my friends and tournaments. A terrain matt full fills these demands and it can look good if you do it right. It can also work for 15mm models if your smart. I can buy a mat from 100£ or more so it´s not cheap.

I found a nice link of how to do it my self from War Artisan.
They use canvas cloth which the cover with latex and flock. They also model in the rivers and roads on the map. I am not 100% certain if I will model in the rivers or not. They usually have a big impact on the game so it can be important to be flexible. But the roads will be in the mat for easy use and visual appearance.

Short description of how War Artisan are doing there mats.
Step one: Outline roads and rivers. Cover the roads and rivers with flat layer of latex paint.
Step two: Use latex to cover the areas between the roads and flock them with allot of flock.

Step Three: Cover the roads with thicker layer of latex and make scratch marks to resemble wheel tracks.
Step four: Paint the rivers with brown and blue colours. Finish with Silk polyurethane varnish. Add bushes to resemble march areas and river foliage.
Step five: Go back and touch up the grass covered areas again with flock and add shruberies and grass tufts around the roads to add depth and variation.
These method seams easy enough for me to try. The price tag will not be huge and it will be fun to see what I can create. I will keep you informed on my progress.

British 6mm Cold war finnished!

I have finished my BAOR group for Cold war Commander or some similar rules system. I am pleased with the result. It was enjoying to air brush the camouflage pattern on the tanks and various AFV´s. Also the time it took to create a complete battle group was nice. I have only taken me 1 month to be ready and the last steps have been deliberative slow.

Here is the final result:

CO and HQ´s 

FAC and FAO 

Rec

Chieftain IV group 1

Chieftain IV group 2

FV438 Swingfire ATGW

FV432 81mm mortar carrier

FV432 APC

Carl Gustav equipped infantry

Combat engineers

Infantry

AA and 81mm mortar support

Swingfire ATGW support

GPMG support

Harrier

Lynx AH.7

The measurments for the bases are:

HQ & CO 30x30 mm
AFW 40x30 mm
APC, IFV and support vehicles 30x20
Infantry 20x40 mm
Inf support 20x30mm
FAO & FAC round base d20mm
Rec. hex base 20mm

So next time they will see the table is in one week. So that will be fun.