40M Nimrod

After  recent getting ass kicked by Soviet-o-French commie alliance, the high staff decided to work on some more Axis in my disposal, and looks like the only unit left from the range was 40M Nimrod SPAAG (self-propelled anti-aircraft gun). The model is 3D print I purchased together with CV-35 tankette and 39.M Csaba bundle, during painting Strategie painting contest.

It's printed model so it's much better quality compared to standard Warlord Games' resin casts but after getting it done I think if I could choose again I'd go for Warlord's version anyway. The model is pretty simple so don't think there's much difference between both wersions but most important: 

there's the crew in the Warlord's piece. Anti aircraft turret is large - it contains 4 men which looks just damn cool. Even though I like my painting, the model looks like the guys haven't manned it yet or even worse: failed morale check and run for the hills 😵.

As you notice model has front right mudguard missing - my cat knocked if off the desk, part of model broke off (missed in action forever) but it still looks like pretty believable battle damage. The "blanket" (or whatever it is) bit on the turret comes from other vehicle. It's not much painting work but makes plain model more interesting. The turret also got little magnet so it doesn't fall off during transportation or heat of the battle. 

The camo is the same style I applied on other Hungarian vehicles before - the final effect is just really cool and it's such a relief after painting all those United States models. Sadly don't think there'll be more coming - armored platoon is already full 😒

So here it is:

And some scale shot - US engineers about to stop Axis menace on a very far and forgotten front of war.

I think I will mail Warlord games and ask them to think about making proper scale tanks and vehicles. These are just way underscaled...

Unknown episode of WW2 (part 2)

Last Friday night history of World War II took another surprising turn and had a pleasure to re-enact another unknown episode of war: battle between US and Italian forces against Soviet and French menace. It's another game we had to play at Rilian's place - last time it was Italian vs US and since then we were still kinda hungry got more WW2 gaming.

Since the last game Rilian also found 2 more commanders willing to start Bolt Action adventure, so we had 4 armies on the table - each 1250 pts worth. Must say no matter how much I like the game, the size of battle was just too big: the battle started about 20:30 and the last bullet was fired after 2:00 a.m.
My side clearly lost but we didn't manage to bring game to the 6th turn.

Any post-battle conclusions?
Not realy: it's Bolt Action so no matter what brilliant plan you prepare the dice drawing and rolling is true god of war. Because all other armies were early war, I also had to adjust my force to this period. Sadly that made my unit choice very limited but still it was fun.

Also I tried to upgrade some photos with AI so make the report more eyecatching but I'm not really sure it was good idea. I got feeling the upgraded photos look like taken from WH40000 battle of video game 🤔 Here's the material anyway - judge for yourself:

Below: brave G.I.s defending crucial supplies...

And here: Rilian's seld made aerosans:

That's it. Hope the next time I get opportunity to field proper mid/late war stuff 😎

US infantry (winter war) #6

Road to Berlin 2026 event is getting closer and closer so it's high time to prepare the boys for 2 days long battle. After last year's event I was hoping to field 100% themed winter force but because of my pathetic painting speed - some suppoer weapons and vehicles still require painting. Still I am really glad I've managed to get gid US winter infantry box of the painting list. these are really cool and magnetized so moving between tables might be little bit easier. 

As for painting itself I tried to use similar color combo like on previous squads (contest squad or command squad). Sure each team is slightly different but they will sure look cool mixed together. I was hoping to work on some more US models but Hungarian Nimrod is also tempting - especially after really boring US olive/brown combo...

Scarab Lord Chaosmorph (Ilyad Games)

Last weekend I've finally managed to cross off the list special piece among stuff being seasoned in the pile of shame: Scarab Lord Chaosmorph from Ilyad Games. The company is dead for a long time and models from that line are nowdays very hard to get but these are must-have for all Rackham fans. 

I've been thinking about those companies recently and cannot believe they fell down - Rackham especially. Back days, when it was fully operational. it had top sculptors, top painters, wide range of models plus game system on top (never managed to see the rules though). But even though it collapsed and it was long before STL files and printers rammed into the miniatures market 🙄

Not sure what Ilyad Games line was supposed to be - spin off of Rackham's sculptors maybe? Cannot tell. But it had solid line of supercoll classic fantasy sculpts: knights, demons, barbarians, fantasy creatures. There was also short line of Chaosmorphs - no idea what was that: demon / mutant / fantasy race. I really liked them and even managed to get he big guy you can see below.

It's official paintwork was stunning - kinda like Rackham's stuff so I didn't even try to copy that. Instead I chose color combo based on classic genestealers: that plus rusty oil drum and voila! - we got ourselves nasty mutated crab straight from rad zone. I regret I run out of Tamiya Clear Red - some fresh blood splatted on claws would surely look eyecathing. So here it is:

And some scale shots: here NBC suit squad is about to get to reactor guarded by the Thing:

And here - the Thing is about to get some plague zombie burgers:

Sherman M4A2(76)W

This one is kinda re-post of model painted recently.

As you remember (or not) it was painted for local paining contest. After all entres were done one of organisers asked me to prepare another set of pictures, because the ones I sent were too messy. Those pics were taken on painting desk (which I actually cleaned a bit before taking shots...) bur there were some painting stuff, mug, plinths or crap like that.

Back days I tried to use different backdrops: white sheets, printed backgrounds etc. All in all conslusion is I cannot take  decent photos using any background except "natural ones" you can see on my pics. But contest has it's rules so if you don't like them - don't participate. For the second set of photos I took the only bright t-shirt I found in the closet. It's linda beige but colors on the model turned out pretty fine. I now can see I could use one more lamp straight from above to get rid the shadows. But apart from that - ain't that bad.

Here's the gallery of all entries - take a look, some really cool miniatures were painted for the contest!
And the final results are here - check the small scale infantry!