Great Unclean One

Hey all,

As mentioned before I was working on Great Unclean One model before moving back to Bolt Action stuff and here's the result.

Must say I am very glad to see the big fella painted and crossed off the list but the result you can see below is not what I've been initially expecting. Almost not all.

I've always loved this model - I remember seeing it in the flesh for the first time like 8-10 years ago (?) - that one was painted by Ana from Chest of Colors group. I was simply stunned both by sculpt and painting quality. IIRC that piece was contest model. On that moment I knew I'll get and paint that demon some day.

So I got the model like 1,5 year ago but couldn't find enough strength to start working on it 'till now. It's just fucking huge and packed with details. Sweet, nasty details...
Not mentioning the fact I cannot really see it performing on the game table since I am pretty far from any sort of fantasy gaming nowadays. Although it should be great candidate for mission objective in skirmish games or for RPG - to visualize the final battle between group of goodie adventurers and arch evil thing from the last chater of the campaign scenario.

I had some ideas for painting:
first I wanted to paint it pale, white-ish maybe, so the guts and dark blood contrast strongly with the flesh. Then I wanted to paint it "fleshy" - kinda like more-less healthy skin with lots of fresh, bleeding wounds. But in the end I chose old and quite boring "green zombie" scheme.
The reason is there're some vehicles for US army waiting for painting and I needed to test some unused greens and oil washes (black blisters).

It's good to have another "painting goals" crossed off the list, if would be even better to give the piece amount of attention it really deserves. Oh well - maybe in the next life.   

If there anyone unaware of true size of the model - comparsion shot.
I think anti-tank gun would be better choice than medium machine guns... ^^

And since I've failed to capitalize painted Sherman the time has come to repaint and upgrade it yet before next game...

Some more Bolt Action bits and bobs

Right... Until now I was actually hoping to paint something else than Bolt Action miniatures but this stuff is way too tempting for me...

So here's official statement: 

it's the last Bolt Action stuff painted before finishing something else. 

Something totally different!
Most probably Great Unclean One or at least something similar size...

So what's on menu today? 

First of all I've finished medium machine gun for US force. Haven't used it combat yet but I think it might have some potential: mostly dealing pin markers and hopefully taking down enemy soliders.
Sometimes...

This particular one is Artizan version, I also have Warlord's model since US army can field more machine gun teams per slot than other armies. Huzzzah!!!

I really like Artizan's models, the only flaw of this set is shooter's face. I assume the mould was wearing off (or something) but half of the model's face was so screwed that it would fit Konflikt '47 better then Bolt Action as horrid result of Nazis experiments on POW...

All in all the model came back from that hell, got painted, armed to the teeth, well fed and so it's ready to take his revenge on zee Germanz!

Having support of machine gun is cool but having support of well placed machine gun is even better!

While waiting for paints to try I tried to assemble another tarrain piece for our battlefield. The idea was to make hill upgraded with some sand bags. All in all everything was quite quick and easy although result ain't that spectacular as I was hoping for.

Hill itself is made of two styrofoam sheets cut and shaped with hot wire and then covered with fine sand.

Sand bags are made of Milliput. Behind them there's just enough space for 60 mm base. Looking at this now I think they are bit too small and look more like bricks than sand bags. What do you think?

After paint dried most of hill was covered with PVA glue and sprinkled with static grass (finally I had occasion to use applicator built 1,5 year ago). And here's the result: 

And the last thing fot this time.

In the last post I mentioned about M3 Stuart tanks available for sale.

Well these two aren't available anymore since last week they started journey to England!

These models are cool and pretty nasty in combat (especially early Stuart's 23 machine guns' shots!) but don't really fit my game style and overall vision of the army. But since I don't like empty space in the glass case I've already ordered little something for my G.I.s:

M7 Priest is just supercool. That's it.

No idea about it's combat efficiency but I don't care - it's just too cool not to paint it.

And the other one is supposed to become taxi for my engineers squad: it's faster and at least half cheaper than M3 halftrack. just hope there's medium machine gun in the set.

So that's it for now, seeya!

Paras sent to liberate France

Hello,

This time there're only fresh photos of old stuff.
Last week my patatroopers found new home in France so before they were packed I took keepsake family photo of the squad.
All in all they are cool and reliable unit (and my first purchase from Bolt Action range if I remember correctly) but after year or so of playing I realised they just don't fit my vision of US force. I simply like ordinary troopers better.

Good news is the buyer already has solid paratroopers force so I am quite sure the guys will get along in no time.

What else?
Oh yeah, more pictures.

After sending paratroopers there was inspection of rest of my Bolt Action toys and it looks like there are two more pieces which I don't use too often, which could actually be changed into something fitting ground force better.

First one is M3A1 halftrack:
solid combat taxi, big enough to cary full squad of infantry:

The next one - M3A1 Stuart:
nasty piece, really: pretty cheap in points and armed with deadly flamer: 12" of range + 9" advance makes it just terrifying:

And mentioned before these were painted a while ago but in my opinion both look way better on printed background, than just standing on my messy hobby desk.

If you are interested in any of these from me a message or visit FB Bot Action buy/sell group for M3A1 halftrack and for M3A1 Stuart.

And finally paratroopers - good luck in France!

Sisters or battle, US engineers and others...

Hello again,

Stuff below has been prepared a little while back but since there was Bolt Action "tourney" recently, anything else would be simply dominated and crushed under pictures I've taken during the games.
Which reminds me: here's what I brought: 1110 well fed and equipped points. Don't think anyone's interested in the list's details so family picture should be enough:

So for starters:

I am proud to announce that the job to collect Warhammer 40.000 2nd edition army books is finally done! 

Last August friend of mine delivered Sisters of Battle book so now they are all standing proudly in my micro library.

I must admit I've never played 2nd edition. In fact - after having few games (later edition) realised 40k ain't my thing at all: I definitely prefer skirmish games than large scale battles (paining dozen or so models size gang should prevent me from becoming bored too fast).

I gathered these books mostly for graphics and fluff.

Well... Graphics actually...

It's just great source of Mark Gibbons' stuff, who's works was of main reasons I drowned into the hobby back days. And never regreted.

Right now I am considering putting the books into hard cover but at this point have no idea which tomes should be binded together: good vs bad?
But who's good in 40.000 universe? 

Let's get back on Earth.

I've mentioned Bolt Action "Road to Berlin" game, right?

The game format was rather unusual: 1111 pts. I prepared force rather different from what I usually field, but all in all it was quite reliable team. Especially given the fact all games were brand new scenarios.

For the event I painted fresh squad of engineers (sadly they never got close 'nuff to use flamethrower...): they got slighty different, brighter uniforms to make them pop among rest of cannon fodder. Me likey. Especially these are mix of models from Warlord, Artizan, Black Tree and West Wind. Such cocktail makes any unit even more characterful.

I think infantry coming next will also get these bright jackets but maybe different helmets, to discern squads (hemp? bright olive? white - like military police?).

And she last Bolt Action thing for now: mortar.

Most of armies (if not all!) I've seen during the game were equipped with mortar - I must say I've underestimated this weapon until single shell blew my whole squad, leaving big hole full of smoking shoes...

Than was scary.

After coming back I rebased my medium mortar - to keep whole unit on single base. It looks way better now, than keeping mortar and the crew on separate bases, like I had it before. What do you think about 35 points such well spent?

Till the next one!

Bolt action Road to Berlin - PICS HEAVY!

Heya,

Last weekend I had great pleasure to participate in local Bolt Action gaming event, organized by Tricity community (you check their webpage and facebook sites): Road to Berlin.
All in all these were 2 days of gaming: there were planned 5 battles for each player, each from different front / war theater.
But it gets better: there were 3 different scenarios in each of the fronts, all prepared especially for this event so whole thing was also big testing ground.

Initially I wanted to write as much as possible about everything, but there's just too much of it!
So just know that it was ton of fun, lots of gaming and friendly players around, no unhealthy competitive atmosphere and beautiful, damn inspiring, game tables.

So feast your eyes!

Next post I'm coming with old routine: few pics and more babbling.


Overall look on empty tables, Saturday morning:

My first game.

those sneaky Germans managed to steal enough fuel to win the match. This was lots of fun nevertheless (thanks Zimmer!):

Second game.

This time I had more luck and managed to defend brick factory: 

And the last battle of the day.
Another success - my trusty force managed to protect city supplies against hungry Germans and therefore saved the population from inevitable starvation...

Sunday game.
It was the last match for me: enemy, which now was nazi-Brits, tried to deliver mad scientist / war criminal / spy to the submarine. Sadly I didn't manage to stop them.

There was lots of shooting and fun - despite the final result*: 

*hope they all fucking drowned while crossing La Manche Channel...