Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Finnish Mortars

I completed a Finnish 81mm Mortar Platoon and Observer. 


I tried a few new ideas on this batch. Bases were done like my snow base tutorial but with a few changes.

When basing the infantry platoon from the tutorial they were depicted as advancing through virgin snow. The snow was smooth, except for footprints. For these weapons teams, there should be a good deal of disturbed snow around the mortar. In addition, It should look like base plate was placed after digging out the top layer of softer snow. 

I created disturbed snow similar to how I had done footprints earlier. Basically, make a lot more, overlapping impressions once the material had dried to the appropriate consistency. 

Prone Soldiers, Mortars, and boxes were added after the snow was applied. While the basing material was still a workable, but partially firm, I stuck them in where I wanted them. After the basing material had dried, I removed the object in question and fixed it in place with superglue.  

Techniques used here will apply to creating bases for heavy machine-guns, artillery, and anti-tank gun bases.

I also painted the white camo on these figures using a slightly different method. I'm still evaluating it to see make sure I like it, but it has the potential to save a LOT of time.


Observer team

The command team for the mortars

I added in a prone rifleman because there weren't quite enough "mortar-looking" figures

That stack of three ammo tubes was clued together before painting

Overhead view with a good view of bases.


Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Some new German stuff (but mostly Tigers)

 I recently completed an addition for my 21. Panzer Beute Stug Battery.

First up was a new recon unit. Nothing very special going on here - just a standard German camo scheme.

Next on the list of cool things I always wanted to field: a captured Sherman Firefly!

This actually came out looking pretty good!

and the most exciting part: five new Tiger tanks!

I tried my hand at pea-dot camo for the tank commanders. Here's the Company Commander.

Numbering decals are from I-94 Enterprises. I cut up the three numbers on the side and rearranged them diagonally.


Here's one of the images I found online when I was researching this scheme. I believe it is the Schwere Panzer 102.