From the Shed: Cross of Iron figures

One of my favourite war films is the 1970s classic, if rather violent and cynical, Cross of Iron. Directed by Sam Peckinpah and based on an earlier novel it features the escapades of the vertran Stiener and his platoon. Worth watching if you haven’t seen it.

Figures Armour and Artillery offer a pack of five figures in 20mm size based on characters from the platoon and I’m pleased I’m finally able to add them to my collection.

Just need to write up some skirmish scenarios for them now. Films have often inspired my skirmish games, as I’m sure it has for many of you. What has been the favourite you’ve done?

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: Beute Panzer Platoon.

One of the tank history blogs that I follow (and highly recommend) is http://www.tankarchives.ca – a bit ago they did a post on French tanks in German service after 1940. After reading it I thought it would make a nice project for my 3D printer.

The tanks were sourced from the ever prolific Bergmann from Thingiverse. Doing this project really made me appreciate my £d printer as it is not something I would have done if I had to buy the resin models as before.

The tanks were actually all printed out a long time ago- just after the publication of the blog post- but have waited for paint until I got the decals for them. I wanted to num,ber them properly as one platoon: 331-335, third company, third platoon, tanks 1-5 with number 1 being the command Somua.

I may yet print out more and do them in the later camo scheme for use in Normandy and the Balkans towards the end of the war….

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: German house.

I picked up a rather battered HO (1/87th) scale German house in a job lot from ebay a while back. It has been knocking about my work bench for ages so I’ve taken the oppertunity to give it a spruce up and finish it off.

It is a little small but mixed in at the edge of the board I’m sure it will be fine, sods law means that the battle will be focused around in in all likleihood.

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

In memory of John Dowman ‘Mausman’

Just before the COVID pandemic hit i was greatly saddened to hear of the death of John Dowman. I new him for many years through various forums where he always went by the name of Mausman. Today would have been his birthday and The Wargamers’ forum, of which John was a moderator, organised a build in his memory. John loved tanks, German ones in particular, and combat oin the Eastern Front, he also had an interest in experimental vehicles… all things I shared. Although he did get rid of his experimental stuff in the end I was happy as some bits made their way into my collection. He was a a talented model maker- for a short while he ran a resin terrain company with a friend. He always belived in getting things out of the stash and on to the table as quickly as possible- something every gamer can agree with I think.

For the build I decided to do a 1/72 Dragon E100 with commander from SHQ. I hope he would have liked it.

 

I used to meet up with John once or twice a year when me getting down to the wargame shows in Newark coincided with his shore leave (John worked on the diving side of the off shore oil industry, he tried to get me to be train as a diver once, the pay sounded good but rather dangerous, maybe if I were 10 years younger at the time…). I’ll miss my chats with him.

 

 

From the Shed: Tank turret emplacements for the Atlantic Wall.

Just a quick post… I have just finshed painting these Renault tank turrets in emplacements; as used by the Germans in their Atlantic Wall defences. They were 3D printed by me, originally in 1:100, I resized them to 1:76, still pretty small mind.

Cheers,

 

Pete.

New (to me) art for my wall.

My friend has just moved house and was looking to rehome some art work, she offered me this piece with a military theme.

Either oil or acrylic, it depicts two German soldiers in action.

 

 

In situ in my office next to my Wyndham Lewis print.

Cheers,

 

Pete.