From the Shed: More modern bits for Zona Alfa (mostly).

I’ve been working on my moderns again, what started as getting a few bits for Zona Alfa has ended up being a project in its own right- I’m still looking at doing some urban SWAT type games. All the figures are from Spectre: either metal minis or 3d prints- see if you can tell which is which….

First up the British Special Reconassiance Regiment- part of UK special forces. Four covert operators plusa pair to provide some longer range fire support.

Then we have 2 lots of Russian equipped PMCs.

Some Western equipped PMCs

As well as a CIA Special Activities Centre operative, a leader figure with a map and a WW2 Anti tank rifle gunner- the latter weapons seem to be still turning up in wars despite their age. The barrel wasa little bent when I got it and considering its fragility I tried to stabalise it, somewhat successfully with a spare rucksack.

Finally some scatter terrain. The shed is from Warbases and the rest from Reaper Bones.

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: Cold War Russian AFVs.

My friend Simon recently got a new 3d printeer- one of the resin ones. He was playing around with it and did a few 1/76th Russian AFVs that he ultimately didn’t want so he passed them on to me.

The standard of resin printing is fantastic now: the detail is very crisp. I believe all of the files came from M. Bergman on thingiverse.

The BRDM 1 armoured cars, based on the BTR40 but fully enclosed. Mostly unarmed but could have a pintle- mounted machine gun.

The MTLB – a 60s design, mostly used as an atrillery tractor but also issued as an APC in arctic areas. Many are still in service. Many variants are based on this chassis, engineering to atgm carrier…

The BTR70 – a wheeled APC that was an improvement over the BTR60s. Not many made and mostly replaced now by the BTR80.

All vehicles were painted in acrylics, Vallejo Russian Green, and then weathered with various techniques before an all over oil paint wash to get that grimey look.

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: Chipping away at my Winter War project.

I’ve done a few more bits for my Winter War game project which I thought I’d share.

First up a Finnish 20mm zAnti Tank Rifle. A big powerful gun- there was only a single example in use during the Winter War.

Some prone Soviets, armed with a mix of rifles and light machine guns.

A Soviet sniper pair.

Finally a couple of Maxim medium machine gun teams (although technically speaking they wear the later M1940 helmet- I didn’t have any of the early ones spare to do head swaps on them.).

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: 28mm Modern Russians for Zona Alfa.

I’ve just finished off some more 28mm modern figures to use in my Zona Alfa games. They are from Spectrehttps://www.spectreminiatures.com/ miniatures or from an ebay seller.

I’ve painted some of them in the Partisan camo pattern to match some earlier figures that I’ve done so them look like a cohesive military team on the table top. The figure with the grenade launcher is a white metal casting, the rest are 3d prints.

The non camo figures in Black will be used as urban terrorists, whilst the figure in the EOD suit with a belt fed PKM is a great representation of the PC game trope.

Now to get them in a game…

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: Hedges

I’ve just finished some quick hedges for my 20mm scenery collection. They were very quick to do, a mixture of metal fence sections of unknown provenenance as well as some K&M Trees hedge sections and plenty of sponge clumps. They were mounted on toungue depressors/ craft sticks.

I couldn’t help but add a surprise in one section though: a flame fougasse. Basically it is an oil drum filled with fuel which is blasted across the road as a huge one shot flame thrower. Britain ‘seeded’ many roads with them in the summer of 1940 in anticipation of a German invasion. More details can be found here. For reference the oil drum was an Under Fire Minatures casting.

Watch for its apperance in and up coming scenario ;).

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: 28mm Ultra Modern terrorists/ Covert types

These are the first figures I’ve got from Spectre Miniatures, I’d seen some of Joe’s at the last game of Zona Alfa I had with him so thought I’d try some out. They are great imo. Fine castings with only a bit of flash to clean up. Very nice real scale detail. I went for an assortment of terrorist/ Covert types to use as bandits in Zone Alfa. However, I was so taken with them I started thinking of using them for 28mm modern counter terrorism games played on floor plans so I ordered some more metal figures and got some of their 3d printed files through Patreon too so they will be painted up soon.

These are the 3d printed figures that I had done by Joe’s friend for me.

Cheers,

Pete.

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.

A Friday’s gaming: 18th Century and Vietnam CSAR.

I’m please to say that the occasional gaming meet ups on a Friday have become a regular occurance. I thought I’d share with you some recent pictures. We have a regular venue which has the added bonus of serving excellent food. For someone who always thinks with his belly this is very important.

Firstly we trialed a set of 18th century rules that Tim has been writing. Great 54mm fun in the best traditions. Rifle fire was pretty nasty at short range and melee, especially involving cavalry, very deadly. Party poppers made a welcome return to represent grapeshot too.

After lunch and after that game had been finished and packed away we set up for a quick Vietnam themed Combat Search and Rescue scenario. 1/72nd aircraft were used with 54mm infantry. The pilot was randomly located in a grid (we used the symbols on the carpet) and a Forward Air Controller had to coordinate the search and rescue as well as directing aircraft to try and stop the NVA overruning the downed pilot. A great little game that we got through twice.

Cheers,

Pete.

From the Shed: Great War era King’s African Rifles.

My good friend Bill, boss of Under Fire Miniatures, asked me to do some painting for him, specificially his latest release. I tried my best at them, blending and everything. I’m quite pleased at how they turned out so I’m going to show them off here before the pictures get uploaded to the Under Fire Website.

These KAR men are ideal for any Great War games set in East Africa– the campaign there is rather interesting. A small German force moved around the area for four years evading all British attempts to catch then and eneded the war unbeaten. Well worth looking up. The figures are multipart so you get a choice of weapons and I believe they’ll be sold with different heads so you can make up figures representing the different Imperial regiments from that era.

I used Vallejo paints for these- Khaki for the uniform and Canvas for the webbing, Pale Sand was added to highlight the previous steps. A wash of Army Painter strong tome helped too. Many thanks to Bill for letting me use his pictures too.

Cheers,

Pete.

Powder Monkey Gaming.

My home town of Huddersfield has a fairly big gaming scene. It recently got bigger with the arrival of Powder Monkey Gaming located just outside the town centre it is within a short walk of mine. There are loads of great tables set up for Sci Fi, fantasy, and historical gaming as well as a growing selection of games, figures and paint.

I’ve been for a few games there already, it is a pleasure to play on their terrain.

A quick game of Kill Team.

Nicola and I tried out the Ravenfeast Viking Skirmish rules. I lost.

We also had a WW3 game of Fistful of Lead… which I also lost.

It is great to see a game shop so close and with the increasingly popular tornaments and events there I only hope that they grow from strength to strength.

Cheers,

Pete.