New and Updated
21st September 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Here's this week's painting challenge update.
Today's pictures are from Matt and Leif. I'm loving Matt's VBCW Freeminers, and Leif's infantry are lovely too...
I am doing no painting at all at the moment: spending all my free time on the new Vis Lardica site. The lead mountain keeps growing as well, as I do somehow seem to be able to find the time to buy more figures! |
21st September 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Been incredibly busy this week (see next story, below) so have not had a chance to do any updates. So, here goes with a mega one! We have updates from:
Today's picture is from Joakim: a second viewpoint of his hanger (which I want!):
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| Website News |
After ten years of what even I have called a 1980's design, I have decided to upgrade the Vis Lardica website. The new site is currently under construction, and will have a responsive design (i.e. will work brilliantly on mobiles and tablets), a blog function, lightboxes for pictures and will just look a lot better. Rest assured, though, it will have all the content on this site...or at least it will once I have transferred it across! Re-doing 250+ battle reports is taking quite a long time! For the moment, however, this site will only have Painting Challenge updates. All new AARs will be on the new site. More news to follow. |
13th September 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Quite a quiet week this week: must be the end-of-the-summer-holidays effect! Despite that, today we have entries from: Craig Ambler with a mixture of stuff; Mark Luther with more 20mm Japanese; a big entry from Owen; a big entry from Topi; almost as big an entry from Dave Bailey; Manuel with some slingers and ninjas; an unusually small entry from Kev; and 100 inches of fence from Treadhead! |
7th September 2014
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I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!
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Craig Ambler plays the first scenario from the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack.
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6th September 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Another large upload today: not updating the challenge for a week is definitely not a good idea! Today we have entries from:
Two pictures today: Egg's ships again (I love 'em!) and Treadhead's Martian tripods (to inspire me!).
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1st September 2014
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I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!
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Some more painting finished. First up are the Allied Diamond T artillery tractors. These are great big trucks that were used to pull the M1 155mm howitzers of the US medium batteries, and are a more typical alternative to the M5 High Speed Tractors that are included in the FOW boxed set. These models are from MMModels: a range that varies in quality to say the least. I am pleased to state that the Diamond Ts are very nice models that go together well, and paint up nicely. Recommended for anyone needing a really big truck, or who wants to field the more correct tow for a WW2 M1 artillery battery. I've painted up four of the monsters. Here's a close-up of one:
Next up are some early war German SdKfz 7/2 medium-weight AA half-tracks from Battlefront. Now I was dreading putting these together, as I always have a difficult time with Battlefront guns: to fiddly for my patience! I am, however, please to say that these went together very easily. I used GW Granite paint with an Agrax Earthshade wash, and I think they turned out very well. Recommended, and I have two more to paint up for late war.
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30th August 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
A recent holiday took me to Dorset and, to my great delight, less than half an hour's drive from Bovingdon Tank Museum. Bovingdon is a brilliant day out for anyone interested in 20th Century warfare and, of course, tanks. From the genesis of the AFV during WW1 through to an enormous collection of WW2 vehicles (my favourite bit) and on to more modern tanks up to and including the current campaign in Afghanistan. Superb! Children will love it: both my daughters have no interest in wargaming, but nevertheless insist on going to the museum if we are ever anywhere near it. We have even been twice in the same week! Here's a couple of pics taken last visit:
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
I take a few days off from updating the challenge to go to work, and another large set of uploads arrives in my inbox! Today we have entries from:
Today's picture is from Kev: some Cossacks from the SYW. Incidentally, for those interested, Kev does run a painting service. Details here.
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26th August 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
The last two After Action Reports rescued from Amokfigur's site-in-hiatus.. These are from the Franco-German border region, but one is from 1939, Neighbours at Neunkirchen, and the other, The Road to the Ardennes, from 1944.
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
A smaller upload today, consisting of the rest of Mr Melville's year-to-date catch-up (which neatly takes him beyond the 1,000 point mark) and, wonders will never cease, an entry from Mr Nissvik. Today's picture is from Thomas...just in case anyone fails to believe him!
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25th August 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Another large upload today as a couple of people have sent me colossal updates! Today we have entries from:
Today's pictures are from Mr Melville and Mr Slade. First up, Mr Melville's early war German armour; second up, Mr Slade's Vikings.
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24th August 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
A couple of After Action Reports culled from the distant past of the Internet. These are two Pacific Theatre reports from 2009: Australian Forces at Bougainville and Somewhere in the South West Pacific.
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23rd August 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
A huge update today as I have come back from hols to find my inbox stuffed full of achievements. Today we have entries from:
Today's pictures are from Mr Luther, with some nice looking 109s; Mr Clarke, with some Soviets; Alexandros' tanks; and Mr Slade, with some US Sailors.
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| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
A great AAR from Katzenstein, who fights the Vacqueville scenario from the 2014 TFL Summer Special.
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10th August 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
An After Action Report from a game I played recently over in the Oxford area. It's Normandy 1944, a village called Belle Maison, and the Germans need to clear the road for their heavy artillery...
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9th August 2014
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I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!
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A couple of truck-mounted DShK HMGs for anti-aircraft protection. Can also be used against infantry, but are vulnerable to counter-fire. Battlefront models: very nice. I've actually mounted the HMGs on thin wooden bases so that they can be lifted out of the trucks for ground use.
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| Quadrant 13 |
I've been wanting to get these Assault Crabs from Khurasan for my Hive army some time. Although the picture doesn't show it very well, these models have a lovely layered, shell-like back that dry brushes up really nicely. I used several ever-lightening shades of red, then orange and finally a very, very light brush of yellow. Turned out really well.
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
A few people spurred on to submit achievements by discussions on the TFL Yahoo group: today we have achievements from Alexandros; Mr Bailey; Mr Stoesen; Egg; Leif and some Orks; and Treadhead (now Tripodhead?). Incidentally, I have decided to count the 15mm but huge Martian tripods for AQOTMF as 'aircraft' in the points system i.e. 12 points each. This has nothing to do with the big box of them I have waiting in the lead mountain! Today's picture is from Egg: more really nice 1/200th ships that take him 'cruising' past the 500 point mark.
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4th August 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
A real first on today's update: an AAR in German! Those of you who don't speak German need not worry: the report, or spielberichte, is in two parts. First up are some words which Google and I have translated for you and, secondly, there's a great cartoon strip version which is in German...but you can always look at the pictures!
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
Today we have achievements from a small number of contributors claiming a large number of figures. In no particular order, we have the Ambler Gambler (some Soviet tanks); Matt Slade (a monstrous amount of ACW material and then some bigger stuff); Topi (with loads of Italians); and finally Chris Stoesen (more railway tracks); Today's picture is from Matt Slade, who would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids!
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31st July 2014
| Quadrant 13 |
A great pdf AAR from Lars detailing his first game of Q13. Lars does a lot of aerial wargaming. His website, Red Dragon Squadron, can be found here. |
| TFL Painting Campaign |
I'm taking a break from the Commonwealth Games to update the challenge. Today we have achievements from Mark Luther (planes, lots of planes); Chris Stoesen with terrain and lots of re-basing (rather you than me); Manuel returns with some more gladiators; Kev (obviously: he can't let an update go by without contributing something); Mr Ralls and zombie stuff; and finally Mr Bax and his sci fi. No, not finally: an e-mail from Mr Bailey has popped into my inbox as I'm updating: some 15mm infantry for WW2. Congratulations to Kev, who breaks the 1,000 point mark! Today's picture is from Mr Bax :
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26th July 2014
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I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!
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Anyone who knows me knows that I love the 'tail' part of an army as well as its 'teeth'. Well, a couple of months ago I updated the manufacturers' directory with MMModels, a group of wargamers who make their own models where none are available and offer them to the public on an on-demand basis, whose catalogue includes lots of lovely 'tail'. Here's a quick review of the first models off the production line: First up were some British vehicles all based on the Austin Tilley chassis. They are a staff car, a utility vehicle and a truck. All three are lovely little vehicles with plenty of detail that paint up nicely. Recommended. You can see all three in my entry in the painting challenge (as well as everything else mentioned below) but here's the Austin Tilley truck, with a Soviet infantryman (what I had handy!) for scale:
Next were some more British vehicles, this time based on the Scammell heavy tractor chassis. They are the Scammell Artillery Tractor and the Scammell Heavy Recovery vehicle. These were not quite so pleasing. Maybe it is me, but I couldn't get the back wheels to sit properly, and I think the front wheels look a bit Heath-Robinson and weedy too. There were also quite a few bubbles in the resin. Still, it's good to have some proper heavy artillery tractors, and the recovery vehicle looks okay too. Here's Ivan, again, with each:
Now onto the Germans. Only thing I've painted so far are some Opel Blitz buses. Very nice models that, again, paint up nicely. I really liked these, and will use them for very late war eastern front games, either as scenery or as ersatz troop carriers. The picture below is a little misleading: the buses are actually quite a nice size.
Finally there are some Peugeot trucks. I'm afraid I didn't like these very much at all. There were also quite a lot of bubbles in the resin. Anyway, they paint up okay, but aren't a patch on the trucks available from other manufacturers. On the other hand, they are quite cheap: £4 each unpainted.
So a mixed review so far for MMModels. Lots of unique models not available anywhere else, good pricing, but variable quality (all would look fine on the tabletop though). |
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Today's achievements are from yet more from Kev (the man is a machine); Craig Ambler; Mr Bax; Mr Douglas; and Mr Danziger. There are now quite a few people poised to sweep through the 1,000 point mark. Today's picture is of Mr Luther's palms: |
22nd July 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
Great AAR from Grah, who moves from Stalingrad to Normandy with this pic-heavy AAR of a recent D-Day game.
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| Unclassified |
I don't usually post this sort of thing, but this particular piece of terrain tickled me pink. No comments about moving SP guns into hull-down positions please. And, no, that isn't me...either of them!
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
And the achievements are just pouring in! Today we have Mr Bax and some sci-fi officials; Mr Bailey and a brace of Matildas; the indefatigable Kev with yet more SYW goodness; and the Mad Padre with literally hundreds of Frenchies. Today's picture is Mr Bax's sci-fi officials. Lovely paint jobs:
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19th July 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
I found a new source of IABSM After Action Reports today: a blog by a member of the Metropolitan Wargamers of Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City, aptly named Brooklyn Wargaming. Kimber has recently discovered IABSM, and has written a review here. He has also posted a couple of short After Action Reports from the Where The Hell Have You Been, Boys? scenario pack.
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
Lots of achievements today. Must be something to do with the weather! We have cops and dogs from Matt Slade; much weirdness from Fred Bloggs; ruins from Mr Hodge; fifty-one infantry from Melvyn; Soviets from the Mad Padre; Mr Luther with his palms and sixty-five 20mm infantry; Kev, still painting despite his knees; Dave Bailey with a big entry; and, to finish, Treadhead with some more Finns (did you see what I did there?). Today's picture is from the Mad Padre:
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15th July 2014
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I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!
Bashnya or Bust #4B:
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An AAR covering the next game in the Bashnya or Bust! campaign I'm currently playing against my regular opponent, Neil. Following the events of the last game, the initiative had passed to the Germans. Their objective: to take the ford at the village of Sorok...
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
Today's achievements are from Kev (despite the fact that he's on his knees!); Alexandros (mixing his scales in a dizzying fashion); Mark Luther (more trees, but enough to take him through the 1,500 point mark); Jon Yuengling (more ships, and enough to take him through the 2,000 point mark); and finally the Mad Padre (who bursts from cover with a tremendous update). And, in other news, I have finally broken the 500 point mark myself. Huzzah! Today's picture is from Alexandros: one of his 15mm T-34s. Yes: 15mm!
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13th July 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
One of the good thing about Battlefront extending its range to the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts of 1938/9 is that it's a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in my Japanese WW2 army. Here's one example: I finally have the Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns that form part of the brigade assets of a Japanese infantry regiment. Nice models.
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| Charlie Don't Surf |
A unit of Walker Bulldog tanks from the Battlefront Vietnam range. These are really lovely models that I picked up in their 40% off sale. I know these are technically a bit cheesy marked up as US tanks, as in Vietnam I believe these were only issued to AVRN forces, but they will suit for US troops in Korea...and they were 40% off and do paint up nicely!
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| Quadrant 13 |
Finally finished the second platoon of Chuhuac. These look so much better in the flesh than they do in the photograph! Just the grav bikes and the special forces mobile troops to do now.
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12th July 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Today's achievements are from Mark Luther (who bursts through the 1,000 point mark with some very annoying coconut palms); Jon Yuengling; Jason Ralls; Dick Bax (who breaks the 500 mark); and Chris Stoesen.
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10th July 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
Another great AAR from the Mark Luther archive (all available on Flickr but gradually being added here too). This is another IABSM game in 6mm: this time it's action on the Eastern Front as a German column retreats.
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5th July 2014
| I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! |
Added a couple of archive battle reports from Amokfigur: these date back to 2006 and are taken from a website that declares itself in hiatus. Well, I hope all is good with Amok and he's still playing IABSM...and I do love the way that King Tiger is painted.
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| TFL Painting Campaign |
Achievements today from Mr Ralls (more aircraft); Alexandros, whose lovely DAK half-tracks and Soviet BT-5s take him past the 500 mark; Mr Plowman (some nice sci-fi figures); Owen and his Wild West buildings (now a town bigger than Scarborough); and Treadhead with his big poles. Significantly, Owen's entries make him the first person to go past the 2,000 point mark. Most impressive, and let's see if you can do 5,000 before the new year! Today's pictures are another double. The first is of Alexandros' half-tracks, the second is Mr Plowman's GZG grav bikes and APC:
PS If any of you do notice that my maths is out on the Scorecard, or that I've forgotten to add an entry, do shout out. I tend to update this late at night when my usual attention to detail might be wavering slightly! Also, thanks for all the kind words from those of you who have said that the challenge is increasing your output significantly. Don't worry: I'm not burnt out yet, and have every intention of carrying this through to the end of the year! |
3rd July 2014
| TFL Painting Campaign |
Quite a few post-second quarter entries today. We have achievements from Pat G, the Ambler Gambler, Mr Ralls and Mr Slade. There are two pictures today, as I couldn't choose between Mr Ralls' WW2 Heinkels and Mr Slade's sci-fi Warthogs:
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