Saturday 21 June 2014

Rural Spain 10mm

I could not leave it alone! "Leave it! Leave It!" Yes I know but I was like a terrier. Consequently I have painted a few scenery/terrain bits for my Spanish Civil war game. While at Salute this year I came across The Square a wargames company I at the time had not heard of and miracle of all miracles they had some 10 mm Spanish terrain. So of course I bought it. So today here are three of their rural Spain buildings. I seem to remember they cost about £6.75 for all three. Resin cast one piece castings and they have a real rustic appeal. They are not perfectly cast, but for the price I am very happy with them.

All three of them were good fun to paint and that's from a person who does not like painting terrain or indeed resin. Still never mind that. I did find a couple of air bubbles and some bits of miss cast detail but I would get some more of these if I was able. So from my point of view I now have three 10mm Spanish Farm houses. I would like some out buildings as well, but I am sure I can find something for that. You just never know. This has even made me think very briefly about getting some 10mm Peninsular war Napoleonic's- I quickly sought medication and am recovering now. So no Minnie Sharpe antics planned!

As you can see I have painted some different coloured doors and window shutters. This will allow me to quickly identify buildings and maybe even have them as objectives. For example if you say the blue house it does become very clear which one it is.

I have tried to keep them in traditional Spanish rural colours but If I was to get another pack I might consider doing some in an un whitewashed look.

Well that's it for today. If I don't get side tracked by the football I will have some figures done soon and the "Can you see what it is yet" Terrain moved a step or two closer.

Hope to see you Tuesday, all the best Clint

Thursday 19 June 2014

Can you see what it is yet?

Yes a bit cryptic perhaps but I have started making some terrain up the shed now that the Robins have left the nest. (Yes I had Robins nesting in the shed!)At this stage nothing to see as I just slice up hardboard with a "Stanley" knife. Just to say at this stage all the hard board has been chopped to the right size, with is to say as strips 8-12mm wide. I will no doubt continue this for the next few days.

Yes it's boring with little to see but it is a nessercary step.

That's today's up date. Very un glamorous but much as I would like showing freshly painted every other day is a hard thing to do.

 There are a couple of things on the painting table at present and with luck I should have something painted by Sunday (no promises).

All the best Clint.

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Enough for now?

I think I now have enough Spanish Civil War troops. They are all 10mm Pendraken miniatures. One of the benefits of the Spanish Civil war is that the uniforms, clothing and equipment are about the same for each side. Thus by changing the flags Republican Militia can represent Nationalist Militia, and as regular army uniforms were used by both sides again by having interchangeable flags that issue is resolved.

The top picture shows my forces as I have tried to explain they can be seen as interchange able by swapping the flags I shall list the troops from right to left, starting at the front and moving backwards.

  • 3 Platoons of Guardia Civilia with a single 14.5mm Hotchkiss Machinegun.
  • 6 platoons of troops in regular army uniforms. These may be regular army, Communist or Facist troops or indeed most other factions as mentioned uniforms were used by all.

  • Regular army uniformed Machinegun company again all 14.5mm Hotchkiss machine guns. 10 guns in all and company command. These may be split inot the platoons or grouped together as the situation demands.
  • 1 Platoon of Guardia Assaulto (pre war paramilitary police). You had to have served in the army before being accepted into this force before the war but I am not sure that was the case during the war. Again used by both sides.
  • 2 Medium trucks to be used as tows for the 155mm (French) Field Guns. The guns have crews in regular army uniforms.
  • a Single Bilbao Armoured Car of the type used by the Guardia Assalto.

  • 7 platoons of Militia dressed infantry. Again these could be on either side as Flange Militia, Poum Militia, Anarchist Militia, Communist Militia etc. So very versatile troops again just needing a change of flags.
  • 2 Heavy trucks.
  • 5 Medium trucks 3 with Trailers. Again all trucks are interchangeable and my be used for transporting troops or supplies.

  • 2 Platoons of militia armed 14.5mm Hotchkiss Machineguns. Just as the regular army machine guns they can be grouped together or allotted to each platoon.
  • 5 stands of Cavalry both mounted and dismounted. These were mostly used as scouts.
  • a small platoon of Dynamiteros. only 6 stands because we don't want to over do it.
  • Trucks already mentioned.
  • A single Armoured truck armed with a machine gun and enclosed.
  • a Light truck with 3 medium mortars. These are in regular army uniforms.
  • 4 Tankettes (Italian C33s). 2 man very light tanks armed with Breda Machine guns. A gift from the Italian Fascist Government
  • 2 Unknown tanks I am not sure what they are but they look right and will probably not be used
  • A light truck with ambulance markings.
  • A staff car of a type usable for civilian as well as military intentions.
  • 3 T26 of Russian Origin but used by both sides as sufficient numbers were captured. They are in a grey livery as they were at this time and interestingly Russian Tanks changed to a green livery by the end of the war. Needless to say many were re-painted to suit local conditions.
  • 2 Italian 65mm Mountain guns with Civilian crews and also packed up on mule mounts for transportation purposes.
  • 1 105mm Howitzer with limber. Civilian crew.
  • 1 fuel tanker with trailer.
Additionally I have sufficient casualty markers for a game and a single pill box. Unpainted (and unmade) I have a transport aircraft. Yes tis will be done, but aircraft were really rare. Although I might buy some just for fun.

By many peoples standards this is not a huge army it is however large enough for a battle and I hope enough to keep 6 people entertained for a day. I am writing my own rules as I have not found any commercial rules for this conflict that I like. So please do not ask what rules I will be using. I am going to keep it simple though and not sweat the small stuff.

 I hope that has satisfied you with a SCW fix now you can see what I have been working on.

So what's next. Well in the short term more 10mm colonial stuff.
Thanks for looking today. Have a good couple of days and I hope to see you all soon.
Best Wishes Clint


Monday 16 June 2014

A couple more trucks

Having forgotten my camera for the club yesterday I will gloss of that. Just admit I lost. And forgetting my camera I am thinking of as a "senior moment".

So I thought I would carry on with some more 10mm Vehicles for my SCW collection. Yes well spotted here are two more Opel Blitz trucks (old Skytrex action 200 range) and a heavy trailer. That's a very very brief update for today, thanks for looking and I will post again on Wednesday.

Take care all the best Clint.