The Glory of playing with toy soldiers!

 

Every now and again, it is important to remind myself why I got into the wargame hobby.  Occasionally, I will set up a game with my Atlantic toy soldiers and play a simple game. It takes me back to the fun times as a kid. When both real life and playing were bright and filled with imagination. 

Here is the line up! 

            Russian Infantry                           Lend Lease GMC trucks                    Bad Ass tanks

               

      The big guns 76 mm                  Well.... these are going to be JSII's  

VS.

                             HQ                                      Tiger I                                 German Infantry

                                Air Defenses                                             Pak 75mm

Scenario

 Late Summer 1944 and a German unit is holding a small outpost between two hills.  They know the Russians are coming but they are ordered to hold.  NO RETREAT! So, they braced for impact...

Marshal Konev arrives in his jeep and issues
 orders for the artillery to open fire. 

The guns open on the German position. (Here, I wish I had the software to edit in gun blasts. If anyone knows what to get or how, please let me know.)

German troops milling about....

Holy Spaetzle! 

The Soviet tanks and troops move out!

When a 1 or 2 on a 12 sided is needed, JSII delivered! BAM Pak 75 is wasted. 

Hit one in the defenses...

Russian horde moves in closer. One T34/85 with infantry support moves in to assault a pillbox. 

The other JSII gets a lucky shot on the advancing Tiger on the road as the artillery blasts the barbered wire. (Side note, if this was a real game...I'd be pissed as the Germans.  I'd question the die.  Seriously, another one gets rolled. What are the odds?) 

The only reinforcement for the Germans was a lone sortie by an Airfix Focke-Wulf 190. 

While in flight, the Soviet artillery knocks out the German HQ detachment and the JSIIs are shelling the German tracked vehicle. The FW-190 puts an end to the machine gun mounted GMC trucks. 

Still not a good day for Gerry...

The Pak 75 crew gets a solid shot off and K.O.'s a T34/85.

There was some back-and-forth gun fire. But the Soviet advance was too much. The remaining Germans broke and ran for the Oder River. 

Disclaimer: No plastic soldiers were killed, maimed or otherwise injured in this quasi-historical event. They are all returned unmolested to their proper barracks. 

Rules: Home created 2001.

  

The End

Airbrush and beyond!

 

Pocket War Comics has some vintage images... give it a look see. 

Well, I finally achieved some success with my airbrush kit.  I must admit I was getting frustrated.  I apparently needed a smaller water trap on the pen itself, even though the compressor has one.  The hose is too long and causing condensation build up in the line.  I picked up a set of 3 of these little guys on Amazon.  

I got this Airfix Stuka on Ebay a few weeks ago.  I think this re-release is from the 90's and the decals were a little old.  The decal paste was thick and challenging to keep it from clouding up the decal. 

I was pleased with the results.  Though, not exactly what I wanted, it still came out decent.  Planes are much harder than tanks!  They have to come out clean and neat.  Tanks just rough'em up a little and they will do. 

I am using a set up Vallejo paints. Some of the paints are not like other ones.  Some spray really good like the dark green.  But, the light green does not.  I struggled with it on the Panther tanks. See below. 

Mixing paint to get a light blue was a mess.  But, that is operator error!

In the end, it was a fun kit.

Okay, I know Airfix tanks are not great.  HOWEVER, I enjoy them and Hobby Lobby had 40% off so... I bought two kits. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to experiment with my airbrush on an inexpensive kit.  How Airfix artists settled on desert scenes for the Panther artwork, I will never know. Maybe it is the Southern Caucasus Mountains???  

The figure is from Hat, German Tank Riders. The decals are from Plastic Soldier Company. The ones in the kit are boring. Again, it was an experiment with the airbrush to work on camouflage.  

It is a simple kit and very enjoyed to work with.

Airfix you still hold my heart... 

Wait, what airbrushing?

 

Well, it's about time I reinvested in airbrushing. Twenty years ago I started airbrushing German tanks. Then...career, marriage, kids and divorce pushed it to the last thing I was going to do in the hobby.  But, with the unrelenting march of time, I pulled my model H Paache of the shelf and fired up the bicycle air compressor. My first victim was a 1/72 or HO Atlantic Tiger I had sitting in a box.  What do you think?

For those of you unfamiliar with Atlantic. It is the kit in the middle.  The one to the left is a 1/72 Tiger from Italeri.  The one on the right is a 1/76 Airfix kit. 

Not terrible. I need more practice with the airbrush. The paints we cheap acrylics from Hobby Lobby. So, it was a struggle to mix properly and not clog the brush. I have since ordered a set of paints from Vallejo. 

I was inspired to use an Atlantic kit because I saw someone post on TMP a wargame scene with this very model and I was impressed. 

A little back story... my first tanks (2 in this set) I ever bought was this kit.  I purchased it in the early 80s at Frank's Hobby Shop in Orange, California.  I can still smell the stale air of the store and see the large scale railroad track suspended above the isles. This little gem was calling my name.  I was so excited putting it together while watching Patton on "War is Hell week."  I think I was in the 6th grade.  Atlantic produced some reasonable tank kits for young lads getting into wargaming. I will post some of my collection in a later post.  The T34s, Tigers and Shermans were great fun! 

Next up, I tried my hand on this kit.  My son built one...sorta, I finished it. I figured it was the prefect test case.  The struggle I had was the air pressure. I got a few spit marks. I recently ordered a smaller air compressor for airbrushing. I hope it helps.    

I did use a liquid mask element for the canopy.  That was AWESOME!!!  I recommend getting it.  

This was my first airbrushed airplane EVER. I was happy... and my 14 year old son was impressed enough to put his phone down for 10 minutes!!!! 

Paint on and stay calm...

Italy in the desert...

 

Not enough time or credit is given to those brave Italians that endured so much in the heat of the desert. They were common soldiers that did not choose their leaders or the war they were sent to fight in. Therefore, here are a few models I have built recently as a small tribute. 

This is a nice Italeri kit.  It fits very well.

I really like this kit. Though, for a wargame table it is very large and seems out of place.  It kinda reminds me of the Hasagwa  155mm Long Tom, very cool to have, but on a game table is just big. 

Again, fine kits.  I enjoyed putting these together. The figures are from Armor Fast. 

Did you see I put a cigar in Segundo's hand?

These chaps are from the set below.

(Plastic Soldier Review)

I used a few fellows from the above and the Hat Deport 75mm. 

Wonderful kit and great decals.  

Off to another wargame... 

FlyxWire on TMP commented about a game of racing Alfa Romeos.  I wish I knew of one.  However, I played this game back in the early 1980s with several friends.  As I recall, it was a lot fun. Anyone else remember this game?