Painting a Sherman Calliope

Hello everyone, I thought that since it was such a nice bright day today that I'd take some photos of my Sherman Calliope. Using two in Company of Heroes 2 on my friend's base may also have helped focus the mind too! It's not yet quite finished. I'm going to try and freehand paint a pinup to the side and I need to mount it on a suitable base like all my other vehicles. That's why I've not applied any weathering powders to the tracks and turret. I think I'll also add some more fine detailing to the sandbags, they're still looking a bit flat colour-wise.

 I've added kill markings to the side to represent enemy vehicle kills.

 In honour of my reference material (see previous post), I've called her Annie. She also has the motto "Kiss kiss bang bang" applied to the 75mm barrel.

As you can see the tracks haven't been weathered fully yet.

 Here's a better close up of the storage locker I scratch built. Doesn't look too terrible.

 So far the wires in the rocket launcher have stayed assembled! I wonder how long it'll take before they all ping off with use!

That's it for now folks. The next update will likely feature the Calliope completed.

Building a Sherman Calliope for Boltaction

Hello dear readers, please accept my many apologise form my absence. I have been going through a great period of change over the last 6 months that has ultimately resulted in me moving to Birmingham, training as an Early Years teacher and receiving my PhD in evolutionary biology (yes you may address me as Dr Smurf!).

Sadly, all this has left very little time for anything let alone updating my humble hobby blog. I didn't want to let it die though, so I thought I would share my latest creation with you all in the hope that it would remind me to continue to support this blog in the future and indeed the hobby community as a whole (I do hope at least a few people have taken some inspiration from a few of my creations).

Right, so I have been playing mainly Boltaction over the last year or so and I have enjoyed it so much that I have even written a rules changes pack for 40k so that it plays a little more like Boltaction. I call it 'Bolter Action' and if you'd like to take a look at the rules and give them a try, please send me a message and I'll send them over to you. Boltaction is fresh, interesting and compelling thanks to its factual basis and order die mechanic. I love researching and learning about the men and women that fought in WW2 and I try my best to bring that knowledge and respect to the tabletop.

This does mean that almost all of my hobby time over the past year has been devoted to raising units for my beloved 1st Infantry Division, the big red one! Here is my latest addition, a Sherman Calliope, that I based off of pictures of 'Annabelle', which you can see in the image below.

She's being added to my fictitious 'War Birds' collection of tanks, which all bear female names and mottoes. Although this contradicts my earlier point about historical accuracy, it is a bit of fun and I think it reflects the fun that tank crews had when they named and painted their own vehicles. She's also been put together for my 2016 Student Nationals tournament list!

The build consisted of an M4A3 Sherman kit produced by Rubicon, a sandbag armour set produced by S&S models and a Calliope rocket launcher add on kit supplied by Warlord games.

 
I assembled the Sherman kit first, which being a Rubicon plastic kit was a joy to put together. Many bloggers and reviewers have recommended Rubicon kits for their level of detail and ease of assembly. I am not an exception and I would heartily encourage any and all to try Rublicon kits out for themselves!

Once the Sherman was assembled, I needed to add the sandbag armour. Being resin, I first scrubbed it in warm soapy water with a tooth brush followed by trimming of flash with a sharp Stanley knife. I then glued it onto the sides and front of the hull being careful not to break the .30cal machine gun. To add the front piece, you do need to remove some details from the front of the Sherman kit such as the stowage holds but this is easily done. Overall, the sandbag armour was easy to clean and assemble but I did have to do a lot of greenstuff work, including re-sculpts, to get it to look like a complete entity. This was a bit of a pain and in my opinion warrants a 'B' rating from S&S models instead of the 'A' rating it holds on their store. Regardless, the armour looked the part and was certainly cheap enough to use if you have the greenstuff skills to fix it. It's worth mentioning that you also get two pieces of sandbag armour for the turret but I didn't use them due to the rocket launcher getting in the way.

With the greenstuff on the hull drying, I then turned my attention to assembling the T37 rocket launcher onto the turret. The resin parts were scrubbed first and then cleaned up with a sharp knife. There were some minor defects, which needed some greenstuff attention but nothing major. Assembling the launcher and adding it to the turret was a simple enough process but I wanted to add some extra historical details so I hit the internet for reference materials and came across this forum post. Using Terry Barrett's build as a reference allowed me to wire up the launcher as best I could using florist's wire and add the radio antenna on the left hand side. This was a fiddly job and required some patience but I think the end result is quite impressive.

Finally, I wanted to add the rocket stowage box to the back, which meant scratch building one from plasticard. I'm not the best at using plasticard because I don't yet have all the precision tools that I need to make super straight lines and perfect right angled corners. Having said that, I did my best and got a reasonable result. I fully intend to add additional stowage to the top of the engine block in the future but I'm waiting for the Rubicon stowage pack to be released before I do that, which is why it's looking a bit empty at the moment.

So that's it for now. I'll be painting her over the next couple of weeks and I promise I'll upload the pictures when she's finished. For now, have fun!  

Smurf scratch builds a T27 rocket Jeep!

Assemble the dough boys, we have a new toy!

Recently I've been looking through the US options for boltaction that aren't currently covered by a model. One particular addition I wanted to make was a rocket battery to support my plucky GIs and dish out some much deserved retribution to Jerry!

I started to do some research on the T27 rocket battery and came across some images of them mounted on Jeeps. Other versions were mounted on a tripod without wheels, which I thought might make it a bit difficult to move around (unlike the Nebelwerfer). Luckily, trenchworx make a really lovely T27 rocket launcher, which I intended to mount on the back of a warlord Jeep. 

Unfortunately, despite being a wonderful model, the tripod was slightly too big to mount and the historical details were all wrong anyway! Instead, I decided to scratch build my own rocket launcher and mounting. 

The trickiest part of this build was the Jeep itself! Goodness me it was fiddly, with badly miscast metal parts and no instructions. Luckily there's a million reference photos on-line, but still, a nightmare I could have done without.

Anyway, the launcher was fairly simple to assemble. I heavily borrowed from this article as a reference and source of inspiration. The launcher was mainly made from cotton bud rods (I used Boots own brand which are perfectly scaled) and thin plasticard.

The most difficult part to mounting the launcher was removing the resin back seat from the Jeep model. I achieved this with the help of a Dremel, but it was still quite fiddly and took a lot of concentration. There's also a couple of stowage bags in the back, which I decided to leave in. In hindsight I'd recommend removing them too, as they got in the way of the launcher mounting.

Overall I very pleased with the result. In game terms, I'll be using it as a normal rocket battery (You seriously don't want it mounted on a softskin transport anyway!). I also have some crew members to stand behind the Jeep and prepare the rocket launcher to fire. I'll post more on this characterful addition once it's fully painted! Until then, have fun.

US Armoured: "The Warbirds" Sherman M4A3 76mm

Hello all,

I'd like to introduce you to some of the armoured elements I've been gathering to support my 1st infantry division US forces in games of Bolt Action.

First up is a Rubicon Sherman M4A3 with 76mm gun. I've named her "Temptation" to reflect the fact that enemy tankers are often too distracted by the pin-up to organise an effective response!

Bolt Action: "The Big Red 1" Infantry section 1

I'd like to share with you all my most recent hobby obsession, my US army GI's for Bolt Action. As a 25/28mm system, Bolt Action has been growing in popularity for some time now and is currently well supported with army lists, supplements and fluffy theater books. Even nicer is the sheer choice of models/model companies to select from when piecing together your WW2 army of choice. Sure Warlord Games' model range is very good, but I quite like to spread the love around a bit to keep the variety of sculpts interesting.

Fist up is an infantry section made from Warlord Games' plastic US GI's. I've thrown in some separate heads from Westwind Productions for flavour. I was quite taken by the service record of the US 1st Infantry Division aka "the big red 1" and so I've decided to represent some fictitious units from that division.

 Sgt Walowitz leads from the front, brandishing a Thompson SMG.

 I've used decals from Company B to represent the "Big Red 1"

 A Westwind US Webbed helmet head.

This is my warface!

Games workshop must change! A petition to do just that...

Dear readers,

I must bring this petition to your attention if you've not already seen it. Evan Valdyke has taken the good time to write an excellent petition highlighting what many of us feel to be the fundamental reasons why GW products are no longer fun or worth the purchase. You can read and sign his petition here.

Since I haven't posted for a while though, I thought I might write down a few reasons of my own explaining why I haven't spent a single pound on GW since the release of the Ork codex.

1) The Ork codex was a massive disappointment. Here's some context. I started an Ork army like so many others back with the release of 5th edition 40k (without doubt the best edition) from the AOBR boxset. From my first few games I was completely hooked. Orks were literally perfect for me, they played exactly the way I enjoyed and they were full of modelling and painting potential. Fast forward an MSc and a PhD and I've found myself needing to downsize my armies for the sake of convenience. Of course I decided to keep my beloved Orks!

So with all that in mind, imagine my disappointment when after 6 long weeks of waiting for the codex release, I finally get my hands on a long overdue codex and find it to be utterly below my expectations. For a start all the creativity had been leached out and replaced with obnoxious pictures of GW stock models. Where was the brand new full colour artwork for each unit that previous codexes had received? Where was the hobby section in the middle? Why was only half of the fluff included? Oh yeah I know the answer to that one, GW wanted to sell me another codex for the same price, which begrudgingly I bought because my clan is Goffs. Then I realised that I actually have the power as a consumer to stop this madness! I looked at myself and thought, I have spent £60 on one codex to play a game I barely enjoy. Why have I done this?

2) 40k is no longer fun to play. I don't think it's because of any one thing in particular but rather a death by 1000 cuts. Fundamentally the game is no longer immersive and can actually be quite stressful to play. Let me explain. Obviously, 40k is not real and so common sense can't always be relied upon to set the boundaries of the universe you're fighting over. Historical wargaming doesn't have this problem because armies of that nature actually fought for real and often there is plenty of source material available to inform your environment and army choices. 40k has a long and established base of fluff which I love but the rules do a very poor job of defining the context of the game. Instead they say 'do whatever you want' and as a result you get a complete abstract from the intended context, which completely kills the immersion. For example, I attended a local tournament recently and fought a legal list with nothing but 6 Eldar flyers in it. It was a complete comedy fest as these 6 fliers danced awkwardly around the table, while my guys could do nothing but watch. Yes, yes I get it's a tournament and by its very nature is an aberration of normal games but there was nothing special about the comp. All lists were GW legal and could legitimately be taken in any game. It's the lack of benchmark that makes the situation lose all sense of continuity. How can a context be established if we're not told what that context is?

As a passive result of this lack of context, the game can be quite stressful to play. There used to be a time when I could turn up to club and expect to play someone with army X. I'd say 'fancy a game?' 'Of course' they'd say, 'I've brought my Blood Angels'. Great, I now now what to expect from Blood Angels. I don't know what he's taking and so the elements of mystery and challenge are still there, I've not had an opportunity to see his list and tailor mine accordingly. These days, however, you ask someone for a game and they could bring out a vast number of different codexes and rules supplements and date slates and formations etc....... I have no idea what to expect half the time, which by its very nature is stressful. So now I associate playing 40k with stress and not fun?! That can't be good surely.

3) Value, value, value. I will always spend money on wargames, the industry know this about me (and you too!). It's a hobby I take great pleasure in and human beings do love their hobbies. Having said that, I'm still a consumer and there is a threshold that when reached means that I start asking awkward questions like 'do I actually need this?' Nothing could be more fatal to a hobby company! The simple truth is GW no longer offers value to its customers through the products it sells. It constantly pushes 'super models' on us and expects that we'll buy them. Take Nagash for example, GW expects me to buy a Nagash model because its massive and cool and highly detailed and as a modeler and painter I'm meant to cream my pants and immediately buy one! I haven't because I have no interest in the undead and the model is too expensive for a curiosity purchase. Lets look at a model I would buy, the Ork mek gun kit. It's a nice model with some fun options and plenty of conversion potential, exactly the sort of thing I want in a model. Did I buy one? No of course I didn't! You need at least 3 for the unit to be worth taking and they're £28 each! Let me put it another way, that's £84 for 3 plastic kits which come to around 120pts in the game! Where is the value in this? For the same price I could buy a box of killa kanz, which comes in a box of 3! I am just simply not prepared to spend that amount of money regardless of my love for Orks and their models.

I'll be posting up images of my latest obsession, my US GI's for bolt action very soon but they highlight my decision to stop purchasing GW products very nicely. For less that the price of the aforementioned mek big gunz, I got a 1000pt army! That's roughly 50 infantry, 1 tank, 1 transport, 1 mortar, 1 .50cal and command. That, GW, is value! Guess what? I spent a further £100 on extras!

So to wrap up, I have seen a lot of people say they're quitting GW over the years and I've always thought to myself 'yeah, yeah, whatever, you'll be back.' But inadvertently, I have also stopped purchasing GW products for reasons which I made as a consumer almost naturally. Now I realise this I wonder what it will take to get me buying GW products again? Perhaps the changes outlined in the petition above, if enacted, will do the trick? We shall see. In the meantime I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the petition and your recent experiences with GW purchases.

All the best!    

Waaagh Grull Grokk

Ahh now uz wont to 'ear about Grull Grokk ehh? Well wun fing you shud know 'bout Grull Grokk iz he az a dead gud sense of ooma for a Goff. Best fing iz hiz jokes are dead funnee evun wen dey izn't. Der wuz dis wun time wen Grimbash got a nu trukk un Grull Grokk fort it wud be a rite larf to rig it up wiz a load ov tank minez.....hurhh hurhh hurhhhhh. You shud av seen iz face wen he turned da key!

Alwayz rememba dat lad, Grull Grokkz jokez iz alwayz funny. So don't forget to laff!

Boss Nob Skargrob lecturing the new recruits to Waaagh! Grull Grokk

Ok so after a disappointing start to the Orks (God that codex was a waste of money!) I have at least been reminded of how much I love to paint! Which is excellent considering the amount of Orks I have left to paint! Anyway, kicking off the Waaagh is Boss Grull Grokk himself.

Warboss Grull Grokk is a notorious copier and there's no one more copy worthy in the whole universe than Ghazghkull Thraka. Grull Grokk will do anything to copy his hero, he even went as far as to commission a suit of 'replica' mega armour so he can look like the prophet of the waaagh himself! By far his most prized possession, however, is his boss pole, which was genuinely worn by Ghazghkull himself! At least that's what the grinning Badmoon boss said right before he did the burney dance. Unfortunately, he can never truly look like Ghazghkull due to the arm he lost, but Grull Grokk likes to remind everyone that his custom spear is even shinier than anything Ghazghkull has. Well....it is his favourite joke after all! 

I built Grull Grokk out of the left over parts of the absolutely epic Ghazghkull model, which I had lying around. His power klaw had been used on my Biker Boss so that was replaced with a spare killa kan pneumatic spear. I also wanted to take advantage of the fact that a warboss can now take a combi-flamer with mega armour so I converted one up fairly simply. Finally, I finished him off with a nice tall rocky outcrop to menace over. I'm pretty happy with him, lets see how his Waaagh pans out on the table!