The Man Cave

You will no doubt have noticed a lack of updates here in recent months...

Thats because I started a more generic blog for my gaming, called the Man Cave:
http://tasmancave.blogspot.com/

I've moved all the posts from here to there, and will use that for future updates. While I have had a break from gaming and modelling the steamy SE Asian jungles for awhile, the new Flames of War Vietnam variant has me excited and reaching once again for the paint brush!

See you at the Man Cave!

Eye Candy Plus!

Don't walk, RUN, to check out this simply amazing Nam setup:
http://ilovewargameing.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2140
and yet more here:
http://ilovewargameing.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2139

TurnerQuet Footage!

Some footage from a recent game we played in my garage - full BATREP and pics to follow!

Jungle feature

A nice how-to artcile for some jungle terrain with a water feature:

http://www.realisticwargames.co.uk/page26.html

Tea leaf foliage

as one guys says in this forum, its also great for cam nets!
http://www.guildwargamers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=615

Light Tent

This may be an inexpensive way to drastically improve taking pics of my recen activity - I will try to make one...one day!
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent/

Paint fest comes to an abrupt end

I recieved the dreaded phone-call recalling me to work for tomorrow, meaning that today became a catchup for unfinished domestic chores. I did at least finish off my NVA HMG stand and my US insignia decals arrived too so I should be able to progress some of those projects waiting for them.

I'll have to take some pics on the weekend to capture what I achieved, which was actually quite a bit it seems!

Paint-fest: Day 10 progress

..or lack of...

To be honest, after 3 coats of paint on the bathroom I just couldnt face any more brush-work, so today is offcially a rest day!

Paint-fest: Day 9 progress

• Deeply considered the problem of putting my USMC M60 teams on big bases or small bases, with only 3 figs per base. My big USMC bases have 4 figs each, while the Platoon HQ (with 3 figs) is on a small base. Oh the dilemma...
• Undercoated said M60 teams (6 bases plus HQ)
• Progressed the NVA HMG stand and crew - just basing left to go
• Completed the test jungle section - it came out OK, but a little dark I think.

Paint-fest: Day 8 progress

The usual weekend domestic caveats (gardening, taking kids to football & scouts, family time etc) account for the reduced productivity:

• NVA HMG and crew painted and detailed.
• Started sorting out my USMC weapons platoon...only to find that I either don't have enough figs in the pack, or that the TO&E in the FP rulebook isnt correct...
• Washed the Duster and PBR

And because I'm really pleased with the way these have come out, here is some pre-emptive eye-candy (just for you evil voice in my ear). Click for larger pics - Peter Pig Vietnam range US Snipers, pictured on a jungle terrain section by Miniature World Maker.

Paint-fest: Day 7 progress

Most importantly, my last Uni essay has been finished and lodged, so thats out of the way now - huzzah! Sadly, that didnt leave much of the day...

• Second US sniper stand (in Tiger Cammies) finished! Unike the first stand, which was a sniper and spotter, both kneeling - this one is a lone sniper in the lying position. The problem will be not losing them in the terrain when the camo actually works...
• Undercoated and basecoated the NVA HMG, crew and stand
• Basecoated the M42 Duster and one PBR
• Progressed one of the jungle terrain sections as a test case

Paint-fest: Day 6 progress

• NVA Rifle Platoon finished!
• First sniper team finished!
• Undercoated, basecoated and detailed the second sniper stand
• Undercoated (in black) the M42 Duster and PBRs
• Started a NVA HMG emplacement
• Started some jungle terrain sections using my plastic palm tree collection
• Started painting up my latex roads
• Caught up with my mate Owen again!

In the excitement of completing my first NVA platoon I completely blew off my Uni essay, which is due tomorrow. Getting that finished will sadly cut into my day and my model productivity...

Paint-fest: Day 5 progress

• NVA - now that the reshaped fig bases fit, they have been glued onto the bases. I should be able to complete the basing tomorrow.
• Mounted my first Sniper team and started another. Initially I was a little disappointed with the Tiger Cams but they dried a different colour and I like them more each time I see them now. Again, I should be able to finish off the basing tomorrow.
• Cleaned up the Duster, PBRs and the Zippo M113 for undercoating
• Planned some individually mounted peasants (to inhabit the hootches I've just done)
• More time grudgingly expended on frivolous 1:1 painting and Uni requirements...

Also, I've just realised its been a year since I started this Blog and only twenty hits shy of achieving 7,000!

Paint-fest: Day 4 progress

• reshaped all remaining NVA figure bases - I can now base the whole platoon tomorrow
• Major filling, grinding, shaping and sanding for the domestically imposed 1:1 scale project work (grumble...)
• progressed the insanity of 15mm Tiger Stripes: what was I thinking?
• received my QRF order (M42 Duster, OH-6 'Loach' Recon Helo, M113 Zippo, and a 2.5ton Truck) so I played with the new toys for a bit.
• caught up with my good mate Owen (up from Melbourne) - generally inspected all items, discussed modelling, developed cunning scenarios and planned further purchases. Over a few coffees and cold refreshments of course!

And more work on the Uni essay - I shall be free from that burden (one way or another) by Friday.

Paint-fest: Day 3 progress

• 5 hootches now finished, 1 to go
• NVA Rifle Platoon - now have the obligatory red stars on helmets! Also started to reshape the fig bases for group basing (a rather painful process)
• progressed LVTP detailing
• started base coating the supply dump objectives
• started my insane idea to paint Tiger Stripe cammies on the sniper
• 1 bathroom wall (enforced 1:1 scale project)

plus some serious work on that darned Uni essay...

Paint-fest: Day 2 progress

• 3 Hootches finished, the other 3 are half painted


• NVA rifle platoon - flesh, boots, weapons and webbing painted. Awaiting basing


• LVTPs - basecoated, washed and highlighted.


• US Sniper team (rifleman and observer) cleaned-up and basecoated

Also ordered some decals for vehicle markings and watched Apocalypse Now...well, the good bits anyway :-D

Paint-fest: Day 1

I've got 2 weeks off work starting today with an ambitious modeling agenda in mind.
I also have a Uni essay to knock over (the last one!) and the usual domestic considerations but lets see how we go.

To maximise productivity, I'm going to add a few comments each day (mostly for myself) on what I've gotten done and leave eye-candy photos until the end.

The 'to-do' agenda:

Figures
2 NVA Rifle Platoons (1 squad done)(Flashpoint figs)
4 Downed aircrew/objectives markers (Peter Pig figs)
US Special Forces and snipers (Peter Pig figs)
2-3 Peasant stands (Peter Pig figs)
start some local force VC units (Peter Pig figs)

Vehicles
2 LCVP (Peter Pig)
2 PBRs (Peter Pig)

Terrain
6 resin Hooches (Flashpoint)
complete my modular Brown Water river sections and bridge
Make more jungle sections with all the new plastic treees I just got delivered
Cam up my other VC Bunkers
make some weapons cache/supply dump objectives
Paint up my rubber road/track sections

Misc
Sort out flying stands for my Helos and aircraft
Make some arty/airstrike impact markers

If time permits
USMC Weapons Platoon (Flashpoint figs)
2nd USMC rifle plt (Flashpoint Figs)
Assemble revell 1/100 AH-1 Cobra Gunship (Revell plastic kit)
PACV (Gomi)


Day 1 Progress

• Cleaned up and undercoated (in white) the resin hooches
• Undercoated the LVTPs (in black)
• base coated 3 NVA rifle squads

More Acqusitions!

Spurned on by an evil voice in my ear (you know who you are!) I went to Olympian Miniatures today....I now own Flashpoint Miniature's USMC Weapons Platoon - and the evil voice owns the ANZAC Company HQ, Rifle Platoon, Support Company, SAS Patrol and a Local VC Force Cell too!

Not that I needed more lead to paint right now, but since when does that count? :-D

Allied Air Defence Vehicles in Vietnam

Among other bits and pieces, I've just ordered a M42 'Duster' AA vehicle (from QRF) for my US forces. When the expected North Vietnamese MiG threat failed to materialise over the DMZ, this vehicle was used extnsively in the ground support role where the twin 40mm Bofors cannons (firing AP and HE ammo) were quite nasty.
This wesbite shows not only the Dusters, but other Air defence Artillery units used by the US in Vietnam
http://www.ndqsa.com/index.html

More on Hue

Some more research has thrown up these gems:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/1968-tet-offensive-remembered.htm

http://www.armchairgeneral.com/how-they-fought-marine-m-60-machine-gunner-hue-1968.htm