Monday, January 28, 2013

Analogue Hobbies Entry #4: 20mm WW2 German Infantry

I managed to knock off another goal for the Analogue Painting Challenge by getting this batch of Germans done. Yes, they are SS (I can hear young Kinch getting ready to go Boo, Hss!) and yes, I am ambivalent about painting bad guys, but they will give my Canadians someone to shoot at, and I am already thinking we are due for another batrep about your Denis Audet.

This set (WS02 10 MAN INFANTRY SQUAD IN CAMMO SMOCK/HELMET COVER)of 10 figures are from TQD Castings, which I gather is an imprint of CP Models from the UK.

I have to say that I like these figures, but TQD/CP's sculpts are a bit of an acquired taste. Sometimes the bodies seem just a little off to me, heads a little smaller than they should be or bodies a bit distored. The chap lunging with the bayonet is an example, as is the slightly overlong pointing arm on the squad leader. However, these figures grow on you. The sculptor certainly knows German kit, and the attention to detail in terms of webbing, gear and weapons is first rate. A good example are the MP40 machine pistols some of these figures are holding - they all look right in proportion to the bodies.

These chaps are my first real attempt to do a proper late war Peadot style of German camo as was often seen in the Normandy campaign. The paints used for the camo are all Vallejo, and I studied many examples and tutorials posted by the knowedgeable chaps on The Guild. I leave it to you to decide if I got it right, and if I didn't, please tell me! I promise I won't sulk.

Also part of my Analogue Hobbies entry are five German casualty figures from AB Figures(WH11 Dead Germans 6 figs - I painted one previously) that have been sitting in my lead mountain for a few years, while I worked up the nerve to take on German camo. I know fellows who feel that spending perfectly good money and precious time on casualty figures for wargaming is a waste. I respect that point of view, but for me, I believe that if we are trying to faithfully recreate an experience which is fundamentally horrific, then casualty figures are necessary. Whether using them one for one in a skirmish game, or using one to indicate morale, shock points, accumulated hits on a large formation, etc, I want to use them. As Robert E. Lee said, "It is well that war is so terrible, for otherwise we should grow too fond of it."

As I said on Curt's site, AB Figures to me are the gold standard for 20mm WW2 gaming. They are simply the finest figures in that range on the market, and I would love to have more of them. I can only say this about their infantry and vehicle crew figures, I haven't seen any of their support weapons, vehicles or accessories yet.

a final painting note: the TQD Wafffen SS figures were painted using a white undercoat from Army Painter. The AB casualty figures were primed some years back in a flat black spray paint from a DIY store. To me the camo looks brighter done on the white undercoat. Can you see a difference?

Thanks all for looking. Don't forget the Mad Padre Wargames contest currently running. All you need to do is write a few lines (they don't even have to rhyme) about something you see or read here and get entered to win one of four painted miniatures. To date we only have two entrants, so your chances are excellent. Don't be shy!

Next up, two Russian SU152 SP guns, another target for the Analogue contest. Painting is going well, I had a successful outing with my airbrush, and I am about to start experimenting with my Vallejo pigment set. Should be very exciting. Plus a pack of 20mm Revell Soviet Cossacks jumped onto the painting desk, jealous of the 28mm Front Rank SYW Russian Hussars I've started. It looks like February will be the month of Ivan here at Mad Padre Wargames. May God prosper your brushes and your die rolls!

13 comments:

  1. Nice pea pattern, Padre! Well done. I've tried to do that in both 28mm and 15mm and it's a tough one in any scale, but worth doing. I've even done the modern Swiss camo for a role-playing game.
    You're examples are just fine. As for the white or black priming, my jury's still out. I usually black prime and then basecoat in a light colour for light coloured stuff.

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  2. Excellent painting. I think you have done a great job with the pea-dot. It's certainly not the easiest but there is no doubting that you have got it right. :-)

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  3. Nice work Mike, love the way you've painted these guys and don't forget somebodies bad guy was also somebody else's good guy.

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  4. Well done on the tricky peadot Mike. Have to agree about the slightly unusual poses on some of the CP miniatures.

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  5. That pea dot looks prettygood from here.

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  6. Outstanding, Mike. I love the camo. SS Pea Dot and Oak Tree are the bain of my existence!! I always have a hard time with it. You make it look easy! NIcely done,

    Steve

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  7. Thanks chaps, I appreciate the encouragement. It's good to know I'm in the ballpark at any rate. I'm not an historical stickler but I want it to be recognizable.
    @Steve - I actually found the Pea Dot easier to do than the German splinter patterns, particularly the kind worn by German paras. I have a platoon of mid war German FJ types to do when I'm feeling brave.

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  8. They look great- the camo pattern looks spot on to me. What paints did you end up using?

    Cheers,

    Pete.

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  9. I like the look of the camo on these figures. The white(?) picks the figure up immensely.

    Mike: I missed your request in re my 7YW-type rule set. Can't think how - I monitor comments fairly closely, I thought. Word of warning: they are old school - the sort of thing Methuselah might have played in his youth - and still in a (fairly) formative state. Having said that, and if you're still interested, how do I get a copy to you?
    Cheers,
    Ion

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  10. Well done Mike, certainly recognizable to me as peadot.

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  11. Thank you Ion and Paul. Much apprecated. I agree the the white undercoat is the way to go for this paint scheme. Ion, I got the rules on my email today, looking forward to examing them this week.

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  12. Wonderful models. They are looking great warriors. Trees Planet

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