Project Kursk : the scenic view

It's not all tanks and weaponry. A game of this scale (150 1:56 vehicles in case you'd missed that bit....)  needs a fair bit of table covering too. 

I've had one of the hamlets from warlord games  awaiting some attention for a while now, and it wouldn't be right to have this mega game without putting it to use, so the buildings have seen a swift brush. 

They will receive basing after the game, as I don't want to get them mixed up with the guildford games club ones, which I painted exactly the same and are already based! 

The plan for this weekend had been to work on some of my Vehicles from the Winter War kickstarter, which I had meant to pick up at warfare a few weeks back. However, that didn't happen and I'm finding myself in the same boat as a lot of other WW backers, awaiting miniatures which I was led to believe would already be with me. I have upmost confidence in Gav of Baker Company that I'll get my product, but it is rather frustrating. It now looks like I might be somewhat short of my previously posted armour list, as 20 vehicles haven't even arrived yet! 

14 days to go..... Just one weekend..... Fingers crossed! 

Project Kursk: finally, soviet armour!

But it is on the small side..... 

5 lend lease universal carriers. Bolt action / warlord games plastic kits, with Baker Company heads from the winter war kickstarter. 

These little transports have been rigged with a variety of weapons for their on board troops to utilise - 1 Bren gun, 2DPM LMGs, and 2 anti tank rifles. They may also be used to carry some of my scouts / anti tank squads from time to time, but I mostly got them purely as I wanted to paint them :) 

18 days to go.....

Project Kursk: the Hollywood flank

Anyone else confused yet? 

It's a tank project. Until now within these updates I've painted infantry and artillery support units. 

It's titled Kursk. And the first armoured brigade I'm working on since I started blogging my progress is Americans. 

Conclusion : it's a hobby. I like painting. I also like history. But I do it all for fun and don't take any of it too seriously, so I simply hope you enjoy the pics :)

10 28mm shermans from warlord games, and 3 half tracks. Should the soviets need help, the "Hollywood flank" will be unleashed! 

 These are all sill a wip - weathering and chipping all need to be added, but the insignia and markings were added using pre production stencils / masks from Anarchy models new kickstarter and this is the best moment to photograph for seeing those. 

ANARCHY MODELS H.S. STENCILS: 

All the allied stars, USA markings, and soviet stars on another 6 vehicles were added in just 40 minutes. It's was my first try with the new stencils so there was a little learning time in that too, but they certainly live up to the HS ( High Speed) name. You can see through them when they are against the model so positioning is easy, and the paint wipes straight off cleanly meaning you never have any build up issues and they should last forever! 

There are limitations, mainly caused by the size of the protective surroundings on the stencils which prevent you from getting markings into some tighter spots between details. You do also get a very slight fuzzy edge around the markings wherever the stencil is held away from the surface of the piece by moulded detail. 

If it was a display piece, these things may be slight problems, but I guess that's where the original range of "HD" stencils come into play. I've been using those since Brians (Anarchy models) previous kickstarter to great effect on my many soviets and you realy can get those into place on and over any amount of fine details. 

These are a fast process, and ideal for mass or fast painting, with very good end results. They bend and form over curved surfaces and offer good procptection to the rest of the model in the process. For more awkward ares or smaller models, the "HD" line will continue to be my go-to, but certainly in conjunction with this new range. 

Check out the kickstarter for some good offers on the new range, but Harry, it's in it's last few days! 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/805848592/anarchy-models-hs-stencils-flexible-and-fully-re-u

Project Kursk: the guns get bigger

So it's really a tank project, and I started with infantry... I know... I know.... 

But ignoring your cries for some heavy armour, here's a slight step in the right direction - some larger pieces of ordinance have made their way off the bench. 

120mm mortar: the big space on the base is for the trailer rig which comes with the tube( all from BTD) , but which I've completely mislaid so will have to be added later! 

And not one, but two 57mm anti tank guns, which will be being towed until deployment by my forces captured hanomags. 

Actually, because it's meant to be an armour log, here's a couple of things which I painted a while back, but have never posted photos of before - my IS2. Pride and joy of the panther hunting forces already painted and ready for the 14th!

And the ever reliable SU122 

New tanks next time! 

Project Kursk - the preview

A couple of weeks ago, we ran a "little" test game at our local club to try out some ideas of how to handle a game with so many vehicles involved. It went really well, and master of ceremonies, mr Eddie "the Fez" Turner set out some of the WIP forces for a couple of promo shots. I knocked a couple myself for use on the blog, but forgot to post them at the time! 

That's 20 panthers eddie's putting together to form the core of the axis forces. It's a pretty scary sight! Thankfully what's seen here is just a fraction of the soviet / allied forces, but even so! 

Here's the hobbybrush workbench as of a week or so ago. 

Listings change, as I may have to sell a few before the event, but there's more in the post as well to compensate! 

SOVIETS:

20  x t34/85 (inc 3 OT variants)

3  x T34/76

1 x IS2

1 x captured panther

2 x KV 1

2 x KV2

1 x KV8

1 x SU76

1 x SU85

1 x SU100

1 x SU122

2 x SU122/152

2 x captured hanomags, which will be towing 57mm AT guns

5 x universal carriers

3 x T26a

6 x T26b

3 x Kht26

1 x T70

3 x BA10m

1 x BA64

And a few jeeps, trucks and associated unarmed vehicles 

US allies:

10 x Sherman

3 x M3 half tracks, filled with as many bazooka teams as I can compile (anyone got spare zooks to trade?!?)

Germans: 

They're unlikely to get painted in time.... Ad frankly who cares? ;op 

So there's a bit to do...... Then there's infantry to match it.... But not specifically for this game thank god! 

Project Kursk - the countdown

Well, I have the workshop back running at speed again, and there's a big game approaching on December 14th (see here : http://fez-man.blogspot.co.uk/p/bolt-action-fez-kursk-1945-th-november.html ) so it's time to drag mysf away from twilight and random painting to once again focus on the big picture - 28mm soviets 

Mainly armour, but a few infantry and artillery thrown into the mix too. 

My own, personal, aim is to be taking 70 vehicles of various classes to the game. Yes 70. Yes 28mm. Any further questions? 

Let the countdown begin! 21 days til Armageddon. 

I'm easing myself in with some infantry (specifically scouts, hence the amoeba camo suits)  and medium mortars. Figures are black tree. Bases are mdf from warbases.co.uk. 

It's not all twilight.... Some of it is grim dark....

Yup, I've moved away from Anyaral for a little while, and as a stepping stone to my "real" project of 28mm ww2, 40k drew the attention of my brush. Can't remember the last time that happened, but a squad of Cadian IG who have been waiting over a decade for a quick lick of paint finally got what they deserved :) 

These are for sale. Drop me a line if your interested! 

On to the Dhogu....

The last of my days available for painting Anyaral: World of Twilight has not passed for a while, with other random projects looming, not to mention a massive bolt action tank battle to prepare for on December 15 (details here if your interested! http://fez-man.blogspot.co.uk/p/bolt-action-fez-kursk-1945-th-november.html) 

Anyone interested in purchasing some well painted 28mm soviet armour, please drop me a line. They're all being painted to a high standard, and will have lived in a cabinet with only the one careful use - ie they'll be pristine! 

Back to the topic in hand. World of twilight, and my little dhogu force is complete. Dodged ipad photos once again. Proper camera will be in action at some point for a proper web update. 

The force:

dhogu bows: 

Trappers:

Captain:

Dhogu spears:

Warlord on yirnak:

And, of course, the ever- present Skerrat!

Keep an eye on the blog for lots of non- twilight painting coming up! 

Back to the core of the fubarnii empire....

The core of the fubarnii empire gets reinforcements.... 

Please excuse the weird looking rds - ipad photos rather than my usual hobbybrush rig - it doesn't like reds :( 

Militia captain. 

 

 

 

Slingers and Ryhad 

 

 

Mounted slingers / light cavalry and mounted herder Ryhad. Some of my favourites to date. 

 

The big and small of clan Orel

Tiny critters from the World of Twilight...

And something up the other end of the scale - the Clan Orel captain, riding a mighty Grakukan. 

Lots more from Anyaral: World of Twilight has been on the hobbybrush workbenches lately. More to come! 

Clan Orel - more Anyaral fubarnii in progress.

More 28mm fantasy from excellent the Anyaral; World of Twilight range which has crossed the hobbybrush workbench lately. 

clan Orel militia and captain:

Clan Orel light knights:

Graku- can never have too many Graku;

Little and often...

Those were the words I've told a number of friends who we're thinking of blogging. It's sound advice which I've totally ignored myself!

No promises, as nobody will believe me anyway, but let's try random photos or notes, regularly,  without needing to have web updates......

First up, Anyaral painting on the desk!

Fubarnii nobles:

Devanu:

Grishak Jenta: