And so it begins

With the recent completion of my Micro Armour test models and bases I decided it was time for me to commit to this 'new' scale and buy some models. As already stated I want to collect forces for a Western Desert campaign using 6mm models with the Flames of War rules. To that end I have been looking through the various North Africa themed Intelligence Handbooks and have decided to shift my focus from 1941 to mid 1942 because I feel that was a more dynamic period and gives the widest range of vehicles for me to choose from. 

My intention is to build several medium sized companies for the Afrika Korp and the British Commonwealth forces facing them. I placed my first order yesterday so hopefully I can get started painting these by the weekend. I ordered enough vehicles and infantry to make a whole Tank Company for the Afrika Korp (I'll get the British models later) and all for just £30 including postage! 

• 10x    Pzkw IV Ausf D 
• 5x      Pzkw II Ausf B 
• 5x      Pzkw I Ausf B 
• 6x      SdKfz 231 '8 RAD'
• 50x    Afrika Korps Infantry

The equivalent force in 15mm from battlefront would probably have cost me close to £200, maybe £150 if I shopped around or bought alternatives from the likes of Plastic Soldier Company or Forged in Battle. This little lot won't take me long to paint either and then I'll buy the British. I could get used to this! 

I'm still working on a few other things as well, including a large batch of desert bases ready for these vehicles. I'm also working on my long suffering 15mm Panzergrenadiers and I may get little more of these painted while I wait for the Afrika Korps to arrive. Plus I think the Delvers have a game this Friday and I may be called upon to run my HEX game, so I guess I need to prepare for that. Busy busy busy!

Airborne Assault at Duxford

Its the kids Autumn half term and I have a long weekend off to spend a bit of time with the family. So on Saturday we braved the driving rain and single digit temperatures to revisit the IWM Duxford probably for the last time this year. As Friends of Duxford we had free entry so it was a cheep day out for us and because its such a massive site there are plenty of new things to see. Indeed I found an area that I hadn't been into before, the British Army regimental museum of the Parachute Regiment (named Airborne Assault). This dedicated display area is inside the AirSpace hanger and here are a few pictures from inside.

An amazing painting of the D-Day Landing Zones for the Parachute Regiment

An impressive collection of weapons used by the Regiment

One of many training posters for the new parachute troops

Life sized model of the Pilot and Co-Pilot of a Horsa Glider

'The Airborne Soldier' sculpted by Gilbert Ledward in 1946-47

Regimental Drum with Battle Honours 

The VC of Lance Sergeant John Daniel Baskeyfield for his bravery at Arnhem in 1944

Regimental flag with Battle Honours

Another training poster

A modern Parachute soldier

This was a really interesting little museum with several models and some incredible 3D maps of key battles in the regiments history. These maps were really difficult to photograph (behind glass and lit by spotlights) so I don't have any good pictures pictures to share. But I'll be coming back to Duxford again eventually and I'll definitely get another opportunity to get a good picture. If your interesting in the British Parachute Regiment this is a really interesting little museum and well worth a visit. 

First 6mm Tanks off the Production Line

Following on from my earlier post about bases here's my first batch of 6mm tanks based up, labelled and varnished. A trio of Tigers to give the Allied a headache.

Tiger Platoon

Base Labels

Now that I have painted my 'test' models I'm really happy with the way these turned out. I wish I'd discovered micro armour years ago, but now I need to make up for lost time! Guess I'll be hitting the internet this evening and exercising the credit card!! 

Desert Bases for 6mm

Bases and base dressing is as important for 6mm or micro armour miniatures as it is for 15mm or 28mm figures. Good basing can make a well painted army look fantastic and can even make a mediocre painted model look impressive. Back in the early days of wargaming it was an often overlooked part of modelling but in recent years it has been increasingly recognised by gamers as an important element of army painting. So when I decided to buy and paint two new armies for 6mm micro armour wargames set in the Western Desert in WWII I knew I needed to get the base design right as early as possible. 

I painted my first 6mm tanks a couple of weeks ago but held off from basing them until I had made some choices about design. The idea being that whatever base design I settled upon would be the standard that I would use for the whole army whether I painted models for it now or in a years time. I want a consistent look across my armies even if I continue to build and paint for them for many years to come. First off I made up a batch of mixed sand and modelling gravel with roughly 2 parts sand to one part gravel (Woodland Scenic's medium Tallus).

Once I had created my basing gravel I added it to several bases so I could experiment with a range of base colours and highlights until I had found the 'right' shades. Below are some examples of the different combinations I tried.

Test A

Base - 822 Middlestone 

Mid Tone - 821 German Camo Beige

Highlight - 918 Ivory

Test B

Base - 822 Middlestone 

Mid Tone - 821 German Camo Beige

Highlight - 918 Ivory

Wash - GW Devlan Mud

Test C

Base - 822 Middlestone 

Mid Tone - 821 German Camo Beige

Highlight - 918 Ivory

Wash - W&N Peat Brown

Test D (i, ii, iii, iv)

Base - 921 English Uniform

Mid Tone - 912 Tan Yellow

Highlight -

i 847 Dark Sand (Upper L)

ii 918 Ivory - St Drybrush (Upper R)

iii 918 Ivory - Lt Drybrush (Bottom L)

iv 918 Ivory - Lt Drybrush+Wash (Bot R)

Test E

Base - 983 Flat Earth

Mid Tone - 882 Middlestone

Highlight - 819 Iraqi Sand 

Test F

Base - 983 Flat Earth

Mid Tone - 912 Tan Yellow

Highlight - 819 Iraqi Sand

In the end I went with Test Diii (Base - 921 English Uniform, Mid Tone - 912 Tan Yellow, Highlight - 918 Ivory) but to be absolutely sure I then painted up a set of bases to check the consistency of my method and the finished look on a whole set of bases. I have made these with a flat area on one edge so I can add a label. 

I appreciate my choice of colours may not be to everyone's taste but it looks right to me. I wanted something light but with some depth of colour and variation in texture that would represent the rocky and barren ground of the Western Desert. So long as I am consistent with this pallet in future I think it will look really good across the two armies I will be painting. 

Now I will go and fix my first batch of tanks to their new bases. I still have a little more work to do - all the bases will need to be labelled and I will then varnish and add Dullcoat to protect the paintwork - but hopefully I can put some pictures up soon.