Painting Diary - Late war WW2 British and Germans

[Timbo1974]

I haven't got them yet, Monday if all goes well with the post, but my intention is to show my progress here from opening the initial opening of the packages all the way through to getting them on the table.  The purpose here is twofold: firstly I'm hoping to make this easy work for myself by getting as much advice as I can from all you friendly folk who've "been there done that" and secondly I hope this will prove to be useful to others who are thinking of starting a project like this.

They're going to be used with Blitzkrieg Commander (hence getting the BKC deals) but I'd also really like to use these with I Ain't Been Shot Mum as it has fantastic solo playability.

Here's the breakdown of my order:

BKC7 - BKC Starter British armoured battalion
1 x BR116 - Command group
1 x BR70 - White scout car (1)
1 x BR61 - Humber AC
9 x BR30 - Sherman V (M4A4) 75mm Gun / BR30A - Camouflaged Sherman V (M4A4) 75mm gun / BR34 - Sherman III (M4A2) 75mm Gun
3 x BR33 - Sherman Vc (M4A4) 'Firefly' 17pdr Gun

BKC8 - BKC Starter British armoured infantry battalion
1 x BR70 - White scout car (1)
8 x BR7 - Bren Carrier & Crew / BR7A - Camouflaged Bren carrier & crew (2)
8 x BR46 - M3 Halftrack / BR47 - M3 Halftrack + Tilt
1 x BR24 - 6pdr A/T & Crew (2)
3 x BR1 - Riflemen / BR2 - Sten / BR3 - Bren / BR6 - Officers / BR23 - Riflemen Firing
2 x BR4 - Vickers HMG (2) x3
2 x BR9 - 3" Mortar & Crew x3
3 x BR49 - Morris Commercial 3/4 Ton Truck

Extra British Stuff
2 x BR5 - Piat Team (2) x3
1 x BR18 - Radio Operators (5)
1 x BR28 - 17pdr A/T & Crew (1)
1 x BR51 - Bofors 40mm AA Gun & Crew (2)
1 x BR98 - 'Monty'
1 x BR26 - 75mm Pack Howitzer & Crew (2)
1 x BR55 - Riflemen Slouch Hat
1 x BR56 - Sten Slouch Hat
1 x BR57 - Bren Slouch Hat
1 x BR73 - Churchill crocodile
1 x BR83 - Combat engineers
1 x BR104 - Dorchester command vehicle
1 x BR107 - Commandos mixed weapons

BKC11 - BKC Starter German Panzer Battalion
1 x GR168 - Command group
1 x GR100 - Sdkfz 253 command vehicle
2 x GR132 - SDKFZ 222 A/c
8 x GR32 - Pz IVG / GR33 - Pz IVH + Armoured Skirts
3 x GR68 - Panther / GR68A - Panther zimmerit (1)  / GR68B - Panther camouflaged (1)
3 x GR84 - Tiger I

BKC12 - BKC Starter German Infantry Battalion
1 x GR10 - Kubelwagon (2)
3 x GR1 - Riflemen / GR2 - MP40 / GR6 - Pz Faust / GR42 - Riflemen with STG44
2 x GR3 - MG34 (2) x3 / GR4 - MG42 (2) x3
2 x GR15 - 8cm GWR34 Motar & Crew x3
1 x GR88 - Sdkfz 251/9 short 75mm
1 x GR58 - Sdkfz 10/4 20mm AA Halftrack
3 x GR12 - Opel Blitz Truck / GR55- Opel Blitz Truck with Canvas Tilt

Extra German Stuff
1 x GR7 - Officers
1 x GR16 - Radio Operators (5)
2 x GR29 - Sdkfz 251/1 Ausf C
1 x GR29A - Camouflaged Sdkfz251/1 Ausf C
1 x GR38 - PAK 40 & Crew (2)
1 x GR70 - Jagdpanther
1 x GR73 - Combat Engineers
1 x GR167 - Sniper
1 x GR190 - Command Trailer
1 x GR191 - Tank Commanders
1 x GR75 - 75mm IG & Crew (2)
1 x GR76 - 120mm Mortar & Crew (2)

My plan was to base everything on 2mm plasticard in the standard Warmaster size of 20mm x 40mm but I'll wait until I see the miniatures before cutting any bases.  Although the trend currently seems to be bigger bases, around 30x50.  Any suggestions on bases sizes would be greatly appreciated.

So there you have it, my plans all laid out.  Hopefully I'll get up some photos of my initial progress in a couple days.

Timbo

[nikharwood]

Excellent - looking forward to following your progress!

I use the basing suggestions that Pete had in BKC I:

CO: 50 x 50
HQs: 40 x 40
Infantry / Recce /Transport: 25 x 50
ATGs / AA: 40 x 40
AFVs: 30 x 50
Artillery: 40 x 50

I get my bases from Tony at ERM [here: http://shop.eastridingminiatures.co.uk/pre-cut-mdf-bases-16-c.asp ] - the 2mm MDF is easier to pick up etc than thinner plasticard...

[Pruneau]

I have never played WW II on tabletop - ASL man myself - but I'll be following this closely.  Excellent initiative!

[Dazza]

looks like a plan!

I tend to use my own base sizes as i have both sides to play, therefore it dont matter as long as they are uniform.

I use same as Nik tbh   but my infantry and supposrt weapons are different

support :  25x30 ( 1 to a base)
infantry : 30x25  (4 to a base)
AFV's :  sized to suit  normally 30x40 , 25x40 or 30x25 (jeep)

most then are same as Nik except my small HQ units for show are 25mm round, and mid sized battalion HQ are 40mm round

hope this helps, but BKC allows you to use whatever size u want as long as both sides are the same...........  tbh i bet IABSM would also m8.

[Timbo1974]

THEY'RE HERE!



I'm simply amazed!  Not only is David incredibly helpful and all round nice guy, his ability to predict International delivery dates is amazing.  "Should be there Monday" he said and Monday it was.  My miniatures arrived in two parcels and each one was packed well, none of that "jam it all in one package" that you tend to get from those other manufacturers these days.  Some of the larger armour have slight bends in the guns and one has broken off but it looks like a clean break and that's nothing that can't be remedied with a drill and some glue.  I've had 28mm miniatures turn up in way worse condition than this. 

The first package:


The second one:


Every pack of minis is labelled.  And the BKC packs are packaged with labelled bags inside labelled bags.


Even Monty got his own labelled bag.


Here's a shot of everything.


I'll try to get some more photos up tonight after I've sorted through them all.

Timbo

[Timbo1974]

Ignore that date in the photos, in my excitement I've set the date on the camera to the 10^th rather than the 15^th

[Timbo1974]

Here we are at the end of day one, well really more like 4am in the morning of day two  :.  These are a lot of fun to paint.  I've just blocked in the colours here, no shading or highlights as I'll be using Army Painter dip to do all that for me.  I haven't undercoated the minis for two reasons, firstly I'm lazy (nuff said) and secondly the army painter creates a very strong protective surface which should keep the paint safe.  Besides people should be picking these up by the bases and not the minis...

Colours used are:
Uniform: Tamiya Khaki (XF49)
Helmet: Tamiya Khaki Drab (XF51)
Blets & Webbing: Tamiya Buff (XF57)
Flesh: Games Workshop Dwarven Flesh

   
   


Ok I'm off to grab a few hours sleep before I head off to work.  With a little luck I'll have these finished and based tonight and maybe even start on the German infantry.

Timbo

[Leon]

Excellent Tim, glad to see you're happy with the figures and the service!  It's interesting to see the figures from the other end, after we've cast them and packaged them.

Although I will have to steal the credit for predicting the delivery date, as I deal with the emails and always sign off as 'Dave' (Everyone knows him so it saves people asking who I am!)

[Megamatman]

I am also Dave

Dave is one and many people

Nice work so far Timbo.

I'm looking forward to seeing the progress with this.

Matt

[nikharwood]

I've suddenly come over all Monty Python...

"I'm Dave...and so is my wife"

[Timbo1974]

So many Dave's (Dave-ie?).  Well to Dave (I did speak to the real Dave at least once... Right?) and all the other Dave's I say thank you for your respective efforts in a purchase that was refreshingly uncomplicated and I look forward to more business in the near future.

Wait... you're sure my wife can't see this right? 

[Leon]

No problem, happy to help.  If you got any emails that said "Hi, cheers, dave" that'll be him.   He's always busy working/casting so doesn't get much time to spend answering emails or on here.  Maybe we should change Dave's account to 'Legion' though?!

[Aart Brouwer]

My miniatures arrived in two parcels and each one was packed well, none of that "jam it all in one package" that you tend to get from those other manufacturers these days.

Hear, hear. 

The overall quality of the figures I ordered not too long ago is excellent, the packaging was professional and they (or was it just Dave? :) added some spare parts in case replacements or repairs were needed - which they weren't...

Cheers,
Aart

[Timbo1974]

Haven't done as much painting as I'd hoped (real life *sigh*) but I thought I'd post a few shots of where I'm at.  I started painting the British armour but the Tamiya olive drab goes on like green water.  It goes on almost perfectly if I use the airbrush but that's in the shed, and it makes a lot of noise, and I'm lazy... so multiple coats it is.  While they were drying I started on the German armour, I'm using Mr Hobby (H403) for these and that paint goes on very smooth and behaves much like the GW paints I've got.  I may have to get some more of this range.

I was intending to do a more subdued camo scheme on the Tigers but I thought the bigger tanks could handle a more striking scheme without it dominating the model.  I'm not completely happy with the one in the left of the photo but I'll hold reservation until after the army painter goes on.  The smaller tanks will have the subdued scheme.  The camo was built up with multiple layers of very watered down Red Brown (XF64) and Olive Green (XF58) and finally a thin darker more defined stripe was painted over the top of the layers.  I like the effect I just think my pattern just need more work.

 

 

Tomorrow I'll finish the camo and then go over and detail the equipment, hatches, grilles etc.  Once that's done I'll put the decals on and then make the decision if they need any more work.

[Leon]

Looking good already, especially the Tiger's!