Spanish ISAF Soldier

[Suber]

I've wanted for a long time a model representing a Spanish Soldier serving in Afghanistan. Shamefully there is a complete lack of this kind of minis, even considering that there is a number of Spanish modelling companies into the wargames and/or general stuff world.

So I had to take the task on my own. I was looking for an exposition model rather than wargaming ones (that will come too -hopefully soon, but I'm afraid that not today) and I finally chose the 72mm. US Navy Seal by Knightmodels as a starting point:



Yes, I know, I know, this is a scuba diver and I'm trying to get a desert trooper. I'm nuts I enjoy challenges . So, green stuff time!

First of all I needed the M-16 to become a G36. This is what I got:







There are lots of wrong things up there, that's not accurate at all, I know, but that's the top of my humble skills so far.
You can find the explanations about why I chose this model and my other mumblings about this over here:

http://oldschoolworkshop.blogspot.com.es/2013/02/spanish-isaf-soldier-pt1-beginning-and.html

Hope you like it! I'll go on the body quite soon .

[Christian]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with that! I can't comment on the accuracy but I think it will look great painted!

[carlos marighela]

Nice work. If you want to model the Spanish army in smaller scale you might want to look at converting the Eureka or Lead Adventure Miniatures Bundeswehr figures, they both come armed with G-36s

[pocoloco]

Nice start! There are no modern Finnish troops available either, unfortunately. And unfortunately my GS skills are non-existing so I can´t improve the situation either.

[Suber]

Thanks you all! Well, this is a soft beginning, just a weapon. Hopefully you will see the body soon.
BTW, thank you, Carlos, I've already purchased some 28mm minis for that. Don't know when I will have the opportunity to paint them, but I'm really eager to do so...

[ivelilla]

good work (buen trabajo), I like the way you solved the weapon.

About the lack of spanish soldiers...Yes it's really something that, we spanish manufacturers (we are vepaminiatures) need to solve.

But is also a reality that the spanish market is very small (0,3% of our sales), and also the biggest problem ¡¡¡ all the people ask us about USA soldiers¡¡¡ ajjaja.

We need to make a film with Spanish soldiers (a spanish Rambo jejeje), all the people (including spanish people) are asking us, to make USA soldiers like in films. (equipment etc). 

[carlos marighela]

I would buy Spanish soldiers. Contemporary ones and also for the Ifni War. If you asked if there was any prospect of 28mm Portuguese soldiers for the Guerra do Ultramar a couple of years ago, most people would have said no, yet Eureka produced a range and I believe it has sold quite well.

[Suber]

Of course I understand what Ivelilla says, Spanish wargamer community is not massive, and there is not a strong demand for Spanish soldiers. Maybe it's also because our own prejudices/ideas about ourselves (but that would be a totally different topic worth of a thread on its own).

As a matter of fact I'm commissioning Clearco (the scupltor of those wonderful zombie survivor girls) for a few 28mm. modern Spanish Soldiers. I have nothing at 1/72, not my scale, but if Vepaminiatures produces something, I might have a look upon it quite favourably .

Some weeks ago a guy in a Spanish forum asked precisely for some minis for the Sidi Ifni War, and we were all desolated seeing that it was pretty difficult to find suitable models for that (if anybody has an idea for that, it would be wonderful!).

I'm getting some progress on my 72mm. model, BTW. I'll show you in a few days

[Junkers]

Nice to see more wargamers from Spain (and from Madrid too!) here =)

I agree with you all, it would be absolutely awesome if some manufacturer would make some miniatures of modern Spanish Armed Forces in 28mm, now it's a big gap in the miniature and wargaming market that need to be filled. (be sure that I would purchase a lot!)







I play wargames in different scales and sometimes manufacturers are open-minded for new ideas. By example, I didn't find anywhere any model of our loved BMR armoured troop carrier in 1/72 (20mm). I sent an e-mail to S&S models (british manufacturer) and they accepted to create it...some weeks later the models were in their catalogue -I think with good sales-.

For your current project, I think some Eureka bundeswehr miniatures could be a good place to start with minor conversions but the problem is the enormous shipping costs of this manufacturer for Spain.
There is an italian manufacturer who produce italian and french modern soldiers, maybe could be modified with some work (more the italian than the french ones).

Now I'm thinking in a new project very similar, but I want some miniatures to represent police forces of Spain, specially the Guardia Civil GAR Unit.



Some photos about the unit I want to represent (I just need to find the correct miniatures to do it!):

[carlos marighela]

With a bit of conversion these would work and Eureka sell chest webbing for their French you can buy separately to work with. Of course it would be nice to have a dedicated range.

[carlos marighela]

These three have been very versatile figures. I've use the sniper as a US marine and  Brazilian sniper with just a paint conversion. The middle guy got a trim to shoulder pads, chest webbing added and his weapon replaced with a FAMAS and he now serves with my French (I suppose he is the Foreign Legion), the last chap has also been converted into a USMC scout sniper by swapping the G-36 for an M203.

[Suber]

For a starting point I got the LAM German Marines, they're wonderfully sculpted and will need only minor conversions. Junkers, you might as well be interested in Clearco's stuff, so let's wait and see what he ends up doing (I'm quite confident I'll like what he'll achieve).

Coming back to this thread's very project, I'm afraid that I can only show you slow progress. I managed to do this to the body:



I didn't dare to retrieve the backpack, so I finally used it as a 'camelbak' (an oversized one, I'm afraid )



Here you have my comments on the sculpting:
http://oldschoolworkshop.blogspot.com.es/2013/03/spanish-isaf-soldier-pt2-body.html

Hope you like it!

[Clearco]

Looking very good Suber! 

I was thinking it could be maybe a good idea to use a bit of sandpaper to achieve that the weapon has more marked straight lines

[Suber]

Yeah, you're totally right, but I don't know if green stuff would take the sandpaper right . I should have rather used milliput or so for the gun. [Sigh] One keeps on learning new things everyday...

[emosbur]

Of course I understand what Ivelilla says, Spanish wargamer community is not massive, and there is not a strong demand for Spanish soldiers. Maybe it's also because our own prejudices/ideas about ourselves (but that would be a totally different topic worth of a thread on its own).

As a matter of fact I'm commissioning Clearco (the scupltor of those wonderful zombie survivor girls) for a few 28mm. modern Spanish Soldiers. I have nothing at 1/72, not my scale, but if Vepaminiatures produces something, I might have a look upon it quite favourably .

Some weeks ago a guy in a Spanish forum asked precisely for some minis for the Sidi Ifni War, and we were all desolated seeing that it was pretty difficult to find suitable models for that (if anybody has an idea for that, it would be wonderful!).

Not sure about Sidi-Ifni uniforms, but... how about US Vietnam for parachutists? And american figurines with WWII german heads for infantry?

I'm getting some progress on my 72mm. model, BTW. I'll show you in a few days

Not sure about Sidi-Ifni uniforms, but... how about US Vietnam for parachutists? And american figurines with WWII german heads for infantry?