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Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: Westfalia Chris on 08 June 2012, 06:04:14 PM

Title: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 08 June 2012, 06:04:14 PM
Hi all,

I finally got around taking some decent shots of the marvellous Lead Adventure Miniatures "German Marines", which I got at this year's Tactica. Then they had to wait three months for Round 10 of the LPL for their first outing, and now they have their own thread. I've decided to post them here as they are more "ultramodern" rather than Postapocalyptic, although I will most likely use them in PA "n+1th Russian Civil War" games, e.g. raiding the Tyrant of St. Petersburg's stronghold, containing the ravening radiation zombie hordes of Bornholm, etc. pp.

Here's the Marines in camo gear first. I didn't paint them in an "exact replica" of a proper camouflage scheme, but instead aimed to get one that looks reasonably like a modern pattern.

(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/Christian_S_1979/Modelling%20and%20Miniatures/Radiant%20Prospekts/MSK_LANDING_PARTY.jpg)

Next, the set of Waffentauchers in wetsuits. Again, I settled for a rather nondescript, greenish-grey look.

(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/Christian_S_1979/Modelling%20and%20Miniatures/Radiant%20Prospekts/MSK_WAFFENTAUCHER.jpg)

Moving on, an RHIB to carry the Marines on their mission:

(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/Christian_S_1979/Modelling%20and%20Miniatures/Radiant%20Prospekts/MSK_RHIB_01.jpg)

A bit on the larger side, for the long-distance leg and to act as a "spawn/exit point marker" on the tabletop, a fuel-cell attack submarine loosely based on German designs. It's supposed to be a small craft for littoral and commando operations.

(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/Christian_S_1979/Modelling%20and%20Miniatures/Radiant%20Prospekts/MSK_U-79_AIP_ATTACK_SUB_1.jpg)

To finish, a "mood shot" of a rendezvous off Kieler Förde.

(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/Christian_S_1979/Modelling%20and%20Miniatures/Radiant%20Prospekts/MSK_OPERATION_KRONSTADT.jpg)

Hope you like them. If I can keep up the motivation, I may also build some more ships and maybe crew, especially a Kaleu for the sub as there doesn't seem to be a set of Post-War submarine crew on the market (hint hint to those who might be able to produce figures matching the LAM Marines, hint hint ;)).
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Captain Blood on 08 June 2012, 06:29:35 PM
Excellent Chris  :-*
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: FunkyBrush on 08 June 2012, 06:51:58 PM
Very cool stuff
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Prof.Witchheimer on 08 June 2012, 06:55:31 PM
well done, Chris, fine work on the camouflage!
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Predatorpt on 08 June 2012, 06:57:07 PM
And is that a scratchbuilt sub?  :o
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 08 June 2012, 07:57:11 PM
And is that a scratchbuilt sub?  :o

Yes, indeed - unfortunately, as is my usual problem, I built it too quickly to take any informative WIP pictures.

Basically, there are two horizontal slabs of 3mm PVC hardfoam, with a longitudinal spar and three supports as spacers. This is covered in a layer of .5mm plasticard, cut to fit and sanded smooth. The panel lines are engraved, although I decided against riveting them - while the actual Type 209, 212 and 214 submarines (which were the inspiration) have some rivets visible, I thought it wouldn't look "right" with the model, especially for the slightly "futuristic" look I wanted it to have.

Painting is a black spraypaint undercoat, onto which I sponged thin layers of Black Grey, Grey Green and slight weathering with a pale blue-greenish tinge. Mainly algae, as the sub is likely coated in some anechoic plastic material which will not rust.

As an aside, the turret can be removed and is held in place by two pegs. I did this for storage reasons, and to be able to place it in an "ice slab base" for "Ice Station Zebra" style scenarios. I'll take some more pics once I get the camera battery recharged.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Predatorpt on 08 June 2012, 08:03:24 PM
Reading your description of how you did it, it sounds so simple that I'm eager to try it myself (even though I have no need for a sub for my games). Thanks for the explanation and congratulation on an overall great work!
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Legion1963 on 08 June 2012, 08:50:24 PM
I really like that sort of thing. Very well done. Especially the camo, it might not be totally correct but it has got an excellent 'feel' to it.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Raxxus on 08 June 2012, 08:58:29 PM
Awsome stuff mate! :)
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces in Action - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Brummie Thug on 09 June 2012, 08:21:14 AM
Nicely done love you sea vessels. Love that last picture awesome  :-*
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: carlos marighela on 09 June 2012, 11:34:30 AM
Wow  Chris, those are just lovely. I just ordered some last week so, that's some real inspiration. Just out of curiosity is the RHIB, the Propagand Kompanie one? I've been looking for one for ages and I think theirs is OOP at the moment.

Fantastic sub btw.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 09 June 2012, 12:12:53 PM
Wow  Chris, those are just lovely. I just ordered some last week so, that's some real inspiration. Just out of curiosity is the RHIB, the Propagand Kompanie one? I've been looking for one for ages and I think theirs is OOP at the moment.

No, the RHIB is scratchbuilt as well, and again, I got so caught up in building it that I forgot to take WIP shots. Basically, it's a very simple slab-sided hull made from plasticard, with two steel springs which I got at a crafts store. I chose that one for rigidity and regularity, but you could also build the float body from putty or carve it from balsa wood or PVC foam plates. I wasn't aware there was a model on the market when I built it, apart from the fact that sometimes, scratchbuilding is so much more fun for me.

Quote
Fantastic sub btw.

Thanks, and thanks to all others for the kind words!
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Commander Vyper on 09 June 2012, 12:24:40 PM
Both of those should be cast up Chris, massive potential for selling those vessels I reckon.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 09 June 2012, 12:58:37 PM
Both of those should be cast up Chris, massive potential for selling those vessels I reckon.

Not so sure about the submarine - it's 40x7cm (~16x2.5" for the metrically challenged ;)), so that would be a huge lump of resin, a killer in material cost and possibly shipping if one was to use alternative casting materials.

As for the RHIB, I'd considered it, but it has so many undercuts that my mould-making skills aren't up to it. Also, the proportions are off quite a bit for 28mm figures, and a proper model would need to look better and cleaner.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Steve F on 09 June 2012, 01:54:52 PM
Not so sure about the submarine - it's 40x7cm (~16x2.5" for the metrically challenged ;)), so that would be a huge lump of resin, a killer in material cost and possibly shipping if one was to use alternative casting materials.

Could it be cast in hollowed out segments, I wonder?
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 09 June 2012, 02:18:39 PM
Could it be cast in hollowed out segments, I wonder?

A hollow-cast hull would be possible, I guess, although it would be prone to warping. Sections could be a solution, especially as it would allow the modeller to use varying numbers of mid sections to produce a sub of a specific length. One could even add different bow and aft sections.

I wonder, though, if it would be more practical to instead do a range of submarine conning towers instead - those are not extremely huge, especially for diesel-electric and fuel-cell types, so could be easily placed on the table as a scenario marker, or one could build a hull to go beneath.

In any case, as I am still jobhunting and in no position to fund anything like that, it would be at least a year until I could do anything with it. That said, I'd be open to building a master model if somebody wants to give it a try.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Marine0846 on 10 June 2012, 03:33:33 AM
Sweet looking figures.
Hats off to you on the making of the "boats."
Grear stuff.
Title: Re: German Marine Special Forces - Some LAM Figures, RHIB, AIP Attack Sub
Post by: Blackwolf on 11 June 2012, 10:27:48 AM
Fantastic Chris,love the sub,really very good :-* :-* :-*