Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: AKULA on September 04, 2022, 09:46:14 PM
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A new sub-project for me…I’ve previously posted on LAF about my modern naval project which is set around the South China Sea, but I’ve decided to paint up some of the excellent Empress PLA.
While some of the vehicles I’ll be using date back to the Vietnam war, others are more recent so in order to keep within the rules of the board I’ll like to confirm from the outset that there won’t be any politics etc as per Chris’ rules clarification (below for reference).
you may open presentation threads for subjects after the year 2000s, provided these threads are only used to present and discuss actual models and miniatures. Note that political and social aspects are not to be part of these threads, including the discussion in detail of scenarios, rules etc. Keep it to the models, plain and simple.
Would appreciate it if anyone that posts comments could do the same :)
So first up a couple of test figures:
The figure on the left is one of the Empress PLA range armed with a QBZ-95 rifle (first issued in…1995, hence the name) - on the right is a TAG character with a headswop to give me an officer figure. Both are painted as per the Chinese PLA Marine Corps.
(https://i.imgur.com/LNizmbh.jpg)
The Chinese are going to be a core focus of this project as they offer plenty of scope for different scenarios, but I also plan on some forces for Vietnam, Taiwan and probably some US assets for “what-if” games.
I’m going to use a couple of different colour schemes for the PLA - “Ocean Pattern” for PLA marines, and “Woodland Pattern” for PLA regular army
(https://i.imgur.com/XMtKE8x.jpg)
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Vietnam is a bit trickier these days. The PAVN is switching over to home manufactured Galil derived rifles and Israeli LMGs. The marines, who form the garrisons in the SOuth China Sea islands have switched to Tavors. The tendency is to sport plastic K-pot type knock-offs these days rather than pith helmets.
Still plenty of AKs about, in fact there is a massive modernisation program in train and they will no doubt feature with militia units for decades more.
The old Dadi i Piombo range of Italians* featured AR70/90 rifles which can be made to look suitably Galil-like by simply removing the carry handle atop the receiver. There are probably suitable weapons in the ex-WF, now WG special forces box.
Good luck with the new project but keep plugging away with the post-nuke Britain one. I enjoy that immensely.
* Someone picked these up and they are still available, I just can’t remember for the life of me who that was at pres.
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Good luck with the new project but keep plugging away with the post-nuke Britain one. I enjoy that immensely.
Don’t worry, the post-nuke Britain project will continue to dwarf this one … and I’m still adding to it … it’s just that now and again I need a break from painting green, or white :)
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You are a machine dude, another new project.. Well looking forward to seeing it.
And yeah sourceing new modern PAVN is a bit harder once you get away from the militia reserve force.
I wounder if you can use some of the PLA figs as Vietnamese Marines. They are useing Tavor Bullpups last I checked.
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Spectre has some Chinese SF and they are working on doing a small range of Chinese Naval SF types as well.
At least with the Vietnamese you have a lot of Legacy equipment you can utilize: They recently brought back their SU-100s as a stop-gap for coastal defence and the ASU-85s were returned to service in the IDF role for Jungle Ops.
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Better still there are photos of dug in PT-76 and T-34/85 in the Spratly Islands.
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Respect to paint the Chinese. I tried it several times and always put them away. So boring colours…
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* Someone picked these up and they are still available, I just can’t remember for the life of me who that was at pres.
Jerwood miniatures I think.
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Nice work - looking forward to seeing how you flesh this out, especially the Vietnamese. I've just started a PLA project with them in Xingkong woodland rather than type 07 patterns, which makes things a bit easier but doesn't quite have that Oceanic pattern pizzaz.
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I look forward to seeing how this project goes.
The Oceanic camo looks good (if weird).
I had not noticed the grey in the woodland camo in other photographs, it is certainly distinctive.
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off to a good start. I've got a similar idea I've been mulling for a while using the same figs - I might have to revisit!
If you need somewhere to get some of the tanks not available from Empress, drop me a pm, I have a contact through FB I can put you in touch with.
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Interesting project. Very curious to see how you get on with this mate.
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Great looking project, looking forward to seeing how you get on.
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Thanks everyone for the encouragement.
:)
Have struggled to get my painting mojo back lately for a variety of reasons, but managed to finished some more Empress PLA - lovely figures to paint.
(https://i.imgur.com/s1uBS9E.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GAXQjTU.jpg)
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It happens, and we are happy to see the the results of your work.
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Sending some mojo your way mate! 👍
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I like the look of those. I still have the Col Stone 25mm ones languishing unpainted and unloved somewhere. Nice figures but really tiny compared to whatever else is out there.
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Lovely work on them Chinese fellers. Looking forward to seeing more on this project (and your others...).
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Thanks everyone :)
Just the one addition today…a slightly oversized (1/43) GAZ jeep…not strictly correct, but the PLA did have their own locally produced variant.
This isn’t for the PLAN marines, rather I’m going to add a second-line PLA Army unit to my todo list.
(https://i.imgur.com/ASjLSjE.jpg)
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Still pretty cool
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Still pretty cool
Yes, it is.
Looking forward to seeing the PLA Army chaps, too...
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A small update after a very long lag…
I’ve painted a few more Chinese, this time in a very rough approximation of the newish type 21 Army uniform…. {edit} hmmm… not sure they look that dark a green in real life…oh well.
More of the excellent Empress minis…the Officer is a conversion from the Assault Group.
The Type-63 rocket launcher is from Eureka…very much a reserve piece, but the conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated how quickly armies go through their front line kit.
(https://i.imgur.com/AcKhJ3b.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PGc6zUC.jpg)
Group shot with the Chinese Marines, and a copy of friendly locals that have wandered into the shot
(https://i.imgur.com/bSslYTW.jpg)
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Nice.
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Nice.
Indeed they are!
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Looking good!
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Are they going to get some locally produced not-HMMWVs?
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Oh that looks great. Looking forward to seeing more of this project. :D
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That camo is looking rather tasty, good job.
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Terrific work mate 👍👍
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Thanks everyone - its a slow burn as I have other projects that are currently occupying my paint queue, but it also makes an interesting break to paint something different :D
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......its a slow burn as I have other projects that are currently occupying my paint queue, but it also makes an interesting break to paint something different :D
Er, I thought that's just how things worked. It's the same for me.....