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Miniatures Adventure => Back of Beyond => Topic started by: WarlordFish on January 14, 2023, 03:37:54 AM

Title: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 14, 2023, 03:37:54 AM
I've been hard at work on my back of beyond projects, now smaller in size but larger in scope I've got several forces and factions in the works for some Fistful of Lead skirmish games. The first major completion is the admittedly neutral armored rail cruiser, "The Angry Dragon" Why is she neutral? Because she was sold by the Czechs to a local warlord who promptly lost it to a rival. Who in turn lost it to the Japanese, who lost it to the Nationalists, who lost it to another Warlord.. and since then it's been captured, and recaptured, and fought alongside every major player in my setting.

Thus, she is neutral, and carries no markings. Who currently owns it depends on whose manning and commanding it!

Second, what is an armored rail cruiser? Well it's an armored train for that thrifty warlord on a budget. She is entirely self propelled and self sufficient. Powered by two fiat gasoline engines, the rail cruiser does not necessarily need an armored locomotive and tender to move about, nor does she need the accompanying armored carriages. While those would be nice to have, some times the silver dollars are thin, and you have to make do with the ole beater with the heater, so to speak.

For your viewing pleasure and mine, The Angry Dragon.

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARnU9iwpyk-xHN9UylFTdzoVTN2cXXU_2oI6ZHNTe7LIxGJOGI8-FGXY394eUobX8EDTxx0UMhzTvJkide_-95C_QMzzE9nrc5unW3017pZTPjnrRWcJMj82gFj1o8mtOaUimMJ9us9XeP3hmrfN43YcF7r05JJ6ejJxRnaQvcUPz6FpYgeh0CLc24A/s1483/AT1.jpg)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkC8apbeAMvyx-Xpb-lLBqNs2TTICESUGT7Bw84xo0n2q8KDrDAtdzNDpaAh-zrx90qfLJ3aRg5c3wpfuFpRz2W7yZflkP2Sp8NIRHrAcHLYpfpEXenkA5VPKrqpb1eZuB6PM567Dk7WGCQIuZRSdtJfzXk-b2zfBLAyhRLVpc-a1ACdjNW0MprrPgg/s2171/AT2.jpg)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-LZ-qCK0G5lZm6KH1TNNrFbJKWgkDO2NJG8QmDoRgj2gMZ2yZpI66C0fyffaWvpdS2RH8CjQ37uKNKDWmAFKDfhXrBqy1n-kUK8bUfNnIZjPeCk5ppqPIBtEuSCH05qCl_Qefsb3LStz-h0wZehyDSpTHdcu5HoFCkdkJYYfmc86xWkNvbIZvnRXcQ/s1753/AT3.jpg)

A bit of a tease for my table is included. I'm not yet ready to post the larger scope of my project, but I will soon. The Province of Xiao Yú and it's cast of characters may amuse you, but I still need to do a bit of work first before I'm ready for that.

Find more on my fledgling blog. https://warlordfish.blogspot.com/
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: OSHIROmodels on January 14, 2023, 04:20:59 AM
Looks great  8)
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: Grumpy Gnome on January 14, 2023, 04:32:28 AM
Loving it! 👍
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: has.been on January 14, 2023, 06:23:26 AM
Has the feel of the period & looks suitably menacing.
Well done. Looking forward to more pictures from your B.of B.
Have you thought of giving it a flagpole, then you
could switch flags when it switches owners?
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: marianas_gamer on January 14, 2023, 07:36:42 AM
Excellent with very nice weathering!
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 14, 2023, 04:38:55 PM
That look brilliant!  Lovely work.  Is it the Mad Bob Miniatures Zaamurets?

https://www.madbobminiatures.co.uk/product-page/zaamurets (https://www.madbobminiatures.co.uk/product-page/zaamurets)

How does it compare up close to the Copplestone figures? I was worried at 1/56 it would look a bit puny but it doesn't seem to against those cavalry.

Here's a pic with the crew standing next to it for scale.

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9818dO96t1qhsqm1o2_1280.jpg)

Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 14, 2023, 05:58:41 PM
Yessir it is Mad Bob's Zaamurets!

And while it is kinda small, remember it's not the size that counts, it's how you use it.. er, I mean, it was in the pool, I mean! Uh!
But no, for real, it's not puny, but it is smaller. I honestly think that's a boon rather than a problem. It's big enough to look right at the scale and to dominate any infantry around it, but it's small enough to actually move and make use of my average size 4x6 table. I love and envy those huge multi car armored trains some of the mad lads on here have, with a full locomotive and tender, but they just seem to absolutely consume table space and I'd think one would need half an acre to actually get a chance to putter them around. 

That and it's price point is just right, especially for someone who wants a workable and good looking armored train without breaking the bank.

It looks good next to copplestone figures, but I also made a point to get the raised railroad instead of just plain track, both to give it a bit more bulk visually, as well as give my infantry some extra cover.

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/680580148751630343/1063877433771696128/PXL_20230114_1748400932.jpg)

And thank you all to the rest! I did think about putting a flag pole on it somewhere, but I have 13/15 factions for this project, and only 6 have flags at the moment. Maybe in the future I'll add one, but for now and simplicities sake it suits me being unbranded. Ideally I'd like to eventually get a pair of Company B flat cars, the ones with the sandbags, and I want to add a flagpole and maybe a spotlight or something to one of those.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: FramFramson on January 14, 2023, 07:38:39 PM
Just a slight alteration: An easier method of adding a flagpole would be to just drill a hole in an appropriate and perhaps inconspicuous location, which you could then inset flags into (perhaps on metal straight pins). Pop-in, pop-out, no fussing about swapping flags on poles, and no pole to be snapped off in storage.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: scotty on January 14, 2023, 07:48:31 PM
That looks superb
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: Dr Bogo on January 15, 2023, 01:03:38 AM
Great work on that sir!
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: fred on January 15, 2023, 08:56:52 AM
What a great looking model!

I feel like the early tanks the inside would be a horrible mix of diesel and cordite fumes!
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: Golgotha on January 15, 2023, 09:19:58 AM
How can something be both gorgeous and monstrous at the same time, I am blown away - pun intended. Well done.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: bluewillow on January 15, 2023, 09:34:13 AM
That is a superb piece!

Cheers
Matt
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on January 15, 2023, 09:38:49 AM
That is some beast (and will require a generous loading gauge).
Just a slight alteration: An easier method of adding a flagpole would be to just drill a hole in an appropriate and perhaps inconspicuous location, which you could then inset flags into (perhaps on metal straight pins).
In addition, I would insert a suitable piece of brass tube to reinforce the hole. The tube becomes the base of the flagpole by having it extend beyond the hole.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: flatpack on January 15, 2023, 10:33:49 AM
Lovely piece of work.
A great find for BoB.
Works really well with the figures.
We play lots of BoB games using FFOL, but we use the bigger battles rules set.
It works just great for BoB, and it means you can use extra units as you create them.
Keep up the good work old boy.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: aircav on January 15, 2023, 11:50:42 AM
That’s fantastic  8) 8)
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: FramFramson on January 15, 2023, 08:39:54 PM
luvverly!
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 15, 2023, 09:28:56 PM
Thanks for the picture Warlord.  That does look good alongside the figures.  Nice terrain backdrop too.  I need to get one now. 

Those people that build full sized trains are definitely nuts.  ;)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EkvdMzWE4d0/XsrCNaEXROI/AAAAAAAAA5o/3eSsUG-F7XE9kimMmjSa9Msmi3X-a_IpACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Improv_Armed_Train_2.jpeg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZaPouWiSz0/XnsyY_QCnGI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Gt5TaCYxa1kCjDNVsifWsxfPPZPDI41GQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/WholeTrainOutside01.jpeg)

You're completely right about how big they are though.  I deliberately went for only one gun turret on each of my armoured train gun carriages to try to limit its size and power but that many guns will still be dominating.  Fortunately we have some big tables at our club but I still haven't actually used the armoured one in a game yet.

Looking forward to seeing more of your stuff.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 18, 2023, 06:50:15 PM
Thanks for the picture Warlord.  That does look good alongside the figures.  Nice terrain backdrop too.  I need to get one now. 

Those people that build full sized trains are definitely nuts.  ;)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EkvdMzWE4d0/XsrCNaEXROI/AAAAAAAAA5o/3eSsUG-F7XE9kimMmjSa9Msmi3X-a_IpACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Improv_Armed_Train_2.jpeg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZaPouWiSz0/XnsyY_QCnGI/AAAAAAAAAmE/Gt5TaCYxa1kCjDNVsifWsxfPPZPDI41GQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/WholeTrainOutside01.jpeg)

You're completely right about how big they are though.  I deliberately went for only one gun turret on each of my armoured train gun carriages to try to limit its size and power but that many guns will still be dominating.  Fortunately we have some big tables at our club but I still haven't actually used the armoured one in a game yet.

Looking forward to seeing more of your stuff.

I do envy such might trains. Some day I'll have one. Some day.

I really like that first one, with the adhoc MG car. That's kinda what I'd like for my next train. I do really like the super armored land battleships, but something about those cobbled together improvised armor trains really speaks to me.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 20, 2023, 07:25:15 PM
I know what you mean about the improvised armoured trains.  They have a certain charm.  I need some flat cars and maybe one with sand bags.

I assume you've seen the Company B trains, if you decide to expand.  :D

https://company-b-models-and-miniatures.myshopify.com/collections/trains (https://company-b-models-and-miniatures.myshopify.com/collections/trains)
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 20, 2023, 09:41:57 PM
I know what you mean about the improvised armoured trains.  They have a certain charm.  I need some flat cars and maybe one with sand bags.

I assume you've seen the Company B trains, if you decide to expand.  :D

https://company-b-models-and-miniatures.myshopify.com/collections/trains (https://company-b-models-and-miniatures.myshopify.com/collections/trains)

Oh yessir! I sure have. I have an improvised armored train planned out in my head using their minis, and I bought the gauge track I have after reaching out to them to ask them the best gauge for their models. (Conveniently Madbob is a genius, and Zaamurts comes with 3 or 4 different wheel gauge options when building the kit)

The next addition, hopefully, eventually, will be the aformentioned sandbagged flat cars. Then, from there, I'll eventually work on an improvised armored train with company B's other kits.

Unless of course, I can find a cheap enough S gauge model train to convert over. Which, ya know, I'm fully open to if the price is right!
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 21, 2023, 09:16:48 AM
Nice.  Those additions sound great.  Don't forget to show us when you get it done.  :)
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 23, 2023, 09:07:20 PM
Nice.  Those additions sound great.  Don't forget to show us when you get it done.  :)

I bought a cheapo locomotive and tender off eBay! Now, should I armor it up and make it part of my current train or set it aside till I can get some flatcars and build an improvised armored train...
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 24, 2023, 09:28:57 PM
A full Orlik style train would be great. 

(https://mu-yurti.ucoz.ru/orlikplus.jpg)

I built my armoured train all together but making and painting it in bits would work too.

Here's a useful source for other ideas.

Original
https://www.e-reading.mobi/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html (https://www.e-reading.mobi/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html)

Translation
https://www-e--reading-mobi.translate.goog/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp
 (https://www-e--reading-mobi.translate.goog/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 24, 2023, 11:04:08 PM
A full Orlik style train would be great. 

(https://mu-yurti.ucoz.ru/orlikplus.jpg)

I built my armoured train all together but making and painting it in bits would work too.

Here's a useful source for other ideas.

Original
https://www.e-reading.mobi/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html (https://www.e-reading.mobi/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html)

Translation
https://www-e--reading-mobi.translate.goog/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp
 (https://www-e--reading-mobi.translate.goog/bookreader.php/1019972/Drogovoz_-_Kreposti_na_kolesah__Istoriya_bronepoezdov.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp)

That's a wonderful reference, thank you!

Yes, I think I will go full armored train. What I could really use is some sort of references on how to scratch build turrets. Im confident I can up armor train cars and armor my pending locomotive, but I'm not sure how to go about building a turret.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 24, 2023, 11:41:34 PM
I thought about this and there are some paper kits that might help with sizes.  Not in 1/56 scale sadly.

https://prmodels.webnode.cz/products/armoured-train-orlik-1-250-made-by-rawen/ (https://prmodels.webnode.cz/products/armoured-train-orlik-1-250-made-by-rawen/)
https://only-paper.ru/load/zheleznodorozhnaja_tekhnika_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_orlik_legionarsky_vlak_orlik_abc_25_26_2015/96-1-0-3028 (https://only-paper.ru/load/zheleznodorozhnaja_tekhnika_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_orlik_legionarsky_vlak_orlik_abc_25_26_2015/96-1-0-3028)

This one has some nice pictures and some links to videos I haven't checked out.  They may have a template somewhere.
https://www.papermodelers.com/forum/railway-related-builds/42845-czech-legion-trains-siberia-1-220-paper.html (https://www.papermodelers.com/forum/railway-related-builds/42845-czech-legion-trains-siberia-1-220-paper.html)

(https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/09/00/99/77/p1020017.jpg)

Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: WarlordFish on January 25, 2023, 11:32:29 PM
I thought about this and there are some paper kits that might help with sizes.  Not in 1/56 scale sadly.

https://prmodels.webnode.cz/products/armoured-train-orlik-1-250-made-by-rawen/ (https://prmodels.webnode.cz/products/armoured-train-orlik-1-250-made-by-rawen/)
https://only-paper.ru/load/zheleznodorozhnaja_tekhnika_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_orlik_legionarsky_vlak_orlik_abc_25_26_2015/96-1-0-3028 (https://only-paper.ru/load/zheleznodorozhnaja_tekhnika_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_iz_bumagi/bronepoezd_orlik_legionarsky_vlak_orlik_abc_25_26_2015/96-1-0-3028)

This one has some nice pictures and some links to videos I haven't checked out.  They may have a template somewhere.
https://www.papermodelers.com/forum/railway-related-builds/42845-czech-legion-trains-siberia-1-220-paper.html (https://www.papermodelers.com/forum/railway-related-builds/42845-czech-legion-trains-siberia-1-220-paper.html)

(https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/09/00/99/77/p1020017.jpg)

Those are pretty great, thanks again for all the references. I think I have an idea in mind and a plan. Since table space is still a concern for me, and the idea of a super long train (while very appealing) just isn't practical. I think I'll armor my locomotive and build a "light armored train" with it, and keep Zaamurets as my "Heavy armored train". Of course they could be combined, but it might be neat to have some options. I'd like to build an armored wagon armed with MGs. I have some thoughts kicking around at the moment. I'd get Company Bs armored MG Car, not the one with the turrets, but other one, if it had a forward firing MG. I still may and just convert it.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: trev on January 26, 2023, 02:03:32 PM
That sounds like a sensible plan.  I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: juergen c. olk on February 10, 2023, 11:16:52 PM
Perfect.
Title: Re: Armored Rail Cruiser, "The Angry Dragon"
Post by: Ignatieff on March 10, 2023, 09:54:48 AM
Beautiful work on that excellent Mad Bob train