Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: sundayhero on February 26, 2015, 12:32:07 PM
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Hi,
Following this topic :
Portuguese Ultramar Wars w.i.p : african force (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=74469.0)
In this topic I'll post my work in progress concerning my Bush Wars thematic, focused on Portugal Guerra do Ultramar (Independence war in Angola, Guine Bissau and Mozambique 1961-1974), this time for the portuguese side of the conflict.
The portuguese figures will be based on 20mm scale metal Liberation miniatures Rhodesia, african and south african range, modified to fit my needs.
The portuguese force will be composed of an light infantry platoon, and 4 "paper strength" (according to FoF bush wars supplement) special forces commando teams. Here's the whole figures I will be using (in order) :
platoon HQ
3 infantry squads (divided in 5men fireteams)
4 commando teams
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Learning from my previous works, I will organize the work in a more eficient way. This time, I will not work on the entire force, but each unit one by one. This way, I will keep the work interesting, I'll also keep time for other projects remaining.
Another thing I learned from previous projects is to always find a way to easily identify leaders and specialists on the battlefield.
Regular infantry will wear typical double peaked cap, and infantry leaders will wear a brown beret (like the commandos, this way I'll be able to use them to reinforce commando teams if needed).
COmmandos will wear brown berets (wich was common for both commandos and regulars during a long period of the Ultramar war) with sometimes (if the figure sculpt have it) crimson scarf, and commando leaders will stay bare headed, with a crimson scarf around the neck.
I started with the figures needing the biggest amount of work. I first worked on a south african scout with a SMG, transforming it in a radio operator. There is some proper figures in liberation minis (you'll see them later), but I simply missed one to complete the force, so I did with what I had.
I also swapped the leader header from another figure, reworking the joint with a greenstuff shirt details, and neck scarf.
Finally, I added some berets (when needed), and changed the FN FAL weapons into more convincing portuguese licensed G3 rifles (I still need to rework them a bit, especially make the front sights thinner). Some of the weapons are captured russian weapons (common habit during the real conflict).
The team contains two native african soldiers, wich was very common in portuguese army (and even more in special forces, maybe).
Now I have to add pants (portuguese were not wearing shorts during missions) and some accessories to identify a grenade gunner too.
Here's the pics. In order :
full 6men team
team leader
RPG operator
Radio operator
RIfleman
Rifleman
Note that the support LMG operator is only visible (left) on the team picture, because it was used full stock, from the Liberation Miniatures african range.
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Keeping an eye on this. A very interesting project. :D
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Looking good. And your right ,it is mentally easier to paint and complete in small batches.
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thank you both for your comments ! Working on unit based batchs is less like "factory work". When I finished my hundred talibans, I thought that I didn't want to do this again lol
THe first commandos squad is finished, here's the pics (note the "energa" grenades backpack on one of the riflemen).
I wanted to start the 2nd one, but I injuried my finger, trying to cut a gpmg to resculpt a more proper portuguese weapon. I only obtain a nice cut...in my finger flesh :lol:
Anyway, it's all for today. At least a squad is completed.
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Small batches = good idea. I keep making the mistake of doing platoon sized groups, I get a much better result on the painting, doing one squad at a time.
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It's also a lot funnier. It doesn't sound like a job anymore lol
Today I prepared the first unit for painting , they are "almost" ready (I have to finish primer by hand) :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280504_zpskwi7fna9.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280504_zpskwi7fna9.jpg.html)
And I'm working on the next unit, I already completed 4 of 6 minis (note that I will have a few things to fix on weapons, as previously, but it's easier once perfectly dry).
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280505_zpsxsljeb6b.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280505_zpsxsljeb6b.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280506_zpsetauisgp.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280506_zpsetauisgp.jpg.html)(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280507_zpsgzxsjtta.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280507_zpsgzxsjtta.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280509_zpspxbgzsqs.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280509_zpspxbgzsqs.jpg.html)(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280508_zpsywgket30.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280508_zpsywgket30.jpg.html)
I still need to work on these 2, the energa grenades gunner and the LMG :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280510_zpsjowrgkle.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280510_zpsjowrgkle.jpg.html)(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280511_zps6etwqewv.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280511_zps6etwqewv.jpg.html)
The LMG is a bren gunner (the weapon still needs to be converted/resculpted of course), but I thought that I could modify the weapon to represent a MG42 instead. It appeared that Bren was a lot easier conversion base than the FN mag I tried to cut yesterday, and only succeed to ruin the mini and my finger lol
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280513_zpsw56nbupj.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P2280513_zpsw56nbupj.jpg.html)
I'm still a bit concerned by this particular weapon, since I don't have enough bren machin guns for all units... I'll have to find a way to make it more "portuguese" ??? It's a shame since RH models is selling (I believe) some bren only machine gunners packs. But I was thinking that the fn mag would be easier to convert...I was wrong.
Anyway, it's an interesting work (at least for now, because it's new :grin: ) and the figures are nice... but I believe I would not build a company like this lol Thinking of the hundred africans, and the complete portuguese infantry I have to convert... o_o
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Really looking forward to this one :)
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Just remember that the most common squad automatic weapon, in the latter part of the period, wasn't the MG-42 but the HK-21. You just need to add an ammo belt and bipod to one or more of your G-3 armed figures.
Take the TO&Es in the FoF supplement with a large grain of salt btw.
Nice work on the figures.
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Thank you for the tip
Concerning the squad organizations, I'm using it as a base organisation, the advantage of it is that each unit contains all possible operators and specialists; this way I'm sure I will have enough minis for each situation. Concerning the commandos, it's why I planned some "reinforcement" G3 riflemen (the future regular infantry leaders will have this "double utility").
Concerning the heavy weapons, the HK21 is one weapon I was planning to add, but just a few, since I want to keep my main force in the 60's (where everyone was wearing the brown beret).
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The HK-21 came into use in the mid to late 1960s, so for much of the war you are safe depicting it.
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good to know !
I thought it was after 1971.
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Here's the last figures for this 2nd squad. i'll primer paint them tommorow !
Concerning other machin guns, I think I'll just try to use weapons wich have been used by portuguese, no matter the timeline : madsen, mg13, hk21, mg42...This way I will make the modelling work more fun.
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Really impressed by all the work you are putting into these figures to create a purely unique force. ;)
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thank you a lot !
Tonight I didn't do much, except fixing the primer coating on the first unit, and fix a few defects on the 2nd unit (like adding shirt collar and scarf on the "energa gunner" who had a head swap, or fixing the radio operator antenna).
I also prepared my tools for painting (wet palette and all).
Here's some sample pics :
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good to know !
I thought it was after 1971.
It was adopted in 1968 but our Army used it with the MG42. We bought 1800 MG42s directly from the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962 and dispatched them to Africa as soon as we could, to replace the old Breda and Vickers machine guns. In '68 we bought the HK21 (they said the MG42 was too heavy for use in the jungle) but most of troops still wanted the MG42 (experience in the field said that the rate of fire was more important than the weight, and you couldn't beat the MG42)- that's why you see lots of pictures of Portuguese soldiers with that gun until the end of the war.
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thank you for the explanation !
Today I was a bit lazy, and I only undercoated the 2nd squad in black. Here's the pics (in order : leader, radio, rpg, energa grenadier, rifleman, mg42 lmg)
Next week, I'll paint my few french modern figures remaining (about 12) and this portuguese dozen too.
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Here's my first test painting figure (a quick painting job, I'll paint more carefully on the final minis). I used a spare (not used in the final force) miniature, to test my paint scheme.
I tried to make my work accurate compared to Osprey portuguese forces reference plates. I found an almost perfect match. Searching for real life archives photos, most of the pics I found were a lot more "greenish" (sometimes almost a mint green!), but I didn't like the tests I made (painting patterns on a piece of paper). This one "works" better in 20mm scale, at least I hope so.
What do you think of it ?
thanks
I'll also see how it looks tommorow on daylight.
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Looks Perfect. I like it a lot. http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ModernAfricanBushwars
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thank you a lot ! Especially since you know pretty well bush wars !
edit : by the way, the figures I have (from rhodesian range) wears chest webbings, but it appears that portuguese (as far as I know) mostly only wear belt webbings. WOuld it be accurate to still paint these chest webbings, or should I simply "hide" the pair of braces under the camo pattern ?
And what color should I use for the webbings ? I thought about an olive green color.
thanks
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That's a fantastic match to the artwork, colours and scale of the pattern look bang on.
Not sure if its of any help, but I had a got at some Portuguese chaps in 28mm. The base colour to that Camo is a sort of unnameable washed out pale green. I think I used a mix of German field grey and Russian uniform (Vallejo).
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=65877.msg802286#msg802286
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Thank you for the help.
I used also some german fieldgrey as a base, but only mixed with several amounts of white. I tried dozens (litteraly) mixes, and it's the one I prefered, finally.
thank you also for the comments : I have to admit that this painting project is a bit more complex than the french CE I made first (both colors and pattern). Or perhaps I simply take it more seriously (with books, documentation and all) ???
But I have to relax a bit and just paint, because of this accuracy quest, I didn't paint anything new since I painted my african dozen test batch. lol
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Vallejo Stone Grey makes the perfect base colour.
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Looks great. :D
Lovely work on the camo.
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Thanks
I'll stay on this paint setup, I'll post some update soon.
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Looking lovely mate!
You've really made me look into my 20mm stuff. Luckily I got other stuff to do before that, but it might be that my stash of stuff might see a spin in a decade or so ;)
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thank you a lot !
For me the inspiration cam from Ash's work, because of it I discovered that "bush wars" were not related to the former american president, and "Rhodesia" was not a funny Imagi-nation name lol
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Vallejo Stone Grey makes the perfect base colour.
Since I still didn't start painting, I placed an order for this color. I'll wait it to test, and see what camo version I prefer.
In the mean time, i'll probably do a bit of scenery, and finish my french special forces.
thanks
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Finally, an update ! These last months have been very busy, I'm just starting to have a bit more time to complete some unfinished projects, like this one.
Here 's the 2 commando sticks painted :
1st stick :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010310_zpsmos4dmd9.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010310_zpsmos4dmd9.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010303_zpsxxa92ufm.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010303_zpsxxa92ufm.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010306_zpsjsmve1qh.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010306_zpsjsmve1qh.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010305_zpsu71cxoni.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010305_zpsu71cxoni.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010295_zps2v9a3tnn.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010295_zps2v9a3tnn.jpg.html)
2nd stick :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010325_zpsuebcrokj.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010325_zpsuebcrokj.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010323_zps9e2vd46z.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010323_zps9e2vd46z.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010317_zpstmt7veqa.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010317_zpstmt7veqa.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010321_zpsebz8bzep.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010321_zpsebz8bzep.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010319_zpsrhuxceyi.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010319_zpsrhuxceyi.jpg.html)
And a few comparison shots with the heavily modified plastic africans I made before :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010326_zpsbx1hq7cu.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010326_zpsbx1hq7cu.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010331_zpsoh7hofc3.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010331_zpsoh7hofc3.jpg.html)
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Superb job. really like the look of them.
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thank you !
You may have noticed that the camo is a bit darker and less "readable" than the sample fig I painted first, I used a bit strong shade wash I'm afraid !
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Nice work!.
You may enjoy this. Combat footage shot in Guiné and as an added bonus for you the narration is in French:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW34aHxRweY
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Thank you, I didn't know this video.
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Thumbs up! I also did some Portuguese conversions a few years ago. Top photos are DFE (Special Marines).
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Well done on the camo !
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Very well done!
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Agreed, camo is top notch.
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Lizard-style camos are pretty hard to make, I have to admit (as I said before) that I didn't obtain the results I expected on my commandos, because of the heavy wash I didn't control enough ::)
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Here's some updates, not concerning figures I'm afraid, but I finally finished my "bush wars" skirmish gaming mat, with integrated "fake fur" grass. I could not resist to take a few pics ;D
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/p1010019_2.jpg)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/p1010034_2.jpg)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/p1010043_1.jpg)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/p1010049_1.jpg)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/p1010028_2.jpg)
Slow updates, but I'm slowly progressing finding some time for my own wargaming projects :)
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Wow! I love that mat. Very nicely done.
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That looks great.
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Great photos, the mat looks just the job and the minis are superb.
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thank you all !
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Great job on the camo, you really have captured the whole look. Is the the 6 wheeled truck in the images the Dinky/Solido Berliet?
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A few pics in situation, in a recent indochine/bush wars river (again!) set I made for a customer :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010172_zpszfzjvjiv.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010172_zpszfzjvjiv.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010183_zpssiv9h4z7.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1010183_zpssiv9h4z7.jpg.html)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/P1010162.jpg)
(http://clairon-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/P1010168.jpg)
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That is very well done ,water is nice and murky