A War in The East

[Wyrmalla]

I'm not too into the drop down menus. Clicking into the SASM stuff then leads you to the overall range which has links to various sub sections. It would be nice if it was split up as "Moderns/ Historical/ terrain / vehicles" - and then subsections by nation/ setting.

Ideally with changes in the future we'll see an update on their site. ...With lovely banners, etc. It would be nice if there was painted examples of the figures too. Though considering that for the most part the company's a one man operation, painted models come out as fast as the owner paints them (I know though that InfamousJT - the UK retailer- says customers can send in pictures if they like though).

Currently I'm considering buying a few of the new technicals. Though I'll likely buy one of Spectre's as well for comparison, as I care more about how they're put together (both appear to be using solid resin castings for the body, rather than having the rear bed as a separate part - which is what I'm looking for. However, a hacksaw could solve that...). I have plans for what I'm going to do with myself come January, and having one of their pickups would be useful for them.



 

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I liked the idea of the one piece technical body, I am still smoothing the join on the Spectre modern technical.
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2017/09/colours-2017.html

[Wyrmalla]

I suppose. Its not like I couldn't use both company's kits together. I'd prefer a separate rear bed as it would make building out a stripped down rear chassis easier (as you're like to see with technicals carrying heavier weaponry which can't fit on the rear bed - and screw the suspension). A separate rear bed would also permit for future kits covering long wheel base variants too. 

As for the join, milliput with a wet tool aught to work. I'd avoid that liquid greenstuff junk or similar products. Though recently have found that Games Workshop's product can be used for adding a rust texture to materials if you stipple it a bit.

From what I remember Spectre's pickup trucks are hollow on the rear side? At least I think I seen one like that on Chargedog's blog.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Good point on the optional longer/bare chassis. The Bravo one would be difficult (see the photographs on the link below).

From what I remember Spectre's pickup trucks are hollow on the rear side? At least I think I seen one like that on Chargedog's blog.

Not sure what part of you are referring to. There is a photograph of the underside of both on the link below.

There are work in progress photographs on my Technical Bravo here:
https://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2018/12/spectre-technical-bravo-work-in-progress.html
One side needs another go with the Milliput, the other side needs more filing/sanding.

If you want other photographs of it, let me know. There are parts photographs on the previous (Colours 2017) link.

[Wyrmalla]

Tsk, I'd thought that their Alpha technical came with a two part body. Hmn, I'll need to look into options for converting one. I'm thinking maybe take the bare chassis from something like a 1/48th truck or Land Rover. Just an idea I'm having for a conversion.

When I meant that they're hollow, I mean this:



Which is easy enough to cover with some plasticard. Hopefully newer models from them follow suite with their BMP-1 and have a modelled underside.

I know SASM plan another pickup truck, but I'd like more variety to be honest. I think they're doing another Toyota. It'd be nice if other company's were better represented (and yeah, its a bit spoiled to say that), as its not like militant groups are choosy when it comes to buying vehicles on the second hand market. Which is to say I'm not that into the Hilux aesthetically (not chunky enough), so probably won't be picking up Spectre's (and I already have a pair of 1/43rd scale ones).

Thinking about it, having two part body vehicles would be great for me. Not just for the conversion options. Nah, I'd take the two halves and make two vehicles (that's why Rubicon's WWII kits are so great).

[Ultravanillasmurf]

The Alpha is two part (you can see the join), but there is no chassis, or underframe detail.

On mine the back is a bit swayback. I did not photograph it before starting assembly when I bought it at Salute 2017.

And no, I have no idea why I needed to reinforce the wheels with greenstuff.

If you are using 1/43, have you thought about using the Crooked Dice Tortuga?
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/search?q=tortuga
http://www.crooked-dice.co.uk/wp/product/tortuga-truck/
The Mule might be of more use (same components but lacking cab and covered load bed).

[Wyrmalla]

Ah, I thought the Alpha was a single part, as that's how its shown in all the reviews that I could find. Unfortunately the issue I have with buying Spectre's right now is the price. At £18 I think to myself that I could scrounge some car boot sales and buy a load of 1/50th scale die casts for a fraction of that. Which is not to say that their vehicle's not nice, its just justifying spending that much.

I'd rather spend £20 on a vehicle I can't find a die cast of (though with die casts, its difficult to lop details off without the proper tools, however, for a one off project its still difficult when you could have a dozen vehicles for the same price).

The 1/43rd scale stuff's more there because it was cheap at the time. I'd bought the Antenocitis' Workshop pickups on the basis that they'd be smaller than they were. However fool me for not realising all their vehicles are scaled to 32mm, and to not trust folks online who say "its perfect for 28mm" (which means the kit's scaled anywhere between 1/72nd to 1/35th apparently). I'm sticking to 1/50th -1/48th at a stretch right now, which luckily is where a lot of the old die casts sat at new. Newer ones not so much. Just a pity that in the UK most pickup trucks and jeeps are Land Rovers, which isn't so reflective of the rest of the world (apparently my militants raided a vintage car dealership. ...Which from some recent articles I've been reading is exactly what happens, but still).

[Wyrmalla]

Hey guys, well its time to post the beginnings of another project which I've been a bit furtive on. This one is still "A War in the East" ...well, the Middle East this time around.

For the past week or so I've been distracted from this current project by a shiny new one, and so all those half finished models which I've been talking about for weeks now remain unfinished. Which shouldn't be something new to those folks who haven't followed my threads for a while now, as seldom do I actually finish anything without picking something else up instead for a while.

I have enough done with it so far to make a reasonable post without blethering about all the stuff which I'd like to do for half of it like I usually do. This one however's going to be kept to my blog for the moment, as I'm not sure how well it'll jell with this site at the moment, and I'd rather not run into the ire of the mods. Still, head over there if you want to check it out, and I'll post images every now and then here, as well those can stay apolitical I hope.

There isn't much in the way of models so far (youknow, just enough for a platoon... Hmn, I do set my sights high), here's an image of the lot as a taster though. Maybe this one will be the excuse for me to finally finish my Israelis...

https://thesticks.net/2019/01/06/modern-jihadists-in-the-middle-east/

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Interesting read.

Certainly a lot of weird stuff out there.

[von Lucky]

Some nice conversion work (both vehicles and miniatures), I certainly support you in branching out to another conflict.

[carlos marighela]

Indeedy, very nice work!

Would the springs on a Series III hold up to the weight of steel plates and a BMP turret on top?  Fun to find out. I did know a complete dickhead subaltern who tried to create his own stretch, Perentie-style 110 by the unusual method of connecting one end to the winch on a Unimog and the other to convenient tree when he bogged the Landy. Twisted the frame nicely. Lucky not to have killed a couple of blokes with the winch cable into the bargain.

[Wyrmalla]

Thanks guys. I'll see how things pan out with this one over the next few weeks. Hopefully I can find the players to justify an ongoing project, though that hardly stopped my other modern stuff from being built (most of this stuff winds up being used for Post Apocalyptic games to be honest...).

Hopefully I can get cracking with all that terrain, which luckily will work for both my European and Middle Eastern settings (I mean, once its actually painted that is). Eugh, seven buildings to paint now. The damn things creep up on you when you aren't looking. And don't tell nobody about that Steampunk Cthulhu boat game I've been thinking about doing... (I've the little boats and tentacles half built already).

@ carlos marighela

F**k no. In response to your question.

I've looked at enough technicals from the Middle East (not so much with the European ones oddly. Those Yugoslavians were on the ball with their's) to indicate that the guys putting these things together show zero fecks about the long term survival of the vehicle, or crew comfort. That BMP-1 turret's relatively light compared to some of the weapons which they've bolted to pickup trucks, though yeah, I'll admit the Series III isn't the greatest of chassis for that purpose (though they did bolt on a load of armour to one of the early Lanies for police patrols during The Troubles).

Though usage wise also has these things fighting from a distance, rather than in built up urban areas where armour is required. Instead only the rear section would be armoured instead of the driver's cab (because who cares about the driver?) - presumably to save on weight. Most technicals don't have any armour at all, instead even those armed with light machine guns serve in more of an artillery role and fight at distances where armour isn't a major issue.

Still, presumably there's so many vehicles available in these conflicts - dating as far back as the Toyota War - that when one vehicle falls to pieces (or more likely is destroyed in battle) they just cannibalise the gun from the chassis and bolt it to another.

Warlord's Zis-3 turned up today. Unfortunately I forgot that I'm doing 1/50th scale modelling now, so its now as silly looking as I'd hoped it'd be. Still, its already seeing its way onto the bed of a nice commercial truck, so I'll endeavour to make it look stupid regardless.

[Wyrmalla]

Its been another week, and I've managed to make some headway into more figured for my new modern project. Once more its posted over on my blog for those who want to check it out. For the moment its just more WIP images and discussion, till I have time to paint any of this new stuff which has just arrived.

https://thesticks.net/2019/01/13/syria-the-start-on-more-vehicles/

A highlight goes out to finally getting around to making a mould for a set of Kontakt-1 ERA. Its been a long time coming, but this stuff will be great for all kinds of military and improvised vehicles.



And no, I'm not giving up on this project either, I'll have more Eastern European stuff posted over the next few weeks once I can get around to finishing off that terrain and those vehicles. Just hold out a bit as I throw together bits for far too many different settings.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Interesting read and lots of great work. Nice work on the T-72.

Do Empress vehicles now come in sand coloured resin now? Does that mean they no longer use the metal filled resin they have used previously?

Interesting about Spectre and the BTR-82A. I wonder what else they will come out with?

Good luck with the ERA.

[von Lucky]

An interesting taster. Anyone else not having all images load on the blog post?