CapnJim's Modern Stuff - Mission Scrubbed, Black SUV, Signs - Pg 33 - 25 Sep 24

[carlos marighela]

Brilliant! Those really look good.

You know you've got me thinking again, I actually converted and painted up a couple of Soviet Traffic regulators with the flashy gauntlets and traffic batons but never really thought to give them a ride. Something from the commandant's service is definitely in order.

I like the fact that Capn Jim and HESH do all my planning for me. Yes, I'm waiting for the inevitable invoice.

[has.been]

Great work Capt. keep it up.

[Kourtchatovium104]

Can't wait to see how you use them in game, as I have two UAZ-469. It wil inspire me! 

[CapnJim]

You're welcome, carlos.  Feel free to R&D (rip off & duplicate) anytime... 

And I have plans for these in my next couple Balczakistan scenarios...

The US, along with their Balczaki hosts, will go after the Ambassador and the POW Spec Ops boys in a couple weeks, while the Peoples' Balczaki Resistance (PBR) pokes the Bear at some point after that...

[CapnJim]

Ok.  It's all set.  2 Saturdays from now (21 Sep), our regular gaming group, joined by me brother from Florida, will play another attempt to rescue the US Ambassador to Balczakistan, along with the 3 Spec Ops boys...

This will be a much more deliberate attempt.  I based this scenario on one I wrote for Bush Wars, a supplement for Force on Force.  Here is the scenario's general info and map:





Here are the Allied (USMC and Balczaki Defense Forces) information sheets:





Here is Balczaki Freedom Front (BFF) info sheet:



And here is the Random Event Chart (we'll have a Joker in the card deck):



That should do it.  I did up a few road and traffic signs for the board yesterday, so, hopefully, they'll add a little somethin'-somethin' to the board. 

As I mentioned, troops hit the SP two Saturdays from now.  Of course, an AAR will follow...

[mikedemana]

Sounds fun! I wonder if an OpFor player will simply say, "Nah, looks too dicey. Let's just kill them." If so, do they receive the 3 points for them not being in enemy hands? Maybe negative points for killing them? Losing their bargaining/ransom chips?

Mike Demana

[CapnJim]

Killing the hostages is a last resort.  I may penalize the BFF for doing so.  Let me ponder that...

[carlos marighela]

Excellent!

[CapnJim]

Excellent!

Thanks!

[Lord Raglan]

Great level of detail in these scenarios Jimbo 👍🏻

[CapnJim]

Great level of detail in these scenarios Jimbo 👍🏻

Thanks.  Unfortunately, the mission Saturday got scrubbed.  Me brother was in town, and we ended up finishing an RPG session we didn't wrap up the Thursday previous.  The mission will get rescheduled when intel has him in Zhankopat again (i.e., when all 3 of our regular gaming group can gather again, likely in a few weeks).

In the meantime, the Ambassador may have gotten a new ride.  I found a 1/43 black Chevy Suburban (in US government livery) at a local hobby shop.  It's by Luxury DieCast, and here are a few shots, with 28mm Brigade Games federal agents for scale.    I think it'll work just fine...







And, in preparation for the Zhankopat scenario, I did up a few local road signs (and the City Hall sign...) in 28mm. 



Stay tuned for news for when this game gets re-scheduled...

[mikedemana]

Hey, I recognize those agents sporting their new SUV! Did the leader dramatically take off his sunglasses and let out a whistle when he saw that beaut...? 

I assume the signs are just simple base, metal/wood pole, and cardstock printed sign?

Those are very effective... 

Mike Demana

[carlos marighela]

Love the SUV and the agents. Just wondering how many and how big are the cup holders in that thing. Agents look really good but I'm particularly impressed with the road signs. I need a bunch of them and I've been looking for the old Lego versions but I think your approach is spot on.

[syrinx0]

Nice SUV and even better looking agents. 

[CapnJim]

Thanks, fellas!

The signs were indeed pretty simple.
Step 1:  Find and save Russian/European road signs.
Step 2:  Use MSPaint to put the ones I need/want into one file, all grouped fairly closely.  The town limit and town hall signs were made by copying text from Google translate.  The bridge weight limit sign was changed using the Text feature in Paint. 
Step 3:  In Paint, create a gray block a bit bigger than the group of signs.
Step 4:  Import both the signs and the gray block into an MSWord document.  Size as desired (MSWord has that handy ruler in the margins...).  Print the doc.
Step 5:  Cut out the group of signs and the gray block, and glue them together (back to back) with PVA glue.  Let it dry.  That gives the same rigidity as card stock, and saves me the trouble,of painting the back of the signs...
Step 6:  I straightened out a few paper slits, and cut them to appropriate lengths (about 7-8 feet in scale length/height).
Step 7:  I used some 20mm round plastic bases left from Perry's plastic WW2 figures.  Pin drill a holes them, as needed, the same size as the paper clips.
Step 8:  Using super-glue type glue, glue the cut straightened paper clips into the bases.  These, of course, as the signs posts.  Don't seat it if they are not perfectly straight.  Sign posts can be crooked and bent...
Step 9:  Using super-glue, glue the signs onto the posts.   I temporarily affixed the town hall sign onto a pre-painted WhizKids double-post sign.
Step 10:  Paint the posts your desired color.  I used a mid-shade gray.   
Step 11:  paint/flock the case, as desired.

And voila!