AKULA’s “Rising Dragon” Project (pg2 Chinese PLA Army & a rocket launcher)

[AKULA]

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.




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

[carlos marighela]

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.

[AKULA]

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 

[commissarmoody]

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.

[Brummie]

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. 

[carlos marighela]

Better still there are photos of dug in PT-76 and T-34/85 in the Spratly Islands.

[NurgleHH]

Respect to paint the Chinese. I tried it several times and always put them away. So boring colours…

[gimzod]

* 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.

[Dr Bogo]

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.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

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.

[Cypher226]

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.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Interesting project. Very curious to see how you get on with this mate.

[Ash]

Great looking project, looking forward to seeing how you get on.

[AKULA]

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.

[commissarmoody]

It happens, and we are happy to see the the results of your work.