54mm WWII skirmishing. (Picture Heavy)

[Trooper]

Back in January of last year I posted some photos of my 54mm WWII figs, then in their early stages. Since then I have completed an American platoon at 1/1 scale, and got a small force of Germans done. Then I revisited the first batch of buildings I had made and refurbished them and added to their number. My aim being to create a small Normandy village for street fighting scenarios. With Mike Blake joining us here, the 54mm Skirmish God, I thought I would update you with progress so far. I am just going to post the pics rather than comment on each one. Hope you guys like them.

First off there will some atmosphere pics of the village, then some combat scenes showing all the new guys in action.

[Westfalia Chris]

Spectacular!  May I ask what manufacturer(s) you use (plastic, I assume, but you never know)?

[Captain Blood]

Gosh - brilliant! Wonderfully done in so many ways 
Love the rubble-fest and the buildings are beautifully done. Great wallpaper.

One teensy criticism... Did WW2 Germans really wear greatcoats quite that bright green? (Or maybe that's just the camera doing something odd to your greens)

[Arlequín]

Absolutely awesome layout. The big toys do have a charm of their own. 

[Trooper]

A few facts I ommitted. The figures are mainly Conte plastics, with some Toy Soldiers of San Diego, and one lone Airfix: Their classic German officer, an icon from my childhood that I could not resist adding. The vehicles are Forces of Valour with a repaint and stowage etc added, apart from the jeep which was found in the shop at Bovingdan Tank museum, I just added some paint.

Cap'n I think the photo made that green look worse. I looked at a lot of colour pics of the time, and tried to match the green that was shown for German greatcoats, I had always assumed they were Field Grey, but all the colour material showed it as a green similar to my effort. Of course that could have been the colour  film stock of the time creating that effect. Not having seen one in the flesh I am not 100%. But having said that, I did use a little artistic licence because I thought it contrasted better with all that filed grey.   

[Captain Blood]

one lone Airfix: Their classic German officer, an icon from my childhood that I could not resist adding.

Yes, I spotted him 
Still looks pretty good doesn't he? Always an excellent figure.

Like I say, a lovely spread. Churlish of me to mention the bright green coats really - sorry about that. They just stood out a bit! 

[Trooper]

Cap, no apology needed or sought. I do now wonder if I should tone that green down a tad, because you are right it does photograph a bit too bright.

[DFlynSqrl]

Awesome pix Trooper. 

[Helen]

Very nice.

I suppose you would be after some British infantry for Normandy too?

Helen

[Trooper]

Helen, obviously when I started this project I would have preferred troops from the old country, but I couldn't find any good enough to be considered, or with sufficient variation. However I do have a family connection with the US troops as my uncle served with 3rd Infantry Div. in France in '44, then he came home and my my aunt a GI bride.

[Arlequín]

One thing that does stand out at this scale is that the M3 halftrack looks far less 'spacious' (which was the case) at this scale than the smaller ones, where it is almost akin to a 'stretch-limo' for some reason. 

[Trooper]

A good point there Jim. I can remember, on my first visit to Bovingdon, thinking how small the tanks and AFVs actually were, compared to the impression you get from wargaming stuff.

[Viper]

Brilliant pictures. The board alone is a work of art, but the figures...I have a huge soft spot for 54mm models simply because of the level of detail it allows for and you've used that to maximum effect.

 

[Geudens]

Fantastic!  

Rudi

[therepoman]

absolutely beautiful!

The scale and your photographs really convey the feeling of close quarters city fighting.