Big Red One in Vietnam (Empress civilians 8/2/25)

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Very nice.

[mikedemana]

Those fellas look good, too, Mike.  Keep it up!
Have you decided on rules yet?

Thanks, Jim!

For rules, I am attempting to tailor the set I am using for my Viking Town Raid scenario. It is actually a fantasy miniatures coop/solo skirmish game called Sellswords & Spellslingers. Obviously, no magic or fantastic creatures. The core is the same -- all the players are on the same side and the foes are controlled by the games event cards, A.I., and player's success or failures with their activation dice. I'll keep you posted on how it's going, here. 

Mike Demana

[mikedemana]

The first of the Big Red One's opponents -- my inital batch of Viet Cong from Crucible Crush's "Black Sun" line. I painted these with a more traditional base coat and dry brush method for 28mm figs. Although all of these have the characteristic "black pajamas" of the VC, I will likely throw in some variety in later batches.



For more photos and a discussion of how I painted these guys (and my thoughts on how and why I will do my games the way I plan), I would be honored if you checked out my Lead Legionaries blog at: https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2025/05/first-squad-of-viet-cong-for-vietnam.html

Thanks for all the comments so far and in advance for any new ones. I appreciate it!

Mike Demana

[Poiter50]

Nice, I will use your paint schemes although someone had recommended Vallejo Tan Yellow for Asian flesh.

[carlos marighela]

I like those! They are reasonably armed with older weapons as befits most local and even some regional  NLF units.

[Tom Dulski]

 Great work, and great blog

[mikedemana]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the compliments and glad the blog is being useful to folks... 

Mike Demana

[Marine0846]

Excellent painting.
Really like your buildings.
After seeing you guys,
I feel the need to dig my out my figures and run a game.
I went to an air show yesterday, Sunday May 18.
Flying around were a Huey and a Cobra.
Very cool, also played late 1960's music,
 I was a lot younger then.

[carlos marighela]

I know how you feel. The way this week has been going I felt a lot younger on Sunday as well. 

[CapnJim]

Nice VC, Mike.  It'll be interesting to see how you adapt Sellswords & Spellslingers to Vietnam...

[mikedemana]

I've been working on the concepts. I think the engine works as a great cooperative miniatures game. I have to tailor the fighting mechanics to be more shooting based than melee. Each player will control 4-5 figures, I'm hoping.



In the meantime, here is my fourth batch of U.S. infantry. I am one batch away from being at the halfway point of painting all that I had purchased...!



For more pictures of the guys and a little discussion about said rules writing, check out my latest post on my Lead Legionaries blog:
https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2025/05/more-us-soldier-in-vietnam-some-misc.html

Thanks for all the comments and conversation...   

Mike Demana

[CapnJim]

Nice job, Mike!  Like the tattoo...

[mikedemana]

Double update here with this post! I finished my second batch of 28mm Viet Cong from the Black Sun range by Crucible Crush. With this batch, I believe I am a the exact halfway point for the figures I bought for this project. I have five batches done and five more to go!



The figures are posed next to my new jungle scatter pieces that I just created with 1.5" diameter wooden pieces from the craft store. I used various plastic pants from the craft store, as well. I go through my step-by-step method I used in my latest blog post on Lead Legionaries here:
Posing alongside my second batch of 28mm Viet Cong from the Black Sun range, are my new jungle scatter pieces I created recently. I used 1.5" diameter wooden discs and added several pieces of plastic plants I picked up at the craft store to each. Check out my step by step process for creating them, and discussion of my Vietnam project, on my latest Lead Legionaries blog post here: https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2025/05/more-28mm-viet-cong-some-jungle-scatter.html



Check it out and let me know what you think, if you have a chance. I am happy with the speed with which this project is proceeding, so far! Thanks for all the comments on this thread...

Mike Demana

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice job on those, and the jungle looks good.

[CapnJim]

Well done there, Mike.  Everything looks good so far.