Questions - Modern British Army Uniform & Vehicles (28mm Empress)

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I am painting a group of modern British soldiers in 28mm.
I have 24 Empress  British Infantry figures (one of each Brit01 to 06) and 8 Airfix figures and three Airfix vehicles (Landrover Snatch,  Landrover WMIK and a Jackal).

The Airfix figures are all equiped in standard uniforms and weapons.  The radioman has a 2 metre long aerial coming from his backpack.  The Empress figures are more tooled up with the weapons fitted with gun sights, extra handles, waepon mounted torches and grenade launchers.  The Empress helmets also often have cameras and the radios have short aerials.

I am undecided whether to paint them in Desert DPM or Multicam (Multi Terrain Pattern).
The uniforms changed in 2010.  Is there anything to identfy kit as pre 2010 or post 2010?  

Are the Snatch Landrovers still used?
Thanks

Mick

[Admiral Alder]

Not an expert but the snatch was being phased out, and the 2010 kit is pretty much the same as before but a different colour, I think the designated marksman rifle might also have changed, its unlikely to be an SA80 or LSW, the webbing has more rocket pouches than the magazine holder style ones, I don't think there really is too much of a difference

[Grimjack]

The uniform worn depends upon which area you are operating in. Afghanistan is Desert and Multicam depending on where you are (desert or 'green zone'). The standard DPM is worn over in Kenya and on certain occasions in the UK or Europe.

MY figures are currently TAG in desert pattern, with some Scots in basic DPM for 'home service' duty (against zombies, to be honest). I have painted Multicam on some of the TAG figures also, once you spot the 'quick way' (ie not settling for perfection) they are time-consuming to do but ok.

My Empress figures still await completion (from two Salutes ago!) but will have some in desert and some in multicam. I now have to bite the bullet and build the Airfix stuff I have.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Thank-you both

Any idea on whether the Snatch was still used after 2010?

[Grimjack]

The Snatch was proven to be an unhelpful piece of kit in Iraq. I would focus on WMIK's, there are some conversion kits out there but I did mine on some TAG landrovers using card, plastic sprue and crew and gunners from the old Mongrel MIniatures Israeli range (the vehicle crews look a lot like modern Brits, especially the GPMG crew. I also like the way that the Galil rifles look a little like the Marksman 7.62 rifle.

Think WMIK's, Mastiff, Jackals for Afghanistan. If there are any Snatch left, they are probably on rear echelon duty or have been converted to other duties.

[The Travelling Man]

Hi Mick,

Biggest obvious difference in kit is the body armour- the Osprey Mk4 was phased in during Herrick 12.  It's distinctive as it doesn't have an external plate carrier pouch like the earlier versions and has a very obvious wide cumberband around the waist. 

The helmet also changed during the 2009-2010 time period- its now the Mk7.  Covers for the Mk4 Osprey and the Mk7 helmet are available in both desert DPM and MTP although MTP is by far the most common pattern worn on Herrick (the DPM was retained for ops in the high dasht or desert).

The Empress figures are very much in post 2009-2010 kit- you can see the Mk4, the ACOG optic with slaved RMR mini Red Dots on top, the L129A1 Marksman Rifle, the L128A1 shotgun etc.

Long story short, you could do them in either pattern but MTP is the more likely.

Snatch is now the Vixen Plus, an up-armoured model of the Snatch 2 with an enhanced electronic counter-measures package.  It is still used but mainly within the wire and around the immediate perimeter of Coalition sites in the force protection role- it is generally no longer a patrol vehicle as Grimjack says.

Or you could use the Snatch model as a MIRA UGV which stands for Unmanned Ground Vehicle.  This is literally a remote control Snatch with a mounted ground penetrating radar now used as part of the UK Route Clearance teams.  You'll need to scratch build the radar but it kind of looks like a folding bridge so could be do-able and would be a very distinctive model.

Hope all of this helps.

cheers, Leigh 

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Thank-you very much for your help

I like the idea of converting the Snatch to a MIRA MACE (see middle page in brochure in link below)
http://www.mira.co.uk/our-services/unmanned-ground-vehicles

Regards

Mick

[The Travelling Man]

No problem.  I game in 20mm and have been considering a 1/100 folding bridge to turn one of my Snatches into a UGV- it wouldn't get too much use in games but it'd look very cool indeed

[gimzod]

I have some of the TSG and brooks miniatures british ( and two hasslefree.) done up in basic DPM. ( which has come up more like the uniform wore in northern ireland .)

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Thanks everybody.

There are additional comments here
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=302753

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Here is a WIP photo.  

It is very difficult to see which soldiers are Airfix and which are Empress.
The three kneeling figures in the middle at the front are Airfix (hand upwith LMG, rifle, radio with long antenna).  The
tall walking figure behind the Airfix radio man is also Airfix.  The vehicle crews are Aifix.
Everybody else is Empress.
The vehicles will probably need to be based as they are too delicate to use without bases.


Bigger picture here (use the magnifying glass button)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31905569@N05/

Regards
Mick

[Brummie]

Looking Good!

You can also mix and match camos, its not unusual for troops to be seen with all three!

As for the WMIKs and Snatches, although the Jackal and the Mastiff and the preferred forms of travel in Afghanistan, I don't believe they have been taken out of service completely and they can be used for RMP or for patrolling/travelling around established bases. Also nothing to say they won't see service in a less hostile environment etc.