1914 Belgium - UD 18/12 - news re German infantry paint scheme

[Silent Invader]

But of a fiddle and some finishing required but the Minerva crew actually fit into their respective positions! Phew 

Each has a foot pegged into a hole. They'll be tidied and painted before being glued into position, then the hands will be finished off.

[juergen c. olk]

great job! Now off to the Russian front with you.

[Silent Invader]

great job! Now off to the Russian front with you.

Thanks 

So I undercoated the minerva crew but thought I ought get a messy job out of the way before starting painting: cutting excess foam from the next three terrain tiles.

In case anyone is interested (and to remind me when I do the next three  ), these three tiles will comprise road and meadow with two having added shell holes, so will be covered with teddy bear fur, plasticard cobbled sheeting, and beach sand to blend the two:



Close up of the shell holes, which will be covered in fake fur to be burned away for a soil effect:



And what they look like from underneath:

[Hupp n at em]

Can't believe it took me this long to find this project, SI does it again!    Can't wait to see some figures in the town.

[Constable Bertrand]

Nice WIP Steve! That looks good, you have some nice variation in height and depth.

The shell crater will look good.

Cheers
Matt.

[Silent Invader]

Thank you both  .

Regarding these latest tiles, some of the height variation will close-up as the tiles are surfaced and so in-game it will mostly be about how the depressions (the ditches and the shell holes) help or hinder an attack on the town..... Will they slow or fracture a charge or provide locations for jump off points and covering fire, etc.? Let's hope the rules work!

As an aside, I was laid up most of yesterday and did a heck of a lot more research (lots more time for a little more info) on uniform colours for the Minerva crew ..... subsequent to which I decided to modify the figures slightly so that there will be two as cavalry# and two as infantry*.

#Edit: the commander and driver will be clothed as men from 2eme Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval, who in 1914 were garrisoned at Mons and whose uniform is I believe worn by the crew of the 1:1 Minerva replica that was built for Belgium's 2014 '100th anniversary' commemoration events.

*Edit: to be more specific, the gunner and loader will be depicted as grenadiers, in a nod to Lt Charles Henkart (who had the first two Minerva armoured cars made from his personal vehicles) who I have read was a grenadier officer.

[cdr]

You could of course do Henkart in his favourite long leather coat

or somebody in a green and red guides uniform for a bit of colour

Carl
(some years back i wrote a Wargames illustrated article on these Minerva's 

[Silent Invader]

Great suggestions Carl but I'm already about half way with the painting: just the shading and highlighting to do.......



Well done on that article: I've seen it on the internet and it was a most useful find during my research  


EDIT: the advantage of interim photos .... I just noticed I left off some chin straps ..... A tad more greenstuff required!

[Silent Invader]

Usual iPhone photos ....

The Minerva crew are now painted, though hands in contact with the vehicle will get a touch more greenstuff etc once they have been fixed inside the vehicle.

Two mounted riflemen as commander and driver, and two grenadiers as gunner and loader (converted from Medieval labourers by Perry Miniatures). Plus a couple of Mauser M-1889 rifles that can be stashed in the vehicle and used to protect the MG (converted from 18thC muskets by Conquest Miniatures).

[Captain Blood]

Smart paintwork Steve 

[Atheling]

Smart paintwork Steve 

Indeed 

You're one dedicated and creative man as regards to the hobby that's for sure! 

Darrell.

[Silent Invader]

Thanks gents 

(It keeps me sane Darrell    )

I forgot to mention that there's more about the unit/uniform choices on my websites Minerva page

http://www.silentinvader.uk/index_w_taf_index_minerva.html

[Helen]

Great work on the Minerva crew. Well done to you and thanks again for sharing your project.

Cheers,

Helen

[Atheling]

Well done to you and thanks again for sharing your project.

Actually yes, thanks for sharing, that is probably not said enough as this serves as inspiration to me and I would hazard a guess and say many others too  .

Darrell.

[Phil Robinson]

Those crew look superb.