A 2022 Merry Christmas

No I'm still not dead, but 2022 has been a write off for painting projects.  However, I did pickup a brush in December and I think some new projects are on the horizon for 2023, which will end my painting slump.

My queue includes a large amount of Perry Miniatures Agincourt figures that I have been meaning to finally paint for years, as well as a healthy batch of Brigade Models vehicles and buildings.

A special mention needs to go out to Matt Slade of Glenbrook Games Painting Service and Dan Dunbar down in Australia.  Due to my laziness they both painted large batches of 15mm Sci Fi figures for me (Khurasan Garn and an assortment of GZG and Alternative Armies Laserburn characters)this year and did a great job.  Their figures will be featured in January 2023 in separate posts

In any case, Merry Christmas to all!  See you in 2023.

15mm Figure Display/Storage Solution: Letterpress Drawers

Good day.  Yes I am still alive.  Nothing really to report on the painting end of things.  Maybe later this year.

I did come up with another storage/display solution for my 15mm Sci Fi figures, this time from an Antique Shop: old Letterpress drawers, used by printer companies of ages past.   They come with various internal designs, but all are basically 32" x 17".

Purchasing two, I hung them on my wall and presto, instant display cases.  

Each slot holds either one or two figures.  I could get three but I prefer not to have them crowded.  Eahc drawer holds 210 figures.  

For $55 each it was a good deal.  

2022 - A Slow Year

2022 has been a very slow year for me, painting-wise at least.  My desire to start new projects died in January.  Perhaps later this year I will focus on something new, but until then I am taking a bit of a hiatus from painting....until the creative spark strikes again.

15mm Sci Fi - Old Crow Provider Transports aka Space Trucks!

 Yesterday I had (you guessed it), more free time.  So I decided it was a good opportunity to finish off the last of my Old Crow vehicles, three wheeled Provider Transports.

Provider Transports deliver vital supplies to the distant US Marine outposts on the planet Glory. 
The fight against Space Communism requires a never ending stream of beans and bullets.

Join the US Star Marines and fight for freedom across the galaxy and defend against alien invaders!

There is a saying: Amateurs study tactics; Professionals study Logistics.  While its great to have tons of combat vehicles, transports and logistics vehicles are also very important (game-wise).  They provide excellent objectives, to both save, capture and or destroy, turning an otherwise boring meeting engagement into something actually interesting.

The ADATS (Air Defense/Anti-Tank System) provides protection against attacks from the Democratic People's Republic of Glory's aerospace forces (DPRG). 
Communist aggression must be thwarted!

The missile system is removable and easily replaced with cargo containers.

Ammunition must be unloaded and secured.  It will be used soon.  Medical bots prepare to load wounded heroes for return to rear area hospitals.  

The vehicles were painted in the same scheme as my US Tomorrow's War forces.  The blog post can be found here: 

Small Soldiers - Fight! Win! : 15mm Sci Fi - Tomorrows War US Army Armored Vehicles (darebearsminiemporium.blogspot.com)

The convoy CO oversees all aspects of the delivery.  
"Fuel and ammunition are needed!  Move quickly!  Hurry!"

The cargo pods are of course removable.  

Aerial Drones keep watch from above and beyond....

Another productive mid-week.

15mm Sci Fi - Old Crow 6mm Buildings

Last night I had some free time available (on a Monday no less), so making use of that I managed to bang off more of my WIP pile: several Old Crow 6mm buildings that I had lying around, specifically a habitation block and two communication towers.

Venturan Star Marines patrol the Endurium fuel processing plant on Hades III

    I have found that certain Old Crow 6mm buildings work very well at 15mm scale, specifically as both scatter terrain and as smaller specialized buildings (communication hubs, power units, ect).  Typically I paint these in my standard sci fi building pattern: Tamiya Medium Grey, highlighted with Tamiya Royal Light Grey and Vallejo White Grey.  

The buildings scale well enough, and many are modular so you can attach additional blocks if you wish.  

Warbots provide the squad with the necessary heavy firepower.

Endurium is vital to interstellar travel.

 Now I have to start working on the huge pile of Brigade Models vehicles and buildings that I got during their Christmas 2021 sale.  Stay tuned.  

15mm Sci Fi - Old Crow JagdLancer Tank Destroyer & Lancer Heavy Tank

Happy New Year folks!  Over the holidays I managed little painting.  However, I did manage to bang off the last of my Space Nazi force: Old Crow Lancer Tanks and JagdLancer Tank Destroyers.

The Lancer MBT is simply a Sabre Tank hull mounted on the Lancer Heavy APC.  Old Crow sells the turrets separately for this very conversion.  Available in tracked, hover or grav versions, it makes a convincing sci-fi tank.  My top deck stowage is removable of course.  

The JagdLancer is a vehicle that is available, but it does not appear on Jez's old web site.  It is one of those hidden gems that you just "need to know exists".    The heavy tanks will likely become my King Tigers in World of Tanks, whereas regular Sabre tanks will stand in for regular Tiger tanks.

The barrels are from GZG.  The actual barrels that Old Crow provides are fine, but are very stubby.  I had these lying around and thought they fit better with my concept for the vehicle.  In World of Tanks terms, these could be JagdTigers or JagdPanzer E100s.

JagdLancer from Old Crow

Lancer Heavy Tank from Old Crow

This year I will be focusing less on figures and more on vehicles.  I have a ton from Brigade Models to paint up, as well as miniatures from World of Tanks.