Rubicon M4 Sherman I - part two

So, the tank is basic assembled.

Of course Sherman tanks are very variable, and it would have been a good idea to have done the research before sticking the cheek appliqué armour on.

This tank is going to be painted as a member of 33rd Armoured Brigade, probably 144 Royal Armoured Corp - tactical sign 174.

Lift rings added to the turret using 0.7mm brass rod.

Storage - Really Useful Box

At Colours 2018, I bought two Really Useful Box with storage from whoever is now Figures In Comfort at £25 each. They were on special offer.

The box came with four trays containing thirty three 25mm x 50mm cutouts.

Top tray with Empress VBCW British, fourth edition Wombles and some Crooked Dice figures.

Empress Early War British Infantry

So this is the first of a batch of Empress Miniatures Inter-War/Early War British infantry.

This one was undercoated with Citadel Chaos Black.

The uniform and helmet is Vallejo English Uniform.  It was highlighted with a mix of Vallejo English Uniform and Army Painter Skeleton Bone.

The webbing, pack and pouches are painted with Citadel Snot Womble Green, highlighted with Citadel Nurgling Green.

The Gas Cape is painted with Citadel Death World Green.

The rifle is Citadel Mournfang Brown, as are his boots, handle of the entrenching tool and the grip of the bayonet.

The puttees are Citadel Steel Legion Drab.

The tin mug is Army Painter Stone Golem highlighted with Citadel White Scar.

Citadel Agrax Earthshade was used to shade the figure.

Rubicon M4 Sherman I

Back in April 2018 I bought four of Rubicon's kits. Due to a combination of events, I had not got round to building any of them (the Warlord Sherman V took two years!).

The kit comes in the traditional Rubicon box (which always feels a bit soft).

The kit comes with their illustrated instruction sheet and two sets of decals.

There are two large sprues (lower chassis and two turrets).  Two smaller sprues have the rear of the hull for the various types of M4.

There is a small sprue for the crew (US and British) and a sprue with the skirts, hood appliqué and transmission cover.

The chassis goes together well, it is a lot more complicated than the Warlord kit, the bogies have the front moulded with the tracks, the backs of the bogies are individual mouldings.

Like the new M4A3, the hull and the chassis can be kept separate for painting.

 The turret needs to be smoothed a bit at the back before I continue with the turret fittings and the gun.

Marauders - Under Fire Miniatures

As mentioned earlier, I ordered some more Under Fire Miniatures last year.

In addition to the Bundeswehr and Soviets, I also ordered a pack of their Rhodesian SAS.

This is how they were supplied, with a Kepi like hat and armed with AK-47, RPD, FN-FAL and RPD. They also come with two optional back packs.

So, the plan is to use them as Marauders for Twilight 2000, with light kit and a mixture of weapons. Now, as it is a lot colder on that timeline, they needed more suitable headgear. In this case, the Empress Miniatures heads with wooly hats.

The heads were sawn off using a razor saw. The neck stump was first drilled with a 1mm drill to make a pilot hole. This was then widened with a 1.5mm drill. The final hole was made using a 3mm drill (which is close to the neck diameter of the Empress heads).

The heads were superglued in place. The backpacks were drilled and a matching 1mm hole and 1mm plastic peg added to the body. This was then used to provide a good fixture between the body and backpack.

Graveyard Spirit - Malifaux

On Malifaux, the dead are not unquiet, they are damn rowdy!

The Graveyard Spirit is a single sprue miniature and comes with a 30mm base and the relevant second edition card.

As you can see, a simple kit. There is a small release mark on the base and only minor mould lines.

The back "plate" does need some blending in, especially if you are going to use a wash technique later on.

I sprayed the figure with Humbrol Matt White spray. The base was painted with Vallejo Burnt Umber and the edges painted black with Citadel Abaddon Black.

The gravestone was painted with Army Painter Stone Golem, washed with Citadel Nuln Oil.

The figure was washed with Citadel Hexwraith Flame technical paint. It is similar to the washes but with more pigment.

It certainly makes the figure glow, though I had difficulty getting the exposure right.

Slightly darker environment shows the green a lot more.

Currently using this technique on a Games Workshop Banshee - for Frostgrave.

60th(provisional) Royal Rifle Regiment

Motto: "Nos manducans neque deditionem, frustrum assae pavos" 

The 60th(provisional) Royal Rifle Regiment is an administrative and legal formation of the army of Blueland.

The first battalion comprises units from a fellow signatory state of the Oceanic Alliance.

Platoon HQ

Platoon Sergeant

Squad support - Light Machine Gun

Grenadier

Rifleman/Breacher

Platoon photograph.

The figures are Empress Modern US Rangers.

Paint scheme.
Citadel Chaos Black spray undercoat followed by Humbrol Desert Tan 93.
The camouflage is Citadel Castellan Green and Citadel Steel Legion Drab. Boots and gloves are Citadel Mournfang Brown.

Sunglasses are Citadel Mechrite Red.