Tuesday, March 10, 2015

First Special Service Forcemen and Droogies


A few more odd and sundry items rolling off the workbench.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version):


These are some support weapons I converted for my First Special Service Force platoon. The figures were American paratroopers from Artizan Designs - so they were a pretty good match for the First Special Service Force figures (which are also from Artizan). I do hope Artizan will produce a pack of troopers with the Johnson LMG (which Nick at North Star Figures had indicated were in the works) at which point I will pick up those and a few more packs for riflemen and some of the other “character” packs and finish up the platoon. I converted these as I have a feeling that, considering how long it’s taken to get that last pack of Johnson gunners out, they will likely never get around to producing aupport elements such as these.


The .30 Cal MG team


Another shot of the .30 Cal MG team so you can see some of the conversion work – mostly I tried to modify the jackets to look more like the FSSF parkas and rounded the edges of the pant cargo pockets to look more like the Mountain Trousers of the FSSF than the Jump trousers of the paratroopers.


60mm Mortar team I left a few in the Jump Jackets – as some members of the force seem to have been issued with them - (mostly on the ones where carving off the pockets would be problematic) and gave them the force shoulder patch.


Bazooka Team #1 in Parkas


Pazooka Team #2 in Jump Jackets and Mountain Trousers.


Alex, Pete, Georgie, and Dim heading on over to the Korova Milkbar where they will try  to make up their rassoodocks what to do with the evening. Figures from Crooked Dice.

I have no idea when or where I shall use these... Like so many of my miniature purchases - it just seemed like a good idea at the time. 


Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

um...?

13 comments:

  1. I always enjoy seeing your distinctive painting style on the wide variety of figures you paint! They look great.
    I have a tendency to buy miniatures that I like the look of, even when I don't have any gaming uses for them in mind. Then it becomes fun trying to find ways to use them in games.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I do too - i spend hours dreaming about scenarios that could be played with every miniature i paint. If only I could get around to PLAYING all those scenarios.

      (unfortunately half the time, while dreaming of said scenarios, I realize there are other figures I'd NEED to play said scenarios...)

      Delete
    2. Yes, same to all of that for me as well, Tim. That's one reason I lean towards fantasy and steampunk (as well as just enjoying those genres in general). Also, those are the kinds of miniatures I tend to like.

      I did find a use for a bunch of halfling villagers and adventurers and some gnolls, a while back.

      Delete
  2. The Clockwork Orange crew looks great :)
    For the scenarios: I make lists of the elements I have (minis, terrain, scenario ideas), and choose from them or roll randomly on a table made from the lists. That way I can make sure I don't get distracted from using the ones I already have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      I could see ending up with some really odd-ball scenarios that way:

      "Okaaaaayyy... So the Samurai are attacking the Romans across the World War One No Man's Land - with support from the French Napoleonic Horse Artillery...?!"

      I guess you'd have to keep the tables period specific...

      Delete
  3. If your group is open to such games, they can be fun.
    But you are right, my tables are quite specific, to narrow the focus. If I had infinite time to make terrain and inifinite space to store them, I could still have infinite time to play games with them :) But as I have them in limited amount, it would be wasteful not to use them maximally.
    However we also use totally random tables. As my group meets weekly, we sometimes roll scenarios for the next game, and we'll have a week to prepare the scenery and miniatures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant!

      I've seen similar tables in role-playing games to come up with quick scenarios. I've always liked the basic idea, but not sure I ever used any...?

      Delete
  4. My ideas came from the tables of the old Rogue Trader game, but slowly added more elements from my ideas, and also from randomized games, like Descent Ed2. Most recent games use random cards for scenarios, they can also give good ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice. I know the Savage World Weird War Two book had a random mission generator - which would include attachments to your squad/platoon's basic force as well as what sort of opposition they might face. I have a feeling Behind Enemy Lines had one two... but I can't remember for sure...

      Delete