Trade Me

Looks like the Wargames\Other section of trade me has a seller auto-listing 14 pages of items, I can't see a way of blocking these listings (Single auctions for a single paint pottle for an entire range) and I'm pretty much over going through every page so I guess I'll just have to not bother.

If anyone in ChCh  is interested in some 28mm Black tree WW2 Germans and Russians (and 76mm AT gun) let me know.

In greater news I  need to have my nose reconstructed so I'll be off for two weeks at some point so I'll have to find myself something to do while I am taking it easy. I have a feeling it will be painting..........I could always buy a T-55 online.

Dettol Surprise !

When I left NZ back in 1997 I stored my war game figures at my mums in a tea-chest style box. Unknown to me a family member placed an extremely heavy box on top that over time crushed what was underneath. Casualties were high and my ww2 plastic armies were pretty much stuffed. Mostly tank barrels and wheels\tracks were broken off so it basically became a box of bits.

 On my return in 2004 I kept them and they are still at mums. Some time last year I was going to throw them out but  I decided to keep them for parts as they are all battered to hell and have so many layers of paint on them they would be beyond useful.....or so I thought.

 I read a blog recently about Dettol and paint stripping and I gave it a go with an old Sdkfz251 and a sdkfz 250/1. Both were missing tracks, wheels etc but they are just testors. They went into soak on sunday and over the last few days I have scrubbed the paint off with an old  Dora Toothbrus. And they are like new - that original matchbox grey plastic and I am simply amazed !. I wear gloves and do it all outside of course, I don't mind the smell of dettol (I spent some time in hopsital when I was younger) and I wear gloves so the only mess is in the container.

It will be a tedious task soaking them all and fixing them but I think I shouold be able to save 60% of what was left. Of course it will take time and a lot of dettol but its quite rewarding - Its mainly 8th army transport I want to save first, then I'll move onto the 14 or so 251's.

So let the games begin.

 

Sidenote

I also painted my fence with my industrial paint sprayer – It has me looking at airbrushes again. I might get a el - cheapo version and try a can of propellant first, and then look at a compressor \tank. I'm expecting heavy resistance from the chief accountant, so I might have to resort to extortion\bribery.

Modern Madness !

Recently I have been focused on painting my 15mm SciFi figures as well as take part on some play testing of a new rule-set. As we are  thinking of moving abodes I decided to start sorting out the large box of figures\models\crap that is a collection of items from over 25+ years of war-gaming. Its always a delight to rifle through the box of shame and find all sorts of boxes filled with figures saved for a later day. My 1/72 WW2 North Africa Armies, 1/72 Pacific, 1/72 Modern and 1/72 ACW figures all sitting nicely for a rainy day (well rainy year more like it). So for a break and something different I whipped out some ww2 figures and will spend a week painting to my hearts content. I've decided to ditch my 28mm WW2 collection (Selling on trademe is such a bore !) and will give away the few WW2 Late War vehicles I have left to the Archduke himself.

Below Esci Spetnaz. 20 years in a box so time they were painted ! I've read a few blogs recently aimed at Command Decision Moderns, I'm half tempted to find my fictional 90's country notes and revise my campaign for a future date. My fictional campaign all spawned from the Programmed Scenarios "Coup De Etat" scenario and a good 15 years of getting figures in dribs and drabs has made it possible. Now all I need is time, space,rules...............

The beginnings of my Italian Army for the desert. A mix of SHQ "sunhat" troops and the good old trusty airfix specials. The figure below was just to test out my colour selection and I quite like it.  Over the years I have picked up a lot of ww2 Early Africa figures\vehicles and now I see S model have a Tankette and Vickers Lt Tank for sale.

 Another British infantry company - Good old Airfix. I literally have hundreds of these figures and they are all at least 30 years old. They are very dear to me as they always bring back such fond memories.

The 3" Mortar platoon - SHQ figures. Not sure on my paint job so I might give them a Devlan Mud wash to tone it down a little. Though seeing as I've been in the North Africa heat myself I can always just say it is pretty sunny !.

 WargamesFactory WSS Figures. Painted as Spanish Borbon Regt (I think - I would have to check my notes). I have 2 painted but they have been sitting there waiting for basing for some time.

Some more 1/72 fun. I was perusing around an NZ model shop the other day and found a series of modern vehicles at 60% off. How could I resist ! Of course it has now rekindled my thoughts on getting an airbrush - The airbrush itself is fine however the compressor is another kettle of fish. I have an industrial paint sprayer (For Fences\interior) however the compressor on that sounds like a jet engine, has too high a pressure and can only take a 2 Litre paint bottle.  Hobby compressors seem to be gigantic and expensive.

So I have had the honour of having some of my work mentioned on the  Ion Age Blog


Hooray for recognition ! Hooray for spare time !

Cheers
Paul