Following on from my previous post these little beauties from Antenocitis Workshop will form the basis of my mechanized transports for my next board project…an Ariadnian Forward Observation Post
Really well cast 28mm resin vehicles and a new range of offerings about to be released if the rumours are true!
Bit of a change up from Historical Wargames in these couple of posts as I’ve recently been focused on getting an old project completed. For the uninitiated Infinity is a sci-fi 28mm skirmish game produced by Corvus Belli (CB) from Spain. The game is based 175 years in the future with major factions fighting clandestine battles on some fronts whilst all out war has erupted on others. It is in my opinion THE best sci-fi miniatures game on the market period and has been for several years now. I base that claim on several factors, all of which I weigh with importance when judging a games worth.
Firstly, the 28mm miniature range that CB produce are simply the best sci-fi miniature offerings available at this scale of production. Sure the odd sculptor might release miniatures on par but month in month out CB release 10-12 figures that maintain an exceptionally high standard and really set the bar. The sculpting talent just has to be seen to be believed, they are always cast so clean with minimal flash at the worst, but most often none!
Secondly the game itself from a rules point of view is such a breath of fresh air to the skirmish genre. Throw those musty old D6’s away as this system utilises the wonderful piece of plastic that is the D20! The game was designed from the ground up for tournament play and is remarkably balanced for a game of this kind. It’s an intuitive system to learn and also lends itself fantastically to narrative style gameplay for those that like adding that bit extra to their gaming experience. It has a low model count for the standard point game being around ten miniatures depending on faction. Speaking of faction their is really something for everyone from the characterful Nomad’s, the tech superior Pan Oceania, bio researchers and True Islam worshipping Haqqislam, shady big brother AI Aleph and four or five others.
Last but not least the team at CB care about the setting they have built…they don’t rush out a product every six months to cash in on success but take time to properly play test, develop story arcs and on the whole polish the whole universe into the wonderful setting it is today. Books are released “when they are done”, they are little works of art and run at around an eighteen month cycle currently so the game isn’t changing constantly. There is an excellent tournament system in place with season specific scenarios and missions and a campaign book was released early last year for those who have that more narrative mindset which again was an excellent product. Iv’e rambled enough…here are a few images of some old unfinished terrain pieces.
I have decided to do a comprehensive tutorial on how I go about tackling my 20mm US Infantry (AB Figures). It will be a complete run down, everything involved in the process will be covered from basing right through to detailing. I will nominate colours and paint brands utilised and any techniques that I think might prove useful. Take the tutorial for what it is….in no means do I claim to be an “expert” painter but instead think I may have a few useful tips that you might like to adopt. To give an idea of where I’m headed here is the initial sample figure that I have tested colour schemes on and which is pretty much how I will paint up my Battlegroup/Chain of Command US force. I elected to represent an actual Ranger Battalion mainly out of interest in their undertakings in the initial Normandy landings.
Figure is not completed yet, still a bit of detail to pick out (Ranger Insignia ect.) and a matt varnish to be applied.
Hope you enjoy.
Finished the build on my first 1/72 scale AFV and what a lovely model to assemble! It’s the PzKpfw VI “Tiger” I Ausf. E Revell AG kit and aside from some patience needed when assembling parts of the tracks it’s a breeze to put together. I have left the commanders hatch open and will place a suitable figure at the helm. Undercoated and ready for a Normandy themed colour scheme. I will look a bit deeper into what particular company I want to represent before commencing the paint work. I’m thinking the 101st with the following scheme.
Forming the backbone of my Maurice army are three regiments of Russian Grenadiers. Two are elite guards regiments on foot whilst the third is a trained grenadier regiment on horseback. Five different poses featuring sabres drawn, spears lowered for charging and muskets cradled.
More WIP of my SYW Russians this time a regiment of Cossacks. Five differently posed horsemen with either sabres or horse bows.
I’m as keen as ever to get some games of Battlegroup Overlord and Chain of Command underway and have been building up my stocks of figures to suit. I have made the decision to focus primarily on 20mm (1/72) scale miniatures as I believe they offer the best balance between figure detail whilst keeping ground scale workable in larger games even though BG will likely need an 8′ x 6′ table. It also gives me access to the huge range of plastic 1/72 scale military models so theoretically one should never want for a specific vehicle type ever again!
AB Figures have recently been picked up by Eureka Miniatures here in Australia and are by far my preferred option to field when it come to infantry. The ranges are extensive (except Soviets and US Para’s!) and offer some truly amazing sculpts. Nic from Eureka has been working hard on getting the codes back in production with Fallschirmjager and US Infantry all now available to order and German SS available but not yet on the Eureka online store.
My initial aim is to get enough figures painted to commence smaller games of CoC with the aim of building towards 500 point and larger games of Battlegroup Overlord. I have US Infantry now well covered and German opposition on the way. I also have a selection of Brit Para’s ready to paint but will wait on the rerelease before making a start on them. All going well I will be starting these US figures shortly and will then add some AFV support and artillery options. Before long they will be tackling the hedgerows and rubble of Normandy!
Here are a few samples of some of my favourite poses in the US range all based and ready to paint.
Who you ask?
Count Peter (Pyotr) Ivanovich Shuvalov, a field marshall who formed the Russian Corps of Observation and improved to an extent the efficacy of Russian artillery.
My Russian army for Maurice focuses on the Russian Corps of Observation and whilst my hobby time has been limited over the last few weeks I did have a few further WIP images to share. Firstly the man himself!
Here we have a couple of images of the howitzer, both by itself and limbered up to oxen…yes oxen!
The miniatures are from the Eureka SYW 18mm range and are little works of art. Very cleanly cast and minimal cleanup is required.
Finally we have a picture of the real thing. Note the odd shaped bore of the barrel to increase the killing field of the canister shot.
Updates have ground to an unexpected halt over the last several weeks due to our youngest daughter becoming seriously unwell.
Projects are on hold with modelling and hobby time currently non existant and will likely continue that way for the coming weeks as she recovers.
I will endevour to get things back on track when we start to see light at the end of the tunnel!
Regards
Shane
Test figures are completed for my 3rd Cuirassier’s Regiment after a lot of research into uniforms for the period!
Turn’s out the light blue coat that is often depicted was a parade uniform as opposed to the chamois service uniform that I have painted.
A blue cloak was reportedly worn in winter and was rolled up and secured behind the riders saddle.
Everything else is as historically accurate as I could determine.
Still in need of a matt varnish and suitable basing for the period…likely fields of trodden flowers scattered with lace embroidered gloves, dandy hat’s and corpses!
Lovely figures to paint!
Regimental standard (Light blue field) and the Leib standard (white field) which was carried by the 1st squadron of the regiment.
Climbing Lead Mountain 