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Afraid I don’t know who made this but it’s great!

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Seems like GW is really trying to distance themselves from the "Beer and Pretzles" type of game that Age of Sigmar was initially advertised as. I do like some of these rules, but I cant help thinking that they might be taking this just a little too seriously in the other direction. On the ome hand, yea of course we all want fair games and respectful opponents, but on the other hands AOS is a silly game with some broken combos and exploitable rules, though a very simple base system that is super easy to learn and relatively fast to play.

Im curious what GW is planning for the future of AOS, but right now I dont really like the direction the company is going. I still love their models and their lore though and will probably still collect a bit here and there, but their FOMO buisness practices and money grubbing limited releases are souring me on the company as a whole unfortunately.

So this is in the new Age of Sigmar rule book. Thoughts?

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Drukhari Incubi squad complete! #drukhari #warhammer40k #gamesworkshop #paintingwarhammer #40k #darkeldar #stuffipainted https://www.instagram.com/p/CEVA5OnHam7/?igshid=p1kkwm54get4

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Drahzar is finiahed as well, ready to lead my Drukhari army to victory! #drukhari #40k #warhammer40k #gamesworkshop #paintingwarhammer #darkeldar #stuffipainted https://www.instagram.com/p/CEVBGNZHgnu/?igshid=nkl75qq1h626

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Some photos from the Crusader Castle game at Salute 2019!

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pewpewpew!

When the magnets are just perfect!

☝🏻🤤👌🏻

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Here he comes that boi!

The dead Primaris LT is great too haha, i sense a bit of self-awareness from GW on this one. Beautiful model.

Well… Shit…. He looks amazing!

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Wow these look awesome, great job!

M11/39 Italian Tanks (and some US Steel for the 8th Army – a Grant and a Sherman), plus an Aussie! For What a Tanker

Mark A. Morin

I have been heavily engaged hobby-wise since December at building out both 8th Army and Panzer Army Africa tank forces.  This blog post describes my last few tanks (well, for now) for What a Tanker© in WWII North Africa.  As I plan on running this scenario at HAVOC in April, my goal was to create a diverse-enough tank list so that the players could have a very fun game that also would reflect the wide diversity of tanks and tank destroyers used by both sides from 1940-1943.  I analyzed my respective armies’ 15mm/1:100 scale tank rosters, and concluded a couple things.  First, my Italians lacked some rivet-laden death traps, also known as Fiat Ansaldo M11/39’s. Second, my British could use another M3 Grant and an M4 Sherman to deal with the German’s Tiger I.  Upon further research, I learned that the Australians captured several of the M11/39’s – so that inspired me to build one for the 8th Army as well.  Therefore, I built 3 M11/39’s, one Grant, and one Sherman.

This overall North Africa project has been documented in this blog in five previous posts, (which you can read about here, here, here, here, and here) and I plan on a summary post as well in the near future.  There I will detail more about the game scenario and how I run it.  These 5 tanks brings me to a total of 46 tanks since December for this scenario.  

M11/39’s

The M11/39 designation meant that it was an 11-ton tank, built in 1939.  100 were built by Fiat.  It had a 37 mm hull-mounted gun and a turret with double 8 mm machine guns.  It did not do well in combat, due to its inferior design, especially the turret having no anti-tank capability.  For What a Tanker© games, this means that the tank’s turret is meaningless – it is like having a tank destroyer without the benefits of a tank destroyer.

I decided to try a different source for the tank models, and found that I could get three from Old Glory for $25, which seemed reasonable.  I also bought a few other vehicles for other scenarios.  I was surprised to see that they were completely made of metal – even with a lead warning on the package!  As a metal aficionado, I was pleased.

I did have however a concern with the quality of the castings.  They all had significantly problematic mold lines on the machine gun turret, and the details on the hull were much less clear than Battlefront models.  Still, the price reflected that, so it was up to me to make it work.  Which I did. 

Two of these would be for the Italians, and one would be an Australian-captured M11/39 tank.  While technically not a squad, they certainly could have started out that way in the Italian Army!  For that reason – and because my good friend Azazel runs a fun painting challenge each month (and is an Aussie) – these three will constitute a submission from me for March’s “Squad March” painting challenge.

The turrets needed a good amount of surgery and filing.After assembly and a lot of filing.  I glued the machine gun turrets as it made no sense to have them be movable for What a Tanker games..The three M11/39’s assembled.

For priming, I went with a brush, as these seemed to be very smooth castings.  I worried that it would be difficult to get the paint to “bite”.  They also were hollow at the bottom, so I needed to devise a way to mount them for painting.  I ended up using a small square dowel and poster tack on small plates.

I did not take as many pictures during the process as I wanted to get these done for a game this weekend, but unfortunately some snow took care of that, and they will get a chance next weekend.  I list all the paints I used at the end of the blog for those interested. 

Poster pack on the M11/39’s as they are prepped for camouflage paint.  I use gauze on the spray booth filter to extend the life of my spray booth filters.Close up of the poster tack before painting.This is not a fine Italian meal by any stretch!After the poster tack was gently removed, I got this result.

Then I used washes, pigments, decals, and other paints to finish them all up.  There will be an eye-candy section following the sections on the tanks.

My Italian M11/39’s with the model I used.  I ended up with more green, but I still liked the results.  In any case, I always want my tanks dusty and dirty.And here is the M11/39 the Aussie’s captured that will join the 8th Army forces.A nice comparison with a photo of the actual Aussie M11/39’s used.  I love the ‘roos.

I read that the Aussies used these until they ran out of diesel (their tanks had gasoline engines so diesel was rare).  Then they blew them up.  I believe that there are no surviving examples of the M11/39 in the world.

M3 Grant

I already had one M3 Grant painted, but with the Germans having a Panzer IVF2 and a Tiger I in the DAK inventory, I wanted to augment the 8th Army’s later war desert forces with another Grant and a Sherman.

Awaiting decals, pigments, and varnish.The completed model with the one I used as a guide.  There was no way I was going to be able to pull off the white and black outlines here on such a small model.   I do like how it came out – again dirty and dusty.

M4 Sherman

The major difference in painting here from the M3 Grant was the camouflage pattern I used.

M4 Sherman awaiting decals, pigments, and varnish.The completed model with the guide in my research material.Here are the two with images I printed out from Battlefront’s web page.

Please let me know any feedback in the comments section, I do appreciate your thoughts.  Now it’s time for…

Eye Candy

Here are the three M11/39’s, with the Aussie on the far right.Right front view of one of the Italian M11/39’s.  The main gun is the antitank weapon, and can only be moved with the tank itself as the turret had only machine-guns.  Left side view of the M11/39.The two Italian M11/39’s hit the road.Rear view of the two Italian M11/39’s.The Australian M11/39 with ‘Roo markings so as not to attract friendly fire.Gotta say I love the ‘Roo.Other side.Aussie M11/39 driving by a wrecked Panzer IVD.M3 Grant with Desert Rat markings.Nice left side view of the M3 Grant.Coming at ya!Rear view.The M4 all dusted up.  I also gave the M4 Desert Rat markings.M4 Sherman moving out.I don’t want to end up like Heinz!Rear view of the M4 Sherman.  I had to pin the bustle rack, and at certain angles it looks off, but at a distance its unnoticeable.The 8th Army additions all assembled.All the tanks that were completed for this post.

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS AND FLOCKING USED ON THE M11/39’s:

Vallejo “Flow Improver”

Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”

Vallejo “Surface Primer – Black”

Vallejo “Dark Sand”

Battlefront “Dry Dust”

Battlefront “Army Green”

Vallejo Game Air “Black”

Battlefront “Monty Shade” (shade)

Army Painter Quickshade “Soft Tone” (wash)

Army Painter Quickshade “Strong Tone” (wash) – on Australian version only

Battlefront “Dark Gunmetal”

Vallejo Mecha Color “Light Rust Wash” (wash)

Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”

Vallejo “Dark Yellow Ochre” (pigment)

Vallejo “Light Slate Grey” (pigment)

Vallejo “Light Yellow Ochre” (pigment)

Vallejo “Desert Dust” (pigment)

Vallejo “Natural Umber” (pigment)

Gorilla Glue

Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Gloss Varnish”

Microscale Micro-Set

Microscale Micro-Sol

Microscale Satin

Microscale Liquid Decal Film

Appropriate decals from Battlefront

Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”

Aleene’s poster tack

Sponges

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS AND FLOCKING USED ON THE M3 GRANT AND M4 SHERMAN:

Vallejo “Flow Improver”

Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”

Vallejo “Surface Primer – Black”

Vallejo “Dark Sand”

Battlefront “Chocolate Brown” (M3 Grant only)

Battlefront “Tommy Green (M4 Sherman only)

Vallejo Game Air “Black”

Battlefront “Monty Shade” (shade)

Army Painter Quickshade “Light Tone” (wash)

Vallejo Mecha Color “Light Rust Wash” (wash)

Vallejo Mecha Color “Dark Rust Wash” (wash)

Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”

Battlefront “Dry Dust”

Battlefront “Dark Gunmetal”

Secret Weapons Washes “Armor Wash” (M4 Sherman only)

Vallejo Model Air “Wood”

Vallejo “Dark Yellow Ochre” (pigment)

Vallejo “Light Slate Grey” (pigment)

Vallejo “Light Sienna” (pigment)

Vallejo “Desert Dust” (pigment)

Gorilla Glue

Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Gloss Varnish”

Microscale Micro-Set

Microscale Micro-Sol

Microscale Liquid Decal Film

Microscale Satin

1/8″ rare earth neodymium magnets

Appropriate decals from Battlefront

Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”

Aleene’s poster tack

Sponges

Thanks for looking and for sharing your feedback!

ON MY RESEARCH MATERIALS

As for research materials, I used the same ones as I cited in previous posts plus Google searches and Battlefront’s website.  Here the books are in case you are interested – you can find them on Amazon and I highly recommend them all:

Jean Restayn:WWII Tank Encyclopaedia, 1939-45

Smithsonian/DK: Tank: The Definitive Visual History of Armored Vehicles

Michael Green:Axis Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Second World War (Images of War)

Robert Jackson:Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles Visual Encyclopedia

I would again easily recommend all of these books as really good resources for gamers and modelers.  Thanks for looking and for sharing your feedback in the comments section.

Now I might go back to retro sci-fi for a bit!  Still have many more tanks to do, but those will be for other scenarios.

Do you have a favorite tank of the ones here?  Why?  Let me know!

from Mark A. Morin https://markamorin.com/2019/03/03/m11-39-italian-tanks-and-some-us-steel-for-the-8th-army-a-grant-and-a-sherman-plus-an-aussie-for-what-a-tanker/ via IFTTT

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Wow, I will absolutely be picking up this model! This mini has a ton of character, and I love the details like the big hat and the proportions on the saber. She looks SO much better than the weird old guy model that comes in the Start Collecting Scions box:

“This fantastic model is your chance to add this devout Imperial hero to your collection. Her Black Library-themed box includes rules for using the resin miniature in your Astra Militarum army – and February’s White Dwarf will include the rules for using her as your Commander in games of Kill Team as well! The Raine miniature is based on the cover art for a new novel also coming for the Celebration, Rachel Harrison’s debut novel Honourbound. “

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/01/23/23rd-jan-coming-soon-black-library-celebration-2019gw-homepage-post-3/

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Wow, guess I should pick up some deathwatch bikers then... This seems a bit ridiculous, since every single deathwatch biker now has an assault 4, str 4, 30" range, AP-1 machine gun, and terminators get the same! Who needs an assault cannon at this point when storm bolsters are so cheap.

So marines are getting a blanket update to rapid fire bolt weapons… me likey a lot. It’s only Beta but I’m hoping it gets incorporated into the main rules.

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Russian Warhammer LARP part 3.

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I think the troggoth models upgrade looks awesome. They really kept the proportions and aesthetic of the older models while adding a bunch of detail and character, plus the big one is awesome!

(New Squigs, bunch of crazy Grots and Troggoth)

(I guess they are finally getting rid of the classic Rockgut Troggoths look)

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These look fantastic! I love the highlights on the black armor here.

Black Templars by PrincipeFenice

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I like this!

Orktober Painting Challenge

31 days. Ten dice rolls. No regrets.

Each (or even just one) day in Orktober, sacrifice choose a model in your Ork army to paint as the dice gods see fit.

Here I’ve used paints from my own collection, but use whatever you have available to you if you want to join in.

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The Yvraine, the Handmaiden of life and death is complete. She turned out quite well considering the shakey start I had with her.

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wow awesome!

These are amazing! They also do diverse male heads, and by the looks of it, these will fit Space Marines. (And stormcast, perhaps!)

@sisterofsilence @science-jumps @lontau @neshtasplace