Re-Action 2012. Part 1

Yesterday was fun. We went to the Action 2012 Wargaming Convention @ Rheindalen, Germany and we returned with lots of goodies.

A 90-minute drive and a wrong exit (I hate GPS-devices; I prefer the "put the road-map on the hood and start looking" way like any decent commander would do) and we arrived at the checkpoint where I had to open the trunk and the hood for inspection. After some directions from the bloke at the checkpoint we headed for the registration-office to get our car-pass. After that, it was on to the convention!

Lots of tables, though not as nice as the previous year tbh. Some good traders and a very nice, relaxed atmosphere! We hope this convention continues in the next year but future is looking grim as the Military Base is almost certain to close in the following years.

Part of my Flames of War treasure hunt; A Jagdpanther Platoon, Ernst Barkmann and my next Flames of War project; A British Airborne Company!

I was also looking for some Hetzers but at 10€ a piece i quickly restrained myself from buying. Either Maelstrom Games is getting my money or I'll try the Forged in Battle ones. Only thing that's holding me back is the bases on those. Maybe try trimming them is an option...

Next post will be about some other purchases i did over there... can't wait to paint those up!

A Day of Mouring...

Yesterday at Eleven in the morning, our country came to a stand-still for one minute. We honoured and remembered those children and teachers who died in the horibble bus-crash in Switserland last Wednesday.

I know this has nothing to do with wargaming but i have a need of writing this. As a father myself i hope this will never happen to me. Parents aren't suppose to bury their children, it should be the other way around.

I'm having trouble reading all the stuff they are writing in the papers about it, i'm even having trouble looking at the pictures. My heart broke when i saw the class-photo's from the 2 schools, knowing that at least in one school, the entire class will never return and be the same...

My feelings go out to everyone involved...

for those interested, follow the link

Stug III's ready for battle!

Phew!! Finally finished these guys. Actually, not 100%, one still needs the commander in the copula but i consider them done.

I tried all kinds of techniques and stuff on these tanks. Maybe a little too much. They all look very battle-worn, maybe a little too much battle-worn :-) Also, i had my time with Vallejo Model Air. It's all going in the bin! I'm switching to Tamiya. I had good (compared to Vallejo Model Air; excellent) results with those paints so i'm switching and not looking back. The only thing i need now are some empty dropper bottles with some ready-made-mixes of Tamiya paints with thinner. Maybe i can empty some of those droppers from Vallejo ;-)

Mixed in with the Assault Guns are my first SS-Panzergrenadier figures. The Company HQ with Panzershreck option. I painted some figures from the Pak40 gun crew that i mistook for the Panzershreck loaders. Damn, those Pak40 shells looked big compared to the Panzershreck's shell :-). The second team is coming with the first infantry, which i'm gonna paint next.

This Saturday we are gonna pay a visit to Re-action 2012. A wargaming convention in Mönchengladbach, Germany. It's small but very nice. Good atmosphere thanks to the location. A British military base better known as JHQ Rheindalen. Check out the link!

Stug III Platoon

Finished my first Stug III a couple of days ago. I considered it "a tester" for the rest of the platoon. I think it turned out rather nice. It's painted for the West-front around '44. I tried to give it a battle-worn look which in the end, also turned out very well i think. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or something.

The rest of the platoon is still on the factory floor getting finished. They will be completed in a few days if i can stick to my schedule. Only thing left to do after finishing the tank is paint the schürzen. They're already primed black and are also awaiting the finished paint coats...

After that it's infantry time! and after the infantry it's Nebelwerfer time!! I'm so looking forward to painting those :-) Enjoy the picies...