Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003+ (pic heavy)

I have written all of this for another thread over at the Guild forum but I thought you might like the pictures, too. Very Happy

Let's get back to what I decided is going to be my first task:

Sgt. Scream wrote:

Task 1:
1. 1x US Army Platoon Command (Lieutenant, radio op, platoon Sergeant and two GPMG teams)
2. 1x US Army squad (leader, two fire teams with four soldiers each),
3. 1x US Army weapons team (two soldiers on single base),
4. 1x Civilian Stand (2"x3" base with up to five unarmed civilians or at least something to represent regular population in the streets like donkey carts or herders),
5. 1x building or mission objective

so, here we have:

1. 1x US Army Platoon Command (Lieutenant, radio op, platoon Sergeant and two GPMG teams)
All miniatures are made by Liberation's range of modern US forces, the oil drums are Italeri plastics.

2. 1x US Army squad (leader, two fire teams with four soldiers each)
I found the painting tutorial that CYC posted month ago and hence adjusted the colours used on the ACU pattern. Compared to my command squad I like these guys better.

3. 1x US Army weapons team (two soldiers on single base)
The gunner and assist. gunner are Liberation, the M2 .50cal MG is from elhiem, the ammo boxes are resin from a detailing set for an Abrams tank (Legend productions) and the sandbags came out of Italeri's 1/72 scale battlefield accessoires.

4. 1x Civilian Stand (2"x3" base with up to five unarmed civilians or at least something to represent regular population in the streets like donkey carts or herders)
Goatherder + wife and goats. Complete set as sold by Britannia Miniatures.

5. 1x building or mission objective
This is an 25mm scale pre-built and pre-painted building made by TheBuildingAuthority BUT - I repainted it completely to adjust its colours to a more middle-eastern look (especially the bricks now look like made from mud), I re-sized the doors to fit more to 20mm miniatures by using Revell putty and 1mm thick styrene sheet. I added posters in Arabic writing all around and made some shop signs to give it the look of a building somewhere in a commerical district (its a TV shop on one side and a drinks store on the other entrance). The air conditioners are resin from Shaun (S&S) and the satellite dish is self-made. I used the bottom of the plastic wrapping for fresh eggs I bought in the supermarket (kudos to Faustnik for the idea), wire and plastic bits. What I like on the TBA buildings is that you can remove the roof to place miniatures within or to make it look destroyed/damaged which comes handy for most tabletop games. Please note that the rest of the terrain and the IFV are only there for size comparison and for more appealing pictures...

Lessons learned: Look for tutorials before you start painting. Very Happy

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Great stuff, really nice job on the camo uniforms and the terrain's pretty smart too.

Love the extra details on the building - carpet in the window/posters/satellite dish

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"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
Romans 1:20

Thanks, guys.

Today I have used Armypainter's green stuff for the first time. Never used any such thing before and started without reading into any tutorials. I knew you mix the two colours and once it turns green you sculpt it. Laughing

Like I said - the first time ever and hence the task set for this was easy so I can actually achieve it (pathetic isn't it?!). I had bought Liberation Miniatures AT-4 missile launchers for my Army soldiers and wanted some of them to carry them on their backs. I had to add shoulder straps and so I used the green stuff to create some (yes, I will remove the mould lines before painting):

The soldier on the lower left is from Combat Miniatures 20th Centuary 20mm range, called Desert Fury - Karbul to Bahgdad as sold by Stonewall miniatures. It has had no up-to-date body armour, only a flak vest - so I tried to represent the current body armour with green stuff, too:

Now I have a question: how long does green stuff usually need to dry before I can paint over it? *scratching my head*

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

A day or so is usually enough - although it depends on the exact mix (how much of the hardening component). Looks ok for the first effort - be sure to buy some sculpting tools, if you want to do more Wink

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If you find yourself arguing with an idiot, be assured that he's doing exactly the same thing right now

Got finally all the bits to start with my first vehicle (one of the next tasks). M113A3 by Trumpeter and a detail set from Black Dog:

This afternoons effort:

I also cut down a Liberation HMMWV gunner so that he will fit that cupola and man the .50cal HMG.
A little conversion will also give me a Liberation tank driver that looks out of his (open) hatch. Hopefully my painting will do this model justice Rolling Eyes

. I really love its look.

Not much to see yet, just like I said: the gunner and the driver are painted.

Ok, after primer (black spray) and a first layer of Tamiya's Flat Earth for the recesses (to add natural shades), I mixed up Vallejo's Desert Yellow and Pale Sand for a colour to match my Dragon Armour ready-made vehicles. Can't tell you exactly how I mixed it (must have been approx. 2:1) and it still doesn't match exactly, but I came close. Drybrushed with GW's Bleached Bone.

Now I need to paint the stowage and tracks.. Here's what I did so far:

Rear access ramp:

Left side:

Right side:

Front:

Gunner's cupola with .50cal:

Driver and gunner hatches:

Comparing the colour with Dragon Armour HMMWV:

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Nice! Simply nice!
Smile

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cheers and keep on gaming, Agis
www.agisn.de Author of Battlefield Evolution: World at War and Pacific War

Stowage painting-marathon (yet unfinished) continued:

For this pics I left turret and side skirts off. I painted all stowage. I now only need to add the camouflage pattern onto the rucksacks and paint the stowage basket itself. :yahoo:
Here is my efforts so far, interupted by hours in the gym working out, going shopping, drinking whiskey and watching "Green Zone" at the movies. Razz

There is some spots that I need to clean up with paint (tail lights for example) and add decals to - but then its time to make a base for this "track".

_________________
Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Coming along quite nicely.

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"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
Romans 1:20

I present the now finally done US Army M113 A3 APC, completely with crew, subtle weathering, decals and base:

Driver and gunner:

gunner cupola and .50cal HMG

Driver's side and view over the equipment stored on top of the "track" as well as the sandbags to protect the crew when looking out of the top hatch:

Back with access ramp and door (and towing cable):

Right side stowage bin:

Left side stowage bin:

Front side with smoke launchers, roll of barbed wire (wrapped in some cloth for easier handling) and some light marks of rust:

Hope you like it, cause I am quite happy in the way it turned out. :yahoo:

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Impressive job there, Scream. Does it move at half speed with all the gear piled on it ? Laughing

I have shown my OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopter before - but now I have added a new flight-base. It's 5,5" of clear plastic rod combined with GW flight-base and an old CD. Just put some sand on top and added a bit of flock.

I think it looks good now. I made another base of the same typ as there are more air units to come.
The .50cal MG pod is completely scratch-built.

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Some progress on the infantry models I need for completing task 2 :hello: :

from left to right:
back row - US Army infantry squad consisting of two fire teams and leader, M4 rifles, M203 and M249 SAW.
middle row - civilian base for AA consiting of a couple talking, a trader talking on his cell phone and one bringing his goods into town with a packhorse.
- three aditional miniatures consiting of Army soldiers with M136 launcher (AT-4)
- a "wounded/dependent" marker for AA FoF (that's a first try only)
front row - weapons team with Javelin ATGM

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Scream's 20mm modern military wargaming blog....
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.com/

Very nice stuff especially for 1/72 scale.

Can you make picture with Liberation AT-4 and MGP minis for scale comparison please ? 'Coz I need some AT fire power in my US / British BF EVO armies and I'm too lazy to scratchbuild it.

Nice paintjob. What's the Kiowa set (Revell, Italieri)?

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"Ze Business is Zhobbyness"