Update, figures are for the most part done, added a few more, hoping it doesn't get too congested on the dio lol.

Whoa, that's a lot of guys. And all are painted really well! Your diorama, even if it's crowded, will be lively and engaging.
thanks for posting!
-Sean.

Awesome work fellas, keep going strong!!

jtucker: The OD with the AK weathering set for it should turn out real nice. I have some of the OD wash on hand, but haven't had a chance to use it yet.

NATO Marked Tiger tanks.... Or with the US stars on them to counter the Bolshevik onslaught....

Finally decided on what to do for legs, with some inspiration from both Lucas Arts and Paolo Parente's "Dust" series of alternate history stuff. I knew I wanted beefy hydraulic cylinders for the actuators on the legs, and this is what I started with:





The foot is not the real one I'm going to be using, just for placement purposes right now.

Here is the mockup of the leg and foot assembly "skeleton". It was surprisingly strong, thanks to the 3/8" square stock for the non-moving leg parts. This will all be covered in styrene "armor" plating at the joints. The foot is also just a skeleton, with the rest being bulked up later on.











I also decided the Tiger I hull was complete poo, so I'm going to fabricate a new hull that is a bit wider and deeper under the turret area. The original plan was to graft styrene underneath the rear half for engine mounting, etc. I have some pieces (hatches, etc) that I can still use off the old kit and some extras, so that's going to be my next area to tackle.

Y.C. I'm going to borrow your idea with respect to having a Zimmerit turret on a non-zim vehicle, as the turret was "borrowed" from a Tiger I with a previous life. Hope you don't mind the infringement...

As always things don't turn out as I was planning...
Too many gun emplacements , as soon as I dry fitted the small turret, all the extra protection broke/detached itself, and I realised that if all the MG's were in place they would not rotate on their axles.
I'll have to figure another solution. No problem.
First of all, leave the other guns and extras for my E-50 build...
Then finish the top hull, wiring and equipment and start priming this beast.

Colours are good. I guess it will turn into a nice build after all..

Stay tuned...

Rob: YES!! I dig the NATO, but the stars would be cool too.

Matt: Lookin' good! Are you going to cast the basic skeleton for the leg in resin to help improve strength and rigidity?

John: Feel free to post photos, even if you don't like the results of your work. Up to you of course

Jeremy: Never cast anything before, and it's fairly sturdy. I will probably brace the inside with stainless steel or use brass and aluminum on the real thing. Or I could just bite the bullet and cast the stupid thing in resin, too....

I was trying to build a smoke discharger with 2 platforms, side by side on one of the MG mounts, and then a twin-Mg-42 mount with a double automatic loading system... needless to say all this on the top of the E-25 (see posted pics).. it would not fit.

I will try to make it with fewer extras since it's a small tank and I don't want it to look like a sci-fi kit, at least for this campaign...

I will have to give a coat of Mr Surfacer on the small turret


since the extra armour on this turret is gone..

After this I'll have to check if this Dozer blade will fit on the E-25

Soon after the "event", it was discovered "their" primary weapon was a particle beam emitter. Quite by accident, in Mexico by the way, it was discovered their weapon was not very effective on glazed tiles. Mexican authorities, what was left of them anyway, took the discovery to the Yuma Proving Ground.

Experimentation with one of "their" captured systems revealed shape and composition were the prime factors. A square tile with beveled edges, made from plain old carbon fiber panels, worked sufficiently as added armor.

Later trials revealed a carbon fiber/kevlar composite, in a phenolic resin impregnated with finely ground aluminum powder, was the optimum in protection.

A Canadian TV station provided the next bit of technology. Tracking a storm system on doppler radar, they noticed some strange radar returns just before first contact. World wide cooperation developed a software program which allows for real time tracking of "their" craft with a simple doppler radar system such as used by police departments for speed enforcement.

The UANA was quick to adopt any and all technology to fight on equal terms. Some M1A1 tanks were located at, and taken from, the US Marine Logistics Facility in Barstow CA and retrofitted.

More to come.............................

G

That was rather ambigious eh?

Here's the way I see it happening. While the free worlds attention is diverted by the war against Al Queda, the real terrorists plot. Low tech terrorism captures the world while the real threat awaits.

Funding is no problem for them, and the goal is a total takeover of North America by destroying the Canadian, US and Mexican governments. Using designs from 80's "Star Wars" technology, stolen military secret projects, and lots of cash they launch an attack.

Neutron weapons, remember them, are developed which wipe out governments, i.e. people, leaving infrastructure intact. What they do not count on is basic fighting spirit of the people who they wish to subjugate.

We couldn't all be destroyed, therefore we fight back as alliances, assisting each other towards a common goal. Despite closed borders, the population of California, and now Oregon considers themselves united with the rest.

Guess how those M1A1's, and the few Marine crews left, got to Nevada? Guess how those LAV's got from the docks to the Midwest, and ultimately distributed to all?

Hmmmm, time to build....................................

G

Matt: Just curious, I've never approached anything to that level myself so I don't know what works best.

John: I wouldn't load a vehicle down with too much either, unless it was an unmanned vehicle where the interior could be composed of computers and automated weapon hardware.

G: LOL, you can be kind of cryptic sometimes Very interesting stuff, really gets the imagination going

Yes Jeremy I agree.
So far I finished the back hull with the exausts and some equipment.

I was planning to put a Strv122/Leopard 2 Main gun instead of the small 75mm PAK but it looked too long, so I'll use a T-54 main gun.

Next steps:
- Prepare equipment and weapons for paint.
- Prime the tank.
- tracks

For the next What If Campaign I'm thinking of German LWS with 2 Vulcan Weapon Stations, taken from M163 VADS at both ends of the boat/tank and in the middle a mortar station. In dutch markings of course, patrolling canals..

Anyway here's my background story for my E-25 What If :

Japanese high command cancelled the Pearl Harbour attack, instead they concentrated their attacks on south east Asia, China and Russia, conquering all the area between India and Hong-Kong in the South and up north they invaded all the way to Mongolia.
In the meantime Nazi Germany invaded Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and ended up owning all Continental Europe stopping at Minsk.
D-Day never happened but fortunately Hitler was murdered by his own generals at a meeting.
The World War shifted , Russia made peace with the Germans in 1944 and concentrated it's efforts against Japan.
The US negotiated with Germany, they would let Germany attack Britain and got Canada and Australia for themselves.
President McCarthy had the plan to conquer the whole American Continent from Alaska to Argentina, leaving Europe and Asia to be split between Germany, Russia and Japan.

This unit is patrolling the region east of L'viv, near the Russian border between Minsk and Kiev.
Despite a greater military strength the 4 Empires (US, Germany,Russia ,Japan) are plagued with internal civil problems of partisans seeking independent sovereignty.

Pics soon. Take care and Happy Building

It all started a few weeks from now. The already weak economy was finally toppled by the combined effects extreme weather conditions, particularly the two category 5 hurricanes that hit, one on the Gulf Coast, the other on the Atlantic seaboard. Stocks had been dropping steadily and the housing market took another mortgage hit. As summer turned into fall, the jobless rate climbed, fuel prices skyrocketed and hyperinflation hit the US. Added to the troubles was an increase in military deployments overseas.

By December, 20% of the workforce was unemployed. Food shortages were starting to occur because of crop loss from the previous weather damage, and record cold had settled in over much of the country. Presidential candidates were popping up everywhere, promising everything. Rationing programs were started for food, fuel and electricity.

At first, things were mostly peaceful, but as 2012 wore on, the mood began to turn ugly. As state and city governments went bankrupt, public services, from sanitation to water to fire and police began to shrink. Crime increased and soon "Citizen Action Groups" began to form to keep the peace. Some did, some caused more trouble. By the time the election finally rolled around, there were riots across the country. The election itself was hotly contested and the results heavily disputed. National Guard units were exhausted from repeated deployments to disasters.

At the inaugural address, the president stated he would call on assistance from allies to help establish the peace. The suggestion was violently rejected. Then people started getting sick. It was allegedly a terrorist plot. Biological weapons released in public areas; bus terminals, grocery stores, shelters. "Epidemic" and "Pandemic" started to appear with frequency in the media. There was a vaccine, but not enough was available. By March, thousands were dying every week, even every day according to some news stations. The UN declared it had enough vaccine, the President called for their help, and a peacekeeping/humanitarian mission was established. It was well ordered and quickly put into place. The EU sent forces to the East Coast. The African Union sent forces to the South. The Russian Federation and India occupied the Heartland and China, Pakistan and Indonesia handled the West. Japan and Korea sent their mission to Hawaii, Alaska and the Pacific territories. The peacekeeping delegations brought not only the vaccines, but food. They set up medical clinics, re-organized basic services and for many there was a short moment of peace.

Almost finished with the first kit in the story line. ZSL-92B at a quarantine checkpoint.

Well, good news and bad news...
Bad news first...
broke the idler wheel side arm while painting.. I'll have to fix it with CA glue.
I'm not 100% happy with the paint job so far..

Good news, I started painting the E-25, hull & wheels.
equipment too.
Photos tomorrow.

John, if you haven't done anything to the wheel arm yet, try using some wire, like a piece of paperclip, to pin the two pieces together. That will strengthen the joint. Considering the tracks exert some pressure on the idler, it could save you some headache.

G

Russ: I'm not sure I'm coherent enough ATM to really take your story in, but sounds good and I'll check it out tomorrow bud

John: Take heart and try out G's trick, I think it'll help you out. Looking forward to seeing those photos

can i join this campaign anytime i like, or am i too late? i have some futuristic russian armour on the work bench . this is my first post but ive been browsing the site for a long time

Jordan, you are welcome to join any campaign at any time during it's operating dates. This one just started a few weeks ago and is running for a full year, so you have good timing.

What do you have planned?

not long ago i found a old esci "t74" kit for 10 bucks. i read everyones opinion of the oob kit and i realized it was never going to be accurate or close to a t72. so i threw historical accuracy out the window and decided to turn it into a futuristic mbt instead. ill figure out this computer thing and hopefully have some pictures of my progress up by tonite.

Great Jordan, can't wait to see what you have on tap! Also make sure you read through the campaign rules if you haven't already

I was working on the kit this afternoon and added some CA glue, before reading the posts... Thanks anyway, if it breaks again I'll re-fix it that way.

The pics then:















I have to take some new ones during the day, the colours are really tuned down and matt / dark.
At first I thought the contrast was too strong, and despite being hand made camo by the troops I wanted the colours to blend more.
The flash really took all the filteres and washes away..

Still isn't finished, I still have a couple of filters to apply and a dark wash.
The guns are painted too.
The camo Net will be made from bandages and tea leaves.
Some spare tracks to be added.
And finally the tracks.

hi guys
can i join your campaign
in the last one i didnt put mine in the gallery and didnt get a ribbon
ive lots of whatif as some of you know most are un finished where do i need to sign up
when i do some more on m,y whatif 17pder jumbo ill post it here
all my stuff are standard late 45 and 46 builds
this campaign would give me the inspiration to finish some of them
what do you think
would that be ok
regards andrew

Thanks for dropping in Andrew, you can sign up here. Be sure to read through the campaign rules so that you don't miss out on any of the criteria. I'm keeping a spreadsheet of everyone's progress and will do my best to remind all finishers to post photos of their finished build(s) in the campaign gallery if they haven't done so already.

Lookin' forward to seeing your work in here!