My recent update for this campaign thorough this link: Build Log: 'Artillery for Victory' Vignette

See you again friends, all over the world!


Garry

Starter pictures. This is the 1/35 Zvevda Vempel Anti-terrorist set. They are interesting. I'm still undecided exactly what they'll be built up as, but they won't be built as Russian anti-terrorist troops. I'm still debating between the what-if Rome had never fallen troops and some sort of futuristic soldiers. I'll probably go with the futuristic soldiers. I have plans of some point using them along with a scratchbuilt walker I want to take a shot at in 2014.

Anyway, here are the starter pictures. They were taken on the 1st, but I'm just now posting them. The two other figure sets are included if I have to dip in for parts. The third picture is where I've removed the core parts from the sprues and have separated them. I figure there'll be a lot of trial and error on building these so I want to keep them separated for now.







Anyway, that's as far as I've gotten. I'm trying to wrap up a couple of campaigns that are due in the next month or two before jumping in on anything else.

Alex: Those are some nice figures. I didn't expect that, from Zvezda. From my experience, they have sharp detail but the joints are plain terrible.

Matt,
Yup, some of the newer Zvezda sets are pretty nice. I picked them up during one of Squadron's Black Friday sales, a couple years back. I figured they'd be good for some unusual Russian equipment. My biggest dislike about them is that the weapons are molded in their hands. The detail looks good though. And the best I can tell, the fit is pretty good.

That is beneficial to those of us wanting to create the figures as they appear on the box. Is this a re-box of the Dragon figures?

As far as I know, it's a pure Zvezda set. I've heard they've really improved their figures in the past couple of years. I don't know if they've got a new sculptor or are subbing the work out or something. The detail is pretty good. The body armor looks good. The ammo pouches are a little sift though.

Anyway, these look really good. The molded on weapons are goign to give me some problems. The one figure holding the shield is goign to need some special attention as half of one of his arms is molded to the back of the shield.

I'm going for the Preiser early war German infantry

http://www.7thkompany.com/images7thk/prei64000.jpg

They'll be part of a dio I'm doing for the Operation Fall Gelb campaign and they'll be spot on for relaxing around the farmhouse and field kitchen I'm redoing as they've been sat about for years

I built some Preiser figures a couple of months ago and was pleasantly surprised by them. Nice clean,crisp moulding and the amount of spare kit was unreal. Things like A frame bags I was quite surprised at. I actually think they're on a par with DML if not a bit better kitwise and pricewise comparable Quite looking forward to getting these and making a start

Hi matt,
I know the rules say "Figures must not be started, before the campaign begins" but I'm wondering if I could get a slight dispensation. This is what I currently have in terms of figures:

All old from different sets over the years, most started but none fininshed. If I were to pick 4 or 5 that "match" there would probaby be as much clean-up needed to make up for not starting from scratch.

Thanks
Sean

Sean,
It's not my call, but I agree with you. To me, cleaning up and breaking down a partially built kit is as much work, or more, than starting from scratch.

I guess you might want to post a picture of the specific figures you want to use to show how much work has been done and to determine how much of that work will factor in to the finished project and how much will have to be undone.

Sean: Please submit photos of the figures you want to use. I'm leaning toward not allowing it, but I will have to see which ones you are talking about.

Grand, I'll sort through them and see if I can challenge myself enough for you to lean the other way...pic in a day or 3.

These are the five I'm going to work on. The few painted or partly painted will need stripping back. Heads and arms need to be sorted. I'm thinking a little vignette in a hide or ruined building with a mix of M4s, sniper rifles and maybe a M249



So, what do you think Matt?

Ok finally got some more build time on this project, even if most of the work involved was making the decision on how to proceed with turret. Going with Academy sides and Dragon roof. So here's pic's so far. Almost able to start on the commander figure now I have internal seat/support heights to work with.

First pic, major turret components taped together


Second and final (have progressed a little further in having the commander seat(s) in position


That's all for now but over this major hurdle will start gaining some momentum again.

Sean: It goes against my better judgement. But, if have no other figures to work with I will allow it.

Sean & Matt,
The second figure from the left seems to be the one with the most work done. I really don't think Sean has saved much time/work on the rest of them. How about add a 6th figure, a vehicle, or something else to compensate for any time saved. Maybe something to add to the base or however Sean will display them.

Just an idea.

Sean:
Alex: I hadn't thought of that. Add another figure and I'll allow it.

Hi,

I just wanted to show you my bits and pieces with a picture from today.

I have discussed it with Matt before and he mostly agreed with all that stuff.
It will be a future based diorama showing some SciFi Cops and a drone (from Northstarmodels) which patrol along a border (shown by a fence) with some low-tech rebels on the other side (these are post-apocalyptic girls from ANT Miniatures).
There will some contrasts between both groups - clean/dirty; technophil/naturalistic; armored/half-naked... you get the point.

I'm not 100% sure right now, if I will include some slightly politically incorrect details (like - for example - California Free Zone signs and some henp-plants in the background )

Matt does not accept the painted woman, so I will add one or two figures (which I have ordered yesterday - the new post-apo-girls from Ant).

Here the reference picture:



Cheers
Thomas

OK thanks Matt. And Alex! 6th figure on the way....

Thomas: love your plan. Will be watching with extreme interest

Well Matt, in preparation for the Fennek from Trumpeter and the Dingo from Revell, and to keep you happy I went and bought some new figures....

Trumpeters German ISAF figure set



And there are decals included for the camo uniforms....

My recent update for this campaign thorough this link: Build Log: Build Log: 'Artillery for Victory' Vignette

See you again friends, all over the world!


Garry

Sean,
I'm interested to see how that set builds up. I've picked up that set a couple of times for soldiers for the EoD campaigns but always put it back.

Latest update from me, now deal with the main gun painting stage. Just check it out on Build Log: 'Artillery for Victory' Vignette

Cheers


Garry

Well I should be able to start this Monday evening:



Until then, I'll just watch how things go here

Nice work Garry. It looks to be coming along nicely.