The Harford Area Weekly Kriegspielers (HAWKs) have created a wargaming calendar on Zazzle.com. It is full of high quality images of games the HAWKs have run at conventions. The dates of conventions that were known when we created the calendar are annotated on it. Don’t miss out on this really neat calendar. Proceeds support the HAWKs Armies for Kids project, in which we provide painted armies, rules, etc. for kids to take home and play with their buddies.
The calendar is available here: https://www.zazzle.com/hawks_2019_miniatures_gaming_wall_calendar-158945036899989441
November’s challenge in Azazel’s Bitz Box is “technical,” meaning vehicles. I already had a bunch of Russian 1:48 scale tanks awaiting painting, and I intended to post those. I also wanted to do something “new,” started after the announcement of the challenge. So I decided to create two science fiction tanks for my Combat Patrol science fiction games.
I started with some cheap plastic tanks that came in a bag with some poorly sculpted and molded green army men. Then I built up the super structure to make them look like assault guns.
The beginnings of the superstructure built on a cheap dollar store tank body. The superstructure is made of matt board, some plastic bits from the bit box, and an excess GW hatch.
I then added a few extra bits to make it look less homemade.
The addition of a few more bits, the hatch doors, and commander’s weapon, etc.
I then primed them with Army Painter Angel Green paint.
The vehicles after a coat of Angel Green paint.
I then decided to do something a little different. I used some cans to Testor’s texture paint to apply what I hoped would look like dirt and weathering.
After the application of Testor’s textured paint.
I think I applied it a little too heavily for my first attempt. So when I applied this technique to my Russian WWII tank, I went a little lighter.
Russian infantry in front of two T-26 tanks.A closer look at a T-26 with the rare 37mm cannon.Russian infantry in front of a KV-2 and KV-1.A closer look of the KV-1
And now another look at the two science fiction vehicles.
One of the HAWKs is the faculty mentor for the Harford Community College gaming club. That club runs a gaming day every year, called HARCON. The HAWKs have supported HARCON for years with games. This is a small, multi-genre event, so we found years ago, that we are unlikely to get someone to devote four hours to a miniatures game, but they are willing to give it a try for an hour or two.
The game is afoot!
For the past three years, we have been running a really large game that allows passers by to participate for an hour or two. We have en0ugh of our own HAWKs around the table to act as opponents and keep the game moving.
This year’s theme at HARCON was Steam Punk, so we decided to run a large GASLIGHT game set on Mars with many different factions.
Venusians attacking PrussiansRooman crosswbowmen close assault a British timer cladBicycle lancers battling British infantry for control of the crashed aether flyer.Sanwar advancing on the female lancersFemale hussars with helicopter support advancing toward the SanwarMore fighting around the crashed airshipOstrich lancers and Roomans advance!British infantry, plant men, and Red MartiansRoomans with support from “the copper tank.”Another view of VenusiansAnother view of ostrich lancersGreen Martians fighting female hussars, including some mounted on “Death Jaws.”
Though attendance at HARCON seemed to be a little light, the game was fun and successful. We introduced six new people to miniatures gaming.
I bought into the Mantic Terrain Crate Kickstarter. I received all of my stuff a couple of months ago. I have been too busy with work to paint many figures, but I have spent a little time painting some terrain.
Bookshelves from the Wizard’s Study and Library sets.
These were fun to paint. as they are almost entirely dry brushed, I can paint these in the family room, watching Perry Mason with my wife and daughter. I have a couple more sets to paint, including the rest of the Wizard’s Study and science fiction terrain.
