Painting Update - WWII, Trench Crusade

Here's another update with what I've been painting.

I've been coaxed into joining a Trench Crusade campaign by a friend and some other local gamers. I wasn't really interested in the rules, but they seem to put on a fun enough game and I haven't played anything campaign-based in a while (maybe I can get them interested in some Blood Bowl?). I put together a Trench Pilgrim warband using the St. Methodius subfaction, as I liked the big mech-like Shrine Anchorites. 

The above features the warband's two Elite choices, a War Prophet and a Castigator. The two other unique models are a Shrine Anchorite and a Stigmatic Nun.

The rest of the warband consists of a few Trench Pilgrims and a couple Ecclesiastical Prisoners. 

I've also been working on the Germans for the Chain of Command campaign. Above is a standard infantry squad. It's smaller than the American squad by a couple of riflemen, but has an integral light-machine gun. 

Painting Update - WWII

 I'm back with another painting update! 

I've continued apace with the 15mm WWII project for Chain of Command. Two more infantry platoons have been finished, in addition to the platoon commanders, a Sniper Team, additional BARs (which are an option for the American player to add to their infantry squads), and two bazooka teams. 

I also completed a medium machine gun team and a heavy machine gun team. 

These are a trio of engineering teams that represent options for the American players to help clear German defenses.

The Americans can also bring a light mortar team and a medium mortar. Technically only the heavy mortar's forward observer is on the table, but I put together a heavy mortar base as a reminder for players that it's available.

Four M4 Shermans are the last of the American models to work on. No fancy versions here, as the only enemy armor in the campaign are a pair of Marders on one table. Their main concern will be anti-tank guns, panzerschrecks, and panzerfausts.

Painting Update - Atomic Tank, Space Gits, WWII

Here's my first painting post of 2026! I had to delay a bunch of varnishing, as the temperatures haven't gotten above freezing for some time now. 

Having finished the Robot Legions models from the Atomic Tank starter set, I moved on to the Galacteers force. Above is a pair of Heroes, a trio of Missile Tanks, and a Mobile Command Center

And to round out the force are Heavy and Regular Infantry Units and a pair of the titular Atomic Tanks.

I've also painted a small gang of Orcs for Space Gits with basic equipment. A local club is planning for a campaign in a few months, which is convenient! 

My main project for the first half of the year is to paint American and German platoons and assets to use with the 29 Let's Go! pint-sized campaign for Chain of Command. The above is one of three American infantry squads in 15mm. 

Painting Update - Quar, Atomic Tank

Here's an update on what I've been painting in the last few weeks before the end of the year.

With the release of the "final" version of Clash of Rhyfles, I focused on finishing a couple of squads of Quar. Above is a basic squad of Crusaders.

And here's a basic Coftyran squad. Next year I'll work on adding specialists and a light tractor to each group.

I've also been working in the Atomic Tank miniatures that came in the starter set. Above are Robot Legion models: a pair of Heroes, a Brainbot and a trio of Warbots.

And to round out the starter army, a unit each of regular and heavy Legionnaires and a pair of Doombots.

Painting Update - WWII Planes

 After a bit of a lull in posting, I'm back with what I've been painting.

With the USAAF finished, I moved over to the Luftwaffe. First finished was a large squadron (four flights) of Me 410s. 

And a small squadron (just two flights) of Ju 88s. 

The first proper fighter for the Luftwaffe is the Me 109, which I've painted seven flights of.

And finally, six flights of Fw 190s. 

That's the Fire in the Sky project done and dusted! I just need to label the various bases and pick up a proper aerial battlemat. Deep Cut Studios makes a fantastic looking mat with a European landscape with some clouds that will be perfect, though the local tariff issue will likely bring the cost up. But at least I can call the project finished!

Painting Update - WWII Planes

Now that I'm finished with my Historicon posts, here's a look at what I've been painting since my last update.

My main hobby effort has been going towards 1/600 WWII aircraft, focusing on "Big Week", or Operation Argument, in February, 1944. This was the effort by the Allies' air forces to cripple the Luftwaffe prior to the invasion of Normandy later that year.

Last year saw the release of the up rules Fire in the Sky, which captured my attention due to it's focus on fast playing, squadron-level aerial combat. It seems like every other aerial combat game focuses on the few seconds in a dogfight where individual planes come into contact. Big Week looks at the "longer" (entire minutes!) engagements, with squadrons engaging, bouncing, and disengaging.

As the first rulebook for Fire in the Sky focuses on Big Week, the center of every scenario is three squadrons of B-17 bombers, which act as the objectives for the German players to shoot down. 27 B-17s looks fairly impressive on the table!

The Big Week scenarios call for a variety of Allied fighter squadrons, with a few scenarios needing two squadrons (six stands) of P-47s

As well as two squadrons of P-38s.

And to round out the USAAF planes, three squadrons of P-51s.

All of the planes are from Pico Armor, and have mostly been 3D printed. While lighter than the metal models that they used to be, they also come with the printing supports still attached. I had several models break - especially the tiny structures of the P-38s - that required gluing or entirely new models. 

Painting Update - Napoleonics, WWII

Here's a look at what I've been painting lately. 

I've begun the next part of the Napoleonic project with more skirmisher bases for two infantry brigades. 

I also finished the command elements of the 1940 German battalion. 

As well as artillery support bases.

And machine-gun support bases.

To finish up, a pair each of anti-tank and infantry guns. 

The only pieces that I need to complete now are some horse-drawn wagons for the French and Germans for moving their guns around the battlefield. 

Painting Update - Quar, WWII

 It's been a couple months since I've shown what I've painted. So here's an update!

 

 

I finally started in on some 28mm Quar models; Coftyrans to the left and Crusaders to the right.

I changed some of the colors, especially the green on the Crusaders' coats, compared to the 15mm models. It also helped that I primed them grey instead of black, which makes missed spots more difficult to hide but brightens the colors overall.

 

 

I've also started in on the 15mm Germans for my 1940 O Group project. Above is an infantry company. If you notice that it's larger than the French company, it's due to the Germans using a "square" platoon structure in 1940 with four squads in a platoon. 

For something a little different, I've also taken to painting a bit for Turnip28. Not for any particular reason, since I'm not aware of anyone that plays locally. But it's something different. 

The above pair of models would work as a "snob", or an officer. I just added green-stuffed faces to some War of Ozz Munchkins and muddied up their pants. 

Painting Update - Napoleonics, Starship Troopers, WWII

 Here's what I've been painting as we approach the end of the year.

Arachnid swarms in Sector Sweep act as five warriors bases moving together. When a Warrior is killed, the swarm splits up. 

Here's another French line battalion for the 1813 project. 

And more French! Here's a pair of 25mm anti-tank guns for O Group. 

Painting Update - Starship Troopers, Quar

Work continues as we approach the end of the year.

Here are some Arachnid models for the Starship Troopers project; some example Warriors and a trio of "Tiger Bugs", which come from the expanded universe. 

I should note that these models, as well as the infantry from my previous painting post, are designs from Wakes Emporium and printed by FilamentResinHunter. I picked up two of the starter kits, which has enough models for a two-player game.

I've gone back to my 15mm Quar project. I finished an HMG squad, a snyper team, and a cavalry squad.

Also completed are some vehicles to supplement the Crusader infantry company; a Baeliog heavy tractor, an Ailthean light tractor, and a Krassyl "contraption". 

Painting Update - Napoleonics, WWII, Starship Troopers

 I've not had a lot of time to play games recently, but I have been painting.

This is a second battalion of the 10th Legere, post stripping and repainting

I copied Storm of Steel's patrol markers for O Group, using 2" bases with miniatures and bases colored to match the company they belong two. I think they look very nice compared to just having paper markers.

I also completed the mortar base for the French battalion. While not necessary, it's a good reminder for when your battalion mortars run out of ammo.

Here's a trio of French HMG bases, which are useful to either attach to platoons or use independently. And some 60mm mortars, which can be attached to French company commanders. 

And a pair of 75mm field guns, which act as artillery barrage markers. 

I've also started a new project (gasp!). Little Wars TV released a secret set of rules for gaming in the Starship Troopers movie setting. They're meant for solo or co-op campaign play as you take a platoon of Mobile Infantry through a series of missions, trying to keep your platoon commander alive through their deployment. 

The above is a standard Mobile Infantry platoon of one command team and seven infantry teams. In the back row are a media team that can be added as a side objective while playing, and support options; a recon team, a heavy weapons team, and a Marauder power armor team (a nod to the original Starship Troopers Mobile Infantry).

I've got a second platoon to finish as well as plenty of bugs, so expect more Starship Troopers in future posts. 

Painting Update - Napoleonics, WWII

 I'm still busy painting. Here's what I've recently finished.

The main push of my Napoleonics project is finishing the French infantry. Here's the first battalion of the 6th Legere.

And this is where I would have posted the second battalion for the 10th Legere, if the varnish hadn't frosted for no damn reason. Now I have to strip the minis and repaint. At least I managed to save the fanion.

I also decided to finally put together a couple battalions and supports for O Group. I've been missing the game since moving away from New Jersey last year.

I decided to paint up French and German battalions for the Invasion of France, as I believe it's underrepresented on the tabletop and wasn't as much of a crushing victory as 'mainstream' history would have you believe. The above is a French Company, made up of Command Decision.

After a lot of hemming and hawing between 3mm, 6mm, 10mm, and 15mm, I just decided to go with 15mm miniatures for the relative ease of access and quick painting (although some French vehicles are incredibly difficult to find decent versions of). It's also been around a decade since I first started in the hobby with Flames of War, and there's a certain nostalgia of working on 15mm WWII again.

I decided to follow Storm of Steel's battalion building guide, as I like how little table space the platoon sections take up for the infantry companies. Plus, battalions are dead easy to paint up in this scheme, with 29 models per company. That's only a few more models than a single battalion in General d'Armee.

Painting Update - Quar, Napoleonics

 I've been away from the hobby for a bit, but I'm back to painting! Here's what I finished.

I decided to work on the Crusader company first for my Quar 15mm project; Here's the Company Command Squad. They're wonderfully characterful models, especially the pistol-wielding Caerten and the "musician" carrying a gramophone.

One of the models in the Command Squad is a Pykpyk handler (pykpyks being small furry squirrel-like mammals that the quar use to relay messages to squads). The 15mm rules use these animals as a means to issue orders.

Rounding out the basic Crusader company is a weapon squad, which adds both anti-infantry and anti-tractor firepower via H-11a LMGs and Splagen torpedoes (the Quar version of a rocket-propelled grenade). 

I also, finally, picked the Napoleonics project back up, finishing a couple batteries of foot artillery. 

Painting Update - Quar

Here's what I've been painting recently.

I decided to take a break from the Napoleonics and start work on a project that's been languishing in the "to do" pile for some time now. The recently released 28mm boxset of plastic Quar from Wargames Atlantic has introduced the quar and Alwyd to a much wider audience. While I was waiting to acquire the box for myself, I thought I'd ride the tide of enthusiasm and start on the 15mm companies I received from the kickstarter a few years back.

The above is a typical Crusader rhyfler squad, consisting of a Yawdryl (sergeant), a Milwer (corporal), and 8 rhyflers. They are armed with combination of Bogen semiautomatic rifles and Rhyshi heavy rifles. 

And here's a typical Coftyran rhyfler squad, with the same roster as the Crusader squad. However, the Yawdryl is armed with a Doru SMG, the Milwer has a Cryfen LMG, and the rest of the rhyflers are equipped with Harlech bolt action rifles.