Military Odyssey 2012

Here’s a few photos from the Odyssey show at Detling this year. Rather lazily it shows just the few pieces of immediate interest to me rather than a bit of everything. It was fun, but did seem to be less well attended than previous years, not just visitors but stalls and reenactors as well. Apparently it had a new organiser this year who took a hands-off approach, something he’ll not do next year.  A bit thanks to all the reenactors for the great effort they put into their displays, we appreciate it.

Rubbish Grass

These are a few markers for general rubbish and grass tufts which we also use for marking IEDs.  The smaller ones are either Skale Scenics field grass or small scraps of metal folded and partially painted, The larger ones are chopped gas cannisters from the ever wonderful Fenris.  They’re all based on Fenris laser-cut ply bases. In game they’ve proved very interesting to use. In the first game we used them Daring Dan managed to set one off by driving over it in his very first move, this set a tone of wariness which has only worn off slightly as the majority of them are nothing but markers for grass or rubbish.

Troops Out… for the lads

It’s been a productive week on the Jihadistan front, bolstering the good guys with quite a selection of manufacturers and starting with this HMG from Brooks Miniatures. A very sweet support team which I don’t think my photography does justice to.

Again I’ve mounted them on a 40mm Fenris Games laser-cut ply base with various stones and tufts.

The Assault Group figures have become my favourite range for Modern Brits with a wide range even if I only use the helmeted ones. Four more have joined my ranks.

This is their prone pack with a SAW, an HMG, a bog standard SA80/L85 and a very neat sniper.

These have been painted but not based (awaiting bases) but you get the idea.

These will be finished off with the usual stones, sand and tufts.

blahHere’s the Empress Javelin Team which I’ve had unpainted for too long and it’s a handy addition to the forces.

Sadly these chaps come without weapons so I’ve added a couple of Hasslefree guns. Otherwise I’d worry about their personal safety.

The spare Javelin is a nice touch. This team comes with two other figures…

…this chap with a shotgun and a slung SA80 and another sniper. There’s something about snipers which I adore. I have far too many for a proper OoB but so what? They’re fun.

Finally a pack of Brooks Miniatures via Old Glory UK. I wanted a few more plain and simple squaddies with just SA80s to fill out the sections and these suit perfectly. I’ve painted these all in the new MTP camo, I’m not sure how accurate I’m doing it but it looks right to me and I’ve got it down to quite a rapid paint technique. Missing the big military shows over the last couple of years I’ve not had a good look at it, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Here’s a comparison shot of individual figures, TAG, Empress, Brooks, LAM German Marine, Eureka German Bundeswehr.

And one of support teams; Empress, Brooks and TAG.

Boiler Tank

I’ve had an eye on the Tobsen77 models for a while now, thinking how a good few pieces were well suited to VBCW, but wary of the postal involved. Luckily I’ve been doing some casting for Tobi and managed to wrangle the One Man Army model above. Knowing I was using it for VBCW and being a bit of an engel he not only supplied it with the futuristic gun which is part of the kit he also made me a more suitable gun out of plasti-tube.

.I left the small spotlight off, and added the vintage car bumper, but the best part was how fast it was to do. Assembled and painted in a leaf pattern over one single short evening.  I really like how it looks as if it could have been a conversion of a water boiler.

A cracking little kit and great fun to work on. I’m tempted to have a few more as they work well as a Wooster Dalek declaring “What Ho!” and “I Say!” at the enemy.