Leopard's FOW Americans

[leopard]

Had to happen eventually... the lure of Olive Drab was too great to resist.

Anyway, first up, some models back from when this insanity started



Paint job dates back to 2010 I think it was, colour, wash, drybrush, painted markings as never could get the decals to fit on them. Anyway, standards of paint have moved on and want to get these guys in the fight again..


Jeep and M20 utility, part of the tank destroyer force, needs a further M20 to make it work, V2 lists only had one, now they have two, conspiracy I tell you.


Pair of M10, as with the jeep and M20, no markings as yet and no weathering yet either


Not all old stuff, a pair of easy eights, there are another three to this standard not pictured, these just need weathering and varnish to complete


Objective marker, work in progress with much still to do




Of course we need a way to get to the fight, the first LCVP, thought the grey was too light to start with but now I;ve done the crew it looks ok, not sure on markings though.

Its small, but its a start, also have the three original M4 done in the new style as well, again with no decals as yet (forgot to order any.. doh)

In theory its a legal list... 2x HQ tanks then two platoons of three, plus a pair of TD and a badly painted infantry platoon thats not been repainted and won't be - keeping it to use as spares.

Can imagine how long eight shermans would last among the big cats that haunt Jancos...

Easy enough to paint though, Olive Drab primer, black wash, highlight with the primer, then the primer mixed with a bit of khaki.. job done. Tracks just the primer and wash, basic but it works.

[Baldie]

Yeehaw

[leopard]

Yeehaw

Very much so when you read some of the special rules for the Shermans... 14" move as standard, tanks with turbos, think shelby stripes on one perhaps...

[leopard]

Supply Drop!



Work in Progress


At the rear, landing craft, 2x LCM (one painted) and three LCVP (two painted). The M10 platoon and the now completed objective.

In front we have four M4 Jumbo, waiting varnishing and decals, next to them we have an engineer platoon on beach bases.

The sticks at the front have two boat sections on them, waiting the painted metal being highlighted and weapons painting then more or less done.

Typically messy table.

Off stage to the right there are the five M4 easy eights.

Fridge to the left, perfection really, painting table next to the fridge

[Dropshort]

Bloody yanks, late as usual. Don't you know there's a war on?

[leopard]

Update, only WiP pics really as the light isn't amazing this time of night.



On painted bases we have an engineer platoon, the white bases next to them are two boat support sections. at the front on sticks is a boat section and the company command teams.

To the rear two complete and one part complete LCVP and one finished plus one part finished LCM.

Over the left there are four engineering trucks lurking, part painted

Scattered around various debris and other mess.



Stuff thats more or less finished, two more boat sections, a pair of flak halftracks, pair of M10 and security stuff seen previously and the compliment of easy eights and jumbos, plus some direct fire smoke markers built for Rollcall 2015 and still on the desk where I forgot I'd left them, two days running in fact.

Should have that boat section and command finished this weekend so then in theory its a somewhat small but usable assault force pending some more bits for it being completed.

Plenty still to do and a request in with Colin for a few more bits to get them ready to join the war.

Eventually..

[Dropshort]

Just like the real Americans

[leopard]

Just like the real Americans

These haven't shot my British, as yet, keeping them safely apart.

The Germans lurking at the back of the table appear not to have been noticed either.

Scary thing is air support is on order...

[leopard]

Army grows somewhat



Assault company HQ, with optional LMG teams
3x Boat sections
2x Support sections
1x combat engineering platoon, with part of the truck section and the bulldozer
2x flak half tracks
5x M4 Duplex Drive
M10 tank destroyer platoon
5x Easy Eights
4x Jumbos

Oh and two objective markers...

Its actually usable now, though not optimised until a couple more bits are done.

Table organised as ever behind them

[leopard]

More updates.

TAKE COVER!!!!


and no US force is complete without one of these little swines


Finally got the trucks for the engineers finished

Why do models that will hardly see the table take much longer to paint than the core of the actual army?

M7 armoured artillery battery, with attached M2 halftrack and jeep for full mobility of the staff and command teams


The P-47 was a pig to paint, airbrushed Aluminium, which looked jaw dropping, got the rest brushed on and still looked good, pin wash to highlight the panels and still looked good.. Then varnished... note to self and others, the model air metallic 'aluminium' repels water, the varnish when horrible so ended up touching up with the brush. And the decals were a serious case of wtf?? needed near boiling water to get them to separate then one fell apart, anyway the model is done.. not varnished though, think an oil based varnish is needed, something that won't hit the metallic finish.

L4 grasshopper needs suitable decals finding, decals for the other vehicles are on order.

Job for tomorrow, the armoured rifle platoon, halftracks built and the olive drab painted & highlighted, just the interiors and crews to do. Infantry primed.

Will have to get a few more basic M4 to run this lot in mid 1944, but can do a late '44 list now (well borrowing a few M5 from my British list until I get some in US colours) to 1,750 which could be fun.

Now just the spend some time explaining to the pilot how to tell friend from foe