Ho! Ho! Ho!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Don't disturb Santa when he's delivering wargame goodies.

Hedges, rustic stone walls and car park

 Hi!

I did a load of hedges and bushes for my wargames. This is just a few pieces. These are based on the crafting lollypop sticks and some mdf round bases. I have done  4, 3' long balsa wood strips, each around 1'' in width. I am so pleased with these but have to cut them up yet. Yes, they are a little boxy but that's OK with me.

I have also started to make some rustic fieldstone walls with stones from my garden! A work in progress picture.

My attempt at a car park. I think the base board is birch wood, from Hobby Craft. The hedge is attached and not loose.

Zona Alfa: vehicles

 Hi!

The second post for scenics for Zona Alfa.

These are the vehicles I bought from Kroger's in Atlanta and a rather small black cab which will do for a scrap car.

The first vehicle, obviously military. I will probably try to erase the markings and fit some UK ones. A lovely size though. 

This one is another of the above taken apart and had the livery changed for civilian use.

The same with the top added

Another military vehicle to change sign and lettering

Possibly a civilian vehicle but could be used for the military

The poor London black cab. It was an eBay purchase. The car had a lot of scratches, which was OK as I wanted some scrap/abandoned cars. I added the rust, which looks better in the photo than actually in hand.

Buildings for Zona Alfa

 Hi!

I've been busy making terrain pieces. Mostly MDF buildings and accessories for Zona Alfa. Now, if I hadn't been so fast with the 6mm Bolt Action I could use these for that. Having said that, I have a sprue of Germans and the remainder of the 8th army sprue, though they would be a bit out of their way in a countryside setting. 

Let us take a look. A little picture heavy so I'll split it into 2 or 3 posts.

First some buildings.

The Farm house

A great find on eBay. They cost much less than similar pieces from the more regular wargames suppliers. Perhaps being 2mm instead of 3 is the reason. I'm not complaining!

You will see these buildings on blogs or aar's and the buildings will be as supplied. I decided to add some colour. I coloured what should be the inside of the building which is why the configuration will look slightly different from the others.The inside of the buildings are white which looks nicer than plain mdf brown.

The doors are not  fixed. I left them loose so I can have them closed, open are not on at all.

You might notice that the farm buildings are done in Zandri dust. I'm keeping to basic sandstone colour so there is a local connection to the buildings.

I still have what is called 3 stables or sheds to assemble. It is a single building which looks like a row 3 connected cottages, which is what I will use them as. Having lived in a cottage of similar size at one time I know it will look fine.

The farm buildings

The farm house

The inside has a nice platform for the upstairs

Long farm building

Stable

Small farm building. Can be used aa a garage

The farm buildings are by Kristoff-Designs

DIY Scenics:Hedges

 A couple of pictures of the DIY hedges I've been working on. These will be useful for some of the games but, principally, for Zona Alfa.

Carpark with hedge

I still need to flock the hedge. I think it will look good. I have more craft sticks (popsicle type) to make more because, like trees, you can never have enough!

I have been working on some buildings which will be in the next post.

Thank you for dropping by.

Bolt Action in 6mm

I have been busy with, mainly, Zona Alfa, painting and getting some things together for that. 

But it hasn't stopped me gathering a few things for some future Bolt Action games in 6mm. I got the following books which are vital for statistics on playing vehicles. And it was odd, that I could buy the German Army book from the UK for less than I could buy it in the US, including shipping! And the British Army book, which I bought from Canada, also cost less than I could buy it in the US. 

I am also trying my hand at a few battle boards. Nothing elaborate as yet. I'm just learning the ropes.

I will have to look at some things. The fields I was thinking to do need to be larger. I was hoping to use pipe cleaners for the hedge rows. And I need some low hills on the board, otherwise it's a shooting gallery for the defenders.

Thanks' for dropping by.

on the painting table

Some figures currently a work in process for Five Parsecs and Zona Alfa. 

These are all Crooked Dice figures. They go well with the Stargrave figures.

The four figures for Five Parsecs. I wanted some civilian figures and, no doubt, I will buy more from this range.

The survivor bunch for Zona Alfa. Some will form the opposition for the Lake Dale Irregulars.

Much more to be done.

Happy to be bumbling along.

Zona Alfa mobile

I am calling the team The Lake Dale Irregulars. The area of Lake Dale is an obvious amalgamation of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

In my last post I intimated at their mode of transport. I'm really pleased how it came out.

The figures have had head swaps as was necessary to match the LDI foot sloggers. The one figure standing, has a Stargrave crew body and legs from the 8th army sprue, as well as arms from that sprue.

I've taken a few pictures so you can see how matched the crew and foot are.

What do you think?

I put Ranjit Singh in the back where he can direct the LDI, as opposed to the front where an army commander might be stationed.

I've been looking at some great buildings which I am going to purchase instead of just the ruins I intended to use.

Yes. I'm a runaway train!

Zona Alfa

Hi!

My madness grows with my aging. 

Having spare bodies from the Stargrave crew box and a couple of free sprues (WW2 German,  & British 8th army) from the magazines, I thought I'd try a little Zona Alfa. Well, I do have alsorts of monsters and anomalies with the Frostgrave, Sell Swords & Spell Slingers and Five Leagues from the Borderlands figures.

The setting will be a Yorkshire Dale's, Lake District type. Towns or villages may be added or subtracted. Place names may change.

The team have 'borrowed' some weapons and equipment from a collector of WW2 memorabilia. He even had a rifle range where he could live fire his weapons. Luckily, he moved to a safer place until he could return.

Meet the team the leader is putting together to protect their families and earn some readies in case things get worse.

The Leader

Ranjit Singh

Baby faced Mike (Hardened)

Duncan (Rookie)

Gordon (Rookie)

Custer (Rookie)

This will be the starting crew. I had thought to add one more but that may come in time.

The buildings I will use will be the fantasy village or village ruins from Battle Systems. I have no doubt other types of terrain will make it's way into an ever-growing pile.

I have a couple of vehicles for them to get around in. But, I've ordered something much more suitable than the pickup truck and Rubicon Jeep that I have.

WW2 German reserve for Bolt Action.

Hi! 

This is the bargain buy from eBay.

Tanks, armoured car, transports, anti-aircraft and a nebelwerfer. All for £3 (under $4) including postage.

Perhaps I'll rethink my flocking!

The Bolt Action WW2 British & Germans

I've been slowly painting the Heroic & Ros WW2 British and Germans and have based all except the German platoon HQ's and a walking panzerschreck team. Solely because I ran out of 20mm bases.

The painting is fairly basic and the flocking may hide them too well. But I will know what's what (I will write it under the base, just in case).

The British

5 Infantry sections

1 platoon HQ

1 Lieutenant

1signaller

1 Sergeant

1 Orderly

3 PIAT teams, 2 prone, 1 advancing

3 2" mortar teams, prone

3 Grant tanks

1 Sherman Firefly

The Germans

5 Panzer IVF1'S

5 Rifle squads

1 120mm mortar team

2 Panzerschreck teams

3 MG teams, prone

I decided to go with the tank formations I found online despite the advantage it may give the Germans at some point.

But, already I am thinking of adding 4 Infantry sections/squads to each army to bring them to company level. That is partly because the supports, piats, mortars etc. are company level in quantity.

I might add some transport also.

In reserve, are the Germans I bought on eBay. Quite a considerable force which I will show on my next posting. The were already paintedwhen I bought them . I may use these as is, but I'm more likely to repaint and base them.

Thanks for dropping by.