Soapdodger’s 8th army

This is what I came back with from the boot camp. Historical painting usually stress me out. What colours to use what markings should be present etc. Being at the boot camp made me realise that there are 100 different ways to do things, some of them are right and to just to it rather than stress about it.

I got everything out this morning to take a look. As ever I am not drawn to painting infantry and went right for a tank!

The steps (more for me than you as I have two) were:

• Prep model and a light wash in mildly soapy water.
• Prime model in black I used AK 178.
• Prime model further and add some tone with AK 177.
• Sprayed rust effect colours AK 551 to make everything rusty for chipping.
• Sprayed Worn effect AK 088.
• Sprayed AK4031 Portland stone.
• Worn with water and a brush.
• Made and applied transfers (will attach PDF).
• Gloss coat over transfers and then satin coat the transfers.
• Brushed black on tracks and road wheels.
• Brushed Grey rubber on roadwheels.
• Brushed Vallejo rust texture on exhaust.
• Dry Brushed rust effects on the tracks and exhaust.
• Added metallic paint to paper towel and rubbed unevenly on edges of tracks.
• Brushed enamel weathering paints, pin wash first.
• Brushed Weathering pigments and fixer.
• Stippled Fuel stains effects.

I now understand why I couldn’t do all of this at the boot camp 🙂

I think I will finish off the Piper to look at the basing and one of the carriers that’s close to completion. More to come at a relaxed pace!

As my infantry are from the 51st highlanders I needed to have a Bagpiper!

I know the last time they were officially used was the second battle of El Alamein and as this is the period I am doing my 8th army force it seemed fitting. They Don’t have rules (come on warlord!).

During and around the battle they were put to many uses including during night time creeping barrages so the troops didn’t get to far forward and to know where each unit was so they didn’t stray and create gaps in their lines. The Battle was the last time they were officially used due to high casualty’s amongst the pipers.

I think I will use this within my army HQ.

The model itself was converted on the boot camp with parts of Bren guns for the pipes and some green stuff for the bag.

This is the first based model I have done for the desert. I used some AK 8020 desert sand medium. Some rocks from a world war scenics basing kit. and some patchy tufts from World war scenics. This was then covered in some pigment North Africa dust  AK041

Had some time today so made some progress on the vehicles. Completely forgot I had an armoured car!

These were done as bellow and are in various stages of completion. Just some sandy weathering and some more streaks and I will be done. Then onto infantry so I don’t think I will rush finishing the vehicles :).

More time taken to make some transfers this is where most of the time was spent today, that and applying them Takes ages to paint freehand white boxes behind everything. What I would give for a printer that can print white, but I think it’s worth it.

EDIT – Oh I forgot the transfers I made for the armoured car. Please see bellow in PDF I also used some that came with the carrier.

Some more progress on the 8th army. I have managed to finish off the armour and it’s all weathered. Some may say too much but other may say sand and dust do get everywhere.

I finished the MG team to table top in fact that’s what I am going for overall. I have just painted the eyes black for a rainy day to speed this up. I may or may not go back. Usually I would suggest doing this if you need to paint a model with eyes you have 40 to practice on before doing the one you wanted to do in the first place to make sure you do it right.

I also finished the first 5 infantry models. More steps than I would have liked but again quite pleased with the end results. Still finding mould lines I missed though removing some keeping others.

Painting the Bren carries was like painting 8 infantry, that’s because I did have to paint 8 infantry! Sneaky models snuck in. Glad they are done though. I like that one feels quite static with the driver looking through binoculars and the other one feel as though it’s got some movement with the rear crew holding on or flying backwards.

I think the Command set are going to be next. but we will see. I have done the usual things in building an army which is painting everything interesting and leaving the infantry behind. I think I should have done this the other way around and kept the interesting things to hold my interest towards this first section of completion. (before I diversify this army)

That’s me all done for now. Enjoyed painting this and finding out more about the desert war as I went through it all.

Only tip I have apart from avoid painting armies (much prefer less model count games). Is that if you have bayonets to gloss coat them and then satin / matt coat them after. I also don’t a top down glass then satin coat on these.

Hopefully they will not fall apart or paint rub off.

That’s me done for the moment. I have my eye on the 8th Army starter army. This would add:

• 36 x British 8th Army infantry
• 1 x 8th Army 6-pdr anti-tank gun
• 1 x 8th Army 25-pdr light artillery
• 1 x 8th Army Vickers MMG team
• 1 x 8th Army 3″ medium mortar team
• 2 x Bren carrier

Which I think would compliment the army I have and expand it to every option I would want (apart from I think a Matilda and a truck).

Marking this as complete for now as that may be a next year project. I have lots more to be getting on with but this was a very fun distraction.