Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => General Discussion => Topic started by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 07:03:14 AM

Title: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 07:03:14 AM
Genuine questions that I'd hope some of you clever sons of multiple fathers can answer:

* Any suggestions for WWII Japanese softskins?
* Any suggestions for 10mm nude figures? I want them for conversion to superheroes. My attempts with dollies has led to ill formed limbs.
* What's the difference between acrylics for plastics and acrylics for metals? If you undercoat then both are binding to the same surface.
* I'm struggling with three tone camouflage. It seems too stark to me. How do you get a more nuanced effect?
* Someone posted a suggestion for Pendraken figures that can be used for Byzantines, but I can't find it. Could someone point me at it, or re-make the suggestion?


Any help appreciated.   
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Leman on 12 April 2015, 07:58:52 AM
Have to admit to ignorance on all five of those points.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 April 2015, 08:25:27 AM
Quote from: fsn on 12 April 2015, 07:03:14 AM
Genuine questions that I'd hope some of you clever sons of multiple fathers can answer:

* Any suggestions for WWII Japanese softskins?
* Any suggestions for 10mm nude figures? I want them for conversion to superheroes. My attempts with dollies has led to ill formed limbs.
* What's the difference between acrylics for plastics and acrylics for metals? If you undercoat then both are binding to the same surface.
* I'm struggling with three tone camouflage. It seems too stark to me. How do you get a more nuanced effect?
* Someone posted a suggestion for Pendraken figures that can be used for Byzantines, but I can't find it. Could someone point me at it, or re-make the suggestion?


Any help appreciated.   

I was probably the poster. I have an 11th century east Roman force; it's not all Pendraken, but contains plenty.

Some of the late Roman stuff made its way into my Byzantine army (AD 2 Sarmatian cataphracts with added shields copied and printed onto cardboard, ARL 22 late Roman horse archers). There's no shortage of nondescript LI bowmen in tunics with bare heads; AS 2 Saxons will do as Varangians; EMM 6 staff slingers are usable. Norman knights and Turkic horse archers are no problem. I made up some Alan HC from Copplestone fantasy stuff, and used Magister Militum skutatoi with Irregular Miniatures late imperial Roman armoured auxiliary archers for the heavy infantry.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 April 2015, 08:26:48 AM
p.s. One father was too many, thank you very much.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 08:53:21 AM
Thank you for that.

It was the cataphracts that were troubling me.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 April 2015, 09:03:27 AM
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9060.0.html

I'm sure yours will look better than mine.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 09:22:47 AM
You've obviously not seen my entries in the painting competition.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:23:43 AM
I don't think there is any difference between acrylics for metals and plastics. You can buy some primers that are especially for plastics but this is more for 1/72 soft plastics and you still need to wash them before using it
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: petercooman on 12 April 2015, 09:32:07 AM
For your camouflage, have you tried washing the piece with a light brown, to blend in the colours?
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 09:34:28 AM
Quote from: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:23:43 AM
I don't think there is any difference between acrylics for metals and plastics. You can buy some primers that are especially for plastics but this is more for 1/72 soft plastics and you still need to wash them before using it
That's what I thought. I've always been put off buying "for plastic" paints, but wondered if there were any long term effects.


Quote from: petercooman on 12 April 2015, 09:32:07 AM
For your camouflage, have you tried washing the piece with a light brown, to blend in the colours?
Yes, and dry brushing. It still seems a little stark.

Would using thinner washes work?


Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:42:54 AM
Have a look here

http://www3.telus.net/Ritterkrieg/

The 6mm camo guide he does is good and I am sure it would work in 10mm

A better option might be to wait for Dazza to appear  and ask or send him a pm asking for help as his stuff is excellent
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:49:05 AM
Another option for camo and it kinda works is to drybrush the tank in the original base colour used . It will fade the colours a bit for you
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 09:53:41 AM
Ah! It's all possibly a bit more possible now!

I have some Italian tanks to paint, and have considered chickening put and painting them overall green-grey. I shall now try a three colour scheme and I shall let you see how I get on.

Thanks chaps.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:54:48 AM
We shall be waiting
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 10:53:53 AM
... ooh ... and does anyone have any suggestions for post war Arab insurgents?  :D
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 12 April 2015, 10:54:53 AM
Jack might.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Subedai on 12 April 2015, 11:49:10 AM
# For Japanese softskins you could use captured British stuff from Singapore as they captured shedloads.
# I had the same problem with the three tone camo. Try using a darker colours like ochre instead of a yellow and then give the whole thing a thin wash of the darkest brown you have. It might take a couple of washes but it does bring all the camo colours together.
# Nudes. If memory serves, some of Ancient Brits figures are naked. You might have to deal with the mad hair though.


Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 12 April 2015, 12:03:36 PM
Cheers Subedai.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Hertsblue on 12 April 2015, 12:05:43 PM
Quote from: Fenton on 12 April 2015, 09:23:43 AM
I don't think there is any difference between acrylics for metals and plastics. You can buy some primers that are especially for plastics but this is more for 1/72 soft plastics and you still need to wash them before using it

I've always found that the Tamiya plastic acrylics don't take to acrylic undercoat as well as the normal stuff. More importantly, the warning labels that Hobbycraft put on them always gives me pause for thought.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Orcs on 13 April 2015, 10:34:13 AM
Quote from: fsn on 12 April 2015, 07:03:14 AM
Genuine questions that I'd hope some of you clever sons of multiple fathers can answer:

* Any suggestions for WWII Japanese softskins?
* Any suggestions for 10mm nude figures? I want them for conversion to superheroes. My attempts with dollies has led to ill formed limbs.
* What's the difference between acrylics for plastics and acrylics for metals? If you undercoat then both are binding to the same surface.
* I'm struggling with three tone camouflage. It seems too stark to me. How do you get a more nuanced effect?
* Someone posted a suggestion for Pendraken figures that can be used for Byzantines, but I can't find it. Could someone point me at it, or re-make the suggestion?


Any help appreciated.   


I genuinely had two Fathers - I was adopted.
First one tried his best.
Adoptive father and family were brilliant

Jap Softskins

Look for early softskins- some of the Russian ones don't look too out of place in 10mm - they have the same general shape

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/japanese-wwii-motor-vehicles-trucks.html

The OTHER MANUFACTURER you bought the T35's from, does a Jap truck.  As your a heretic already you might as well get some from them, as you are going to burn anyway  :)


Camo
I dry brushed three tone camo on my Polish tanks.  I laminated a sheet of A4 paper, cit it into strips and then cust out tiny slits and holes. held them close to the tank and sprayed through it - fiddly but it worked.

I have seen excellebt results using either layer upon layer of very very light drybrushing, and also using very thinned down paint

Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Hertsblue on 13 April 2015, 10:45:10 AM
Re Japanese softskins, pretty well all Japanese camouflage was applied in the field by the vehicle crews. It can therefore be applied fairly unevenly, in any suitable colours, usually in at least three different shades.

The other point to be made is that the Japanese army was relatively non-mechanised, especially in those theatres that were heavily forested (Burma and the Pacific islands, for example). In these areas mules were generally used for transporting food and ammunition. So, having huge numbers of softskins would probably be a mistake.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 13 April 2015, 11:41:55 AM
I was trying for Khalkin Gol, and looking for prime movers rather than infantry transports. I may just use horse drawn.

I think it will needs a lot of Type 97s to bring down a KV1. 
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Hertsblue on 14 April 2015, 08:34:03 AM
Quote from: fsn on 13 April 2015, 11:41:55 AM

I think it will needs a lot of Type 97s to bring down a KV1. 

If you can find a convenient precipice and drop the Type 97 directly on to the KV1 it might work. Otherwise, the Japanese trick of seating a man in a hole in the road with a naval shell and a hammer is probably your only recourse.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: fsn on 29 April 2015, 03:16:59 PM
This could explain why the Japanese had no softskins later in the war.

Also, what I'm trying to prevent with a Russo-Japanese 1939 confrontation.

Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Matt J on 29 April 2015, 03:31:02 PM
well..... that was fun  :-X
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: toxicpixie on 29 April 2015, 03:49:29 PM
I can see why the Japanese never considered trying to stick a knife in the Russians back whilst they were engaged with the Germans :D
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Ithoriel on 29 April 2015, 10:26:44 PM
I believe there's a separate thread for examples of films with no foundation in reality :)
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: toxicpixie on 29 April 2015, 10:28:37 PM
"My way" is a true story :)
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Ithoriel on 29 April 2015, 10:30:15 PM
... in the same sense that "Fargo" is a true story :)
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: toxicpixie on 29 April 2015, 11:00:08 PM
Well, it is "inspired by", and the broad thrust is true. And all those terrible Japanese tactics were used in real life at various points, aside from perhaps the trucks but I'm sure if they'd had the petrol for it they'd have tried that as well! Mind, probably not so terrible a tactic when the choice is sanity or suicide bombing a tank, and you can't possibly choose the former as that's just wrong.
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Ithoriel on 29 April 2015, 11:38:16 PM
"This is a true story, the names remain the same but the story has been changed to protect the innocent!" :)

There are shreds of accuracy remaining but nothing of the detail relates to anything I've read about Khalkhin Gol/ Nomonhan.

Nice tanks!
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: toxicpixie on 29 April 2015, 11:53:45 PM
Well, the general gist is the same. Japanese realise they're woefully under equipped and have no chance of ever being otherwise, and cannot make up in pluck and fanaticism what they lack in heavy weapons, numbers, tanks, trucks, guns or training, and suffer accordingly despite selling themselves dearly. As a "crunched up" account that eight minutes probably sums up the whole four months worth quite nicely :D
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Ithoriel on 30 April 2015, 12:46:27 AM
As a metaphor for the campaign - fine. As history - it's bunk.

However, since what I'd written as an almost throwaway tie up between two current threads is turning into more of issue than I intended I'll shut up now!
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: toxicpixie on 30 April 2015, 08:38:18 AM
 ;D

I'll not mention the war then. DON'T TWLL HIM YOUR NAME, ITHORIEL!

Oh dear I may have crossed the memes
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Ithoriel on 30 April 2015, 08:51:42 AM
 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: Leman on 01 May 2015, 08:11:26 AM
Stupid boy!
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: howayman on 04 May 2015, 05:47:35 PM
See Flames of War tank tactics work. . . . :d
Title: Re: What I want to know is ...
Post by: John Cook on 06 May 2015, 01:42:34 AM
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 13 April 2015, 10:34:13 AM

Jap Softskins

Look for early softskins- some of the Russian ones don't look too out of place in 10mm - they have the same general shape


Many Japanese trucks were copies of pre-War US Fords and Chevrolets - Type 94 and 97 I think were Ford copies.  Russian GAZ A-Series were also copies of pre-War Fords and will do well enough for Japanese.