Gentlemen of the Forum,
I have, over the past two years made what are for me significant improvement in my painting and basing techniques. These improvements have been made by watching the good practice of those more able, and sucking upon the teat of sagacity that is this forum. I feel now that I have my style for WWII, and may be gearing up to essay some of the gaudier periods.
However, there is one area into which I have not as yet ventured, and that is adding commanders of vehicles popping out of the turret. So, before I take snips and files to some of Pendraken's finest, I wonder if anyone has any advice on how best to achieve the effect.
I am thinking particularly of what one does with the existing hatch, and what one makes the open hatch out of.
Any help gratefully received.
The german pack of Tank commanders have open hatchs modelled.
For the russians, use photo inspirations and a bitoff plastic card.
There's no need for digging out the top of the turret?
I have drilled out the top of the existing hatch, and then stuck in a commander, and made hatch halves from plastic card. This is pretty fiddly.
(http://www.kerynne.com/games/images/BritArm/arm_cmd2.jpg)
I've also used the ones with hatches moulded to the commander, with just a quick file down of the hatch lid - this is much easier, and once in place you can't really tell any difference, especially from the normal viewing angle from above
Quote from: fsn on 19 April 2015, 07:27:22 AM
There's no need for digging out the top of the turret?
Personally, I would, Nobby.....But then I've got access to the dear old Dremmel, and lots of suitable burrs for reaming the hatch away/out.
B's idea of a bit of plasticard for the opened hatch sounds a great idea though.
Go on...get the snips out and have a go at a conversion. :-bd
Cheers - Phil.
Brace yourself fsn!!
Not a Pendraken tank.
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
(http://www.kerynne.com/games/images/GermansEW/IMG_3254.JPG)
Are you OK now?
This is a commander with cast on hatches, stuck directly to the turret top
Good stuff chaps.
I'm going to have to give it a go.
I am very aware that if I used power tools, then Techno's Troubles would be more than matched.
I am sure if Pendraken made tank commanders with attached hatches they would be a good seller
Quote from: Techno on 19 April 2015, 07:39:37 AM
.....But then I've got access to the dear old Dremmel, and lots of suitable burrs for reaming the hatch away/out.
Phil which Dremel bit would you use for this (with a photo if possible!)?
I have many Dremel bits, but never really know which are for what job.
I've slipped some crew Into suitable open topped vehicles (either spare riflemen/officers/a whatever, or Peter Pigs nifty 1/144th WW1 pilots & gunners - very handy!), and chopped/filed in on some closed hatches jobs but tbh without a permanent and safe "Dremel bench" it's just a bit of tinkering that I can do with the craft knife ;)
For the dremel I think I would use the cutting disc to see if I could slice off all the hatch in one go, would maybe make it easier drilling through it
though I am lucky enough to have one of these so it might be as easy just to go striaght down with a drill bit
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/uk-diy/bosch/dremel/B0012RQG94._V139162011_.jpg)
The problem with the cast on hatch is different tank hatches are .... different. The split hatch the Pendraken German commander has is fine for my PzIIIs but wrong for my PzIVs, for example.
I guess you want at least three types - swivel hatch, hinged to open to the sides, hinged to open to front?
Then possibly Russian, Yank, Brit, German, then maybe French, Polish, Italian, then perhaps Rumanian, Hungarian etc. and early/late? Or soft hat/beret, leather helmet etc.
I can see a simple "couple of figures" ballooning rapidly :D
Quote from: fred 12df on 19 April 2015, 08:50:15 AM
Phil which Dremel bit would you use for this (with a photo if possible!)?
I have many Dremel bits, but never really know which are for what job.
I'll pop some pics over to you a bit later Fred !
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Techno on 19 April 2015, 10:57:53 AM
I'll pop some pics over to you a bit later Fred ! Cheers - Phil.
Piccy sent !
I also like Steve's idea....Though I's point is very valid. :)
Cheers - Phil
It's a lots of work for what's effectively "eye-candy."
A sprue with commander figure and two or three of the commonest hatch lid types per nation might work best?
<like> button pushed.
At least if you "mess up" the: "drilling into the turret" bit, you know Leon will cast you up a replacement without the need to buy a complete tank. :)
The Pendraken examples, whilst not suitable for all flavours of tank, work pretty well on the more popular ones. And, from a practical point of view, they're a good way of picking out HQ and command tanks.
I put combat tanks on rectangular bases and HQ/ command ones on square bases - so much simpler than drilling turret hatches .... doesn't stop me then adding commanders to random tanks, just because ... :o =) =) :-[
I don't base tanks. Never seen the point.
Quote from: Hertsblue on 21 April 2015, 09:44:38 AM
I don't base tanks. Never seen the point.
a) Using based figures and unbased vehicles together looks weird to me. It also gives me a chance to do mini-dioramas with some of the vehicles.
b) Practically, it gives you something to pick the thing up with so the paintwork doesn't get damaged.
c) You're clearly doing it wrong ;) :)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 21 April 2015, 12:32:41 PM
a) Using based figures and unbased vehicles together looks weird to me. It also gives me a chance to do mini-dioramas with some of the vehicles.
b) Practically, it gives you something to pick the thing up with so the paintwork doesn't get damaged.
c) You're clearly doing it wrong ;) :)
a) Agree, :)
b) Agree, ;)
c) Couldn't say. :-\
I base them for effect (see my Falkland's kit for example).
Some things have to be based - artillery and infantry groups, for instance. Don't like it but the rules insist. But vehicles? Put them on bases and make the bases pretty, then put them on a road in sculpted terrain. Total disfunction.
(http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/Wargames%20and%20Modelling/World%20War%202%20%2014th%20Army/DSCN0136.jpg)
Would they look more realistic on bases? I don't think so.
Quote from: Hertsblue on 22 April 2015, 10:34:36 AM
Would they look more realistic on bases?
"Realistic?" They're toy soldiers :)
To me they'd look more in keeping with the rest of the set-up rather than looking like someone's discarded some stuff on the table. However, personal preference unless the rules say different.
Height differences is one of the issues I have with unbased vehicles. By the time you add the figure base and the base it is on you can be adding 3-4mm to the height of a man... YMMV