Another time, another place...

I have been forced to stay home from work since my kids have come down with some kind of stomach flu. However, once the serial vomiting had subsidied I was able to get some modelling time in between changing DVD discs. Being a bit bored with LRDG stuff at the moment I decided to paint one of the command bases I made for IABSM earlier.

A Company Command stand for IABSM - 4 figures denotes a level 4 Big Man.

I started out meaning to do a quick paint-and-dip number, but the wash came out all too dark. I had to go back and redo the basecoat, and while I was doing that the old habits kicked in, so I left shadows and blacklining between different areas. Going with the flow I decided to do the figures in my old style, with basecoat, wash, touchup of the basecoat and then highlighting.

A superb way to use all those "extra" figures that are left over, like medics, radio operators and so on.

The figures were basecoated with Wargames Foundry Storm Green, because I couldn't find my Vallejo Field Grey, doh! I then washed with black, and after touching up areas that turned up too dark, I did the highlight with Storm Green mixed with white. I tried varying the highlight colour a bit, but in the end it didn't make much difference.

I guess I need to go back and do the leader's teeth...

Normally using Foundry colours you already have shade, midtone and highlight. This time I didn't use the shade since I was going to do the dip, but the darkened midtone worked well as shade. For the highlight I had to improvise a bit since Storm Green is one of those colours where there is too little contrast between midtone and highlight colours though.  

Schnell! Bring ze Flammenwerfer! It... Werfs... Flammen!

The boots, water bottles, pouches, straps and any other leather items were painted with Wargames Foundry Buff Leather shade. Anklets and bread bags was painted Wargames Foundry Rawhide highlight. Wargames Foundry Flesh midtone was used for hands and faces. I then washed leather, rawhide and flesh with GW Devlan Mud. I needed to re-highlight the faces and fingers a bit, but the rest was fine. The belts and webbings were left as they were, the Storm Green was nearly black after the wash. 

I didn't know if the medical kit was supposed to be white, so I painted it like leather.

I painted the helmet covers, the rolled up zeltbahn and the radio set with GW Bubonic Brown. The radio was then highlighted with Vallejo Middlestone. The bare helmet on the medic was painted Wargames Foundry Slate Grey. The midtone was also used on canteens and other metal bits and guns as well as some light edge chipping on the radio. The helmet covers then recieved a simple camoflague pattern using Vallejo Luftwaffe Camo Green and Luftwaffe Camo Green mixed with Vallejo Green Grey. I then washed the helmet covers and the zeltbahn carefully with GW Gryphonne Sepia to tone them down a little bit.

The only available plastic german medic in 1/72 scale. I have no idea what colours his equipment should be really.

The rifle stock was painted Wargames Foundry Spearshaft. Finally all metal areas recieved a light drybrush with Vallejo Gun Metal.

The runner's SMG is swapped for a rifle, and he has got a new head. I figured a runner would wear a cap instead of the helmet to be able to hear clearly. The helmet from the old head was used to hide the SMG ammo pouches.

The base was done using Vallejo Base Gel painted with GW Khemri Brown. Then some fine talus and static grass were added. MIG European dust pigment was brushed across the grassless areas, allowing some to gather on the lower legs and feet of the figures. Finally a few grass tufts and flowers were added spice it all up. 

Depending on your screen resolution, this is about how big the figures are in real life.

I notice I missed some details which I need to go back and redo though. The leader's teeth are visible so I should paint them, and the caps should have an eagle on the front. It took me about four to five hours painting time, and the base took another couple of hours. It was actually quite fun to use the old methods again. All in all I'm quite satisfied. It's a nice little vignette which despite a false start turned out nice.