Here Comes the Yanks...

Two more paper tanks...an M10 from Best Paper Models and an M3 Stuart from Paper Tiger Armaments. 

The model has an improvised armored turret cover. I did a small bit of research and it seems that there is some historical precedent for this sort of thing, but it certainly wasn't standard. BPM puts this on the model because the turret interior is not modeled. 

I noticed  in this picture some spots around the counterweights that need to be touched up

This is probably my best work yet (not that it approaches what some folks can do). I am very pleased with how it turned out and I added a lot of "extras" to this model. Again I see some areas to touch up from the picture. 

Now my GI's won't be unsupported on the table!

More Paper Tanks

I have put together 3 more paper tanks...a Pz II from papertiger armaments, a Pz IV, and a Pz V from best paper models. Again, I am not a great modeler but I think they will work well for the gaming table. I re-sized the models from best paper from 1/87 to 1/72 and I think they are slightly big, but not so much that it will matter on the table.

Pz IV and V...I had trouble with both tanks around the mantlets and barrels...The Pz V from BPM is quite good although not as historically thorough as PTA models the Pz IV lacks detail compared to PTA. These are easier to put together than PTA models but still took me 4 or 5 hours for the Panther.

Here is my PTA Pz II, I am quite pleased with how it turned out although I did have trouble with the back deck and the left side return rollers

A comparison with the Pz II and V...again I think the BPA model ended up a little big but not by much...

Here is all of my armor together...the Sherman on the right is Armourfast plastic for comparison. 

My build of a SdKfz 222 by Papertiger Armaments

This was HARD...I have poor vision and a shaky hand so this is the best I could do. It took me about 8 hours total and I forgot to put the MG in the turret before I put the grenade cage on and I left off a number of fiddly bits (tow rings, headlights, exhaust pipes), still I am pretty proud of it and it will work well for the wargame table!

Song of Clan Bitterspear Part II

Gru' Ulan had wanted to wait until Ugroth and Smul' Et had fully healed until he made another raid into the humans' settlements but Wart brought disturbing news that had his tiny warband preparing for war, full strength or not...While scouting farmsteads for Clan Bitterspear to loot, Wart had seen the local human militia stockpiling military supplies in a local barn. This activity could only mean one thing, the humans were preparing to attack Clan Bitterspear! Gru' Ulan's grandsire Uck' Chock One-Hand had always said, "Never wait when you can act, never defend when you can attack!" Clan Bitterspear was going to destroy that barn! Although Smul' Et had to stay behind while his wounds healed, Ugroth was able to fight, albeit not at full strength. Fortunately Gur' Ulan's faith in Ugroth was well placed when Ugroth was able to call his cuz Torg to fight for a paltry 50 gold coins.

Now Gru' Ulan could see the ragged human militia forming in behind the farm, set to defend the barn and its precious contents. Gru' Ulan smiled at the raw humans marching to their death, but his smile quickly became a snarl when he saw the old man standing behind the human rabble..."Grab your steel and follow me you scoundrels," Gru' Ulan screamed with a hint of false bravado, "10 gold coins to the bloody bastard who gives me the head of the human mage..."

The table

The human force awaits the orcish onlsaught

The orcs take the field!

Wart on his own

The militia make the wall

Even wounded, Ugroth is still a force to be reckoned with

The Humans split the orcs' formation

Torg goes down but the Savage Cruk Bloodtusk causes a gruesome kill that sends the milita scrambling to the rear

The militia begin to fall

The mage transfixes Gru' Ulan and he is wounded twice...his greatest fear comes true!

but Cruk sends another human's entrails spilling to the ground

The end is nigh for the humans...

The human leader falls

The hunters scatter

The mage makes one last stand, transfixing Druk and Gru' Ulan...

10 gold coins for Torg as he lays the magician low!

Wart giggles evilly as the barn goes up in flames.

Gru' Ulan watched the barn burn as his wounds poured blood. That damned mage had nearly turned the tables on the orcs, but the militia was just too green. Gru' Ulan shuddered to think how different things would have been had the vile sorcerer been supported by the king's soldiers rather than old men and boys...

Song of Clan Bitterspear (a Song of Blades and Heroes AAR)

Winter had been cruel to Clan Bitterspear...Gru'Ulan the warchief of the clan had seen his group shrink to just a couple of dozen warriors, women, and children. Of his five orc warriors only two knew the joy of bloodletting. Fortunately, Cruk and Druk Bloodtusk were as tough as any warriors Gru'Ulan had seen. Besides his orcs he had the half-starved ogre warrior Ugroth, who was as dumb as he was vicious. The Chief's last (and least) "warrior" was his goblin slave, Wart Lickspittle, whose only contribution was his ability to disappear in battle until he could plunge his dagger into a hopefully defenseless enemy. All in all, it was a pitiful warband, but it would have to do if Clan Bitterspear were to survive another year. All of this ran through Gru'Ulan's head as he pointed to the hill peoples' farm and growled to his motley crew, "Blood and loot over yon hill, attack you dirty bastards, ATTACK!"

Clan Bitterspear arrayed for battle

The Hill People are ready (except the guy on the end...)

The table from the orcs' end

The Hill People move to the gap in the hedge

Ugroth the Ogre uses his long move to make an end around, much to the misfortune of the hunters who were hoping to snipe the orcs from the flank

Wart sneaks around the other flank

A human hunter suffers a gruesome kill, sending his partner scurrying for the rear

The Bloodtusk brothers follow Ugroth looking to take the humans in the flank

The barbarian Hill People can't take it any longer and charge uphill towards the orc warriors, hoping to take the hill before the more experienced orc forces can come to bear

Unfortunately they make it up the hill piecemeal

down goes one barbarian to Gru'Ulan

And another is slain...

and another...

\

Ugroth gets knocked down (but he gets up again)

The barbarians finally take out an orc warrior

But the casualties are too great and all but two of the Hill People run to the, um...er..hills...

Only one left...

and he is ruthlessly hunted down

Gru'Ulan looked over the bloody field and smiled...only two casualties and they will return soon enough. Eighty-one hard won pieces of gold...It was a good start!

First Section of my CoC Americans

These are Imex "Easy Company" 1/72 plastics I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I plan on ordering some Plastic Soldier Co. and HaT figures come the first of the month from the Toy Soldier Company My painting is pretty awful, but they are passable from 3 ft away on the table...