Paint Challenge - British Paras

So I have a painting challenge this week.  I am trying to paint a full force of 28mm WW2 british paratroopers.  The first part has been done now, namely they have been assembled, based and primed.

There are a lot of the little blighters.  Mainly from Warlord, Artizan Designs and Crusader Miniatures.

Over the course of the week I will post stage by stage photos, and will hopefully combine them into a guide at the end of it all.  In case you were wondering why the challenge?  It is to motivate me to paint them.  I tend to find it hard to motivate myself to start a painting project without a goal in mind.  I also find it really hard to go back and add to things later.  This is why all the paras that are needed have been purchased (even extras where I think they maybe needed) and they will all be painted as one batch.

Well wish me luck and here goes......

Bolt Action Painting Target

We plan on doing a bolt action battle report next week end, with British Paras vs Germans.  This all depends on whether or not I can get the stack of British infantry painted in time.  They are all sitting on the table at the moment, waiting to be sprayed.  I will try to take some pics during the process to keep you up to date.

My Paras consist of...

• 4 Paratrooper Squads
• 2 Platoon Leaders (1 with umbrella), both with buglers.
• 2 Light mortars
• 1 Medium Mortar
• 2 MMGs
• 2 PIAT Teams
• 2 Sniper Teams
• 1 Flamethrower Team
• 1 Transport Jeep
• 1 Recce Jeep with Dual Vickers
• 1 6 pounder ATG
• 1 Higher Commander with cup of tea (if model arrives)

Don't know how this is going to be fielded in the game, as it depends on the size game we are playing and my ability to meet a hobby target when I am out on Monday night lol.

I do have a Tetrarch as well, but that isn't on the target list for this week, it is waiting for the tank airbrushing binge.

Infinity N3 Batrep

Just finished our first N3 battle report.  We have tried a longer and more detailed video style.  Have patience we will improve even more, there were a few teething problems, and moments where we forgot the newer rules, but we picked up and fixed most mistakes.

Here is my army list.  It is a 300 point Japanese sectorial army force.  All except for the Ninjas are unfortunately still N2 profiles, but a lot of my opponents Meroviginian troops are too, so no worries.

YOROI Lieutenant (85|3)

 Keisotsu Missile (25|0.5)

 Keisotsu Grenadier (14|0.5)

 Keisotsu Paramedic (12|0)

 Keisotsu HMG (18|0.5)

 Keisotsu Observer (12|0)

 Yuriko Oda Pf (24|0)

 Oniwaban (44|0)

 Ninja Hacker (40|0.5)

 Ninja Tactical Bow (26|0)

We played the annihilation  mission from the N3 book, as we wanted to keep it nice and simple for the first go as it were.  We did roll up some classified objectives though, I had HVT: Espionage and  Sabotage.  I decided that my goal was to blow up the coffee shop (in fact this was discussed before hand with my opponent, as we decided what would be valid targets in case anyone obtained sabotage).  I had decided that I had taken a bribe from a rival to Costalot coffee, to ensure that the coffee house was collateral damage in the operation.

Only one model in my force had to be proxies (I used the Gui Feng spec ops as Yuriko as I don't have that model yet)

My opponent needed a few minis, so I lent him some of my Stargate SG1 themed ariadna force (a generic soldier or 3 and Samantha Carter - from Hasslefree).  We will have to do a SG-1 Themed Infinity batrep soon.

The battle report is in three parts, found here...

Part 1.  Part 2.  Part 3.  

The game was quite a tense match, with some lucky and really unlucky moment, and some nice heroic action scenes.  The N3 rules seem very tight, and you can now do the action hero stuff (like leaping gaps with a medic - spoiler) without a risky dice roll killing you dead.  Once again I had my link leaded bullet magnet curse though, although for the first time since I started playing infinity, I managed to pass an Engineer roll.

We also looked up command points, and loss of lieutenant doesn't seem to effect them.  Feel free to correct me if I am wrong there.

Zone Mortalis Battle Report

Just uploaded a small 40k Zone Mortalis battle report to YouTube.

We played a small (500 point) game with my Iron Hands, desperate for some game time facing off against Ceri's Dark Eldar.

We played an annihilation scenario from the Zone Mortalis expansion rules.

My Iron hands consisted of...

• 10 man tactical squad with veteran sergeant, flamer, heavy bolter.
• 5 deathwatch (Sternguard) with heavy flamer, 3 Combi flamers and a plasma pistol
• Level 2 librarian with biomancy 
• inquisitor with plasma pistol and upgrade to Psyker (pyromancy)

Opponent had 

• Haemonculus 
• 5 wracks 
• 10 kaballite warriors with stuff
• 5 wyches 
• 5 true born with nasty guns

Game was quick and brutal as Zone Mortalis tends to be.  

Especially for this poor guy

Link to video

Keisotsu Finished

The full link team and spec ops done.

I plan to use the spec ops either as the spec ops if allowed, or to switch in for any member of the link team as needed (if I need other weapons or options in N3 when the lists gonlive).  

The missile launcher should be great with the +1 burst and +3 BS (provided they don't change link team rules when the Human Sphere pdf update comes out) combined with the new template rules should make hi quite good at messing other link teams up, same goes for the LGL.  HMGs are always good to suppress the enemy and make them think twice about popping their heads up.

Onto the infantry

With the tag done, it is time to move onto some infantry.

When all is done I should have the following models to choose from...

O-Yoroi Kidobutai

Gui Feng Spec Ops

Kempetai Combi Rifle

Kempetai Boarding Shotgun

3 Keisotsu Combi Rifle  

Keisotsu Missile Launcher

Keisotsu HMG

Keisotsu LGL

2 Oniwaban

1 Shinobu Kitsune

4 Domaru Butai (2BS, 2CR)

Domaru Takeshi

Ninja

Ninja Hacker

2 Aragatos

Though I am unlikely to get all of them by the weekend, I should have 300 points done.  Maybe try to get an Oniwaban to scare opponent and probably the ninja hacker :-). Really want to try out the new hacker stuff.  

Yes I know I need to get some remotes at some point, and possibly a sniper or two, but the JSA is quite a good close up force.  I am looking forward to what they do with the Oniwaban in N3, judging from the new Ninja profiles.

The bases are by http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com

In case you are interested.  They look great and the flat edge fits more into the modern sci-if than the traditional GW style sloped edge IMHO.

Weekend gaming

As we missed a week, we are going to try to get 2 battle reports shot this weekend.  The plan is an infinity N3 game using the Yu Jing I am frantically painting, and maybe some 40k.

We may do something a little bit different with the 40k game, and use a FW Zone Mortalis board.  I this my opponent will bring dark elder,  the main question is what to use, Tau, Eldar or Spacemarines?  I am thinking space marines or tau, as the Eldar may prove vulnerable in the tight confines of the board.  The Iron Hands are screaming for some game time so they are looking favourite. Plus the riptide don't fit lol.

I am currently thinking a stack of stern guardians some hard characters.  Maybe using some dreadnought (possibly FW siege dread for the flaming death)

Though the more I think about it, the more the idea of stealth suits and dual flamed crisis suits calls me.  Argh decisions.  Hope I can decide by the weekend.