WW2 BRITISH COMMANDOS

I decided to put together a Section of British Commandos for Special operation scenarios. I didn't want to buy some, so once again I raided my odds and ends box and found 9 x Warlord games plastic, Late war British infantry figures that were sitting idle since 2016. They were set up with their kit, back packs, helmets etc., already primed Black, I had to remove their helmets, helmet straps, backpacks and shovel kit with a sharp hobby. Then proceed to transform them into Commandos. 

 

Completed section painted and flock added to their bases.

Commandos on a night raid, somewhere in France.

Figures ready for Primer.

I used Green stuff to model the cap, first step, apply a very small blob on top of the head, start adapting the green stuff  down onto the model, start from the front and work your way around the head and back to the starting point, using a instrument 

Next step is to roll out a very thin sausage of green stuff and lay in just onto of the already adapted Green stuff. 

Next using a sharp hobby knife make light indentations in the cap as shown in the image, start from the lower part of the cap, then to the upper portion. Finally make a couple of slight indentations on top of the cap. 

Black primer applied ready for painting, after I completed this task I remembered I forgot to model one of the figures wielding a knife.

All the figures I had were standing poses, I converted these three into kneeling positions. For most of the figures I had to remove their arms and replace them with new ones, which were again modified with the help of a sharp hobby knife and Green stuff , I also used a product called  Citadel Layer, Kabalite Green, its basically  liquified Green stuff.

The first figure is firing a Welrod silenced pistol, which has 6 rounds of ammo, I modelled it simply by cutting off the top portion of a pistol and replacing it with a long cylinder shape piece of plastic.

I used the Kabalite green to add to the straps and used twine to make rope,

The Commando on the left is using a silenced pistol called the Weirod 

Gun straps on all the weapons where made from Green stuff putty, silencers have been added to the  Sten guns by attaching a small piece of plastic. 

I also made some rope with green stuff putty.

These two figures have back packs, I used Milliput to model them. I figured I could use these guys to carry explosives.

Cheers John 

US MARINE SQUAD 28mm

US Marine Platoon ready and waiting in anticipation for the Chain of Command Pacific supplement. These plastic figures are from Warlord games, they are heroic in proportions and are a bit taller than previous Warlord games figures.

They need assembling with the aid of plastic glue, though they are plastic, the detail on the models are crisp and this helps immensely when painting the figures. The majority of the figures postures are supplied standing, I wanted more of the figures to be closer to ground level. I converted a number of figures into kneeling positions resulting in half of Squad kneeling or in prone positions, instead of the usual majority of them standing. 

I also put enough infantry together to field Three Sections or as the Americans called them Squads, with an additional Squad, for a Support List option. I also converted one of the figures into a Corpsman, also  for the Support List option.

I have also included a Painting Guide,  at the end of this post for painting them. 

Two Senior Leaders 

Corpsman, note he is also armed with a side arm for self defence, as the Japanese were notorious for targeting them.

He is also issued with a larger knife intended for clearing brush and cutting wood for litters or shelters poles.

Junior Leaders 

More Junior Leaders 

Junior Leader with Thompson machine gun.

A bit of plastic surgery to convert this figure to mimic the pose from the photo. 

A riflemen shooting, again used this image below, to convert the figure into the pose.

The BAR gunner on the left was modelled using the image below.

BAR gunners kneeling.

As I wanted more figures in kneeling positions I converted a number of them from standing positions to produce different poses.

The bases are made of thin metal sheets covered with a thin layer of Terracotta Milliput, Green stuff was used to fill in gabs between parts and also used to create gun straps.

Riflemen.

Standing BAR gunners.

Prone BAR gunners.

Prone riflemen.

More kneeling BAR gunners.

Figures throwing grenades.

More kneeling poses.

Junior Leader directing his squad into position to assault a Japanese position. 

US MARINE PAINTING GUIDE 

The painting sequence I use for the US Marines is as follows:

• Black prime 
• paint the figures' base plate
• paint  flesh parts with flesh base colour and apply wash to flesh parts
• paint the uniform completely 
• using Black Grey or black primer to go over any areas that you may have covered while painting the uniform
• paint the base coat for the Helmet, Gaiters, boots, Bread bag, gas mask canister, water bottle etc. and then coat with the wash and move onto  finishing painting each item.  
• finish off the flesh parts.
• optional to use VMC Flat Earth with a small dry brush to very lightly dry brush areas that would normally rub against the ground if the figure was in a prone position, elbows, knees. 
• once all the painting is finished coat the model with a gloss enamel varnish 
• apply a  couple of coats of Matt varnish
• apply flock to the figures' base.

Just a note this is a rough guide I used to paint my figures but you may want to alter the ratios as you see fit.

HELMET

Base: Vallejo Model Colour Iraqui Sand

Wash: Games Workshop Agrax Earthshade

Highlight:: VMC Iraqi Sand

Dark Spots: VMC English Uniform 

Highlight::VMC English Uniform 1:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

Light spots: VMC Khaki

Highlight:::VMC Khaki 1:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

UNIFORM

Base: VMC  Green Grey

Wash: GW Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Green Grey 

2nd Highlight: VMC Green Grey 2:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

3rd Highlight: VMC Green Grey 1:1ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

Optional highlight: VMC Green Grey 1:2 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand,

to give a more faded look.

Optional sweat highlight:

Very light drybrushing with VMC Earth targeting the knees, elbows, edges of uniform near the waist , can also some top portions of the uniform to give the uniform a slight brown tinge.

WEBBING, WATER BOOTLE, GAITERS 

Base: VMC Khaki

Wash: GW Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Khaki  

2nd Highlight: VMC Stone Grey VMC/ German Camo Beige 1:1 ratio

3rd Highlight:  VMC Stone Grey 

Optional 4rd Highlight: VMC Stone Grey/ VMC IVORY 1:1 ratio   

Metal buttons/studs: VMC Flat Brown 

PISTOL HOLSTER

Base: VMC Flat Brown

Wash: GW Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Flat Brown 

2nd Highlight: VMC Flat Brown  2:1 ratio  VMC Iraqi Sand

3rd Highlight: VMC Flat Brown  1:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

BOOTS

Base: VMC Beige Brown

Wash: GW Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Beige Brown  

2nd Highlight: VMC Beige Brown 2:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

3rd Highlight:  VMC Beige Brown 1:1 ratio VMC Iraqi Sand

PROTECTIVE COATING 

Apply:

• Generous coat of Clear coat of Tamiya X-22 
• Couple of coats of Vallejo Polyurethane Matt Varnish

Cheers John