Where's Wyatt?

Inspired by a recent viewing of Tombstone (1993), I dug out my TSSD gunfighters modeled after this movie and finally put some paint on them. My skills have gotten a little better since I purchased them and I think I finally did them justice. I finished Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, and Doc Holliday. Eventually I will get to Morgan Earp and then the Cochise County Cowboys.

For Wyatt, I went with my interpretation of his clothes from the shootout with Curly Bill at the creek. His revolver is the comically long "Buntline Special" that probably never even existed. The pistol is too closely tied to the Wyatt Earp myth for me to even consider shortening it. 

Virgil and Doc both were given the clothes they wore at the OK Corral scene. The set is modeled after that scene but I thought Wyatt would stand out more without the black coat. I took the liberty of adding a grey trim and lining to Virgil's coat and lightening his hat to match.

The infamous Doc Holliday was a challenge. He's modeled with his pistols holstered, but I wanted to still show off the nickel plating and ivory grips. 

While still very specific character models, I think they can still serve as generic characters in my various Fistful of Lead games, maybe even in my Trans-Mississippi ACW games. 

Not One Step Back!

I have hinted at this for a while, but I have expanded to the Eastern Front. I have completed my Russian Infantry finally and will feature them soon in a post. A set of Zvezda Soviet snipers and the complement set of German snipers both are on my work bench and I hope to have them completed soon. 

Readers, I'm asking you a favor here. I have been exploring the idea of writing skirmish rules dedicated to snipers. If you would have any interest in something like this please let me know in the comments below. I'm trying to gauge interest from the Wargaming Community. Even if you wouldn't have any interest, please feel free to share that.

Night Operation

Inspired by the magnificent film 1917, I set up this scene with my Early War Americans. Maybe they are Rangers in Algeria before the Torch landings or Marauders raiding a Japanese held village in Burma. Either way, I like the way these turned out. 

Skirmish Campaign: On the Lamb Part 2

I really need to make my posts closer to the time of battle. Again I don't remember enough to write a full After Action Report, but I am happy to announce that the squad is now back behind friendly lines and receiving a much needed R&R.  In the mean time, I have several projects in the works. Another theater of World War 2 is shaping up in my collection. I have decided to shelve the 1898 alternate history project for now but I am exploring an early Cold War/ Imaginations idea. 

Skirmish Campaign: On The Lamb Part 1

After the loss of Lieutenant Hughes, C Troop still had a mission to complete; getting the wounded tanker back to friendly territory. Word was received that an ambulance jeep would be waiting at a destroyed farm (hex 6-4).  

The farm is still in disputed territory so the meet up will have to take place at night. A flock of sheep has drifted in to the area, as has a patrol of Germans. In the dark it is impossible to tell the sheep from the wolves.

A detachment from A troop stands watch. A machine gunner is dug in at the side of the field and a sniper is perched in the attic. An officer waits to give them their next assignment.   

The survivors of Troop C aren't out of the fire yet.

A Sprue Too Far

After sitting on my bench in various stages of completion for far too long, my British Airborne squads are now table ready. I will not say they are finished because I am not too happy with them and never stop tinkering with my models anyway.

Dragon's Red Devils kit. Another wash would bring out more details. The PIAT gunner will boost the firepower available to my Commonwealth forces. I plan on treating it like a grenade launcher as far as rules go. Please feel free to comment below with any suggestions on that. 

Dragon's 2nd SAS in France kit. I loved these sculpts. They went together very well. I feel I may have ruined their look by adding face paint, but that can be fixed with two coats of flesh tone and a wash.

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Currently on the bench are a few members of the 91st Recon getting a touch up. Many of my American Infantry were built and painted before I developed a little more skill. Also I purchased a package of 1/35 weapons that add some variety to my squads. 

It appears Cpl. Wood has had some contact with the First Special Service Force, during which he acquired a Johnson Light Machine Gun.

My "Up Next" pile. The Japanese will shape out my Pacific Theater figures while the others will finish off my Italian Front collection. I hate to say it but it looks like my WW2 Wargaming collection is almost finished! 

Allied AFV's

Although the Ponte della Morte campaign has been mostly an infantry affair,  my 1/35 WW2 collection does include some AFVs as well. 

The 91st Recon Squadron's trusty Jeep. The .30 Browning  is removable and the windshield folds. Tamiya hit a home run with this kit. 

Another Tamiya kit, the M8 Scott packs a big punch in a small package. 

I magnetized the .50 cal machine gun and super glued pieces of wire in the ring mount so the gun can be attached in four positions.

One of two New Ray Shermans. These kits are dirt cheap and durable. Not the most detailed, but strong enough to handle anything in storage or on the table. I painted this one in a nonstandard "sand and spinach" camouflage similar to British patterns in North Africa 

Another New Ray kit, this time an M3 Lee. I have not gotten around to painting this one yet. It will need some modification. The 75mm gun will not rest in any position except all the way elevated or depressed. Maybe a system of magnets could fix this.