Sometimes it IS how big it is that counts.....

For many years I've had an on - off relationship whith what you might call modern Warfare wargames. Its all Mike Hoare and Black Jack Schrammes fault really -though they wouldn't know it. Mike Hoares Congo Mercenary is a very readable bookand Peter Mocklers The Mosdern Mercanry likewise- though both dated now they were de rigeur when I first became interested in Post WW2 Bushfire Wars . I first did forces for the period in 20mm - strictly speaking for a little later- more the Angolan war of the 70s. FAPLA, mostly Airfix Cubans- from Hotspur some Airfix T34 85 some nondescript resin trucks and a hotch-potch of assorted figures for the mercenaries. Games were played with this motley collection until at least the mid 90s. Then I sort of lost interestand sold the stuff on. Since then I've 'ummed and 'awed and not taken any decision - but have still bought bookson various post WW2 conflicts with the exception of the Arab-Isreali debacle somehow that just didn't appeal. Nevertheless recently these assorted Bushfire wars have have given me a little kick again. Hence the production of the whole CDMOD range,the Fireforce range the Lil'Flyin' Choppers range and for the large scale the aquisition of the Brooks Minis 28mm Mordern range. All of which will recieve additions in the course of time. Regular readers of this will have seen the 15mm Rhodesians and their Helis which should be very suitable for small engagments. However I wanted something a bit meatier something with a bit more wellie... so...

Here we see a group of 15mm - 1/100th British Challenger1 tanks built "straight from the bag " - no fiddleing about other than adding the single crew figure- a cut down chap from my WMIK crew set. The next group of these I do- and yes I wanr more than 3 - will have various twiddly bits added to dress them up a bit. I found painting these great fun. a nice sand base coat- unusually for me I sprayed it on as I happened to have a Tamiya can handy. After that it was simply a matter of various sandy /buff colurs to get me where I wanted to be. The tracks were washed a dark grey and the undersides painted black. I wondered about basing but decided to base mainlyas a protective measure as these will appear at shows in the display case. These are 2not Flames of War at all" bases as allegedly the chap I bought 'em from - Warbases- nice outfit - had recieved an antipodean telling off for calling them FOW bases. There is surely a difference between protecting your product and bullying and - assuming this happened I leave it to sensible blokes to work out which it was. They are fine bases anyhow so I'll be using more whatever they are called. The Challenger is a big brute being almost 75mm in hull length so dwarfing many of my WW2 tanks as you'd expect. Now all I have to do is paint up about nine Zillion T-55 and T-72 for the lads to shoot at.

Another useful item I found when painting these was Gasp a Games Workshop product- one of their washes- awfully useful for the lining and shading- not as fierce as an ink would be. The only problem is of course walking into the shop..Ah well If you can't take a Joke... Ohter finishes Items include a Bulldog and some snatch and WMIK landrovers- which have appeared earlier. With several other vehicles on the stocks- including a Viking I'm comotted to carry on with Modern stuff not only for me but for other chaps too.

The third pic shows more of the finished stuff- rebased and touched up even if its appeared on this blog previously. As for the infantry- for this collection I'm anxious to avoid single bases- so any ruleset that advocates these is out. I'm currently thinking Command Decision -a -like but Force on Force is a possibility however I seem to remember that the figures are singles am I wrong.?