Saturday 19 January 2019

From LeeH - British Sherman III's in Normandy & some Hedges (40 Points)

So this week I'm departing from 6mm ancients to fast forward in time to WWII and a trio of 15mm tanks. These are M4A2 Sherman tanks by Peter Pig but they could also be used as M4A3's with the larger 76mm Gun. I have painted these in British service where they were known as the Sherman III. I'll be using these to play What a Tanker! and will be teaming up with the Sherman VC (the Firefly) that I painted in Challenge Eight in a series of games I have planned for the summer. They will be facing off against a series of increasingly dangerous scenarios, culminating in a battle with a lurking King Tiger. 




I've painted these lend-lease tanks as belonging to the 8th Armoured Brigade as this unit was issued with Sherman III's and Sherman VC's for the Battle of Normandy.



As with my earlier Dingo Scout car I used a Vallejo textured paint to muddy up the tracks and lower hulls of these tanks. This stuff hardens quickly and can then be varnished along with the rest of the model. These models came 'factory new' so didn't have any stowage items on them. I wanted to be able to tell one model from the next so I found a load of appropriately scaled stowage items in my bitz box and added them. And of course I have added the wireless aerials. 



I also have a small bit of terrain to include this week. I wasn't planning on doing this as all, but once the itch started I just had to scratch! I bought the hedges to make Boccage but when they arrived they were much too small. So I decided to base them up as they were so they can be used as low hedges (each is about 6" long and stands a shade under an inch tall and (with the base) an inch wide). I do have some larger bushes that may be turned into boccage later in the challenge if I find the time...or if the need to make terrain overcomes me again! This lot is about 10 foot of hedgerow. 



So this submission consists of three 15mm Tanks, half a crewman (!) and a little over half a 6" cube of terrain ( 6"x 6"x 4" tall). 

Now I really ought to get on with the bonus round figures you can see in the background of the last photo... cos that's what I planned to do before the hedges turned up!

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Well it appears that stewardess Tamsin is still sleeping off last nights festivities, so Captain Byron is here stepping in to get a few of Saturdays entries cleared up before she makes her appearance.

These are a really nice set of tanks for a really great game.  I love your attention to detail on all the little bits of stowage on the tanks and the weathering.  The added antennas are a really nice touch as well.  

The hedges look awesome and it's great that you were able to change them up and salvage them for use despite being smaller than you wanted.  They look great here and will certainly impress on the table top.  

16 comments:

  1. Great looking tanks, good looking stowage and nice hedgerows!
    Best Iain

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  2. Some very nice Shermans there Lee!

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  3. Some excellent work on that armour, Lee, well done!

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  4. Excellent trio of Tommy cookers Lee and excellent save on the hedges.

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  5. Brilliant armour assets Lee, the weathering is great and those hedges are very usefull for the bocage in Normandy and at a pinch Hell's Highway to Arnhem as well.

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  6. A fine set of tanks and hedges Lee!

    Christopher

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  7. Lovely work Lee. The aerials always are a great touch.

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  8. Very nice; I use that Vallejo paste too.

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  9. Nice work Lee. The mud is super realistic!

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