From HayesW - Vietnam USMC Mortar Crew (10 Points)

 

My first post - thanks to a busy Christmas and start to 2026 schedule I decided I better knocking something out! So starting with this 28mm Gringo40 USMC 81mm mortar crew. Love the Gringo40 figures. My “plan” is to complete about 60 28mm Vietnam figures, filling in what I’m missing - crews, casualties, SF, etc. Excited to really get rolling!

2 x 28mm Figures = 10 Points 

Nice first post here Hayes, the US war in Vietnam isn't a gaming subject you often see and I like these two models. The Gringo40 castings look quite nice and you've done a good job with them, they look like they're straight out of "Platoon" or "Full Metal Jacket". Well done and 10 points to open your tally.

Dallas

From DaveD - Nam - ARVN infantry platoon , 2 x sampans , and 2 random cars! (pts 271)

These were due last week but real world events - ie being back at work for a few months got in the way  - meh! But it’s paying for more toys and a visit to ACW battlefields and the USMC museum this summer , so hey - it is what it is . 

Any way here they are . Again Gringos40 figures . These have a whole range of weapons, such a Garands , Thompson’s , M60, bloopers  etc . 

They may be a little on the well fed version of Vietnamese guys - one of the issues was them carry all the kit the US forces thought was required - but still very nice figures . 

I have left them with a simple green  uniform . There are some interesting camo schemes but I think my winter mojo is on the wane . So they will do for now . I have left the insignia patch just black for now as I haven’t worked out which units these will represent fully yet . The M113s that will accompany have recently turned up so that should get sorted when they get done.

 

 

41 x 28mm = 205 pts 

I picked up another 2 boats from Full Metal on my last order - that takes me to 5 . Enough to give the PBR some to search for contraband. 

2 boats , 4 passengers = 50 points 

So 255 to Never Ending Cold War as well . 

Cleaning up the desk I also found 2 15mm civilian vehicles to add to set dressing fur 7DTTR . A classic Land Rover , and a Ford Capri - good old 80s stuff . Not the greatest paint job , they they will do the job intended 

2 x 8 pts -= 16 

I have broken the back of the Nam collection well and truly. Just a few M113 ‘s , Anzac platoon and a few more helicopters / aircraft to finish it - not complete obviously it.  The big game with Martin and friends  is booked for August. 

This will take me to over 1500 points (double target ) which I am very pleased with , especially after last years injury laden attempt .

Huzzah !  

I have posted in the free fire start of the challenge , then every Tuesday , along with the end phase free fire . So that’s been good regular progress . 

I will see you on the round up post peeps! 

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With you posting so regularly, you've had a great Challenge, Dave. I've really enjoyed all your War in Vietnam work and these will be great additions to your already enviable collection. Well done Mr. D and enjoy your upcoming ACW battlefield visits. Who knows, with the way things are going, our friends to the south may add a few more in the coming years... :/

- Curt

From DaveD - M88 ARV (22pts)

 Next up is another recent vehicle acquisition . It’s a M88 armoured recovery vehicle . I do like having engineering assets in a game as they make for great scenario creations . 

This a resin  and metal kit  from Simon at Full Metal Miniatures. I have modelled it so the A frame jib can be down or in use , I had to skip doing the support cables in that case but it still looks good . 

 

The command figure is a one I has from a Gringo40s a USAF figure cut down . I have an added a crate of “33” beer to the rear - an interesting evening research on a chat on what beers were drunk in Vietnam - Hic !. 

So 1 x 28mm vehicle = 20 points , 2 for the command figure.

Great work on the recovery vehicle, Dave!

I must confess that I was wondering where the rest of this entry was, but it is indeed just the one vehicle. Hopefully that means you are working on another of your mega submissions in the background.

Tamsin

From DaveD - the BUFF and the chickens (207 points)

Keeping Tuesday Turnip Free! I have enlisted the help of General Cheeseburger . 

And what better to make roast vegetables than one of these bad boys - a B52 or a Big Ugly Fat F****r Carrying 30 tons of destruction. Oh this is a big boy. 

So big I had take it outside to get proper pictures !

Biggest decals I’ve ever worked on - at least they were decent quality . Nice big 2nd Airforce markings on the tail 

It’s painted up in South East Asia camo . With a black underside and tail .

Yes this is true madness - a B52 in 1/72nd - I had to compromise from 1/48th  in the end .I picked up the kit on  eBay with some bits missing hence it was cheaper than normal . I had to make the transparency for the cockpit from bits of yoghurt pot etc . Its a 32 inch wingspan , 28 inches long and 6 inches high . About the size of 12 normal 1/72nd fighter kits . Or if we apply the rule of Ken and multiply lots who knows how many points this is  ! So I will leave that with Tamsin to work out points .I certainly used a lot of paint through the airbrush !

 

Cue Major Kong - is that a major root vegetable site down there?

I might just have to throw it off the shed roof to “to destroy” it . 

Now what’s it for I hear you say . Well it’s for Nam , but not obviously as flying playing model - the flight stand would be worth all the challenge points in the world on its own . Well I have two options at the moment . Having dug around there is scenario fodder in that while these were based in Thailand the VC did do some commando raids , destroying some other aircraft on the ground  . That will all look cool, so  I have the wheels kept separate to use for that if need be . The other option which I had originally intended is to wreck it up into multiple parts to make table dressing and for scenario fodder for special ops etc . This is the most likely next step , but for now it’s left complete as can be .Time to raise the communist airforce - or a least a SAM2 battery or 7  . 

Just to prove what a bonkers week it has been at the paint table - here is the opposition air force . 

Now we go from the ridiculous to the other end of the scale - here we have 40 x 28mm chickens . Pendraken has a great range of animals (Link) in a range of scales and these are just the thing to have running around the villages . Now I’m not sure there is category they fit in at 28mm - as 200 points at 5 per chicken is a great bonus! So again I will leave these to Tamsin . I won’t count the chickens to Never Ending Cold War .

That is a totally bonkers model, Dave! I think you need to get yourself a second one though to do as wreckage - that way you can still do both scenarios you mentioned. 

Now for the scoring. There is a precedent for 28mm chickens - set by me, I think...ahh, yes, here's the post linky-link. They got scored as 2 points for a base of three chooks plus one chick so let's say 27 points for your 40 chickens (13x3x2 = 26, plus one for the 40th bird).

As for the B52, I'm not sure I should really be the minion setting precedent for scoring huge models, given that I'm working on a huge 28mm spaceship. Nevertheless, I'm happy to go with it being the equivalent of twelve 20mm vehicles as you suggest.

Tamsin

From DaveD - Nam USMC LVT’s and RR’s (120 points)

 Back to the ‘Nam which of course is the main focus for this challenge . This time it’s more kit for the Marines .

Some transport Landing Vehicle Tracked so the Marines can storm the beaches .They are properly large. I picked these up as resin 3D prints from Butlers Printed Models - not cheap but one offs ,  so just got to suck it up .

One LVT5 . These things are capable of carrying 30+ marines so are a great way of hitting the beach or crossing those rivers . Mind I can understand wanting be on the outside!. There are plenty of pictures from the time with sandbags around the top so I have modelled as such . It used a full pack of terracotta milliput to make them . I then added a 50 cal and gunner along with a guy firing an M60 . I’ve ordered a few more kneeling figures to go in as well at some point . I will also add a driver/  commander when  Full Metal have them back in stock. I would love one of these modelled with the door open - who knows in due course one may get made . 

The dismounted guys are for effect and scale 

Can’t you just hear The Halls of Mintezume ringing in your ears right now?

 

The LVT6H - is the support element with a big gun! They just filled it with ammo . Well  you need an amphibious unit with a big gun obviously. 

Doing these has seen me eye up the WW2 LVT’s I have in the stash and the box of Marines . Now if only I was playing in Miles’s Pelilieu game at Historicon.. oh wait I will be ! Now I just need to persuade the arch butterfly MartinC of this parish that he needs some Japanese and we can go island hopping as we already have all the terrain we need  - any excuse to buy a battleship … tune in next challenge … 

Next is more firepower in the form of recoilless rifles sets  Lovely figure combo from Full Metal Miniatures - just a bit of a bitch to put together as they all have separate arms.  There is one set up firing with a couple of guys hauling an ammo box , and then 4 guys straining to man haul one - they do have that look on their faces 

2 x 28mm massive vehicles = 40 points and anything you may to award for all the damn sandbags - hell I even added a pile of spent 50cal casings too . 

2 full crew and 50 cal (Crew served) 15 points 

8 Marines = 40 points 

2 guns = 20 points 

Total 115 points for the total and Never Ending Cold War 

I will need to sort out more VC and NVA at this rate . 

Next up is mostly likely more green stuff ! I have even made a start on the “bonkers” thing 😂😂😂 which is like Ken building the Bismark , then destroying it and putting it on the seabed - just it’s even bigger . Mwwwaaahaaha!. While  researching for this I came across various VC commando raids into Thailand where at times these were based . That would make a fun game I reckon.

Wingspan 32 inches, length 28 inches  ! That’s as far away as I could hold it .

Well, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing that bonkers B52 - but will you be naming it after one of the band? 

Great work on the LVTs and the RR teams. I've added on a few points for the sandbags and the extra large LVT, to round you up to 120.

Tamsin

From DaveD - ‘Nam - M42 Duster (25 points)

This is the last bit of ‘Nam for a few entries. I wanted to clear out all the vehicles and that is now done . The last item is an M42 Duster - with 2 40mm Bofors . They were originally intended to be used for anti aircraft , but of course there weren’t many to shoot down . However they are capable of making a mess in the ground attack role . 

This is a resin and metal kit by Full Metal Miniature - again very nicely cast . It’s a simple enough paint job following my usual recipe .

Points wise it’s :-

1 vehicle and 2 half crew so 25 points to the total and the Neverending Cold War side dual .

This will also put me a third of the way to my target as the first month of the challenge comes along. So bang on target . 

Nice little "tank", Dave! I'm sure that will be quite effective at removing cover from suspected VC positions.

Tamsin

From DaveD - "Stay in the boat!" - PBR and crew (45 points)

 Along with getting some VC done I have also managed to get the Patrol Boat, River completed. The PBR is by Empress miniatures and comes with the crew to depict the film Apocalypse Now. They are really good figures , and the boat was nicely cast too. I am using the Empress ones for this as Gringos don't currently do some suitable  , and I am not worried about the size mismatch as they will be suitably separate on the table.

 

Twin 50 cal and surfboard to the front 

a 50 cal ,  M60 and grenade launcher to the rear.

 

I magnetised the canopy so it can used with or without it  and so you  can see the chief driving the boat 

I am very pleased with the end result of the waves and wake.

There are 4 full crew and the half one manning the twin 50 cal . I made a shim from XPS to lift the front of the boat to indicate a bit more speed. The wake and waves were made from a combination of  hot glue and "Dogs Bollocks" sticks to everything crystal clear adhesive applied using a cartridge gun. - many thanks to Ken - Yarkshire Gamer  for the handy little tutorial on his channel - the one for making shell splashes.

Having done this one I fancy getting another as I found a video with one with flamethrower !  doh! 

The river mat is one of two I had made up by Deepcut Studios , each is  600x2400 and has a brown tinge to it as we used it for the Nile with the Sudan collection . 

So points

1 28mm Vehicle = 20 points

4.5 x 28mm figures - 22.5

So  42.5 for my total and the NeverEnding Cold War side dual 

That PBR is fantastic, Dave! I've added a couple of bonus points for the "dog's bollocks".

Tamsin

From DaveD: 'Nam - VC on the trail (40 points)

 The 'Nam clear out continues. Having completed USMC vehicles it was time to add some for the VC. Now what better to fight the dastardly capitalists with than a bike and an RPG.

These are from Simon at Full Metal Miniatures . I have added a few RPG's to them from a weapons pack he does as well . 

 

Damn - someone call the B52’s up ! These are tough critters.

So the equivalent of 4 mounted figures = 40 points , that also count to Neverending Cold War. 

You thought I was joking about the B52 didn’t you.😂😂

 

The kit is easy .. the flight stand is the bitch! 😂😂😂😂

Nice unit of cycling VC, Dave!

Tamsin