Tuesday, 5 January 2016

From Curt - 28mm Modern German (SEK M) Special Forces Frogmen (25 Points)

I did mention in my intro post this morning that today's flight would be joined by our heroic(ally insane) Captain. 
Curt did ask me to hold off on posting this until later, so that other entries could take priority. However, as my brush-slaves seem to be holding out until the last minute to submit their draft posts, I'm posting it now while it's quiet...


These five frogmen depict members of the Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine (SEK M) a German special forces unit which focuses on maritime operations.

 The 28mm figures are from Lead Adventure Miniatures. They're bit off-the-beaten-path, but I thought they would be fun to do. While the sculpts themselves are fantastic, the only thing I find a bit odd about them is how they're armed. I believe units of this type are typically utilized for close-in assaults, ship-boarding, hostage rescues, stuff like that, so I think it would more likely that they would be armed with compact MP5 SMGs, or shortened HK416s, rather than the relatively hulking G36 seen here. Who knows, perhaps they are landing on some foreign shore where they may have to stand-off at medium range.


 

Being special forces frogmen, it would only stand to reason that they would be kitted out completely in black, so I had a merry time working with various shades of grey to prevent them from disappearing into the shadows completely. I also tried to create, with their bases, the sense that they are coming ashore and to add a bit more colour.  In the end they turned out alright, though I might go back and pick-out a few metallic edges on their assault rifles and give their Tag watches luminous dials. 


These should give me 25 points for my 'Modern Mayhem' duel with Byron and Kyle.
Excellent work Curt. I particularly like the water effect on the bases - you can almost hear the waves gently lapping the seashore. Great work on the black frogsuits and on the goggles.

Posted by Curt at 1:12 pm
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59 comments:

  1. AdamC17765 January 2016 at 13:29

    Those are awsome bases the also the effect you did on the goggles is good too.

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 15:07

      Thanks Adam! I had to try to introduce a bit more colour and those were the obvious places.

      Delete
  2. Ray Rousell5 January 2016 at 14:36

    Damn fine work Curt, love those bases, you clever boy, you!

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  3. Juan Mancheño5 January 2016 at 14:56

    Really nice painting work, they are very good!

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  4. Christopher(aka Axebreaker)5 January 2016 at 15:01

    Those look great! Having just worked on bunch of black clad individuals I can appreciate how hard the colour is to do and you did a very fine job indeed! Really like the bases as well btw!

    Christopher

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 15:09

      Thanks Christopher! They were a bit of a bother and I'm happy to have them in the cabinet now.

      Delete
  5. MartinC5 January 2016 at 15:05

    Lovely. Really like the bases, obviously. I have lots of problems with black, my grey work always looks a bit silly

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 15:15

      Cheers Martin. Yeah, doing blacks and dark greys can be bit of a pain. With these I did three grey layers up from black, then I hit them with a thinned black ink wash to help blend the tones and keep the suits 'slick' looking. Then I did one very light grey highlight to lift them a bit. It's hard as you want to suits to look black without being featureless and flat, but if you apply too much highlight it make them look weird. As I mentioned to Christopher above, I'm happy to have done them but happy to have them done, if you know what I mean.

      Delete
  6. Millsy5 January 2016 at 15:37

    The only thing I find harder than painting large areas of black is photographing large areas of black. Nice work Curt, you've managed to do both admirably and the bases are superb as has been said before.

    So how's it feel to be fancy free and living life outside the wire? :-)

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 16:29

      Thanks Millsy!

      It feels a little surreal actually. As a simile, it's like watching your child make some great friends and then head out on his own. Or if I can quote McCartney & Lennon (who, imo, collectively and individually crush that skinny-assed Dylan): 'Yes I get by with a little help from my friends.' :)

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    2. Millsy6 January 2016 at 22:04

      Still with the Dylan hate eh? Time for therapy I think. It worked wonders on my Pink Floyd issues...

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    3. Curt6 January 2016 at 22:16

      Oh yes, and don't get me bloody started on that tw@t Roger Waters...

      Delete
    4. Peter Douglas7 January 2016 at 08:15

      Millsy
      You'll have to make allowances for Curt. In common with many Prairie folk he suffers from a number of irrational fears and hat reds (painting shields and tartans eg). I put it down to the local habit of toilet training their young at gunpoint. But he's right on Ffloyd.
      Cheers, PD

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  7. John5 January 2016 at 16:18

    Love these. They deep blacks and subtle shading are excellent, but those bases really bring these figures to the next level. Nice!

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 16:40

      Thanks John! I'm fairly pleased with how they turned out and happy you like them.

      Delete
  8. Phyllion5 January 2016 at 16:22

    Ahhh, madness. You're getting more and more esoteric with each entry! Great stuff - fine work on the black-on-black-on-black colour scheme.

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 16:42

      Just wait Phil. It gets weirder, let me tell you.

      Thanks for dropping by!

      Delete
  9. DaveD5 January 2016 at 17:11

    Nicely done Curt...

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  10. Moiterei_19845 January 2016 at 17:19

    That's some realy outstanding paint job Curt! You've managed to make the all black miniatures make look interesting by cleverly adding focal points like the googles. Also well done on the bases. As our dear chief flight attendant Mrs. Tamsin already stated, one can almost hear the waves.

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 19:15

      Thanks Nick, there wasn't much to run with here so I had to pull colour where I could.

      Delete
  11. The Angry Lurker5 January 2016 at 17:29

    Great rubber work Curt........

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  12. Unknown5 January 2016 at 18:34

    As everyone else has said-the blacks look fabulous and the water effects are perfect.

    Lovely work Curt!

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  13. jmilesr5 January 2016 at 18:39

    Very nice

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  14. Evan Hughes5 January 2016 at 19:50

    Such a pity there are so few supervillains with volcanic tropical island lairs these days, because these chaps look to be just the thing to attempt a covert landing from a submarine! Lovely work, Curt!

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    1. Curt5 January 2016 at 23:38

      My thoughts precisely. Thankfully we have imaginations and toy soldiers to live vicariously through. Now, where did I put that volcanic tropical island terrain...?

      Delete
    2. JamieM6 January 2016 at 01:51

      Would you be allowed to enter the aforementioned volcanic tropical island in the "defensive terrain" themed round? Now that really would be something..... ;)

      Delete
    3. Curt6 January 2016 at 19:36

      Oooh, good idea...

      Delete
  15. Greg B5 January 2016 at 21:20

    Great work dude. These guys are fabulous, and the bases are really cool!

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  16. Peter Douglas5 January 2016 at 21:43

    Great stuff Curt! Cheers Peter

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  17. JamieM6 January 2016 at 01:52

    Great work on the bases, black is not much fun to work with and the bases really lift them.

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  18. alex sengir6 January 2016 at 01:56

    juicy :)

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  19. Clint6 January 2016 at 02:33

    Impressive. One can only imagine the black opps you will get up to with these. Great blacks and great water.

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    1. Curt6 January 2016 at 13:48

      Speaking of which, I have the Osprey rules en route. I've very keen to see how they are.

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  20. Blaxkleric6 January 2016 at 02:51

    Absolutely terrific stuff Curt. Awesome work and as others say, the bases really do add to the overall effect.

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    1. Curt6 January 2016 at 13:49

      Yeah, I thought I couldn't have them traipsing around on concrete or dirt. Well, I suppose I could but that would seem a bit weird.

      Delete
  21. thefrenchjester6 January 2016 at 03:10

    Stunning paintwork!
    the bases are also fabulous!

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  22. Sean6 January 2016 at 08:55

    Fantastic! Is it weird that I immediately focused in on the basing and the goggles to see how you had done it?

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    1. Curt6 January 2016 at 13:50

      Thanks Sean, I think they would be pretty boring without some other colour elements to them.

      Delete
  23. david bromley6 January 2016 at 12:05

    Great work,Curt! The Black and the bases turned out really well. You are correct on weaponry, but the beefier rifles will serve them well if you pit them against Cthulu minions or zombies. Besides the bigger the gun, the less of the shooter the survivors remember! ;)

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    1. Curt6 January 2016 at 13:51

      Good point. Hounds of Tindelos and Shoggoths require more serious firepower for sure.

      Delete
  24. Sander6 January 2016 at 13:13

    Brilliant work on those blacks and blues Curt! The bases really add to the dynamics of the figures and their setting.

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  25. Jonathan6 January 2016 at 16:26

    Flipping heck! Fantastic frogmen!

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    1. Curt6 January 2016 at 18:07

      The 'Flipping heck' made me laugh, thanks Jonathan. :)

      Delete
  26. Barks7 January 2016 at 04:10

    Very nice! I'm wondering what their leader is saying on the phone?

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    1. Curt7 January 2016 at 13:56

      'We're on the wrong beach. We see nothing but bikinis for miles. Don't send support...' :)

      Delete
  27. David Larkins7 January 2016 at 12:59

    Off the beaten path indeed, but pretty damn cool! Nice work on the blacks--I've got a couple projects lined up that are mostly black in palette, and it's going to be a challenge. I might've been tempted to give this guys a glossy treatment to reflect wet rubber, but I know not everyone goes in for such shenanigans.

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    1. Curt7 January 2016 at 13:57

      Thanks David! The finish on them is actually fairly satin in tone as I used diluted black ink as a wash and a satin varnish spray for finishing.

      Delete

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