Wednesday 25 January 2017

From ChristopherS - International Brigade (20 Points)


Just letting Nick, Curt and Phil know that I'm still in the SCW side challenge.:-)

Why the Spanish Civil War? Well for me I just really enjoy the equipment and atmosphere of the period. You really get a wide range of troops to choose from offering many exciting opportunities for the paintbrush and gaming tables just have a certain flare that really draws me. I find both sides fascinating and plan to collect each of the antagonists. The politics of the war I don't really care about all that much other to know why they fought, but the fact that it's a civil war does interest me if  that makes sense. I don't exactly know why, but if it's a civil war then I'm usually interested be it ACW, AWI, SCW,RCW etc.

Just a quick line on who the International brigade were. They were primarily communist paramilitaries that fought on the Republican side vs the Nationalists  and came from countries outside Spain like France, Germany, Portugal, US, Great Britain, USSR and others. They were generally grouped by nationalities with clever nicknames for their battalions, but did included Spanish contingents within for communications with each other and the Spanish army. For the most part they fought very well with high morale, but suffered heavy causalities due to lack of training, poor equipment and often serving as shock troops or rear guards fighting delaying actions.

These four figures will finish off my first squad that I started a long time ago. They consist of a Light Machine Gunner totting a DPM28(Degtijarev of Soviet make), his loader, Squad Leader(Sergeant), and a Dinamiteros. What the heck is a Dinamiteros? Well they were basically dynamite throwers who used a slingshot to throw tin encased dynamite at bunkers, dug outs, vehicles etc. who became so hated they were shot on the spot if recognized as one by the enemy.  Needless to say those of slight of heart need not apply!

The figures are superbly sculpted by Mr. Paul Hicks as one would expect, but do require a fine brush from some of the detail that rewards taking your time. The colors I used are mostly Vallejo and some Foundry. Painting the International Brigade is fun as you get to mix a lot of colors as they were rather irregular in appearance, because they often went into combat in their civvies or whatever uniform the supply clerk had available or they could scrounge up here and there.  However, this of course adds time to the painting and sometimes wastes paint due to not requiring all of mix for a particular color. I pretty much kept to the browns which is typical for the Republicans. Anyhow, I'm enjoying painting these and look forward to doing more!

With 4 28mm figures should give me 20pts to add to my total.

Thanks for viewing!
Miniature Company- Empress Miniature

ByronM: What an excellent entry Christopher!  I love the super smooth transitions and blends you did on these, they are very nice. The figures themselves have a lot of character and you pulled it all out of them.  I like the little history lesson on the squad as well, I have never personally been interested in or looked into the era, but you have piqued my interest.  I also am betting that Curt will be all over these, as he loves that era.  

32 comments:

  1. Very nice work Christopher :)

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  2. I really like the overall feeling of these.

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  3. Very nice SCW figures. For me (at least) one of the reasons Civil war wargames work is that the technologies and equipment are the same to begin with.

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    1. That's a really good point, Clint. Never thought of it that way, but you're spot on.

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    2. Thanks Clint and no doubt that probably has something to do with it plus the fighting tends to be very intense.

      Christopher

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  4. Lovely stuff Christopher. I'm hoping Curt gets his SCW stuff out for this weekend's game.

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    1. Thank you and remind him to take pics if he does!

      Christopher

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  5. Lovely looking SCW figures, beautifully painted.
    Best Iain

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  6. 20 well deserved points. These are gems, each is so well done. I have a soft spot for the Intl. Bdes because my dad, at 15 yrs of age, wanted to run away from Montreal and join the MacKenzie Papineau Battalion. My grandfather, a veteran of the trenches, put an end to it, with some rough persuasion. My dad said he was in love with the romance of Spain and standing up to fascism.

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    1. Thank you kindly Micheal and thank heavens your Grandad did put his foot down on your dad joining up or there would be a good chance you wouldn't be here right now when one looks at the casualty rates for the International brigades!

      Christopher

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  7. Really nice work and always interesting to hear the back story that made them.

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  8. Great brushwork Christopher, excellent shading.

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  9. fantastic work. The quality of SCW around here is a real joy

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    1. Thank you in regards to my efforts and totally agree I couldn't have got better competitors in Curt, Nick and Phil in the side challenge which helps keep me upping my game so to speak for the period.

      Christopher

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  10. Great work and a tempting era for sure

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  11. Tremedous work, Christopher! As Byron mentions, I love your smooth blending (a skill I have never mastered). As an interesting footnote, I've read that many of the Dynamiteros were shepherds from Asturias, who were very adept with slingshots, as they used them to protect their flocks. Just take out rocks and replace with dynamite. Hard core.

    I very much look forward to your upcoming entries with this project.

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    1. Thank you Curt!
      Huh? I think you do a very fine job in blending Curt! Interesting fact on the Asturias and indeed hard core!

      Christopher

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  12. Top notch painting as always! Can't wait to see them in the flesh and even more important, on the table! Should I ever get anywhere with my Foreign Legion that is..

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    1. Thank you very much Nick and they are cleaning and loading their weapons to take on foreign Legion!

      Christopher

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  13. "Honestly, I've tried to give up smoking, but I can't think of a cooler way to light the dynamite..."
    ; )
    Great work, Christopher, those Hicks sculpts really repay the time taken. Well done!

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    1. Lol! Let's hope the fuse is long or he could have an early day and thank you!

      Christopher

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    2. A 5 sec fuse is guaranteed to last 2 seconds! ;)

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  14. Really quality brushwork Christopher. I like these a lot.

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  15. Great looking work you make the browns come alive

    Ian

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  16. Thank you very much everyone for the kind comments!

    Christopher

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  17. Very fine work on them Christopher! You do have some excellent blending on them. I like them and the period too...or pretry much any period where uniforms were made up on the spot! ;)

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  18. Stunning work - really lovely colours despite the drab palette. Wonderful

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    1. Thank you Phil and I hope you get some more free time to exhibit more of your very nice SCW material in the challenge.

      Christopher

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