From MartinN: Detroit Tank Arsenal (50 points)

I've to apologize for my lack of interaction here, but I've been busy with job interviews and what not those last few weeks. Also I haven't really felt like hobbying at all. But at long last I've finished something worth posting about. 

First off a 20mm PSC Lend-Lease M3 Stuart for my Soviets. The PSC kit is a sturdy enough kit, able to withstand the rigors of the wargames table well enough I imagine. Personally I'm not a huge fan of those kits as they're by necessity very basic with overblown details. Looks nice enough when painted though.

On the other end of the scale we have a 1/72 M4A4 Sherman from Dragon Models. The kit was fun to build and came with etched brass (which I didn't use) and even 3D printed (some of which I used) upgrade parts. Only let down were the vinyl tracks. First of all I managed to put on one the wrong way round and then they're just a smidgen too short, meaning that when you put them on you might snap the delicate plastic connecting the rear idler wheel to the hull... Of course I also managed to break off some of the more delicate parts during painting, but that's a whole other story full of fat fingers and too little patience. The tank commander is from the ever excellent AB Figures range.

Occupying the middle ground in model complexity is a venerable 1972 vintage ESCI M4A1 Sherman nowadays sold by Italeri. I got this one from a friend, so I can't say anything about how it went together, but looking at it I'd be highly surprised if it was any challenge at all, but as with the PSC Stuart the detail is a little basic. I really love the rounded shape of the cast M4A1 hull and hope to add a few more to my collection at some point. 

So that's about it for the moment. I do have some more half finished stuff waiting in the wings I hope to have finished before the clock runs out in about a month time. 

3x 20mm vehicles plus 1x 20mm figure (yes, it's a full figure, just lacking the boots) should net me 49 points.

***

We have missed your work Nick! I'm sure we can all relate when the elusive "hobby mojo" is just not there, owing to real life events. That said, I'm glad you have found a way to power through it, and I know I speak for all Challengers when I say it is always a real treat to enjoy your work!

And, as ever, it looks just...amazing! Incredible stuff. The green is just-right. The shading is incredible, and all of the extra bits and gear give the armour that "live, lived in" look the radiates from the photos of these vehicles on campaign in that era. They look like they have been through weather and rain and dust etc. It's just excellent. 

Plastic kits are a challenge for me too - and I suspect, a bit of a mixed bag for all of us. No doubt many can relate to details or bits being lost in the hobby process. Some of us even straight up drop them - multiple times...anyway, rest assured they have come through the process to look incredible. That is probably why I am prone to preferring a "PSC-style" kit (assuming they are ever in stock, but that is another issue) to others. 

Vinyl tracks? Screw that! You get an extra bonus point for fiddling with that nonsense. 50 points for you!

GregB