PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

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PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

pmskaar wrote:
Sun Jul 17, 2022 7:48 pm
Great looking infantry, Polish GI! I really don't mind helping to inspire anyone. Sometimes it is me that gets inspired by seeing others work here and elsewhere. Keep up the good work!

Thank you Pete!
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regia-marina
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by regia-marina »

Wow Polish, I was just checking out your infantry. How long did it take you to paint all of them? It seems like it took me forever to paint my Italians and I'm still not done! The details you put on them are very sharp. Any advice? I use the finest brush I can find and still can't get the details as dialed in as I'd like. Your infantry looks great!

PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

regia-marina wrote:
Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:02 pm
Wow Polish, I was just checking out your infantry. How long did it take you to paint all of them? It seems like it took me forever to paint my Italians and I'm still not done! The details you put on them are very sharp. Any advice? I use the finest brush I can find and still can't get the details as dialed in as I'd like. Your infantry looks great!
Thank you regia-marina! Currently, I am on Day 5 or 6 I believe. The pace is quicker than I normally can or are willing to do. Lol I have had bouts where the infantry have their way with me and it seems like it takes forever.

Advice… patience… takes a lot of patience. I primer them and use my AB to base coat them. (trouser color) I have a stash of 20/0 brushes and get to work on the details. On some brushes, I will even cut them down further to add to pinpoint accuracy.

Not in any particular order…

Boots/gaiters (boots have been questionable. You will see the gaiters on the guys and more than likely the sand will cover up the boots at the bottom)

Jackets
Webbing, backpacks and pouches, etc
Come back with jacket color to touch up any rogue brush strokes
Weapons (base of black for metal and beige brown for rifles. Highlight with a mix of german grey and gunmetal for a metallic look on MGs, SMGs etc) pick off details like actions, wood handguards, scopes, barrels etc) (if you want to go super fancy, add another color like silver/alum in specific areas to denote higher use like magazines, weapon actions etc)
Skin color (dab the face and neck, get the hands)
Re-touch up any rogue brush strokes
Last but not least, the helmet to top it off. (you can see that I start from the bottom and work my way up)
Paint the base a desert yellow color so it conforms with the rest of the general population and eliminates any dabs/markings from other colors. (see mortar base compared to others)

I try to set up a manufacturing line if I can. Many repetitive processes so I can focus on specific aspects of each guy.

Final QC pass where I look over each model and determine what needs to be touched up. Basically where I am now in the second group of three with this bunch.

Seal the paint with clear coat.

Add terrain (sand in this case). Add another layer of sand when the first dries.
Tint the sand a brown color so it is in line with the rest of the N African population.
Once dried, hit the model with another clear coat. (glue on the bottom to secure the sand (or grass/dirt) and then a clear coat on top pretty much traps things from moving off the base.

Seems to work…

Some recent pics… I am still in the process of cleaning things up. Little things here and there.

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Snipers. Not 100% happy currently. Need to clean up the scopes. Need to see if I can get the rifle wood and barrel more to my liking
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Mortars ready for terrain
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Flamethrowers and FO stands
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Other pics
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PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

A few pics of a board I put together…

High level details are July 5th with Das Reich moving east to secure the town in the center.

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Houses are kind of fun to destroy. lol Drop in a smoke marker and be done!
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Facing north:
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Facing east:
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PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

I need to update my trees/forests to more modern standards...

They are old old versions.
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redleg
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by redleg »

Great looking infantry and terrain!
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chrisswim
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by chrisswim »

The infantry look great.
I like the terrain showing the different/contrasting types of terrain.
Chris

pmskaar
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by pmskaar »

That is a very nice terrain layout, Polish GI. I like the fact that you have created a special area for your village. That is something I will be doing in the future as I have seen lots of very nice built up areas in other games. Right now, I just plop my buildings on the terrain.

One thing about Terrain Maker and other methods of making terrain layouts is that there are always improvements that can be made. As I look at some of my older terrain pieces, I see some ways I can spruce them up a bit.

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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

redleg wrote:
Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:20 pm
Great looking infantry and terrain!
Thanks redleg!

chrisswim wrote:
Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:01 am
The infantry look great.
I like the terrain showing the different/contrasting types of terrain.
Thank you Chris!

pmskaar wrote:
Wed Jul 20, 2022 8:11 am
That is a very nice terrain layout, Polish GI. I like the fact that you have created a special area for your village. That is something I will be doing in the future as I have seen lots of very nice built up areas in other games. Right now, I just plop my buildings on the terrain.

One thing about Terrain Maker and other methods of making terrain layouts is that there are always improvements that can be made. As I look at some of my older terrain pieces, I see some ways I can spruce them up a bit.
Thanks Pete!



Yeah, I feel that I can do better. After advancing the ball in my Vietnam arena, I feel I can move the needle further on my Euro pieces as well. Maybe even start breaking off the western Euro from the eastern Euro sides. (e.g. telephone poles, sidewalks, asphalt etc) Those paper buildings I have came in two flavors, southern Russian dwellings and northern Russia dwellings. I need to fire up my desert buildings that can be 3d printed as well and start making towns. So much to do... hehe

I love my static grass applicator. It is a must for making terrain.
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BurtWolf
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by BurtWolf »

Love those Italians and really appreciate the detailed post on how you did them! I’m not sure I have your patience - but the payoff is clearly worth it. Thanks again for posting.

PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

BurtWolf wrote:
Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:24 pm
Love those Italians and really appreciate the detailed post on how you did them! I’m not sure I have your patience - but the payoff is clearly worth it. Thanks again for posting.
Thanks BurtWolf! I try! Hopefully as a group we all get better and better at what we do in our respective eras/arenas.

That is why inspires me.
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regia-marina
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by regia-marina »

Again, the infantry and terrain look great. Thanks Polish for taking the time with your detailed answer. I've got some paratroopers to paint and I'll take your advice. It does seem to take a long time to paint infantry. That's what frustrates me the most. You put the time in and still not happy with the results!

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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

regia-marina wrote:
Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:47 pm
Again, the infantry and terrain look great. Thanks Polish for taking the time with your detailed answer. I've got some paratroopers to paint and I'll take your advice. It does seem to take a long time to paint infantry. That's what frustrates me the most. You put the time in and still not happy with the results!
My pleasure regia-marina! I hope there is some value in there for you. Infantry are tough to get through. Long and tedious…


Just a few pics for fun…

Status update on my US infantry in North Africa. This is the third and final set of my infantry for the US which is primarily the front line infantry stands.

I need to do a final pass and clean up anything found and then paint the base desert yellow so it blends in better with any potential boards/maps.

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PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

I started my scenario during Kursk with Das Reich attacking east towards a town on July 5th and looking to gain control of it.

Soviet Regimental HQ has set up shop in the town. With a rifle regiment in front of it and dug in. The other rifle regiment is to the right and it is dug in as well. I am trying out my dug in markers to denote this on the table. I like them. Just need to print more of them now and get them ready. And then there is an A-T Regiment off to the left of the Regimental HQ location. And it too is dug in.

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Close up of the town and regimental HQ.
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Rifle Regiment setup and dug in. Just waiting for the German invaders to approach.
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Another Rifle Regiment setup and dug in to the front of the Regimental HQ.
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And the Anti-Tank Regiment that is dug in. Paks are setup along with a few ATR stands.
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Another strategic set up pic:
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Can’t forget the minefields laid down in the hope that it channels the German armor into the killing zone.
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PolishGI
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Re: PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

Post by PolishGI »

Panzergrenadier battalion moving in on the left side of the attack with supporting assets.
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Another PzGr Battalion moving into position and using the forest for cover. Supporting assets need to find a way into position and deploy. Intel reports say there is a Soviet Tank Brigade charging fast to join the fight. The 50mm ATGs need to be set up and ready to go.
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Another PzGr Battalion attacking on the right lane supported by a platoon of Marder IIIs, assets from the StuG Battalion and a Tiger platoon. This unit needs to move into position and suppress the dug in enemy units quickly if possible. The Panzers need to balance how much involvement they have if there is enemy armor in the area.
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Attached Tiger unit is requesting to get involved with the dug in defenders and has been declined. Its sole purpose is to scan for enemy armor and engage.
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Same pic but focal point is further out to the town.
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Under 60 minutes into the battle... The left side PzGr Battalion is hauling butt to get into the fight. Just out of range for small arms. If they can cross over and start to engage the dug in A-T Regiment, then the supporting units can set up their guns and mortars.
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Middle PzGr Battalion support assets dodged a few incoming rounds and set up their 75mm IG and their 50mm Pak. Mortar teams are deploying/setting up. Pioneers have deployed to begin removing the minefield threat.
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A couple of PzGr companies are making their way through the forest into the opening and engaging the dug in defenders. Lots of small arms fire. Big battle between each side’s opposing MMG teams.
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After 60 minutes of combat, a combination of off-board 105mm Howitzers, Stuka dive bombers and small arms fire has had an impact on the Soviet defenders. Several platoons took hits, two platoons were completely lost and adjacent platoons became spooked, failed their morale test and took off. All that is left are the dug in positions that are empty. German Battalion commander is optimistic that another 30-60 minutes will provide them the space they need to continue their move toward the town and into position. Looming question is… how long do they have before the enemy armor arrives?

(((Side note… I printed and flocked some artillery round markers for fun. I think I like them but need MORE of them. Each time offboard artillery is fired, I think I am going to leave these little markers on the table for reminders of where artillery fire came in and how heavy it was…)
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Battalion in the right lane is coming over a hill and engaging the dug in defenders. There is a 57mm ATG that scored a couple of hits on the lead StuG IIIG and forced it back. Any more hits on this platoon and it becomes disabled. The remaining StuGs returned fire and scored a hit. This German Battalion is throwing a bit of lead at the dug in defenders but not causing a lot of damage. Being dug in is helping as you thought it would. But what is happening is that it is causing the Soviets to check their morale. So far, one rifle company has become pinned. But everything is staying in position.
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StuG assets targeting the Pak locations and firing HE rounds.
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So that is where I am at currently… 60 minutes (2 turns) into the battle with a lot more time to go… somewhere around 1430hrs I think and there are 10-12 more turns to go.
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