PolishGI’s Working Thread (WWII & Vietnam)

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:55 pm

BurtWolf wrote:Wow that's quite a thread! I enjoy seeing your stuff it gets me thinking. Great Paint work too!!

Do you have any rules of thumb on how dense to pack your hexes with trees to simulate forests etc but to leave room for your minis? I'm just starting to build forest hexes.

Thanks again and keep updating this thread!!

Hi BurtWolf and thanks!

I do. I try and put together â€œrecipesâ€ for each type of forest hex I make, one for a Vietnam board and the other for a WWII board. It makes them uniform and easier to create a â€˜manufacturing lineâ€™ when you sit down and create them. I also like the idea that you can blend the forests by having the center denser and as you move to the edge by making them â€œlighterâ€.

For Vietnam I have them broken into a Light Jungle hex, Medium Jungle hex, Heavy Jungle hex, Central Highland Jungle hex (WIP atm), Palm Tree forest hex, Bamboo hexes and Rubber Tree hexes.

For the WWII hexes, I broke that down into Light, Medium and Heavy forest hexes with various patterns within each hex. As for the heavy/dense forests, I typically do not allow vehicles to cross through, just infantry. This changes if you only have half of the hex taken up with trees and the other half is open.

As for how many, I would play around with creating a light forest hex first. How many trees will it take for a light? Can you double it for a Medium hex? Add another 50% for heavy? Try starting out with 4-6 trees for a Light hex. Consider creating/adding bushes and/or various types of grass. For a medium hex, maybe bump that up to 8-12 trees depending on your likes. For heavy, bump that up for more. After our first hex, evaluate based on your taste and needs. Once you find your â€œrecipeâ€, lock it down and then start production.

I try and make a ton of the various trees and bushes prior so they are ready to go for when the hexes pass through on the â€œlineâ€. Hehe You can paint and start planting trees and adding grass while moving onto the next hex. It is a manufacturing line after all.

When you run into more unique/specific hexes, then you take more time developing those as needed.

I hope that helps.

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:30 am

Thanks for the reply! I like light trees because it will be cheaper... I originally was toying around with making a forest with a removable canopy but it seems like a lot of work. I just started making hexes- I'm assuming I plant the trees after I lay down the grass and bushes? Secure with regular glue? Do you make your own trees and if so how?

Thanks again!

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:40 am

Spent some time today airbrushing along with sealing up some models and decals.

15 of the T-34s have been stripped and now re-primered. 5 in the right column and new 1941 variants.

JzPz Vs primered

Dunkelgelb 1943 (acrylic) sprayed

Pz IIIs sprayed as well. T-34s shot with an acrylic Russian armor green lightened a bit with flat white

I used this silhouette profile shot as inspiration for the Elefants in Kursk 1943

Random PzKw V pic

I used this silhouette profile shot for the Nashorns in Kursk 1943

Marder II

Marder III

PzKw IIIs

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:12 am

BurtWolf wrote:Thanks for the reply! I like light trees because it will be cheaper... I originally was toying around with making a forest with a removable canopy but it seems like a lot of work. I just started making hexes- I'm assuming I plant the trees after I lay down the grass and bushes? Secure with regular glue? Do you make your own trees and if so how?

Thanks again!

Sure thing! Fair enough! Wow, that is a neat idea but does seem like a lot of work.

Yes, I always try and work from the ground up. For me with the hexes I make, I have to get rid of the white foam look. So I have an acrylic brown paint (Lowes/Home Depot) that I paint each of the hexes brown. Once that dries, I put a layer of elmerâ€™s glue down while mushing it with my finger to make sure every mm is covered. Once complete, I have sprinkle a layer of dirt onto the hex and shake off the excess. I then add a layer or two of different types of grass for that layering affect. This can be different colors if you want or different textures. So if done right, you will see the dirt bottom while 1-2 grass types on top. With enough elmerâ€™s glue on the hex, it will absorb the dirt and leave a nice wet layer/look on top for accepting the grass layers. Its nice little trick.

Gives you the illusion that you are looking at ground/earth.

Moving on, you can start to add bushes or everything else you think of for that â€œmid levelâ€™ area. The area that sits on top of the ground cover grass but is below the top area where the trees rest. Also good for affect and blocking LOS.

On top, you have your trees in whatever varieties you deem necessary. These should vary in height and or possibly color. Once complete, I use hair spray on the hex to help keep things in place.

I do make my own trees and follow the directions that GHQ provides for their terrain maker kits. I am trying to recallâ€¦ I found material locally at a store that allows for larger trees than what comes in the terrain maker kits. When I was making the terrain for my Vietnam table, I wanted something taller, larger and bushier than what comes with the std TM tree kits. But I could only find this material in an un-natural green. So instead of painting, I coated everything in elmers glue and mushed it around. Reformed the tree or what looks like a tree and then poured â€˜grassâ€™ on that as well. The ending result was a larger green and a color that blended in with the table without standing out. Worked out well for my needs.

You can kind of see the larger trees here in relation to the rest of the vegetation:

Then try and add some height variation when possible:

You can see here the larger/bushier trees:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/W8uyTB]

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:35 am

Thanks for such a thorough response!! Your advice has been very helpful, I will hopefully show you some hexes (mediocre) soon!! I think that I need to buy some more trees off of eBay...,,

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 7:32 am

BurtWolf wrote:Thanks for such a thorough response!! Your advice has been very helpful, I will hopefully show you some hexes (mediocre) soon!! I think that I need to buy some more trees off of eBay...,,

You are welcome! Lets see those hexes! I really need to put a table together and get to fighting it out. That is half the fun to painting these little guys. Kids are now teasing me along with the wife.

Some more WIP picsâ€¦

Not sure why, but a Hummel is a cool vehicle.

Wespe

I ended up stripping and re-painting 20 T-34s. I am glad I did, I like these better than the initial version.

Went with a couple of schemes for the JgPz V JagdPanther

More PzKw IIIs on the way to the frontline

Kind of went with the 1st SS PzGren Div color for Kursk '43

On Deck:

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 8:59 am

Nice stuff as usual!! But what really got my eye was that panzer iv (I think) tank destroyer in the lower left-hand corner on your on deck photo. Is that a GHQ model?! It looks like a version i am really interested in but thought GHQ did not make...

Exes are going slowly because children, wife, work, and you name it seem to conspire to take away my time. I don't know if you get this way, but unless I can sit down for a good 2 to 3 hours at a time I don't even start doing it because I get annoyed when I can finish what I was working on. I have some good stream and bog hexes started, and I've carved up a bunch of taxes without applying paint to them yet.

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:46 am

BurtWolf wrote:Nice stuff as usual!! But what really got my eye was that panzer iv (I think) tank destroyer in the lower left-hand corner on your on deck photo. Is that a GHQ model?! It looks like a version i am really interested in but thought GHQ did not make...

Exes are going slowly because children, wife, work, and you name it seem to conspire to take away my time. I don't know if you get this way, but unless I can sit down for a good 2 to 3 hours at a time I don't even start doing it because I get annoyed when I can finish what I was working on. I have some good stream and bog hexes started, and I've carved up a bunch of taxes without applying paint to them yet.

Thanks BurtWolf!

Yes, the JgPz IV? You can find them here:

Jagdpanzer IV - GHQ Stock # G557 - LINK HERE

They donâ€™t distinguish between the 75L48 or the 75L70 variant. Just one model covers both. And gluing the main gun on is AS exciting as it looks...

Yes, time can be touchy with sitting down and getting through this stuff. As the wife saysâ€¦ I could be into worse thingsâ€¦ hahahaha

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 7:17 pm

Thanks for the link, I can't believe I missed that on there! I've been through the site 1 million times and never saw it. It is a one of a handful of models that I really want, so I am totally pumped that it's in their catalog!

On the road for a week but when I get back I will try to throw up pics of my hexes in progress.

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 11:43 pm

Some painting over the weekendâ€¦ Beautiful weather in Phoenixâ€¦

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:07 am

Some additional WIP shotsâ€¦ Slowly but surelyâ€¦

Soviet 76L39 ATGs

SU-76s

Pak 40 ATGs (75L46)

Marder IIs (hopefully the last, I have too many already)

JgPz IVs

M-18 Hellcats
[url=https://flic.kr/p/WjGBta]

M-4 Shermans (105mm)

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:54 am

Great stuff - like your paint jobs!! So I finally tried my hand at the hexes- had some great inspiration from Tom Stockton (great website), you and others, here are a few work in progress photos.

I didn't add trees yet because I'm still making them, and my stream is only half done as I still want to add bits of trunks etc in the water. I also used liquitex acrylic gel (I posted a side by side photo) on one hex as a test run and I really like it. So I have to finish th other ones off.

I also am using a wash on the roads here shortly- they're too bright. I kept the stream too blue on purpose, I like the contrast. Anyway thanks for all the advice!!

(Yes the only flat space I have in the basementbis my kids' slot car table)

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:55 am

Great stuff - like your paint jobs!! So I finally tried my hand at the hexes- had some great inspiration from Tom Stockton (great website), you and others, here are a few work in progress photos.

I didn't add trees yet because I'm still making them, and my stream is only half done as I still want to add bits of trunks etc in the water. I also used liquitex acrylic gel (I posted a side by side photo) on one hex as a test run and I really like it. So I have to finish th other ones off.

I also am using a wash on the roads here shortly- they're too bright. I kept the stream too blue on purpose, I like the contrast. Anyway thanks for all the advice!!

(Yes the only flat space I have in the basementbis my kids' slot car table)

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:56 am

Great stuff - like your paint jobs!! So I finally tried my hand at the hexes- had some great inspiration from Tom Stockton (great website), you and others, here are a few work in progress photos.

I didn't add trees yet because I'm still making them, and my stream is only half done as I still want to add bits of trunks etc in the water. I also used liquitex acrylic gel (I posted a side by side photo) on one hex as a test run and I really like it. So I have to finish th other ones off.

I also am using a wash on the roads here shortly- they're too bright. I kept the stream too blue on purpose, I like the contrast. Anyway thanks for all the advice!!

(Yes the only flat space I have in the basementbis my kids' slot car table)

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 10:49 am

Burtwolf, very nice! They look great! Road colors can be tricky depending on the surrounding terrain. On the Vietnam terrain, the terrain is so green, that the dry dusty roads pop out. Euro terrain can be trickier.

Looking good. Keep it up! Slot car racing is where its at! You dont see that much anymore, or at least out west.

Bring on the trees! hehe