Bobs Fictional Countries

Way back at the start of the Project I actually built and base painted a unit of Lepard II’s .

I’d also done the same with 2 Leopard 1s from PSC.

At the start of the Lockdown I built the other 3, and it got left there as started the Brits, then did my Reichbusters pledge, then finished Brits and Soviets including infantry (pics later).

So as lockdown looks like its ending for me, started to work through part finished projects, so did my Martians Tripods:

Springtime for Martians and 15mm ey!

So finally got to try finishing Mallots Marauders.

Went for a Grey themed camoflage, on trial Leopards went too light a grey on parts but darkened it for last 3, and Leopard 2’s.

So base coat Adeptus Battlegrey, then a light grey splodges (mixed) and then Basilican Grey for darker splodges.

Its then dry brushed a medium grey and Finally a very light dry brush of White.

Transfers are Hammers Slammeers from Brigade Games for Crests, and Command Decision U.S Tank names for most of tank names.

I’m that pleased with them that I’ve brought another company of each and some M113’s which I’m doing as ACAV’s.   With miniguns and auto Grenade launchers.

As with ‘Mallots Manglers, this unit was originally a mercenary unit for my own take on Hammers Slammers, and was going to be in a supplement I thought of writing ‘Hammers Slammers’ into the Mercian Zone  an idea happily agreed by the Author of the books.

So:

East Riding Yeomanry 1990’s

The discovery of oil on the Island of Dunheep had for obvious reasons gained a lot of interest around the world.  To the west  the considerable deposits would reduce the reliance on Middle East Oil, but with the various terrorism threats, did not want to commit their forces in what could become another protracted military campaign. Not only that they didn’t want to see the pro western Mercian Kingdom fall.

So how to help without causing a major political storm. The British Government on seeing the success of ‘Mallots Mangler’s’ decided to form and provide its own Mercenary Regiment using recently demobed or reservist troops to man it. They would equip it with predominantly the latest equipment for the following reasons:

1) To test it

2) To promote it to the world market gor increased arm sales

3) By rotating ‘reservist” and active troops on secondment   it would have a cable of battle experienced troops for any future threats to UK.

Based on 3 squadrons of armour   initially 2 x Challenger 1’s and one of Cheiftains of the latest upgrade.

A Battalion of infantry , with attached artillery,  AA units, Recon units and Helicopters (Mainly Lynx and Gazelle) .

The possibility of a flight of Harriers would be added at later date.

Its commander was  Lt Colonel John Trevalion a veteran of the Gulf war, who unknown benown to them would have his own plans for his new Regiment.

Unit Colour Scheme.

The mad rush to get the unit ready for action with the Dunheep cricis meant that much of its intial equipment was from UK based depots, and arrived still sporting its original owners European Cammo and markings. Which was found to be remarkably effective in Dunheep’s temperate landscape.

The only addition was a hastially added unit insignia , Trevalion a avid WW2 historian, picked the insignia of the 11th Armoured Division the Black Bull on the yellow background.

Whilst the latter 2 stages are drying and curing I start on the commanders.  Now I stick them in hatch during build stage as I can use turret/ model as a hold.

I can use the same base colour as the tank  but at this stage paint the flesh and base light colour of cammo using the same shade, a Privateer Press Off White base shade ( Gerry recognized it at the Star Wars legion ,without seeing the bottle,  Impressive but scarey)

The berets and darker part of csmmo is added with PP’s dark umbra, and finally another Agrax Eartshde wash.

After this its a lot of washs  ,nuln oil for machine guns exhausts etc, a contrast blue for the periscopes and headlights,  and Agrax  Eartshade to give the rust shade  to tracks

John asked what shade of green I had used for base colour on my Cheiftains . It was actually his suggestion for my Americans at the D-Day FOW bootcamp in June. The base colour is GW  Deathguard Green spraypaint.Here showing on some base Tracked Rapiers

I then wash them using Agrax Eartshade

1. Initially tried just to see if it would work, I added the Black Cammo using Black Templar Contrat paint, following a guide I found on Google

Above shows the cammo and the next stage which is a dry brush with the Deatguard green   whichs puts a bit of weathering on the cammo.

Then I use Vallejo gun metal on tracks, ariels etc, I perfer this to the rust colours many use, for a reason I will show in later stage

I block paint the various perescopes headlights a Vallejo wolf grey, I also use this for the insides of any open hatches

Having teased John with the lights now the heavies

Finally the Challenger”s.

I know its not the current convention to name tanks, but they are mercs so what the hell!

Way back in the Day, whilst doing the original Hammers Slammers 28mm project, one of the Rival merc units were the East Riding Constabulary, based on the couple of mentions in the novels of the West Riding Riding Yeomanry,  so for my new fictional setting, my newly painted British Army becomes ….

I will do a quick history later but with no more ado, the pictures

Well despite the title and a number of mistakes ( or possibly because of mistakes) the two Hinds I have done. Bit of a little milestone,  built them over a year, but got drawn of to other projects ( thanks @warzan) after base colour spraying got left and forgotten on Kitchen shelf.

Think they have come out well. Here seen in the standard Volgan camoflage.

Well with the release of WW III looks like I’m going to be updating this one.

Particularly as I have brought the British Starter box  , so my background blurb will need a bit of a re-read and update.

Appendix to Above.

Re reading my own blog, realised what my original plan developed into. Which was a Hammers Slammers type setting set in a 90’s Era setting. Strangely enough this was an idea GDW had with the old Twilight 2000 post WW3 game , when they updated for the World post the Soviet Unions collapse  though with lower intensity warfare. Sci fi has has explored the idea in numerous settings David Drakes Hammers, Jerry Pournelle(West of Honour , The Mercanarie  King of Sparta) are just a couple.

Now with Hand Wavium off the floor, my setting was fictional islands moved from the Far East to the Med for a series of high intensity high tech tank engagements using modified Team Yankee units   representing small Island states, rebels   mercanaries etc .

Right at the end to this project after describing the various Island nation states and Militaries   I introduced Mercs ( with Tanks yup I know financially unfeasible, but fun) with the Mallots Manglers, who use a mix of German and American tech)

So how to introduce my pending Brits with Challenger’s and Warriors ?

David Drake again provided thr inspiration in his ‘West Riding Yeomanry’ , which in mine become the “East……”.

I shall go into detail later, but are effectively a British Regular unit hired out by HMG to fight wars in HMG’s interests  ‘off the book as it were!.

Their is something of a historical precedent in this, as Oman effectively did hire SAS units   and advisers in its war with various insurgent during the arly 70’s and the French did it in the Congo with ex Foreign Legionnaires (Seige of Jabotville )