PSC SdKfz 251/10 and Roden SdKfz 234/1

I pray-painted the camouflage on these two models along with the two SPGs in January this year, but have only just gotten around to doing the weathering and crew for them.

The first is a Plastic Soldier Company SdKfz 251/10. The loader figures comes from PSC, while the figures with the SMG and MG are from AB Figures. The decals are from Peddinghaus,

The kit was a quick and easy build. The crew compartment is rather cramped, and even though I have several other crew figures, I couldn't find a way to fit them all into the vehicle.

The second vehicle is the Roden SdKfz 234/1.

I chose this one after reading a few reviews of the kits available out there, partly because I was intrigued by the fact that the anti-grenade screen is made with a sheet of mesh which came inside the kit.

As it turned out this is more of a modeler's kit than a wargamer's kit. The mesh wasn't easy to use. The turret MG and 20mm gun are fully detailed, as is the internal compartment. The wheels were a nightmare to assemble and fit onto the chassis, as they are made with a softer, more flexible material, presumably to allow the modeler to model the vehicle on undulating ground, which will show off the individual suspension of the vehicle. In my case what it ended up as was saggy wheels, which fortunately is not very obvious at tabletop distance and point of view.

With these models done I am temporarily out of WW2 vehicles to assemble or paint. I am waiting for PSC to release their German trucks in 1/72, whereupon I will purchase a box along with their RSO tractor.

Elhiem Miniatures Red Army Scouts

I still have to paint the shields and glue them onto my Iron Wind Metals Chaos warriors, but in the mean time I decided to paint up the Elhiem Red Army Scouts I bought a while back.

As you can see from the photo above, some of the figures look better than others, but over all they are nice figures that fill a niche.

They blend well enough with the Zvevda figures I already painted. Here they make up a Soviet Scout Squad under the Chain of Command rules: a sergeant, and two teams each with two men with rifles and two with SMGs.

I think the Scout rules offer an interesting tactical option for the Soviet player, and I hope to borrow wahj's Soviet platoon for a game against my own Germans soon.

Zombiecide: Black Plague

Fg and I played a game of Zombicide: Black Plague this afternoon.

The basic gameplay is very much like the "modern" version of the rules, but the fantasy theme makes it more fun.

The game components are also of a higher quality than the original version, as you can see from the photo above. The dashboard is now plastic, with recesses for the character and equipment cards. There are also slots for equipment cards which are not currently in use - these keep your cards upright so you don't forget them under the pile. I think a similar set-up will be nice for games like X-wing.

The terrain tiles are also of high quality, but not as evocative as the ones in the modern version.

Over all my impression of the game is largely the same as for the original version: the co-operative nature of the game and the difficulty of the scenario means that the players need to work together to find the best strategy to win each scenario, and oftentimes this means playing a game by committee.

April Giveaway

This month, I am giving away my copy of Battle for Empire, a set of colonial rules.

I understand that these rules are now in their second edition, but if you want to own a copy of this edition, here is your chance.

Let me know if you want the above by leaving a comment, and I will draw a winner on the 15th of the month. This is not a first-come, first-serve offer.

This offer is free; once I let you know you have been drawn, do let me have your email and mailing address, and I will mail it off to you. You don't even have to pay for postage. I am doing this not to get some money back. but to give these toys a good home. If you want to pay back somehow. I ask that you make a small donation to a local charity, or consider doing the same thing I am doing and give some gaming stuff that you no longer need/use a new lease of gaming life.

Thank you.