Garman Fallschrimjager and my 1st game of Bolt Action

So here are my 1st 9 figures for 2014.

That's right German Fallchrimjager  by warlord games!  Early last year I bought these with the intention of painting them up and then put it off in favor of other projects.  Well after playing Chain of Command by TFL and also starting to get some interest in Bolt action I thought it was time.


Timing was also really perfect as the wife and I went away for 7 days to Apollo Bay which is on the coast west of Melbourne. A awesome spot was booked by my wife and when she suggested I could bring some things along to paint I jumped at the chance (after picking myself up off the floor from disbelief) .

I have recently been watching and reading some tutorials on how to paint the German Camo Smock, and with my research in hand I sat down to  attempt the task. Got to say pretty pleased with the outcome! 

When the platoon is closer to completion I'll get some better shots done.

As to painting a German Paratrooper a few people have asked me to put some notes down on how I went about it.

Painting a German Paratrooper :

1st I would recommend you read this from Artizan Designs-

http://www.artizandesigns.com/painting-guides.php

and specifically these -

Farnworth Colours Guide German Fallshirmjager WW2
German Sumpfmuster example

and then watch this tutorial by Artmaster Studio's :

Myself these are the Paints I used for the different equipment:

Guide :VMC- Vallejo Model Color - VGC - Vallejo Game Color

Webbing  - Boots - Cap Peaks

Black Grey (VMC) base and Highlight
Nuln Oil (GW Wash)

Gas Mask- Ammo Cases and Land Mines

Russian Uniform WW2 (VMC) Base and highlight
Nuln Oil (GW Wash)
  
Helmet
Sombre Grey (VGC)
Nuln Oil (GW Wash)

Pants - Soft Caps and Officer Caps
German Field Grey WW2 (VMC)
The above is darkened 50:50 with black for the base - the just German Field Grey for the mid tone and the 2:1 white for highlights

Camo Smock
So I used the following from the model color range : Germ Cam Beige WW2 (70821) as the base washed with Agrax earth shade then just Germ Cam Beige for the mid tone.

For the splotches :
German Camo Black Brown (70.822) as the base for the brown splotch- from Panzer Aces Splinter Strips (348) with some black as the base for the green- then Flat Brown (MC 70.984) as the highlight and some white mixed into the Splinter Strips.

On areas showing through some white mixed in with Germ Cam Beige WW2 for extreme highlights. Only do this once the splotches have been painted on.   

Rifle
Beige Brown (VMC)
Again using Black and White to darken and highlight the stock

Shells
Brass (VMC) with agrax earth shade wash and then highlight with Brass


I Hope that helps and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to post on the blog and I will answer when i can.


BOLT ACTION

Today I got to play my 1st game of Bolt Action with Brad Morin from the LRDG podcast.  He graciously put on a game in the middle of an insane heatwave we are having down here in Melbourne and I got a sense of what Bolt action is like vs Chain of Command.

The Game - as most would probably be aware Bolt Action looks to change up the turn sequence through the use of activation dice which are pulled out of a bag.  Both your dice and your opponents dice are pooled and then pulled out one by one - each time once of your dice is pulled you can complete one of 6 actions ranging from shooting to laying an ambush or rallying with the obligtary options for moving in there as well.

The game also uses a system that builds tension called pin markers - which are accumulated every time a unit is hit.  Pin's impact the units ability to shoot, move or complete any specific action and as such are an important mechanic in the game in how you build pressure on a flank or a spot on the table.

The game goes for a set number of turns and is brutal and not to forgiving if you make mistakes.

Brad took an American force against some Germans he lent me and and I got to use my Fallshrimjager squad as well.

Overall Pins are very important and i found out that tanks in this game are not very good, infantry are king which is great for platoon combat and good use of basics tactics helps you a long way.


My impressions of the game is that its fun and challenging and I liked it overall.  I think as a beer and pretzel game goes it has allot of potential and I defiantly look forward to fielding my own army soon and playing a few more games. 

Would it replace chain of command for me? short answer is no - longer answer is bolt action I feel dispenses with historical TOE's and how units really operated in the field to make a game that can use a points system and allow for competitions etc.  

For me the biggest gripe is that a squad is clumped and moves all as one- when in reality squads broke down into teams and each team had a role to play that bolt action doesn't in my mind cater for, so it loses some of its real tactical edge by simplifying the nature of platoon combat in favour of some very A-historical combinations kicking around.

That being said that's a personal preference and I really enjoyed the game and even saw how the activation system could genuinely enhance the 40k game and make it allot more challenging and engaging than I find it now.

What I think Bolt action will do and is doing is act as a fantastic bridge for those who are over the rubbish GW are producing as far as rules go and want to flex the historical muscles. Then this is defiantly the game for you. The concepts are the very similar - enough for you to pick it up and run with it, what I would recommend though is once your into it and want some more depth and even more challenge then get chain of command. Toofatlardies Website

I have begun to think about how I can get a Bolt Action army to reflect the way I want to play my games historically when I mess around with that rules system and also not have to have a wholesale bunch of extra stuff just to play it. Ill put some thoughts about that up on the blog in the next few days as I sit down to work it out myself already have a few ideas on how to make it work as well.

Finally Please go check out the LRDG podcast if you are interested in Bolt Action they have some great interviews with the guys who developed the game- Rick Priestly, Alessio Calvatore and I even think John Stallard is on as well.

Well worth a look and subscription via ITunes :LRDG Podcast