British in the Med (15mm)

A British force painted largely for Chain of Command and I Ain't Been Shot Mum! rules. Figures are Forged in Battle, actually their Late War British but here used for the Mediterranean theatre.

Leaders...there are extras for the "Big Men" required for IABSM. A Mix of FiB and BF.

I added a couple of Vickers MMGs, also Forged in Battle, and an Observer team (BF).

I've also painted a similar platoon, largely identical, and have to add a couple of 2-pounders, 6-pounders, and another entire platoon (the third) for IABSM.

CdlT

Sikh Company HQ

Company HQ with two Blacker Bombards, something of a predecessor to the PIAT.

Although the bombards in Indian service never made it to Italy (probably never made it to Tunisia in fact, perhaps only the Western Desert) I obviously did them with the same basing scheme to match other units. A bit pointless otherwise.

CdlT

Sikh Vickers MMG Platoon

Sikh Vickers MG gunners, two whole platoons worth. I did something a little different with the basing, more of an arid Italy theme, but not too dry, with scattered rocks and grass, etc. I didn't want to do a Cassino theme, more South Italy during the 1943-44 advance by the 8th Indian Division, or something like that.

Two MMG Platoons plus a couple of extra command teams.

Company HQ with Blacker Bombards up soon.

CdlT

Painting British Infantry: Part 3 - Commandos and Airborne

A long time in coming, and it took a long time to put it together. I've kept the commentary brief for the most part, but if you have any questions or want further explanation just ask.

Painting British Commandos

One of my favourite subjects from WW2 and my favorite army in Flames of War as well. Here I’ll be using a spare ‘Lord Lovat’ figure from the Battlefront Late War Commando blister (BR793) to illustrate a few points. This will be more for a ‘Late War’ feel: Normandy and the Orne Bridgehead, Walcheren, Wessel, etc., and is less applicable for earlier operations in the raiding era or in the Mediteranean. Commandos in earlier operations differed little in appearance from standard British Infantry, wearing standard Mk. II helmets and/or soft caps. Use of the green beret became more common from 1944 onward, being worn widely in Normandy and beyond in North-west Europe as well as by units operating in the Mediterranean. Apart from the beret, the other main differences include the Commando Bergen, the Fairbairn-Sykes ‘Commando’ Knife visible on the right leg of many figures and the increased number of Thompson SMGs.

I’ll keep the pictures and commentary brief here since the majority of the figure is similar to standard British infantry as illustrated in Part 1: the more unusual aspect will be explained a little more.

After an undercoat of Humbrol matt Black No. 33 I painted the flesh areas Game Colour Tan, then Dwarf Flesh. The Webbing was painted VMC Brown Violet as a shadow followed by a VMC Khaki block-paint. The uniform shadow was then applied in the form of VMC USA Olive Drab, this also being used to correct any mistakes around the webbing and also as the shadow colour for any wood. The centre part of the Bergen was painted the same colour, but the two side pouches were painted in ‘normal’ webbing colours. The famous Green Beret was painted VMC Black Green.

Flesh ares were then highlighted with VGC Elf Flesh, the uniform block-painted with VMC English Uniform, metal areas and boots P3 Black, wood with VMC Flat Earth and hair where visible with VMC German Camo Medium Brown (not really visible in these pictures but it is on the figures). The central parts of the Bergen were block-painted VMC Brown Violet, followed by a highlight of VPA Canvas

Highlights were then applied across the figure: VMC Khaki Grey for the Battledress, VPA New Wood for the rifle stock, VMC German Grey for the boots and the metal areas, the latter being further highlighted with VMC London Grey. The webbing was given edge-highlights of VPA US Tankcrew Highlight, this also being applied to the central parts of the Bergen to represent the ‘trimming’ visible in historical photographs. If doing an army however you might simply want to paint the whole thing the same as the webbing.

The Green Beret was highlight with a 2:1 mix of VMC Black Green and VMC Deep Green, followed by a 1:1 highlight of the same colours (the green really did not photograph well, a better example of the process being shown below on the Airborne beret). The vast majority of photographs show the Green Beret worn without any badges, so that would be preferable. The hair, though you cannot really see it here, had a few vertical lines of a VMC GC Med Brown & VMC Buff mix (2:1) applied. Lastly, the leather strap of the beret was carefully painted black, followed by a quick highlight of VMC German Grey.

For more detailed explanations on certain details, see Part 1 of the guides.

Painting British Airborne

Airborne. As in ‘borne by air’, not bloody ‘Airbourne’ (yes…the ‘Airbourne Identity’….uh, no). Get it right.

I digress. British Airborne divisions were comprised of bother Parachute and Glider troops during the war, there being little visual difference between the two and even less in 15mm. Bother Parachute and Glider troops wore the famous Denison Smock, the Red/Maroon Beret and the rimless British Airborne helmet. The main difference between the two (in terms of appearance) will be in marking and beret badges. Here I’ve gone for a basic guide without markings, etc., as I used on my previous British Airlanding Platoon. Also, since the Denison Smock proved difficult to photograph properly on Battlefront’s very cartoony sculpts, I’ve employed a modified ‘bailed-out’ tank crew figure to illustrate the process. Webbing and other colours largely follow those used previously.

In the first picture the initial flesh work has been done as before. The Denison Smock has been coated with two thinned coats of VMC English Uniform. The standard Battledress trousers are painted as normal, while the beret was painted with VMC Black Red + a bit of black. The hair was painted VMC GC Medium Brown.

In the second picture you can see the hair more clearly, here with a few simple vertical highlights applied. The Denison Smock was block painted with VMC Green Ochre, leaving the English Uniform to provide definition around pockets, joins and a few major folds. Two slightly thinned coats of the Green Ochre are usually needed. Note that I’ve used a much lighter colour than the ‘real thing’: in my view it is pointless painting camouflage on 15mm figures if after you’re done you can see barely anything. In this scale, definition is your friend.

The real work begins. I usually start with the brown camouflage first, applying ‘swatches’ of the brown colour, here VMC German Camo Medium Brown as a shadow colour. I’ve painted jagged edges in an attempt to recreate the ‘Airborne Smock Denison Camouflage’ pattern which was initially applied by brush for its distinctive look, though the later manufacturing process maintained the same style. Even a few jagged edges will prevent the pattern from looking ‘blobby’.

After the brown shadow colour, a green shadow was applied in a similar manner, this time with VMC German Camo Dark Green.

The beret was painted for a very smooth look: after the initial VMC Black Red & black mix, a 1:1 mix of VMC Black Red and VGC Scarlett Red was applied. A final highlight of pure VGC Scarlett Red was then applied, leaving a ‘head impression’ on the top to add a bit of detail and interest (if any of this makes any sense…). Lastly, the leather strap of the beret was carefully painted black (helping to define the face and beret, as well as separate them) followed by a very thin VMC German Grey highlight to break the stark black colour.

Since this figure was part of an extra base to be added to the previous Airlanding platoon and I had left off badges on their berets, I left off any markings here as well. Feel to add the Royal Parachute Regiment badge or one from the various Airlanding Battalions on your figures berets.

For helmets, I paint an overall coat of SCC15 (Part 1 for recipe), wash with black, then dry-brush SSC15 again followed by a lighter variant: the bits of scrim are then picked-out in choice colours. I didn't take any pics of this, but there are a few old work-in-progress shots which might be useful.


Lastly, the camouflage was highlighted, the brown with VMC Flat Earth, the green with VMC Luftwaffe Green. A fine line is left of the shadow colour to give extra definition, but the overall effect is still very soft.

If you happen to have a whole army clad in Denison Smocks to paint rather than my single platoon, I’d suggest skipping the ‘shadow’ colours for the camouflage and simply apply VMC Flat Earth for the brown and VMC Luftwaffe Green for the green. Unless, like me, you're a sucker for punishment...

Finished Para group, ready to join their already-painted comrades (click for over-sized version).

CdlT

Painting British Infantry: Part 2

NOTE: Part 1 has also been updated, while the Italian Theatre content has been moved to Part 2 and expanded a little.

Following on from Part 1, Part 2 will focus on painting British Infantry for the Mediterranean Theatre, in particular forces in Sicily and Italy from 1943-45.

British Infantryman, Italy (Spring & Summer) 1943-45

Figures from Battlefront, from their British in the Mediterranean range, blister BR762. IMHO the best British infantry figures they produce (I’ve just received some figure from the Guards Rifle Platoon and they might be even better). These are in light kit, wearing Khaki Drill shirts seen in warmer times: not particularly suitable for fighting in winter, for instance. Colours use are detailed largely in Part 1, with a few additions for the Italian Theatre:

Khaki Drill Shirt (Greener)
Shadow: 887 Brown Violet
Base: 50/50 Brown Violet and Khaki
Highlight: 988 Khaki

Khaki Drill Shirt (Tan)
Shadow: VPA 314 Canvas
Base: 988 Khaki
Highlight: 50/50 Khaki & White

Webbing (alternate, lighter variant)
Shadow: 988 Khaki
Base: 884 Stone Grey
Highlight: 50/50 884 Stone Grey and White

After clean-up the figures are undercoated black.

The flesh was shadow VGC Tan, base Dwarf Skintone. Brown Violet was then used as a shadow colour for both the Khaki Drill shirt and the webbing.

US Olive Drab provided the shadow for the Battledress, canteen and wood on the rifle and entrenching tool. The webbing was painted Khaki, followed by English Uniform for the trousers and Vallejo Model Air Olive Grey (or any dark green) for the PIAT shadow (below).

The shirt was then painted with a 50/50 mix of Brown Violet and Khaki.

The webbing highlighted (confined mostly to the edges) with US Tankcrew Highlight. Wood and canteen Flat Brown, PIAT and case VGC Cayman Green, metal areas and boots black, then German Grey. The Flesh was also highlighted with VGC Elf Skintone.

The shirt was then highlighted with pure Khaki, trousers with Khaki Grey, wood with VPA New Wood, the canteen with Flat Earth with some US Tankcrew Highlight mixed-in. Metal highlighted with London Grey, Painted metal (PIAT, etc) with VPA Italian Tankcrew (confined to edges).

(Click for double-sized versions)

An alternate scheme for the shirt (more Tan in colour) is a base of VPA Canvas on the shirt while the webbing was done in the lighter variant, Stone Grey over a Khaki shadow colour.

The shirt was then painted Khaki, while the PIAT was painted in English Uniform followed by Khaki Grey as an (incorrect, as it turns out) colour for SCC2 Brown*.

*SCC 2 Brown was the colour British Equipment was painted for units serving in the Tunisian British 1st Army as well as most lend-lease equipment sent to the Soviet Union. The correct mix from Mike Starmer: ‘SCC 2 brown is Vallejo 3 parts 873 US Field Drab + 2 parts 871 Leather Brown’: or, for a sufficiently-accurate out-of-the-bottle colour, 826 German Camo Medium Brown.


*An alternate colour for painted equipment in Sicily and Italy, particularly for 1943-44, is Light Mud, Vallejo 988 Khaki.

The shirt was highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Khaki and white, while the webbing was also highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Stone Grey and White. The painted equipment was also highlighted a little with 914 Green Ochre to add a little distinction from the trousers.

(Click to expand)

The finished figures show BD trousers with KD shirt and very sun-bleached webbing. Equipment also is in the older SCC 2 Brown, carried over from Tunisia perhaps? Note that the KD shirt can be painted with English Uniform as Battledress with rolled-up sleeves just as easily, as shown on the Sikh figures below. One point I will make is this: if the colours used for the KD shirt and the webbing are too close, they will 'morph' into each other: picking lighter colours can help differentiate between the areas which, IMO, is on of the main points of painting 15mm effectively.


Painting the SMLE No 1, Mk. III Rifle

The British largely used two bolt-action rifles during the Second World War: The SMLE (Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield), more properly known as No. 1 Mk. III and the later variation, the No. 4 Mk. I. The former was the most common in the Mediterranean, while the No. 4 was issued largely to the divisions intended for the invasion of France, making an appearance in other theatres later.

If you look at a picture of the No. 1 MK III (top picture), you’ll notice along the top of the rifle there are several sections which, unfortunately, most painters seem to simply ignore and paint metal. However, the appearance of the rifle is greatly improved if a little attention is paid to the weapon. The details on the BF models are often obscured by mound-lines, but they are visible on most examples, just faint. Before undercoating in the clean-up stage I try to emphasise these, cutting in lightly with a blade and attempting to re-form any detail obscured after removing the mould line. Generally, I do this on all areas e.g. webbing, sleeves, etc., but especially on weapons.

On to painting: the picture above shows a simple method I use for the No. 1 MK III to give the rifle a distinct look from the No. 4. The metal band midway down the rifle I tend to ignore, simply hinting at it with the shadow from the wood. Also note in the picture above the metal band between the trigger mechanism and the breach which, if visible on the figure, adds further detail.

The metal was painted black, then German Grey and finally London Grey/Codex Grey for highlights. A few well-placed highlights can really emphasise small details like the magazine and trigger guard. The final result is not a perfect representation, but a little time spent in an attempt to portray more accurate weapons is, I feel, well worth it.


Painting Indian Infantry, Italy 1943-45

Serving in Italy under British Command were Commonwealth forces from many countries. Some of the most unique (at least from a painting perspective) were those from India. The 4th, 8th and 10th Indian Divisions all saw combat in Italy and were comprised of a myriad of troops from different ethnic backgrounds such as Ghurkhas, Punjabis, Marathas, Sikhs, and so on. For the most part they wore standard British uniforms, wore Mk II helmets and used British equipment. Battlefront however chose to make a separate range to cover the Sikhs, with Sikh soldiers wearing the Pugri, a turban-like piece of headgear which makes their figures rather distinct. These figures are taken from Battlefront’s BR782 blister. While visually attractive, the Pugri is a pain to paint properly, and one must always remember that that vast majority of Indian troops simply wore helmets.

One of the more difficult propositions when painting Indian infantry is the colour to use for flesh: the wrong brown looks ‘wooden’, too dark and the colour doesn’t show up clearly, too light and they look more Caucasian. However, there was (and is) a great variety in shades of skin in India according to different ethnic backgrounds: from very fair to very dark and every hue in between. Suffice to say I went for an abstracted approach to painting Indian skintone, much like painting Caucasian really.

A darker variant starts with 825 German Camo Pale Brown over a general shadow of 941 Burnt Umber. This was then highlighted with 874 US Tan Earth, and the rest of the figure completed to put the flesh colour in perspective

Shadow: 941 Burnt Umber
Base: 825 German Camo Pale Brown
Highlight: 874 US Tan Earth

(Click to expand)

An alternate, lighter scheme starts again with a shadow of Burnt Umber, followed by US Tan Earth and a 70/30 mix of 874 US Tan Earth and 918 Ivory as a highlight.

Shadow: 941 Burnt Umber
Base: 874 US Tan Earth
Highlight: 70/30 mix of 874 US Tan Earth and 918 Ivory

(Click to expand)

Which colours you use will depend largely on the unit you’re representing or personal choice. These were just a few of the schemes I have used and I am quite sure there are many other alternatives.


In Part 3 I’ll get to a few other points such as Commando webbing, Berets and painting Denison Airborne Smocks in 15mm.

As always, questions, comments and feedback welcome.

CdlT