Wednesday, February 5, 2014

A Very British Civil War Truck



I've been toying with doing some Very British Civil War scenarios for a while now. They seemed to be a perfect fit for Memoir '44. I could use my 20mm partisans and British infantry for another conflict and be unconstrained by the need for particular marks of tanks or other things. 

With that in mind, I picked up some Frontline resin stuff and played with it a little. 



This is an armoured truck from Frontline's resin England Invaded Home Guard range. 



Which inevitably brings this to mind.  I saw quite a bit of Dad's Army when I was small and I'm ashamed to say, had a long argument with Donogh over whether the early episodes were in black and white. It later became clear that what had happened was that when I had first started watching the shop, we had a black and white television which we later upgraded to colour.  

Well, I lost that argument. 



I painted this as generically as I could so that it can serve any master and may possible end up being used by the Home Guard in Sea Lion games at some point. The body was sprayed grey because that was what I had, the coach work painted Vallejo Russian green with some highlighting. I suspect it will be transporting British Union of Fascists troops for the time being. I tried a little line highlighting with pure white which looked very odd up close, but actually makes the detail pop in a very pleasing fashion at three feet. 


I added a registration plate on a whim, though it occurred to me afterwards that a yellow reg may not be appropriate. 



24 comments:

  1. Conrad that's a great vehicle.The VBCW has such potential for modelling and gaming-enjoy!

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    1. There are options alright and I've been putting together forces for a while.

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  2. I think you are right - the first episodes were made in black and white!

    Don't give him your name Pike!

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    1. "The first two series were made in black and white" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dad%27s_Army_episodes

      Nice truck....

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    2. And are still black and white on the dvd box set ill bring them to the next event to prove Donogh wrong

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    3. He'll say you're showing them on a black and white TV... :o)

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  3. You were right the first episodes were in Black/White -
    http://www.dadsarmy.co.uk/televisionepisod.html , well I'll take my anorak off now as its getting warm in here

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    1. Post argument vindication is the best vindication. I shall retire to my fortress of victory to appreciate the fruits of being right on the Internet.

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  4. http://www.dadsarmy.co.uk/televisionepisod.html - Oops think I've posted this twice

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. If anything bears repeating, a paean to my rightness and moral superiority does.

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  5. Nicely done! The reg plate: black with white letters/numbers?

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    1. You seem to be in the majority there. I'll knock something up.

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  6. Theoretically the reg should be white/grey//silver lettering on a black background, but rivet-counting pedantry is not what gaming should be about so don't worry.

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    1. I shall keep smiling through the tears old man.

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  7. UK number plates were white on black until the late 1960s. The first two series of Dad's Army were in the same colours....

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  8. Oh, an excellent effort that man! The 'wooden' half-timbered look is just the thing - reminiscent of the great 1930s fad for mock Tudor, and the much later Morris Traveller look. Joy! Don't forget the Blueshirts, old man - I'm sure they'd have been on the ferry to help out in the VBCW.

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    1. You know that explains something. I was admiring a Morris Traveller the other day. That is where the paintscheme sprang from no doubt.

      As for the Blueshirts, like most embarrassing relatives, I shall keep them locked away in the attic with the Christmas Decorations and the Mrs. Rochester.

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    2. Well, how about the slighty later 'Architects of the Resurrection' ?

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    3. Oh my Lord, I had never heard of them. They were some fearful gibbons certainly.

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    4. Check them out (I suppose Wikidoodah might have something). Mad as a bag of sprouts.

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  9. I shall keep that white highlighting technique in my waistcoat pocket and try it soon with some PSC T34 models I am working on (also in Vallejo Russian Green - shocking as that may be).
    I recall reading that WB Yeats, who was himself as mad as a bag of sprouts in his old age, wrote some poems for the Blueshirts, who couldn't understand them and no doubt thought of the great poet as being a bit rubbish. Fortunately for us, the Blueshirts did not write Irish literary (or any other) kind of history.

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