Showing posts with label Konflikt `47. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Konflikt `47. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Lighting the Cromwell


Back in August of 2020, I decided that my Cromwell-T for Konflikt `47 needed an upgrade.  Specifically, the Tesla cannon needed to be more Tesla.  I was happy with the paint, but I wondered how cool it would look if it actually lit up.

It was a little nerve-wracking to cut and drill an already painted model, but the end result was worth it.

Turret before conversion

Barrel removed
Barrel and base drilled to meet inside turret

New barrel constructed from flexible straw, styrene strips, and a LEGO plate

LED test fit

Flickering LED kit with switch and battery

New barrel painted


Wires fed through turret

Barrel glued, wires trimmed

Battery and switch added. These sit in the tank body.

Finished conversion with light off

Finished conversion with light on






Thursday, March 3, 2022

British Infantry

In addition to the weird war units in the Konflikt '47 British starter set, there are a number of regular infantry figures.  These were my first attempts at World War 2 era infantry, and are fairly drab, especially compared to AWI units that I'm used to seeing.

For these figures, I did some basic base-coating, attempted some shading, and did a bit of black-lining to pick out details.  I also attempted eyes, which, fortunately, I've become better at since these figures were done.

The infantry men make up the bulk of my K'47 army.  They could also be used for Warlord Game's Bolt Action, or Two Fat Lardies' Chain of Command game, which I'm looking into someday playing.

1st section of my 1st Infantry squad

2nd section of my 1st Infantry squad


Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Automated Infantry

Back to trying to get caught up on posting.

Continuing with my Konflikt `47 army from a couple of years ago, here are my Automated Infantry from the British Starter Box.  These figures are actually the reason that I chose to go with the British, and even to get involved with K47 at all.  They just looked too cool on the box, and had the Weird War aesthic that called to me.


   
Automated Infantry Squad  
 
The reality is, they are difficult to assemble, and often difficult to play.  Being sort of mindless automatons, they don't always follow orders, often not reacting at all.  When they do, though, they can deal out some massive damage.

Ready for duty

I've found the best way to play them is in pairs.  Thus, I usually wield two small squads of two automatons each, keeping my fifth one as a spare for when one of the ones on the table falls apart (the joints on the models are super fragile).

Even when they don't work as planned, they are fun to play.  Such as the time I spent an entire game trying to get one squad to activate.  They refused every turn, until the very end of the game, where they malfunctioned and fired on the closest friendly unit, which in this case was a single figure all the way across the board, who sprinted from a treeline trying to reach better cover.  They mowed him down in spectacular fashion.  Not a great outcome for my army that day, but *very* cinematic.

Backing up the infanry during a city fight

Taking cover in the woods

Friday, December 17, 2021

Guardian Light Walker

 Over a year ago, back in June of 2020, I completed the Guardian Light Walker from the British Konflikt `47 starter set.  Instead of photos, I attempted to show the results with a turntable and short video.


I attempted to use the same paint scheme that I used on my Cromwell tank, with a bit of blue to show off the walker's engine.  Decals were added to give the Guardian the look of being labeled in the same manner at British armored units.

Monday, November 29, 2021

Cromwell-T

After my wife purchased a BritishKonflikt `47 starter set for me, I settled in to assemble and paint. One of the first items that I tackled was the set's Cromwell tank.


British Cromwell - World War II Version

Assembly of the kit was strait-forward. The top went on the bottom, the treads were added, and the turret was popped on top. Being Weird War, the set actually came with two turrets. The standard, historical version, and the Konflikt Tesla version. For mine, I also added tank commanders in the hatches to add a little more life to the model.

If I've ever assembled any World War II armor before, it would have been 30+ years ago when I was a kid, though I don't recall building any before. Being my first, I browsed the world of the Internet for ideas on colors, markings, etc. I came across Pete the Wargamer's video on painting a Cromwell for Bolt Action.

Front View

Following this video, I gave the tank and turrets a primer coat of dark green. A lighter green was dry-brushed over the top, bringing out the various panels and greebly bits. I think I also added a bit of gray or silver for chipping and weathering. The treads were given a treatment of dark brown and black to muddy them up a bit.

Rear View

I can't recall where I found it now, but the marking were added based on some research into British World War II vehicle markings. A career military friend of mine mentioned that the Allied star was upside down, but based on my research, that's how the Brits painted it, if they painted it all. Many of their vehicles apparently were left bare.

K`47 Tesla Version

For the Tesla version of the turret, I did a quick search online for how others had painted things like laser weapons. I wanted sort of a lightening look, to match the fluff images in the Konflikt `47 rule book. If I remember correctly, I started with a watery dark blue, then a dry-brush of lighter blue, then some streaks of whitish blue to represent the light. Overall, I was happy with the results, and very happy that both turrets look completely at home on the tank body.

K`47 Tesla Version

 

Monday, November 22, 2021

Flashback: Konflikt `47

As I mentioned yesterday, I wasn't completely absent during the Pandemic of 2020-2021. In fact, 2020 saw me enter the world of Warlord Games Konflikt `47 game.

I'd been eyeing Konflikt `47 for a bit. The story line of the game is that, during World War II, a couple of space/time/something rifts open in the United States and Germany. Due to these rifts, Germany learn show to animate corpses, and some troops begin to change into things like werewolves. On the Allied side, technology jumps forward and bit, and armored walkers and Tesla-coil weapons start appearing on the field. The alternate history has the War continue past 1945, and into 1947.

Early in the summer of 2020, my wife innocently asked if I needed anything when she went into town for groceries. “A British Konflikt `47 starter set from the game store,” I joked.

To my surprise, she arrived home with said starter set.

The British are Coming!

Being in pandemic lock-down, there weren't going to be any games happening anytime soon, but I'd have plenty of painting time. Thus started my foray into the weird world of K`47.

Weird War Elements

I'll cover individual units in upcoming posts. For the short story, I painted up the box set, added some command and support units, and generally had a good time putting together an army. As summer went on, the world started opening up again, including the game space at our local game shop. There was a small group of regulars in the area who played K`47 weekly. On July 6th, I joined them for my first game.

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Report of the action of 6 July, 1947.

Orders received at 16:21. Intelligence indicated the presence of a small strategic point just past enemy lines, roughly one city block from our position. With enemy infantry on the ground in the area, it was requested that we take their strategic point while simultaneously holding our own. A Bren gun team was stationed on our right flank at the axis of two main roads, providing cover along both open ways. A team of automatons was sent forward along the right to scout. On the left flank, a medium mortar team was set up. Their spotter, overlooking the city, was in radio communication from the top of a building near the machine gun team. A second team of automatons and one infantry squad were placed in the center.

Infantry, with Automaton backup, take up positions.

Sniper fire began instantly, targeting our infantry. A member of the mortar team spotted the muzzle flash, and a shell was immediately laid down on that position, destroying the threat. With our first pair of automatons clanking slowly up the right side, our infantry moved across the road to take cover along the walls of a ruined cathedral. The machine gun team was ordered into defensive position, keeping an eye on both roadways. Enemy infantry were spotted, just out of range, moving on our right and center. Infantry from our reserves arrived near a ruined farmhouse in the center of our line. Calls for armoured support went unanswered.

As enemy infantry approached carefully on our right, a second section of infantry rushed into the ruined cathedral, firing on our second automaton squad, which was destroyed. The first automaton section, firing into the building through the windows, caused casualties among the enemy riflemen. On our left flank, a Spinne Panzemech appeared in the distant rubble. Mortar fire was directed to its position, but no damage appeared to be caused. With the appearance of the Panzermech, our amoured division brought forward a Cromwell-T to support our men on the ground. A Guardian light mech was requested, but was not available. The newly arrived infantry took shelter in the ruins of the farmhouse in our center.

On our right, while our machine gun laid down defensive fire on approaching enemy troops, infantry from both sides traded fire. On the left, there were reports of Nachtjager in the area. An anti-tank team was also spotted, firing into the left quarter of the newly arrived Cromwell. Keeping an eye on the Spinne Panzermech, the Cromwell's crew moved their vehicle into cover next to a nearby building, aligning their turret to be able to fire at the enemy through broken windows. Another call was made to the Guardian, which was still not in the area. The platoon medic and myself arrived on scene, positioning ourselves near the farmhouse, just as an enemy Panther-X tank came into view up the street to the right. As the tank approached, our machine gun defensive position was eliminated.

Light Machine Gun team covers intersecting streets.
 
Heavy fire continued along our front. A couple of men in the farmhouse had been hit, but our medic was able to save one, a Private Orwell from Shropshire. Enemy infantry was beginning to come out of the rubble of the cathedral, but took immense fire from our boys. On the flanks, however, the fight had turned against us. The Panther tank, moving quickly up on our right, shredded our brave infantry who had sheltered against the cathedral wall. On our left, two Nachtjager did indeed appear, ripping apart the rear of the Cromwell-T before the crew had fired. Our forward observer, who had taken shelter in a building right across from the tank, sacrificed himself, calling down an artillery strike on his position, and the fowl flying beasts, keeping them from taking our location. Back on the right, a pack of Schreckwulfen attempted to jump our remaining automatons, but were eliminated by the team's machine gun fire. Distracted by the Schreckwulfen, however, the automatons fell to the enemy infantry still on our right.

Tesla armed Cromwell arrives for support.

 As our defensive line crumbled on both flanks, the requested light walker finally arrived. It traded shots with the Panzermech, but strategically blundering by placing its back to the Panther while taking cover behind a building. The Guardian was quickly eliminated by a shot to the rear.

With our forces nearly eliminated, we were required to retreat with the small remains of our infantry, leaving our strategic point in the hands of the enemy.

- 1st Lt. Nigel Teetotaler