Yep, more granny grating.. but just LOOK at them! Aren’t they CUTE!
So as an OPFOR for the stormtroopers and Lord Vader, I created a company of rebel infantry using the same techniques as in the previous post. I mirrored the organisation of the Imperials – 3 platoons of six stands each, a command group of two stands, a pair of scouts on jetbikes, and a hero commander – in this case, Luke Skywalker himself!
And yes, a great deal of “I am your father…” “That’s not true! That’s impossible” squeaked in Chipmunks style falsetto has been going on here recently.. I’m blaming lockdown.
As before, a simple painting process – sprayed with cheap grey primer and given a base coat of Wilko’s Granite Dust house paint. Then a wash – I alternated between Vallejo Smokey Ink, Black Ink, and Army Painter Green Tone because I wanted a clear difference between the uniform pristine white of the Bad Guy Empire and the grungy guerillas of the Good Guy Rebel Alliance. I did the same for skin tones too – after all, diversity = good, and Rebel Alliance also = good, so Rebel Alliance must = diversity, right? So you’ll see a mix of skin tones – pinkish washed with Vallejo Skin Wash, dark brown washed with Smokey Ink, Goblin Green washed with Green Tone and Wilko’s Duck Egg Blue house paint washed with.. well, I squeezed a drop of blue ink from a nearly dead biro and mixed it with water and matt medium!
Basing was more or less the same as the stomtroopers, but this time I added some really fine dusty earth from the garden along with the sand and flock. I’d notice a patch of this in the garden and thought it might prove useful as a basing material.. it’s not world changing, but I like the effect.
Right, then – pics:
The lads on parade – as with the Stormtroopers, 3 platoons of infantry, an HQ, two speeder bikes and in command (featuring the BLUE lightsaber) – Luke Skywalker!
Scout bikes
Rebel infantry
All together: “I am your father!” “That’s not true! That’s impossible!“
So next is figuring out what to play with them – as I mentioned, Hell By Starlight, which I fund a VERY dusty copy of in the attic will be getting a go, and we’ll bodge some stats for them in Epic – not forgetting our “epic scale” take on Future Force Warrior which hopefully we can get back to developing further now lockdown seems to be easing… Let’s keep the masks on and the fingers crossed people, we’re nearly there!
Stay safe and thrifty out there, we’ll see you soon
It’s probably fair to say that one thing EVERYONE on earth has in common, is that 2020 is not playing out the way the wanted or expected it to.
Or if it is playing out the way you wanted, well, f*ck you and the horse you rode in on.
In any case, the lockdown has robbed me of gaming buddy (not a COVID casualty, mercifully, just being careful and following the rules – getting pissed and playing soldiers with your mate hardly counts as essential travel business) , so in his absence I’ve been busying myself with readying a new faction for One Page Rules Grimdark Future / Future Force Warrior / 40k. You’ll have already seen their armour contingent, now here are the lads themselves!
As I mentioned, I think the “Rebel Guerilla” faction are meant to represent the Rebel Alliance from Star Wars, but I kind of like the idea that 40k and Star Wars kind of represent two sides of the same coin.. Luke Skywalker and co. might think they’re fighting for freedom, but in fact they’re just dupes of the Chaos Gods, killing for Khorne, fulfilling the machinations of Tzeentch, their defiance feeding Nurgle.. as for Slaanesh, I guess Leia snogging her brother in Empire Strikes Back ticks that box! Meanwhile God-Emperor Palpatine knows the TRUE nature of “The Force” and knows that only brutal repression can prevent mankind’s corruption at it’s hands.
So with that in mind, pics!
I began with a box of old Airfix WW2 commandos, some greenstuff, cardboard.. and hope!And we’re ready for primer!As with the tank, spray primed black as that’s all I had, and then a couple of coats of tan craft paint to get the base coat onWashed with Vallejo smokey ink thinned with Windsor & Newton acrylic mediumAnd here they are! The Hazzard People’s Front 237th Brigade (Hazzard People’s Front? F*CK OFF! We’re The People’s Front Of Hazzard..)
I even had a bit of a backstory for these lads – originally part of a PDF territorial reserve unit tasked with internal security operations, these lads were sent to arrest a cell of four individuals tasked with Warp/ Force sorcery… but when they arrived to round them up they found they couldn’t quite remember why they were there, and their CO suddenly found that he bitterly resented propping up a corrupt and inefficient administration that had one law for the many and one for it’s cronies. Ever since then, they’ve been on the run, existing as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them.. maybe you can join The Hazzard People’s Front!
Building on the idea of “baddies who think they’re goodies”, I went with a paint scheme inspired in equal parts by Return Of The Jedi, Rogue One, and the Vraksian Renegades from WH40K. Craft paint tan for the base uniforms, washed with thinned brown and black inks, webbing done with Vallejo Olive Drab. I think it came out rather well, something sinisterish about it but without overplaying it. These lads don’t know they’re baddies yet, remember- skulls and spikes all over everything might give the game away!
Commander Khorr Bynn, former PDF reserve officer, now a fearless warrior in the cause of social justice!Simian Champion – Loretta, known amongst the crew as StanRebel Psychic cabal – who could arrest these poor innocent souls, merely yearning for a better life and casting the odd spell to try and make it happen… Sniper squad – basic conversion, just added greenstuff cloaks to the WW2 Airfix Commandos. I can do cloaks. That’s about it though.Striker squad – these lads like to get stuck in with shotgun and energy swords…“Look at their glands!” The Millibandorian boys – greenstuff cloaks, cardboard wings and added FN FALs to represent plasma riflesFinally, the grunts! Rebel Squad 1 and Rebel Squad A, led by Brian and Reg respectivelyAnd one last shot of the 237th ready for action! Although Commander Bynn isn’t at all happy about some of the logos the lads have been daubing on the tank, the psychics – sorry, “differently abled” – all agree that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about..
So there we are, another army to get stuck in with when freedom reigns again! I’m quite pleased with these guys, they should get in close and hit hard – how will they do against Da Skooderia? Or the Hazzard 1977th? Only time will tell!
Stay thrifty out there, but most importantly stay safe, stay healthy and to quote Mel The Terrain Tutor, “Keep Calm And Crack On”! See y’all real soon now
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