Combined arms battalion, 15th Deneb Light Cavalry, Clan Invasion period

[worktroll]

It's been a while, but intermittent lack of icy wet winds let me get some varnishing done last weekend.

The latest unit - 15th Deneb Light Cavalry. It was time for some more Davionista, and I wanted to do a very medium force. Of course, I picked the only heavy regiment int the DLC, but that's OK - even heavy regiments have medium companies.

I'd done the tan/sand colourscheme for my Wolf Dragoon Epsilons, and I'll be doing some Lyran Regulars soon, so I wanted a little variety. The 15th's use of khaki instead of tan provided the excuse to go darker. I admit I did cheat a little, and added some green 'task force markings' just to keep me interested.

So here they are!



The 'Mech company:



The Command Lance can also moonlight as a medium Battle, or Striker lance:



In what you'll notice is a very Davion-oriented set of minis, we have the CO in an Ostsol OTL-4F with dual PPCs, a Centurion CN-9D for speed, a shiny new Enforcer ENF-5D, and my version of a Blackjack BJ-2.



The Fire Lance consists of a Wolverine WVR-7D, Dervish DV-7D, Dervish DV-6M and Whitworth WTH-2. The 6M mini had been slightly squashed in transit, but I liked the pose, and just brought the right arm up into firing position.



The Recon Lance is commanded from a Clint CLNT-2-3U, ably supported by a Cicada CDA-3F, and with 'speed demons' in the form of a Locust LCT-3D and Fireball ALM-8D (the twin laser version).



The armour company!



Mantis Light Attack VTOLs act mainly as scouts, and spotters for the Artillery Lance.



Goblin IFVs provide utility backup where needed, when not being used to deploy the infantry company.



Pilum artillery tanks - I've chosen to use the Arrow IV version, but the LRM version would be handy too.



And finally, the infantry company. Four standard infantry platoons, carried in the Gobin IFVs. Two rifle platoons in camo suits, equipped as spotters for the Pilums, backed by an SMG platoon and support laser platoon. The company has been gifted with a squad of IS Standard battle armour, with integral heavy hover APC carrier, to determine the BA's utility in the role of artillery spotter in hostile environments.

***

As always, comments actively appreciated ;)

Cheers,

W.

[ColBosch]

The first two links are broken. But man, these look good. Funny that we both completed brown units about the same time... :))

[worktroll]

Whoops! Hopefully links now fixed.

Yup, this will be the last largely-brown for a while - with the Galedon Regulars & Wolf Epsilons, that's three.

Next scheduled works are House Dai-Dai-Chi, Marian I Legio, and Lyran Regulars (which will have a little brown).

[ColBosch]

I'm getting back to red, for my Dracs. I'd have more of them done already, but red is such a slog for me. And I've got my next fifty or so miniatures pre-planned, but it'll be a while before I get back to brown.

[Cidwm]

Awesome as usual, I do not know how you manage to paint so many battalions so quickly!

[ColBosch]

Awesome as usual, I do not know how you manage to paint so many battalions so quickly!

Once you get used to having a routine, and if it's a fairly simple scheme, you can really bang them out. If you check out my Rolling Thunder thread, I knocked out eight of them in just two days, including stripping the freaking house paint off my second-hand Wolverine.

[worktroll]

It's like cooking a big meal - having all the ingredients on hand, and doing the prep work before you start.

My Dai Da Chi minis have started to spill out of their box, and will be glued to hex bases this weekend. Then - probably a company at a time - will get primed, based, & drybrushed, then moving onto details.

(Side issue - LOOOOVE acrylic paints! I was - 15 years ago - an enamels user, but the move to acrylics liberated me. Particularly at the detailing stage, it can become a continual rotation thing.)

The other advice - try before you start. I'm not aiming at CSO quality, and I want easy, consistent results. The proof of concepts I do are really important here.

W.

[agen2]

 O0

[Nav_Alpha]

Noice! Dunno why I didn't see these guys when you first posted. But I likes!

[Lorcan Nagle]

Awesome as usual, I do not know how you manage to paint so many battalions so quickly!

Work assembly line - get, say 4-6 minis out, and do the first coat of paint on one, then the same coar of paint on the next one, and so on down the line.  By the time you're finished the last mini, the first one is dry enough to do the next coat (if you're layering diluted coats of paint) or colour. You can also get quick and easy results if you do a simple basecoat, then wash, then drybrush process rather than layering highlights by hand.

[ColBosch]

You can also get quick and easy results if you do a simple basecoat, then wash, then drybrush process rather than layering highlights by hand.

That's my usual technique. Results do vary depending on color, though.



If you look closely, the green, brown, and tan minis show natural, good-looking blending from drybrushing with a minimum of stroke marks. The red piece looks dirty, which is okay in this case but not what you want if you're going for parade colors.

[Lorcan Nagle]

What colour did you prime the Phoenix Hawk?  It can be hard to get good results for lighter colours over a black primer, for example.

[ColBosch]

What colour did you prime the Phoenix Hawk?  It can be hard to get good results for lighter colours over a black primer, for example.

Army Painter Pure Red. I then used Agrax Earthshade (my go-to for almost all shading), drybrushed Pure Red and then orange, gave it a red wash, and...looks dirty. But then again, this is from when Sorenson's Sabres were exiled to pirate hunting, so I decided to go with it.

[Lorcan Nagle]

Army Painter Pure Red. I then used Agrax Earthshade (my go-to for almost all shading), drybrushed Pure Red and then orange, gave it a red wash, and...looks dirty. But then again, this is from when Sorenson's Sabres were exiled to pirate hunting, so I decided to go with it.

I've never primed red, unfortunately.  I got good results recently on some Gundams by priming grey, then airbrushing Vallejo Ferrari Red followed by airbrushing P3 Red Ink to saturate the colour

[jimdigris]

 O0

[Cidwm]

I'll have  to work on some of the techniques you guys advise, need to expand my Sword of Light company to a Battalion.  >:D

[Nomad]

These are great! Wish I could turn out such high quality product that fast.

[Feenix74]

Great work Mr Worktroll they look like a proper military unit O0

[Daemion]

Even without airbrushing, a medium to light gray base is great for reds. I mix a lot of my colors via acrylic and water, so when I wash, (And, invariably, I'll have to) I can only say that I use a deep, dark maroon.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Very nice looking unit. I've been away from BT for some time, and I don't remember your work being so refined when last I saw it WT. I think you've really progressed in your skillset FWIW.

Certainly helps it's one of my favorite AFFS units. The 15th is reason you don't hear more about the mighty DAG during the FCCW, among other coolness.

[worktroll]

Thank you Crimson!

I'm always trying for good, reliable and reproducable schemes, and - as long as you're working with browns, tans, and/or greens - the "magic dip" - in this case a small tin of teak varnish, which is all Army Painter is - produces a really reliable good result. Keeping it simple helps keeping it reproducably good.

Taking a rest from dip on the Dai Da Chi project, more drybrush oriented, but will be back for my Lyran Regulars ;)

W.

[Saint]

Well done good sir!