A Normandy Terrace and a Field

I have made some terrain over the past week.  I finally put together my Knights of Dice Letters Home Normandy Terrace 1.  This is a great kit however I am not a fan of MDF.  I find it fiddly and awfully time consuming.  It is fairly fragile too in comparison to a 3D Print.  You can get some great stuff in MDF and I still have much to build however I am a complete 3D Printing convert for buildings.  I rather get a file, slice it and go and do other things with my time than build a MDF kit... but thats just me.

I do want to give some praise to Knights of Dice though, their owner Vivek is committed and passionate about his kits and for MDF they are absolute top quality.

The Knights of Dice assembled kit next to a 20mm WW2 3D printed
terrace by 3D Print Terrain (I went all in on their kickstarter)

Base coated, I used Rustoleum Texture Paint for the sides.

I also built an experimental field using some canvas and acrylic caulk.  I got the idea from Wargaming With Silver Whistle and his Book Setting the Scene.  It was pretty straight forward and now I know how to apply his techniques I intend on making more of these scatter pieces of terrain.

The canvas caulked and dusted with sand

Primed brown, coffee grains for soil, drybrushed and vegetation added.

I did a quick unedited photo shoot with the field and the Terrace together with some members of the 101st Airborne Division.

The Terrace and the field

I like things heavily weathered and dirty

Knights of Dice Letters Home Normandy Terrace 1

The acrylic caulk field, needs to be flattened out a bit more

101st Airborne Photoshoot

Offensive Miniatures 28mm US Airborne Paratroopers

Jumping In Part 2 - Not so Easy

Part 1 Here

I have painted up my first 10 men for my 101st Airborne D-Day Paratroopers.  As previously mentioned I have no intention of an Easy Company theme because every 101st Airborne Army is Easy Company (well not all... but most)... however that is not to say that they may recreate some of their famous actions.  They will be generic 101st Airborne Paratroopers.  Offensive miniatures model some of the infantry with the BAR which was not equipped when parachuting in due to the size of the weapon however Glider Companies carried them and it is well known that Paratroopers looted many a weapon.

I keep playing around with some post editing using the program Gimp.  Gimp is free and easy to use and there are a large amount of video tutorials etc online.  A simple google search will direct you to Gimp.

28mm US Airborne Paratroopers - Offensive Miniatures

Decals by Warlord Games

What's that rustling over there?  Meh... probably just the wind

Fresh off the painting queue.  Offensive miniatures 28mm Metal US Airborne

There you go... an Easy Company Reference for you

Jumping In

I have had my collection of Offensive Miniatures US Paratroopers for quite some time now and have been meaning to get some paint on them.  I have finally bit the bullet and done a quick test figure.  All I can say is that Offensive Miniatures are exceptionally good.  In my opinion they are the best 28mm Miniatures for US Airborne Paratroopers with a D-Day theme.  The detail is amazing and they are going to look epic on the table.  I must say, Airborne forces are my thing at the moment!

Offensive Miniatures 28mm D-Day Paratrooper

The Decal is from Warlord Games. 

Paints Used (All Valejo)

Uniform: Middlestone

Patches/Helmet: US Dark Green

Webbing/Equipment: German Cam Beige 

Boots/Rifle: Flat Brown

Helmet Straps: German Cam Medium Brown

My Plans

These guys will be used for D-Day/Operation Overlord Themed Games.  I am particularly fond of the jump uniform they wore on D-Day.  Not a fan of the later uniform, especially in 28mm as I feel the Warlord Late War US Airborne plastics just don't look right.  

I will not be doing E Company 506th PIR.  Its been done to death, I might do D company lol.  Not really sure what the theme will be but maybe just some generic 101st Airborne Paratroopers.  

Lets see how this project goes.  Follow along for more good Paratrooper goodness.