RH Models 20mm Argentines in the pipe

Rolf's first 20mm Argies.........

RH Models, Liberation Miniatures

20mm Argentine Infantry

Very much still in the pre moulding stage but some nice figures in the pipeline. Can see a role for some of these in Winter of '79 too.

Cheers
Mark

Upcoming Urban Meltdown Brits

 
A quick update on the Urban Meltdown Brits from RH Models. Rolf has been in touch to say that the next pack will have helmets and they will be followed by a Command pack together with a pack of two civvies armed with a 'Charlie G'.

Cheers
Mark

NEW Urban Meltdown British with SLRs

Rolf's Urban Meltdown British with SLRs are finally here! Rolf describes this as a starter pack with 11 civilians wielding SLRs and one with Bren. Just perfect to crowd our new Urban Decay streets. Here are some of the greens:

 Rolf will be taking packs of them along to Reading this Saturday and Sunday. Pack code is URBMELTSLR. And don't forget URBMELTSUP with Sterlings and GPMGs which complements the new pack.

Let me tell you that I'm grinning from ear to ear! A great end to this week and it's been pretty good so far! Just what Maff and I have been waiting for. These miniatutes are really going to advance our gaming of the political turmoil in the UK to the next level!

So drop by the RH Models/ Liberation Miniatures stand at Warfare and say "Hi" to Rolf  from us here at Winter of 79!
 
Cheers
Mark
  

Something for the Weekend Sir

Thought you might like a little something for the weekend.

Rolf  hopes to have pack URBMELTSLR (10 bareheaded civilian figures with SLR) in the mould this weekend. They are in the second batch to be made, so even if he can't manage this week, they will appear very shortly. It goes without saying that we are really looking forward to these miniatures as the backbone of our organised resistance along with the Urban Meltdown Support pack released during the summer.

Rolf is a good bloke and moved the URBMELTSLR production up the queue deliberately to aid our efforts on Winter of '79. So please support him in return and buy a pack or two yourselves.

I have to admit that those TQD Falklands British released back in August by C-P Models have been calling to me. I keep revisiting the pictures of them and am finding them hard to resist. In all probability due to the nature of the games we've been playing recently. Rural encounters between small groups of figures. Plenty of Spec Forces action and more to come in the next few weeks.

Add to that, I sent Mark at C-P Models an email query. He responded early the next morning and proved to be a real gent into the bargain. My great demon is over analysis. And anything that helps me narrow down options, like a manufacturer responding to my queries, so I can make my choices and spend my money and crack on, gains my support. 

When I originally envisioned Winter of '79, it was going to be a discrete side project with a platoon's worth of Britannia Cold War BAOR Brits as the government regulars fighting ex-Hotspur (aka Combat Miniatures) insurgents and rebel army forces drawn from the Operation Corporate and Urban Operations ranges. Well, we can all have dreams!

If I was starting again today from scratch, same brief as before - discrete and small scale project - then in order to save myself tears of frustration and get off to a running start, with games in the bag, I'd simply buy a pack of  the TQD-MF1 SAS, one to two packs of TQD-MF2 British Army Infantry.

Why? Life is complicated enough! On reflection, the TQD  figures have the right cold weather 'sleeping rough in the field' look I wanted for Winter of '79, the separate heads provide variety and personalisation, the separate bergans allow further choice. Plus I can see pics of what I'm buying (which is important so that I'm able to visualise how I will convert/use the figures and whether I need to up the order to get more of a specific miniature etc), then purchase online painlessly via paypal. Done!

A couple of Airfix Land Rovers, a Scorpion/Scimitar or two, a Saracen; all picked up form the local hobby store. Gaming ahoy! And plenty of potential for expanding later on with the help of Shaun (S&S), Tony (Platoon 20) and Rolf (Liberation Miniatures).

Looking ahead to some more future releases, you may be interested to hear that I emailed Brian at Hobby Den recently. It was on a Sunday and I wasn't really expecting a reply till Monday, or more likely Tuesday. Nope, he responded later that same Sunday afternoon. Definitely impressed! Brian hopes to have a 1/72 Shorland armoured patrol car and Saxon APC ready in October and an SAS 'Pinkee' Series IIA available around December or shortly afterwards.

Must be getting soft in my old age. Anyway, chatting with Maff on Wednesday we agreed that while we should continue to strive to use correct period kit for Winter of '79 wherever possible - there's no harm in deploying mildly anachronistic kit on the tabletop, such as 110 Land Rovers or proxying a Snatch Land Rover for a Land Rover Series 3, VPK. Weeeeeeell, I've had plenty of time to reassess my priorities recently; and being anal isn't one of them.

We also talked through options for an urban tabletop, but have to admit that we are struggling to come up with a cost effective and versatile layout that isn't Metcalfe/Superquick brick terrace. I'm currently erring on an industrial estate as an interim solution for both Winter of '79 and associated Geezers games.

In part 'cause that's where most of the action in The Sweeney and The Professionals seemed to have been filmed and therefore nicely atmospheric for Winter of '79. But on a practical side, commercial/industrial terrain can stand alone or provide a transition piece from countryside to suburban residential housing or terraced inner city. It can also be put together and rearranged at will like a Middle East 'city' tabletop.

There was an industrial estate near me when I was a kid. Flat roofed 2 and 3 storied offices attached to two, three medium sized sheds or a single large warehouse. Plenty of roads and alleyways to duck down. Yards full of pallet piles, cable drums, containers.

The industrial estate can be as big or small as you want and you can mix and match architecture without it looking odd. Parked lorries, delivery vans, portakabins, skips and burger vans can all add to the visual and tactical impact. Add a couple of Dapol cranes and you have a docks or railway goods yard!

The simplicity of the buildings also make a good test bed for scratch-building your own and ScaleScenes have a free downloadable Low Relief Warehouse to start you off.

Have a good weekend!

Cheers
Mark
  

NEW Urban Meltdown British with SLRs from RH MODELS

  
I'm pleased to say that it's not all been quiet on the Preston front. A little nudging from yours truly and Rolf at Liberation Miniatures (RH Models) will be following up his recently released Urban Meltdown British Support Weapons with several more packs of Urban Meltdown British that will be suitable for Winter of 79.

Urban Meltdown British with SLRs

from Liberation Miniatures

    
First off the blocks will be the bareheaded Urban Meltdown British with SLRs, pictured above. These will be supplemented with a pack of mixed civilian headdress and then with another with military head gear. Cracking stuff, Rolf.

Mixthese with Rolf's Australian Vietnam era SAS, Falklands SAS and sundry 80's British Army (helmets/berets etc) and you have a really good anti-government force.
        
The figures above are not at the casters yet as Rolf wants some feedback from you guys in order to incorporate your ideas where possible. So feel free to unleash your imagination and leave your ideas in the comments section below.

Cheers
Mark

updated 2/9/11

RH Models Saxon APC

  

After writing about the AT104/105 SAXON a week or so back I asked Rolf about his BAFV6; SAXON APC at £6.99. "Trust me" he said, "You'll like it". So, throwing caution to the wind.... I ordered two.   

Liberation Miniatures: BAF6 SAXON APC

WEA18B GPMG on AFV Mount

These are cracking models and scream WINTER of '79. The Liberation Miniatures web page boldly claims that their resin models are "PROFESSIONALLY VACUUM CAST AND ARE QUALITY CONTROLLED . THEY ARE NOT RIDDLED WITH AIR BUBBLES OR WITH MISSING SURFACE DETAIL" .

Bold as it is, that claim is spot on. These are the first resin vehicles I've bought from Rolf and I am seriously very, very impressed. There are a few, and I do mean just one or two, pinholes, but no breaks, bubbles, seams, webbing or flash. Just crisp detail which needs the bare minimum of preparation.

The SAXON is essentially a one piece armoured box and the kit naturally reflects this. The 'roofrack' is filled with moulded 'bergans' and four metal wheels complete the kit. In order to break up the boxy outline I ordered pack WEA18B 2x GPMG on AFV Mount (illustrated).

What can I say. I have absolutely no hesitation when it comes to ordering any more resin vehicle kits from Rolf at Liberation Miniatures. So I'll round out the platoon/troop with a 3rd wagon next month. The SAXON itself - RECOMMENDED!

Cheers

Mark

  

NEW Urban Meltdown British from RH MODELS

.
Rolf at RH Models has come through and has built a new pack at my bidding URBMELTSUP: 3 bareheaded figs with stirling smg and, 2 with GPMG. 

RH Models 20mm URBMELTSUP

I've suggested some variants that include skinheads and punks from the period - otherwise it will be woolly hats and balaclavas. Have your say below.

I've also suggested and may need your support here to make it happen - a pack of more country types with barber jackets, flat caps, shotguns and SLRs. Once again, give us your ideas below.


Cheers
Mark
 

Bootnecks

A platoon of RH Models Bootnecks came through the post yesterday. This platoon (Troop in RM parlance) is built around Rolf's 1970's/80's British infantry with SLR rifle in beret (Falk1a) .

The figures are top Gucci and really capture the spirit of the Royals. Now, I know I really shouldn't, but I feel another platoon worth of figures plus support weapons is in order after pay day.

Cheers
Mark

RH Models SAS/Rebels

SAS5 from RH Models. Despite being slightly anarchronistic (ie Gulf War 1), I really these figures. Maff's already got them cornered as Free Taff Special Forces.

Very versatile miniatures, ideal for a host of special forces or post apocalyptic scenarios. Rolf sells these in a variety of packs with alternative heads too - bareheaded, commando caps, berets, bush hats and arab.

Cheers
Mark

RH Models Armed Civilians

I ordered a couple of packs from RH Models' Urban Terror range to increase the variety of armed civilians in my collection for both Winter of '79 and GEEZERS.  With an eye firmly on Britain in 1979-80 I went for the bareheaded pack in each code. Unfortunately, despite being nice figures in their own right, they mostly don't match with my vision of trouble on the streets of late 1970's Britain.

 RH Models Urban Terror: URBPIST

The figure on the left, might just be OK for Winter of 79 / Geezers if I give him a ski mask and change the machine-pistol in his right hand into a sawn-off shotgun. The kneeling figure with a beard supporting his firing arm can be undercover Special Branch or SAS. The right-hand figure would look good painted in denim but needs to lose a pistol and the pistol in his right hand is anachronistically and untypically British, being fired 'gangsta' style, so will need to be returned to the vertical plane.

RH Models Urban Terror: URBAUG

I have to admit, I bought this pack armed with Steyr/Aug rifles with my tongue firmly in my cheek after seeing a posed publicity photo of 'Bodie and Doyle' poncing with them. The two standing figures could almost pass as B&D in squint mode.

RH Models Urban Terror: URBUZI

I had hoped for more from the Uzi armed figures. Firing from the hip or moving with the Uzi clutched to the waist, as typically seen in photos. Whilst the kneeling figure is very good I'm disappointed by all the waving arms. At least the figure on the right will make the basis of a Wolfie Smith conversion.

I'll add a pack of ISRF8A Israelis with Uzi's to my next order from Rolf. Stripped of military kit and given civilian heads, they'll become heavily armed criminals or lightly equipped terrorists/revolutionaries. Even with just wooly hats added in place of their helmets, there's potential as generic 1970's Special Forces, terrorists or Mercs.

In the meantime, I've asked Maff to pick up another pack of Combat Miniatures' (ex-Hotspur) Urban Operations: Plain Clothes Detectives next time he has the opportunity.

Every figure I received from Rolf has been an outstanding casting. No perceptible mould seam, no flash, no worn mould damage, no slippage. All you need to do is clean the bases and off you go!

Whatever your secret is Rolf - please share it with other manufacturers - or at the very least, their contract casting companies! Well done mate, seriously impressed.

Cheers

Mark

All Ghillied Up!

"50,000 people used to live here" If you are a fan of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, those words will be a familiar echo.

Here are RH Models British snipers in camouflaged ghillie suits, armed with L96 sniper rifles (UK31). For Winter of 79 the L42 would be more appropriate but the L96 as modelled here is a good enough proxy.

Cheers
Mark