Red Devils

A couple of weeks ago I started to paint 1/72 WWII English paratroopers, just for fun. I’m not sure but I think that these miniatures were a gift of my father when I was ten or eleven.

Either way, when I was younger, I tried to paint them with watercolors … with awful results indeed… this time I utilized acrylic colors.

I found different images for WWII Red Devil’s uniforms, finally I decided to use a predominance of greens and browns and the sand color for cartridge cases.

Copyright wikipedia

During WWII Sir Churchill requested to the Royal Army to create an English paratroopers unit. The British Airborne Divisions took part of different fights during the war (Italy, France and North Africa). Nevertheless, I think that the most important action in which they were involved was Market Garden Operation.

Unfortunately, Market Garden was a failure for the English and Polish troops that took part of the attack. After nine days of German assaults, the survivors of the 1^st Airborne Division and 1^st Parachute Brigade were evacuated. In late 1945, the English HQs sent the Red Devils to Norway but the Division has suffered so many losses at Arnhem that at the end of the war was disbanded.

 

 

 

 

 

I painted also a shooter with his observer.

Into the box (former ESCI 1/72) there were two soldier with PIAT (an anti-tank weapon). Considering the effective fire range of these weapons (around 100 meters), I’ve imagined the soldier hidden behind an hedge or a wall.

 

Lion & Dragon Rampant

During the Torino Dbmm tournament a couple of tables were reserved for Lion and Dragon rampant.

All tables and their scenarios were prepared by Ezio M. I didn't play because I was taking pictures of the other Dbmm battles but miniatures, tables and scenario were very nice so I decided to share them.

Lion Rampant - Vikings attack

Dragon Rampant - Moria mines

Dbmm Turin 2016

In June  my club ("La piccola armata") organized the annual Dbmm tournement. I was not one of the partecipant but I took some pictures.

I want point out that I've not painted the miniatures showed in the following photos. All miniatures are masterpiece of the Dbmm partecipants.

All the tournement details (ie rank, players, armies) can be find at the following address:> http://www.lapiccolaarmata.it/or> http://www.tagmata.it/

The pictures  are  details of the armies deployed during the game. 

War of the roses and Tudor painted by Marco D. 

 

Ancient British painted by Riccardo M.

 

French Ordonnance

 

Ottomans

 

Swiss Army and Italian Condotta

 

A couple of pictures of the battle between Italian Condotta and Ottomans.
At the end of the match the Ottomans took the Italian camp

 

 

 

 

 

Late imperial roman 28mm - infantry

One of my favourite historical period is the Roman military history of the late Empire. I painted an army for Dbmm in 15mm but the scale I prefer is 28mm.

Unfortunately I started the project to paint Roman legionaries one year ago and the Gripping Beast decided to sell 28mm plastic soldier only in April so I modified their anglo-saxon miniatures mixing them with those-ones of the Foundry.

I prepared four groups of miles with their commanders and draco/signifer

On contrary of my 15mm Late Roman Empire I used Gripping Beast decals for the shields because I have not a so great painter to draw Notitia Dignitatum shield schemes. 

I painted also some Roman archers

Below other pictures more detailed

Two Foundry miniatures are equipped with plumbatae (from the Latin plumbum, "lead" but that in this case their meaning is "[dart] with weight in lead" - source wikipedia).

This kind of dart was typical of Late Imperial warfare and had an heavy effect against enemies mixed with archers and lances.

After the II Century Roman units started to use draco as signa.

I painted also some new commanders for my cohorts ...

 

... and a group of Goths to use as allies

And finally some pictures of command groups and  one of the bucinatores