Always wear your face mask outside.

And don't forget your rocket launcher....

Air assets for Spectre Operations

A 1/48 Hasegawa kit of the Dassault Falcon 10 and the Italeri 1/48 kit of the UH-60 Blackhawk.

The figures are shown for scale and are Empress US Army, Spectre Miniatures Suitcase man and some O-scale railway figures of an unknown brand.

And some flight stands to really get them airborne.

The base foot is 10mm mdf, glued in two layers. An old transistor antenna is glued into the hole drilled into the base. On top of the antenna I glued a strong rare earth magnet to connect with the magnet at the bottom of the helicopters. The cup I placed it in serves to enlarge the surface that connectsto the glue. The magnets are so strong that glue will fail to hold them otherwise.

Photo setup

I got questions how I took my pictures. Nothing fancy I am afraid. They are taken with a Samsung Galaxy A8 smartphone and my normal picture setup. This usually is a small diorama background I made specifically for that purpose or a sheet of grey wallpaper sloping up towards the background. 

Lighting is provided by daylight if I have it or my painting lamp. Using the lamp top-down takes care of most shadows since the lamp tube is circular and lights the object from all sides. 

I NEVER use flashlight because the shadows are hideous and it destroys all colour. 

The phone's software takes care of most of the rest. There are two zoom options. When photographing a row of figures you have to account for the fact that the strong curve of this small lens distorts the image at short range. Because of that, figures that you have positioned to look into the lens actually seem to turn away from it. So it is better to take the picture at a bit more distance. 

The software has some simple white range adjustments as well, but that part of the technique is better explained elsewhere. And by other, more knowledgeable people 😁

More Predators and a Dunwich Horror

The magnificent Predator figures by Prodos (alas OOP now). I was lucky to find the one pack missing from my collection at Crisis in Antwerp last year.  

And because it is a creep as well the old Dunwich Horror by RAFM.

More Vietnam painting

Some of these figures you have seen before but the pictures are better :) 

Sergeants Elias and Barnes from Miniature Wargames Magazine

Some Full Metal Jacket characters by Empress Miniatures

And more figures by Empress. 

The Long Range Recon patrol by Empress.

Photography Display base: jungle

I often photograph my minis on a display base, so that they have a nice background and seem to be placed in wargaming terrain or a diorama. With the Vietnam project I needed a jungle display base so I set out to make one.

The basis for the material was extended foam, cut with a hot wire cutter. A base, some props in the foreground and a printed background would form the basic plan.

It was basically extended foam and some things from the bit box, like an interesting piece of wood, some decorative foam rocks and an old Buddha statue I bought years ago.



The Buddha needed a pedestal. These handy clamps were printed by and bought from IBookBinding.

Trying out the printed background. A bit too dark it seems.



For those typical jungle vines I used wool, drenched in PVA glue and let dry. A brown base colour was added. No spray paint! Most spray paints will dissolve extended foam. And unfortunately I don't have an airbrush.

Then I made the surface in the foreground a bit more interesting by adding sand and structure to it. Trying not to overdo it as of course here is where the miniatures to be photographed must stand. 

Then it is time for more paint. Highlights and browns. 

And after the paint green is added. starting with the smallest, the flock to represent grass, then working up to moss, grass tufts and bigger plants until the background looks sufficiently jungly. 

Some details. The background print is intentionally curved to avoid disturbing shadows from lighting. When taking a picture that is close enough the result is quite realistic.

Place the figures in the center of the display. I use a fixed white light lamp instead of flashlight. This gets the best results in my opinion.



And the result is this. Not bad if I say so myself.

 More examples. A big monster works as well, but you have to position it more carefully.

I made another display a few years ago. Made from cardboard and printed patterns it represents a Victorian street corner. Or a modern one, if you blur the wall posters enough :) The same idea.

SPECTRE Operations Mob Rules 2.0 + a scenario

In an attempt to design search-and-capture crowd pursuit rules I reworked my original Mob Rules.

Comments and test results are welcome (as soon as social distancing distances itself of course...)

 Mob rules

The aim of these rules is to use mobs of people as moving terrain where one can hide in and that can obscure Targets. At least 30 Civilian models for a 3x3 feet table are needed and more will work better.

These rules assume two playing sides: the Hiding player and the Pursuing player. The Pursuing player has visible figures on the table and is assumed to be on the hunt for the Hiding player. The Hiding player is posing as civilians while trying to accomplish a mission. This mission might be an attack on a target managed by the Pursuer, an escape off the table or a Tactical Action of some sort, like picking up a dead drop etc. 

Before play, the Hiding player secretly nominates 1 civilian miniature per hiding figure (which should be individually identifiable by appearance or number written on the figure somewhere) and secretly links each specific civilian figure to a specific player figure under his control. The Hiding player may also secretly nominate flight cars, which include a driver. Flight cars may be parked or driving around.

All civilian figures and cars are then placed on the table by the Pursuing player, evenly spaced. Cars are placed on roads and parking places, pedestrians on sidewalks, crossings and/or in public buildings and spaces.

At the start of each turn the Pursuing player may move any number of civilians and/or cars a maximum distance of 4 inches in any direction. Cars stay on the street. Pedestrians follow the normal routes i.e. sidewalks, street crossings etc.

Then the Hiding player may move up to 5 civilians and/or cars per Hiding figure a maximum distance of 4 inches in any direction, with a minimum of 10 figures. Figures and cars that leave the table return the next turn on that spot moving in the opposite direction.

In any turn phase the Hiding player may reveal any or all Hiding figures. Replace the specific civilian figure by the specific hiding figure and proceed play as normal.

All hiding figures still successfully posing as civilians automatically win Initiative (and may use this to reveal themselves). A hiding figure may reveal himself in any phase. As soon as a hiding figure has been revealed (by an action, detection or a Scan) roll for Initiative for the following phases and turns. Normal Initiative rules apply to that figure from then onwards. NB: Initiative is rolled for AFTER the revealing action has been completed.

The Pursuing player may try to Scan hiding figures before they are revealed. Use the normal Scan rules. However, for any civilian figure in the LOS between the scanner and the scan area apply a -1 modifier for Command. This represents the difficulty of finding someone in a crowd.

The Pursuing player may also attack and capture any civilian figures they deem suspicious.

A successful attack will reveal whether the figure is a hiding figure or not. However this will cause some panic among the civilians. The turn following such an attack the Hiding player may move up to 15 civilians 6”in any direction to represent the panic. An unsuccessful attack will not reveal the hiding figure (unless he wants to) and result in a continuing scuffle of the agent and the civilian. It will still cause panic.

Any exchange of gunfire will also cause panic. Civilians may never run towards gunfire. Hiding figures (revealed or otherwise) of course are under no such obligation. 

Hiding figures and Pursuers are usually Alert unless the scenario states otherwise.