Dust Tactics: 3D Gaming Board - Frozen Water Boards WIP

The Victory Bridge campaign that comes with the Dust Tactics: Revised Core Set is focussed on a series of encounters in and around a key crossing; Victory Bridge.

Although I actually played through this campaign when I first starting playig this game using the map tiles the water features the maps depict and the bridges do feature in other campaign seenarios. So to go wiht my Dust Tactics 3D Game Board I wanted to make sure I had all the resources to play those other scenarios too.

I looked through the scenario maps from all of the campaign expansions I have (I'm missing just a few of the newest ones) there appeared to only ever be two water boards shown in any of the scenarios.

Dust Tactics is primarily winter themed so I wanted something to reflect that, so a quick few google images seraches and I quickly decided that ice floes fit the bill.

For simplicity's sake I used the same methods I had already been using. Having played around with cork tiles quite a bit recently I thought I might as well make use of the materials to hand. I'd already made up two standard battened 6mm MDF boards to match the others in preparation, so all I had to do was get a smooth (ish) finish and then start sticking 'random' irregular pieces of cork onto the board.

Ice Floe Board. WIP

The plan is to paint the whole thing white, with some pastel aquatic water shades washed/blended into the ice itself, and to use blues and green (gloss varnished) on the actual water.

Dust Tactics: Crack Shots, Sniper Team

Ever since the introduction of the Allied M2 Medium Combat Walker and Axis Medium Panzer Walker we've had the option to use artillery in our Dust Tactics games. To facilitate the use of artillery the introduction of small unit of observers came into play. Alongside those observer units, came the sniper team.

These two figures are fielded together as a two man unit and come with the Dust Tactics: Ranger Observer and Sniper Squad

As is typical with many game mechanics, a sniper can choose it's targets, making it highly effective for disabling critical squad weapons such as heavy machine guns, flame-throwers or panzerfausts.

I was happy working with a lighter palette for these models and as I managed to keep them that way for the most part I'm pretty happy with the end result.

Dust Tactics: OZZ 117- Real Name Erased from File - ASCOM

The fluff in Dust Tactics is full of mysterious individuals with suspiciously shady pasts. OZZ is one such character. After returning from a stint of work with Special Operations Command, his background was carefully erased. Nobdy knows his real name and although he speaks several languages... fluently, there's no trace of an accent to give away his natural origin.

OZZ 117 comes with the Dust Tactics: Operation Seelowe Campaign Expansion. He's cold and calcluating. An unsympathetic leader who commands by directness and battlefield prowess rather than charisma or charm.

He wears XM series aerial asualt armour and mounts an under fist flamethrower, which is great for assulting fortified positions or driving enemy troops out of buildings.

I was pretty pleased with how OZZ 117 turned out. He looks a little shiner than he actually is, due to the sun coming out as I took the shot, but altogether I think he works okay.

Dust Tactics: Tank Busters, Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad

This Dust Tactics:Tank Busters Squad is an example of the simplicity of Dust Tactics. Squad sizes are typically three or five figures. A lightly armoured squad size is normally five and heavier troops comprise of three miniatures.

The Tank Busters wear XM-18-22 aerial asualt armour which allows them to literally 'jump' into combat allowing for considerable combat manueverability. They are also equipped with M10 bazookas, with enough firepower to worry even the heaviest Axis walkers. They're a pretty effective unit and a pretty decent additon to the allied forces you get in the Dust Tactics Core Set.

Simple and quick to paint. These definitely ended up too dark for me. I'm still pleased with the overal gritty look but I was aiming for something quite a bit lighter. A silly mistake on my part due to undercoat colour selection and a little too much heavy washing. Tansk Busters... only more grimy.