Dust Tactics: Pegasus Models 1/48th V2 Rocket

Ever since I started playing Dust Tactics I had an idea about having a V2 rocket on the table. For me, rockets exemplify the Weird War II style and I wanted something that could be used as both terrain (blocking terrain) and as an objective marker.

Pegasus Models 1/48th V-2 Rocket is a superb E-Z Snap kit that got rave reviews all over the interwebs. 1/48th is the official scale of Dust Tactics, despite most foot troops being on the large side.

Sadly, it was out of stock the first time I wanted to buy one, and the next, and the next. I tried a number times over the course of about a year and when I finally found one for sale I snapped it up immediately.

In an attempt to recreate the simplicity seen with the Dust Tactics Premium range, and the keep the model very light, I used a light grey base coat , masked of the camouflage pattern and simply used white spray over the undercoat. I touched up the spray by hand, added some light sponging for weathering and applied decals, some from the original kit and some from the official Dust Tactics Decals sets.

Pegasus Models 1/48th V2 Rocket

Pegasus Models 1/48th V2 Rocket - Detailing

Pegasus Models 1/48th V2 Rocket - In Situ

It took about 20 minutes to build and just over an hour to paint (excluding drying time). The masking for the camouflage was the longest task.

I'm delighted with it and I'm now on the look-up for a few V1 rockets to add to the table.

Pegasus Models 1/48th V2 Rocket

Incursion 3D Playset - Detailing the floor tiles

It has been refreshing to be able to dedicate a little more time to hobby recently.

After tidying the man-cave getting a little more point on my Insursion 3D Board, I dusted off a few more 'nice -to-have items on my 'to-do' list and it was encouraging to be able to see some immediate progress. However, despite it being placed on the main stage on the workbench, it would be all too easy to 'just do a bit of something else' and let the big project slip a little more.

When I set out to make the Inscursion 3D Board one of my goals was in simple terms, to make it really pretty. It was never going to be a quick project, but I did want to challenge myself a little and put to use the skills I've developed whilst making display boards for JJD UK.

I've always been impressed with the display games at Wargames Shows and, in most cases, it is the detail in them that makes the difference.

To that end I wanted to include cracked slabs, access panels, blood splats, oil cans and oil spills and other debris to provide points of interest and give the individual rooms or areas within the board a lived in feel.

There's a quite a bit to go yet, however I'm very pleased with the way it feels like it is coming together now. Here's a few of my favourite areas so far.

Combination of card and cork tiles or various sizes.

Cork tiles with flocked fungi/mold

Card floor tiles with flocked growth

Generator room.

Generator room access panel detail.

Combination of clean and damaged card and cork floor tiles.

Dust Tactics: Custom Terrain - Ruin

This custom terrain piece represents a collapsed structure for use in Dust Tactics.

The in-game rules are exactly the same as for the two small rubble pieces. Infantry can enter, and count the rubble as cover, however walkers and other vehicles are unable to occupy any of the spaces.

As this terrain piece occupies 4 squares on the board I wanted to make it look even more like a collapsed building so I separated each of the four quarters so that each looks a little different from the last.

Once again the terrain piece is on a 6mm MDF base with camfered edges on two corners, with the other corners modelled to look like the remnants of collapsed walls. I added a wooden floor to one section and the a tiled floor to another.

Dust Tactics: Ruin

 I used a combination of foam-core off-cuts, lollipop sticks, grit and gravel and a variety of things from my bitz box, including an old 40K barrel and a Mordheim window to finish it off.

Simple paint-job with a spray undercoat, light dusting coat, stippling, ink washes and dry-brushing. The final paint finish was completed at the same time as my Rubble bases to ensure they looked at least a little similar.

Dust Tactics: Ruin, Alternate View

Dust Tactics: Custom Terrain - Rubble

In comparison to many other tabletop games ther ares relatively small amounts of terrain required to play Dust Tactics.

There are a few scenarios that feature 'Rubble' spaces. These are spaces that represent collapsed structures or destroyed 'blocking terrain' (Enormous Tank Traps, represented by card counters in the basic set).

A Rubble space does not block line of sight. It can be occupied by infantry but not by walkers or other vehicles. I wanted them to be a sound representation of collapsed structure and still allow up to 6 miniatures (a unit of 5 figures plus a hero if need be) to be placed on them.

This terrain was made using a base of 6mm cambered MDF square with an assortment of foam-core off-cuts, lollypop sticks and sand/gravel scatter PVA'd into place.

Dust Tactics: Rubble Marker 1

Dust Tactics: Rubble Marker 2

Both pieces were painted using a combination of spray undercoat and a light spray 'dusting', ink-washes, stipple and dry-brushing.

They were pretty quick and simple to make in between other projects whilst waiting for other pieces to dry etc.

Dust Tactics Rubble Markers

Dust Tactics: Red Devils, 3rd Para Brigade

The Red Devils are a heavy infantry choice for the Allies in Dust Tactics.

"Axis soldiers had pinned down Captain Joseph Brown where they had bunkered in a Scapa Flow alley. As he and his men watched bullets trace the air over their heads, the thundering footsteps of a combat walker began to approach. Before he even saw the walker, he heard its massive cannon blast, and a nearby wall exploded, sending rubble flying. "Where are those reinforcements?" the Captain shouted. He didn't hear his sergeant's response, but saw, instead, the sun glinting off three heavily armored paratroopers."

I enjoyed the contrast of the olive power armour and the red berets on these models and the 60W phaser armament is great for use against other ground troops, including enemy walkers.

Once again, a little darker than desired (when will I learn?) but overall I'm pleased with them and they still 'pop' enough to make them stand out on the tabletop.

Dust Tactics: Action Jackson

There's quite a lot of good ole' American home-grown action heroes in Dust Tactics. Cigar smokin' Phaser totin' Action Jackson is one such hero. He clearly eats danger for breakfast and is well suited to lead the Red Devils into combat.

Dust Tactics: Action Jackson

I picked up Action Jackson as part of the Dust Tactics Allied Hero Pack, in which he comes with Johnny One Eye and The Priest.

I enjoyed painitng this model, it's quite a dynamic pose and the twin Phasers are definitely on the cool side. I'm just not quite sure how easy it might be to smoke a cigar with your hands secured in those giant phasers. Perhaps he lights them with the phasers? Still, style over substance eh!?

To get a lighter finish I'm going to have to experient with a variety of olive colours to find a base colour that works best. A nice excuse to pick up some new colours to play with.

Dust Tactics: Printable Blocking Terrain from TopoSolitario

I have an idea for some custom blocking terrain for Dust Tactics.It is still going to take some time (and effort) so rather than simply use cardboard counters in our games we wanted to use as many 3D elements as possible. I'd made up a few old GW buildings and we had quite a few additional terrain elements such as crates (both Dust Tactics crates, Tank Traps and other plastic/resin elements but we needed more.

Dr Google was our friend and we found these lovely printable elements from TopoSolitario

They are nice and easy to make models, I simply printed them directly onto some card that was thin enough to use in the printer, ran a sharpie along any 'exposed' edges and glued them with Heavy Duty Pritt Stick.

TopoSolitaro Printable Dust Tactics 3D blocking terrain in use.

There are plenty of awesome downloads including loads of Sci-Fi and near-future suitable items

Check the rest of the paper models out here at TopoSolitario

Dust Tactics: Captain America

Despite it's flaws and rather weak reception, I actually really rather enjoyed 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger.

Good ole' wholesome American boy takes on the Nazis before a deisel-punk backdrop... with weapons and technology straight out of Dust Tactics... what's not to like? As a plus, Alan Silvestri's soundtrack to Captain America: The First Avenger isn't half bad, so the score went straight onto my Weird World War 2 gaming playlist too.

I'd seen other gamers using Captain America in various games so after a quick seach on Ebay I secured a suitable Clix model for just a few pounds.

This wasn't a complete re-paint. I simply re-coloured where necessary and adjusted the lines to match a little more closely to the movie version of the costume.

The model was carefully cut off at the feet and re-based on a 30mm DS Profile Fenris Incursion resin base. I'm a big fan of these bases and I'd ideally like to re-base the rest of the the models in the 3D play-set to match.

I used Captain Rogers as a proxy for Bazooka Joe, a Heros already available in the game, so there's nothing 'broken' about using him in game and I think he's a rather fun proxy that for me fits perfectly into the Dust Tactics universe.