Special Forces/Mercenaries 4: Oronegrean Sniper Team

Okay, okay, okay three posts in as many days!? This is basically unheard of in terms of my output but here we are. Today I have a little game to go with these miniatures. One is for the most part painted painted by Emmett (Winttrix) the other was completely painted by yours truly. Can you tell which is which, is it the sniper that's my work? or is it the spotter? Let's see who gets it.

A sniper pair cover the VIP vehicle, by standing on it. One of my flatmates' cars, don't tell them my camera may have bumped on it.

Rear shot, they look very similar don't they, are they really painted by different people?

So on with the individual pictures, starting with the marksman himself. Armed with an M21 (M14 derivative) and a pistol. I like the post, despite being very common. Detail on the face is reasonable, despite being mostly obscured by the optic. However, do I like this post because this is the miniature I painted?

Nice sunny day, typical Auckland weather though a hail storm passed through not long after.

A pretty nondescript flag patch, making this figure suitable for many uses.

I think it's the camera compressing distance but that back looks very uncomfortable in this shot. Doesn't look so nasty in reality.

Not the best shot but the rusted can was a nice touch. Note that I did the base work for both to an extent.

Now with the support member of the team/spotter. An integral part of the team, though they don't get films made about them. The pose is quite nice although not the most exciting. Certainly not flat though which is quite good. Again good detail on the face including the headset with microphone. Although did I paint those details?

This particular miniature seemed to most dislike the prospect of being photographed. Camera did not like to focus.

Case in point. Sorry only noticed how out of focus it was now that I uploaded it. 

Oddly I feel that both these figures are best viewed from behind, the webbing is visible and the shadow effects and details are easily seen.

Again with the indistinct flag patch, so multi-use figures. Something I might try and do with more figures in the future.

So that's all for now can you tell which is my work and which is (mostly) Emmett's? Or have I by leading you on a wild goose chase? Once more the figures are Elhiem, these are from their modern US range, representing Delta Force snipers and support during the 1990s. So dated now but still very much usable for Oronegro.

Well good luck guessing the truth behind these figures. I promise that I will not post more figures tomorrow I am doing my best to space out these posts. So until the next one I wish you all a good day/night.

Special Forces/Mercenaries 3

Well I did say not too distant future, but the very next day? Well even for me that was surprisingly quick. Well here they are the next batch off the production line. As with the first batch, these figures were completed in part by Winttrix (Emmett). Some I have just touched up but others are almost entirely painted by yours truly.

Insert A-Team music here. Also yes that's grass growing out of the table.

So a bit more of a mix equipment wise with this lot, Elhiem figures again, although can't identify the figure on the left so if you know where this figure is from please let me know. This time around I experimented with trying to reproduce the Russian Flora pattern camouflage. Somehow this was more difficult than the British MTP, despite being only really needing 3 colours to reproduce (vs 5 for MTP). Still not overly unhappy with the results so let me know what you think. On with the pictures.

Blue jeans are popular with this crew. 50% of members recommend.

Our heroes go to investigate the giant red mug!

So first up the mystery figure. Looks like another Elhiem figure but I cannot tell from which set. If you can identify this figure and let me know that would be greatly appreciated. Also couldn't tell what weapon is being held. Looks like a very short M4, although potentially an MP5 variant. Like I said it's a bit too small to tell.  Again let me know what you think.

I did very little work on this figure. Mostly touching up where paint had chipped which included the gun.

Decided to leave this figure mostly as Emmett had painted it. Which included not painting the scarf (?) around his neck.

Figure two is armed with an RPK(-74?) and a moustache. So don't mess with him. This figure includes the second attempt at painting flora which was admittedly very halfhearted. Otherwise I quite like this figure.

He's gruff, tough and he's had enough of your BS.

Good view of the camouflage painted on his back, nothing like Flora but it looks like camouflage so it stays.

Took me ages to decide what colour his beanie should be. This colour was an accident but I stuck with it.

Third figure has the least work done by me. For the most part touch-ups. Even parts which looked like they were yet to be painted I left as they were, for instance the carrier. Don't know if it was meant to be like that in the end but I liked it. This figure uses the ubiquitous M4.

Almost certainly the team leader here. Really so like the face which is of course Emmett's work.

The carrier may not have meant to have looked like this in the end but I liked the effect. Also just noticed that chip. Will touch that up pronto.

Really do like how the jeans turned out. Might do more figures with jeans.

Final figure is the sniper with the M14 rifle. This figure I tried to paint flora on, however long story short I painted things in the wrong order so it was never going to work. Can't say I am happy with the results but I will leave as is.

This figure was almost entirely painted by me. However it was quite rushed and I am not that happy with it.

The main challenge was I felt I found something good but then continuing on ended up with worse results. A very frustrating experience.

From this angle things look okay. Sadly this is one of my least favourite figures in quite some time.

So that is all for today. Will probably be quite some time before my next post. I do have some figures on the way but they are not yet near completion. Then It will be a while after that for the next batch as I will be painting figures from scratch again as I have almost cleared my workbench.

But until then I wish you all a good day/night, stay happy, stay healthy and I will see you all next time.

Special Forces/Mercenaries 2: Women Operators

Well perhaps I didn't get this out nearly as quickly as I thought I did. Although being shut indoors due to a lock-down sure does give one time to actually paint miniatures. So on with the pics, I shall explain on the way.

Another fire-team of four, this time all painted from scratch. Let me know what you think.

So these are more Elhiem figures, expect lots of Elhiem figures in the future too. Got quite the stockpile. So yes expect more in the not too distant future. Less distant than this post for sure. I can be more confident in the statement this time what with the lock-down to last 3 weeks and little in the way of work to do.

The photos were taken at two different times of day (camera ran out of batteries.) sadly lighting wasn't ideal in either so I included both sets. First up we have a bare-headed fighter. Her outstretched left arm looks odd and a bit uncomfortable. Overall though I like this figure.

So this time around I actually did some research on camouflage patterns. I have tried to imitate modern multi-terrain patterns on three of the figures.

Can you spot the hair-tie? Made it blue to hark back to Oronegro's old colours (you'll see this quite a bit actually).

Next up is the figure with the blue bandanna, by far my favourite pose! Also the figure with which I think I most closely matched the British Multi Terrain Pattern (MTP), I really do quite like it and, as it is supposed to, it works with many different terrains. In the case of these figures I have done a simple arid/desert base for, well, simplicity. Also if I hadn't said this is my favourite figure you'd probably tell by the number of photos.

I feel that Elhiem excels with poses like this one, where the figure is just about to take a step. I have found with previous figures of theirs that these are often the best ones.

Sadly this is the best photo of the back which is a shame as the body armour carrier got a different camouflage pattern.

I really should have done something about that spec of hair, looks like she has a whisper thin moustache.

Also a friend complemented me on the boulders (stones picked up from the driveway) what do you think of them?

A picture from earlier in the day, not the best but some of the colours are more clearly seen.

So next up is my least favourite of the figures. A very awkward looking pose and the sculpting of the face was just plain ugly. There are worst figures out there to be sure, however this one really does let down what is overall and excellent set. The only figure in the set with a helmet though so while ugly the figure at least appreciates safety.

Quite a long rifle, took the opportunity to do a mismatching stock. I feel like I missed the opportunity to do more with this set.

Quite fuzzy I am afraid but the colours are still clear enough. As is that rather awkward arm.

Something I appreciate about these figures is the non-uniform appearance. Mixing and matching clothing and gear creates an interesting appearance.

Better picture from the rear, again I was trying to do the MTP camouflage. I think I overdid the white elements and it is a little too green.

The final figure, with which I really went ahead and tried to recreate the old Oronegrean colours, is another pose I really like. Perhaps the bright red hat is a mistake, unless you ascribe to the "so overt it's covert" philosophy. The trousers are the stand out point for me. Simple olive drab with wash for shading. I really like how they turned out.

Photo is relatively clear but the figure is too far away.

Figure is nice and close but not so clear, argh, it was about this time I got the low battery warning AGAIN.

Very fuzzy photo, my apologies.

From the side, again good sculpting, nice sense of movement.

These final photos were the group ones I took earlier in the day. The sun had yet to clear the volcano on which my house is built so they were in shadow. Although when I took the later photos the sun was quite strong which didn't help either. Ah well might take more photos indoors if that helps.

The team assembled in the early morning light, going out on a patrol in the quarantined city.

They spot something off to their left and respond. What will happen next?

So that's all for today. I hope you have liked these figures. I like to think of them as successors to Las Minvervas who were an elite unit up until they were disbanded in the late 19th century (having fought on the losing side of the Oronegrean Independence/Civil War). Might try get more women operators in future to bring them up to a squad level.

I hope that all of you are safe and sound during these difficult times. I wish you and yours all the best and I will see you next time. Until then have a good day/night.