Having been sorely tempted by the spectre of lots of little Tiger Tanks, I've been buying quite a few bits of Flames of War suitable, 15mm miniatures, all currently "Battlefront" products.
As usual, I've bought a load of stuff, done a few bits in fits & starts and that's it.
The models are a mix of resin and white metal, with the newer sets having some injection moulded plastic componants (Tracks & side skirts etc).
So, I'm tasking myself to actually get something finished, before I buy anymore. (Ho-hum, that's really going to happen isn't it!)
So, without more ado, I'll going to do one of these here Project Logs.
So far, I've bought the following.
German
Most of an Afrikakorps Panzergrenadier set, someone's uncompleted project off eBay! (No "88s")

They'd painted a couple of Panzer IIIs and bought & painted a Tiger1 too.
Hadn't even glued the Tiger's barrel on properly.
I've also got the 8th Army Motor Company, as something to fight them with!


To add a bit more armour to this, and because it's quicker to paint tanks than infantry! I've got a box of 5 M3 Grant tanks.
Then the Hun tempted me again, out comes Battlefront with the might Konigstiger!
One of them came my way, then an Elephant/Ferdinand, then a box of Panzer IVH/J, a box of 105mm guns and then their Panzer Lehr Division army box.

I've also bought their "Tigers Marsch" set, 5 Tiger 1s and now picked up four "Pro-painted" M3 Stuart Tanks and no less than 8 Panthers from an eBayer.
I'm investigating how to strip the professional's paint job.
Next, I'll take a few photos of what's painted and then set to work doing some serious painting.

How much does it cost on average for an army. As stated before, I am interested in doing an Afrika Korps army.

Take a look on Maelstrom's website.
http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/
Main rulebook's £27.00
Desert intelligence manual £18.00
Afrikakorps Panzergrendadier box GEAB02 £112.50
That gives you an army.

So £160 for the army.

It would only be worthwhile if a number of other people were also to start playing.

Any pics?

Once I get off my +++removed by the inquisition+++ and take some!

Having got off my fat +++removed by the inquisition+++.

Undercoating 15mm models is a batch process. I PVA glued them to a strip of wood and let rip with the black primer spray. I used Vallejo paint, as it gives a good, matt finish.

I removed them from their wooden battern, light pressure on the edge of the base with a small screwdriver is sufficient, then started the initial basecoating with Vallejo Feldgrau.
Mind-buggeringly tedious, I may say.
Vallejo do a good range of paints, in small dropper bottles, 18ml v GW's 15ml & less expensive too!

Here's a view of some of the Panzers, all have had their initial basecoat (Vallejo "Mid Stone") and a all bar the destroyed Tiger objective marker, a light drybrush with "Vallejo Light Mud"
This gives a good approximation of a weathered coat of "Dunkelgelb", the colour which Panzers were base painted in the 41-44 era.
The picture shows Battlefront's King Tiger (Model comes with both "Porsche" & "Henschel" turrets, Elefant, Tiger 1, 5 Panzer IVHs and a destroyed Tiger 1 objective marker.

This last (for now) iamge, shows a variety of part & unpainted models.
A Jagdpanzer IV, a trio of Nebelwerfers, 4 105mm leFh18, a pair of 88 Flak 36 and their Sdkfz 7 tow vehicles, a Bergepanther ARV and a FAMO 18 tonne recovery half track, plus a 20mm flak gun and the same mounted upon a small 1 tonne Sdkfz 10 halftrack.

how does it compare to other real war games, such as Mongoose's Battlefield Evo (which would probably be cheaper, main book is £15, you can use any scale miniatures (such as 1:72 where you can get nearly 50 troops for a fiver), plus there are at least two other players at the club (me and jonathan)). Also what scale are the FoW models on?

Pass!
FoW uses 15mm scale (1/100th?)

really? seems a little expensive given the model size.

There are gazillions of companys who manufacture 15mm WWII models. I am fairly sure you don't have to use Flames of War ones. I used to have some 15mm WWII stuff. I sold the tanks on ebay (made a killing too ), but I still have the infantry. I will have to bring them in some time and see if I can flog any of them too you lot. Mind you, given everyones stated preference for North Africa, I might struggle to shift my 10 Germans on Skis.

Getting on with the painting, looks pretty rough enlarged like this, but the distance view look OK, I think I'll need to dig out that little magnifier I've got, so I can paint details better, I see I've missed a strap on this one!


Yep, looks better from a distance, need a few bits touching up and the odd highlight on some weapons, then I'll start basing them.

Started basing them up.
Two base sizes for infantry, small for 2-3 figures (Command units & small tank-hunting teams) and medium for 4-5 figures (Panzergrenadier MG teams and larger tank-hunting teams)
I've scored the bases to give a better key for the PVA glue and basing material.

I've decided to base them, then do any further painting, save time if (When!) I get some of the paint from the bases onto the figures themselves.

I've used Vallejo pumice gel as the basing material. Covers well and is easy to work into small spaces.
With these being "preslotta", you need to build up material on the bases, to blend them in.

I've painted the bases with thinned down "Graveyard Earth". Well-thinned to cover the (Dried!) pumice gel and then touched up the metal bases with somewhat thicker paint.

Interesting little project there Herr Gallon, Good Luck with it!