First post - WIP Malaya 1941/42

[SiHorspool]

Hello All, having enjoyed your content for years its about time I contributed.

First a message from my sponsor - Flash. I am old enough to have come to terms with not worrying unduly about flash, on plastic figures. I had schemes stall when I was younger as a box of vital figures had an unfortunate amount of it and I struggled to get it off cleanly. A box of Revel German Assault infantry springs to mind so I now get rid of some of it but I don't struggle too much. sorry [smile]

Malaya 1941 - 42 for a Command Decision campaign I am planning.

Second Brigade - Indian Infantry Battalion using Airfix, and Strelets 8th Army figures so no exotic head gear but practical battle bowlers (some with added netting).

Glued to lolly sticks (I have done a battalion ready on bases but find accessing both figures can be tricky so lolly sticks it is.

Corax white undercoat
Army Painter Tanned flesh
Flesh wash for Europeans, Sepia for Indians
Kaki Drill and Kaki Drab for uniforms - drill for the infantry, drab for specialists for a bit of variety. Drab or dark sand webbing.

Undercoat and flesh


Example Sepoy - colours done and varnish/wash added (will get a matt varnish when complete)


Example Bn Cmd and Sepoy close up


Infantry Bn and Brigade HQ


Inf Bn off the lolly sticks, dry run organised on bases - 30mm square so slightly bigger than the game asks for but 20mm figures are a bit big got the game stand sizes.


Bn Cmd stand and Platoon Cmd stand - bases flocked and tags added - ready for base paint and foliage.


Brigade Cmd stand and Staff Radio stand


First Japanese Battalion on the lolly stick and undercoated - lovely Esci Japanese infantry


Regards

[santifernandez]

Nice paint.
Santi.

[Santi Pérez]

Fantastic your first post, SiHorspool. You have invested a lot of effort on those British/Indian figures and the result is very good. I will follow the next steps with interest. Thanks for sharing!

Santi.

[blacksmith]

Excellet result on those Brits! Did you varnish and the washed them? Which wash did you use, please?

[SiHorspool]

Many thanks for the kind words.

Blacksmith, after base coat colours (acrylic and some enamel), I give weapons and some select details a black wash using Vallejo Game Colour Black wash - not the whole figure. Then I paint on Army Painter Strong Tone wash/varnish (from a 250ml tin which has lasted years - I don't do the dip and shake method). This gives a nice strong coat as well as a good contrast wash. I finish with a matt spray varnish as a last step (Humbrol or Paint Factory).

I have some Army Painter Strong Tone in the small bottles which gives a nice finish and is not as shiny but tend to use the large tin for most projects.

Regards

[Minuteman]

I like the look of these painted figures very much. The figures that you have completed and based so far seem to me to have the 'right' look and feel of the period in those difficult latter days of the British Empire. I look forward to seeing more as the project develops.

A fine first post, well done!

[Kekso]

Nice work. Thanks for posting.

[Bluefalchion]

I like your Indian infantry brigade guys. How did you create the netting on the helmets? It looks good.

[C M Dodson]

Excellent work in bringing those Airfix gentlemen to life.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Susofrick]

Oh, I remember when these first came out. What a difference to the old set! I remember when ESCI's Japanese came too, but I was a bit older then. Lookiung very much forward to see more of your work here! Huge welcome!

[Rich W]

These look very good! I look forward to your next updates.

[SiHorspool]

Many thanks for the kind words and words of encouragement - much appreciated!

I like your Indian infantry brigade guys. How did you create the netting on the helmets? It looks good.

I am still at the trial and error stage on the helmet netting - more error so far - but these are a fine mosquito mesh that has given me a lifetime supply for less than £3 on eBay (SOFT SILK WHITE NET MESH FABRIC FILTER).

I found doing the net before undercoating is better because the glue liquefies the undercoat and it gets messy otherwise. I tried Rocket glue but have found Revell model glue to work best - so far... More experimenting to come.

Netting and rubber band loop held in place:


Netting trimmed back - will trim again to the helmet rim once dry.


Progress update:

Brigade HQ with game tags and drybrushed earth - will add foliage eventually, and matt spray.


I have added a security platoon stand not in the CD 3rd ed orbat but seemed reasonable for my campaign. A tag will be done when I print the Japanese tags


Battalion HQ Company - Command, Mortar, Anti-Tank, Anti Air, Pioneer platoon stands and B-echelon support stand



Battalion - Companies A to D with 3 platoon equivalents each



Airfix Carriers to provide a carrier platoon for the two planned battalions in the brigade - each with two carriers


I will be using 1/76 diecast models for the transport where available - all due to be repainted
Battalion Light Motor Transports. They are comparable to plastic kits price-wise but very durable. Bedford 15cwt trucks. 3 per battalion plus others for support units so a few more are required (8 in total)


Some trailers are also required and I found 1/76 on eBay which are very nice and affordable.



An Australian RASC Company and other B-echelon transport is also being formed - the open-top Austin K2 trucks may be locally sourced transport/ammo trucks or I may use them for the Japanese as Japanese trucks are harder to source. Matador heavy truck will be for the engineer company with one spare so far. Need a radio truck for the staff radio stand and many more GS Bedford OY are required.



1/76 diecast Tillys for light car transport for HQs - lots of cars in the CD3 orbat


The Japanese have only got to face wash stage for the first battalion (three battalions, plus artillery and tanks planned) - still wrestling with the colour scheme - will do a test figure based on my lolly-stick colour-tester


But medium tanks have arrived - light tanks are on order

[Bill Slavin]

Nice project! I have always had a soft spot in my heart for those Airfix 8th Army figures, and you have done a great job with them. I think your flesh treatment is especially good.

[Bluefalchion]

That helmet netting trick is quite neat. I am a fan of the results.

[Minuteman]

Great stuff, SiHorspool ! I am suitably impressed by the preparations you are making to create your forces for this 'early war' campaign, including as it does a meticulous approach to organising your forces on historically accurate lines to re-create Orders of Battle. Thanks for sharing an insight into your preparations...and also for the helmet netting trick!

[SiHorspool]

Many thanks for the positive comments - always appreciated!

I remember when ESCI's Japanese came too, but I was a bit older then.!

The quality of the Esci figures makes them so nice to paint - some odd poses occasionally (especially running men), but still favourites.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for those Airfix 8th Army figures.

The 8th Army are generally very nice - much better than the Airfix Japanese for sure. Such a shame the Bren Gun is not in a firing position [smile]

Some of my earliest memories from the mid-1970s are getting a box of Airfix soldiers and being mesmerised by the box art. The old British paratrooper set had lovely box artwork but the figures were not so good, but my young mind ignored that and I loved the figures. It was a shame because the 1/32nd scale paratrooper figures were amazing.

Helmet netting: I may try to get a finer mesh but I am also happy with the results


Colour Tests for the Japanese

Test subjects - these are some figures I picked up in the early 90s on holiday in Italy. I got a bag of 100 or so green and another 100 blue. The green are definitely based on the Airfix Japanese but the 1/32nd scale figures, not the HO 1/72. I have no idea how they did this and the results are poor BUT they have been useful - and kept me happy while everyone else wanted to worship the sun [smile].

The blue bag soldiers are based on the Airfix WW1 set so at least a similar scale.



Base colours on:
Left is based on the Esci recommended scheme.
Centre - Khaki
Right - an officer in Khaki Drab.


The reverse:


With varnish coat:


The Esci colour scheme is a bit disjointed (Green was Naval infantry also I think), so may work better for a special unit or late war when supplies are in short supply. I like the Khaki so will go with the centre scheme, but with some lighter sand tunics perhaps for some variety.

[SiHorspool]

Great stuff, SiHorspool ! I am suitably impressed by the preparations you are making to create your forces for this 'early war' campaign, including as it does a meticulous approach to organising your forces on historically accurate lines to re-create Orders of Battle. Thanks for sharing an insight into your preparations...and also for the helmet netting trick!

Many thanks Minuteman. I know that some chase absolute historical accuracy and I enjoy reading their research (there used to be a Command Decision - Test of Battle forum for such but I have lost the link). For me, I am interested more in What if, so the Order of Battler needs to be reasonable but does not have to align to a Regimental After-Action-Report. I am using the orders of battle in the CD 3ed set as a basis for the campaign.

The Campaign will be a 'What-If' Operation Matador, the planned forward defence of the Malay peninsular to afford time for the Royal Navy to come and sweep the seas clear and win the day...

So the variation could be - is the full Matador (11th Indian Division) put into action early enough? Is the Siam/Thai government onside for a pre-emptive invasion? Or is Krohcol (Part of 15th Indian Infantry Brigade) going to have a devil of a time getting forward to the Ledge as actually happened? What forces could the III Indian Corps spare to beef up the 6th Indian Infantry Brigade and the planned Sadao mechanised column?

And for the Japanese - did the landing take place as planned? What are the other possible delays? Did the Siam/Thai forces put up a serious fight and upset the timetable, bogging the invasion down around Pattani and Singora?

Etc.

Keeps me off the streets at least [smile]

[MABO]

Great to see your work! Please continue posting. I will follow this with great interest!

[SiHorspool]

Many thanks again for the kind words - been a bit slow on the update as work has been very busy.

But some progress has been made. Japanese figures had already had the flesh added but are now washed with Sepia, and the base uniform coat is on. Khaki as the test figure, with some dark sand shirts for a bit of variety (I'm sure in the Malay Theatre conditions kit deteriorated quickly):





I tried to get some diecast trucks that repainted, could pass for Japanese transport but alas the Lledo trucks which looked so promising are not 1/76 - they look okay against the ESCI figures in isolation but are Plus 1/72 or bigger and look huge next to the 1/76 Oxford diecast vehicles. A shame as they were so promising [smile].



The Officer in the above image has a white shirt and will be the senior officer in the force.



The Japanese tank is Airfix from the Bitz box - ten years ago on eBay I got a collection of completed plastic kit vehicles which have been very useful over the years and are once again proving very useful for this project. Ready for a new paint job.

I also tried what could have been Indian Army transport, but again from Lledo, and too big. They may still deploy on-table but I will look for better scale replacements eventually.



An order to Milicast arrived bringing Japanese Type 95 Light Tanks and a Type 89 Medium tank for the Regiment HQ troop.



For the British, the bitz/spare box again came through and I found a spare Airfix carrier which will be the armoured AOP for an Indian mountain battery (such Armoured AOP are mentioned in a senior Royal Artillery officers' diary who was with III Indian Corps in Northern Malaya) - dry fitting possible crew options at present and have helmet swapped the driver as the Airfix helmet was tiny:




2 no. 3.7inch Mountain Howitzers were in the Milicast order also, plus an Airfix Morris Tractor from the Bitz box as an Ammo truck or tractor. These will get mules and tractors so I have an option for true mountain battery or a motorised battery for the rapid deployment planned in Matador.

[C M Dodson]

Inspired work in my opinion .

The Empire troops are excellent .

You might find Mr Bond very useful for your project.

You will need to look out the Japanese sections but here is a link to get you started.

He is a genius.



http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com/2021/11/

Best wishes,

Chris