OTB's Stuff

BravoSix wrote:I think you can safely stop painting now OTB.

FlyinSquirrel wrote:

BravoSix wrote:I think you can safely stop painting now OTB.

Shhhush Todd.  Let him keep painting, I wanna see this.  [Note:  This is said in the same tone as a man continuously feeding a dog biscuits to see just how many it will eat before exploding...]

Maybe I should change my monicker to OCD.

Perfect!

OTB wrote:  Maybe I should change my monicker to OCD.

Truth!!

Flying Banana strengthening work - preparations for the battle of Ap Bac so they will be ready for the VC machine guns.

FlyinSquirrel wrote:

BravoSix wrote:I think you can safely stop painting now OTB.

Shhhush Todd.  Let him keep painting, I wanna see this.  [Note:  This is said in the same tone as a man continuously feeding a dog biscuits to see just how many it will eat before exploding...]

I sent that pic to my wargaming buddy and he asked how many figures there are, so I counted them: 908 in total, with more on the way. I'll be over a thousand by Christmas.

Oh flying bananas! Fun. And WOW... that's a lot of troops!

That looks great OTB.

OTB wrote:908 in total, with more on the way. I'll be over a thousand by Christmas.

Geez. At this rate, you should have as many figures as in-country paper strength by next summer.

Gentlemen, I've been reviewing the air support situation and we are beyond an Apocalypse Now scenario: I'm ready to invade Cambodia....

Wow OTB. That's just impressive beyond words I can express in text.

I agree with Squirrely. Amazing collection OTB.

Just think of the time it took to set them all up for the photo, let alone painting them.

I wonder how many there are all together.

By the way I love the interior of that bar that appears back aways. Beautiful.

Tom

Thanks guys - there are 36 helicopters in total.

Just incredible !

Thanks guys

I have started work on a Popular Forces platoon, using the Orion figures released early this year, and some early war ARVN figures that have matching hats. As these were a local self-defence force, a platoon is probably the largest unit of these you would see on the table.

Early War ARVN Company Completed



Here’s the early war ARVN company with support weapons ready to fight battles from the early 1960s up to 1967.

These are mainly from the Orion Early War ARVN box, with some other Orion Late War ARVN and Ruff-Puff figures added for a bit of variety. I also included some Airfix, Matchbox and Waterloo 1815 figures to vary the poses.



3 platoons like this one, each with a BAR support squad.



The BAR guys were taken from the Orion Ruff-Puffs set as the LMGs in the Orion Early War ARVN were poorly cast.



Generally, the Orion figures are quite well cast, with good rucksack detail.



A typical squad.



The Orion figures are nicely posed too, and are a good scale match for the old ESCI Vietnam figures. The big problem with lead Vietnam War figures is that they tend to look too fat and chunky - these ones actually look like skinny little Vietnamese guys.



Company command stand - one guy has an M-16 - he’s from the Orion Early War ARVN box: I saved the others to use in my Late War ARVN Company.





Flamethrower unit - all Early War ARVN Orion figures.



HMGs from the Waterloo 1815 US Marines box.



Various figures for the mortar unit: Revell, Airfix, Matchbox, Waterloo 1815.



Waterloo 1815 US Marines bazooka men and Airfix WWII US paratroopers.

OTB...it was you! I was trying to remember back on the old site who did all those unbelievable...no..impossible conversions with plastic figures. Don't get this way often, but just when you don't think some of your work can be topped..you outdo your
earlier efforts. Loved the banana! It is hard to imagine the work you have put into your army. I still remember the Marines you did back in the day.
Best Regards always,
Yankee Sam

Thanks very much Sam With all the new plastic 20 mm stuff coming through I've got heaps of figures to paint at the moment. I'm working on a VC Local Force platoon and a Popular Forces platoon with a US advisors team at the moment.

OTB I'm always impressed with the amount of work you do on your 20mm miniatures! Well done!

Thanks

A Popular Forces Platoon, inspired by David Donovan's book Once A Warrior King.

According to Donovan, the village defence unit he worked with as a MACV advisor typically took 2 US advisors with them on operations, so I have included a couple of MACV advisors in the unit. No radios on them as I have radiomen figures I can add or replace them with if needed.








Platoon command stand.



BAR squad.



A typical rifle squad.



And a typical stand.



These are Orion plastic figures from the Ruff-Puffs and ARVN boxes, along with a few other miscellaneous figures for the squad leaders.

Here's my latest VC unit, based on the new Orion figures:



I found them a good match with various other figures, so mixed and matched a rag-tag Local Force platoon with Caesar, IMEX and ESCi figures included.

The platoon leader is a Caesar WWII Partisan. The Orion figure had a poorly sculpted rifle, so I replaced it with an AK-47.





I like the number of figures in the two Caesar partisan sets with suitable hats: VC wore berets and caps, but you seldom see these on figures.

A typical squad: the Orion figures feature coolie hats, which is the first time they have been featured in 20 mm Vietnam plastics:



The Orion and Caesar boxes include female figures, so I included several guerilla girls, including this squad leader:



The Orion box has a machine gunner with an old WWII vintage Degtyaryov LMG, which is a nice touch:



The Orion Local Force VC figures are not sculpted as well as their more recent releases, but have dynamic poses and paint up alright:



This latest platoon has been added to my two veteran ESCI VC platoons painted in 1989 to make up a full VC company.



The Orion figures are a nice complement to the old ESCI VC figures.



I am looking forward to receiving the new Orion VC and NVA figures, released in January.

Some hoods, who could be either Cholon gangsters and/or a VC tax collection team.



The Citroëns are by Ace and are some of the fiddliest kits I have ever seen. If I had to do it again, I would get resin or diecast vehicles.



And some Reds surrendering, from the IMEX North Koreans box, they could be used for NVA or VC.