Kfz. 222 Panzerspah Patrol

As painting on my Infinity models continues when I have the time, I have decided to show off in greater detail models I'd previously finished.

The Plastic Soldier Company is doing a monthly painting competition, and I decided to submit a patrol of DAK cars.

Based off the Zvezda 222, the three have been extensively converted, with the central vehicle a conversion to a 223. (I have used so many paperclips in my time...)

Almost all the stowage on the vehicles is my own conversion. The Jerry cans on the 223 are plasticard; all wound by modeling wire as a tow cable; extra Jerry cans strewn about along with puttied tarps and rolls; a tinfoil Nazi flag; and a customized (plasticard) MG turret on the 223.

The rifle on the 223 is from a spare that came with another PSC kit, as is the spare tire (you have to look closely to see it doesn't quite fit the vehicle, being made for a Hanomag Kfz. 251).

The entire patrol was done up with the DAK typical sand colour, and had grey sponged on  to look like the sand colour being rubbed away. The vehicles often showed up in the desert the typical German grey, only to be hastily covered with any sand-coloured paint the troops could find. Since it was applied in bad conditions, any use, bumping, or rubbing would cause the paint to flake off, so high edges and common crew handholds would go back to being the basic grey. It's a uniquely German thing, and helps to make their vehicles stand out from the others.

Soon, more Infinity, I promise. I've done some work, not really finishing off anyone, and just need to photograph them. Here's hoping the 222s win!

Contest Entries: Diorama

My final piece for the Wyrd contest was a diorama depicting Santana calmly fighting off a Flesh Construct. I bought the one with the hapless victim about to be flung:

Originally, I thought about making the base incredibly fancy, but realized that would just detract from the models themselves. I used a subdued paint scheme to ensure that the few elements that should pop would do so (the blood, the bile behind the flesh construct, etc.)

For Santana, I experimented with using a more illustrative/painterly style, especially visible on her stomach. I was tempted to source light the entire thing, but with the Wyrd requirement (or so I thought) of a white background, the source lighting wouldn't have really worked.

The Flesh Construct (and zombie) was fun to paint: A lot of grey was mixed into his flesh tones, and I used a colder brown than I typically basecoat flesh with. This resulted in a very pallid, 'off' seeming skintone that was strongly contrasted by Santana's warm olive tones. The brass fixtures were done to feel especially steampunk, and to tie together with the eerie fleshtone. His victim was painted very simply, meant to look like just an average dockworker.

Since Santana has such a solid, no-nonsense pose, I decided to imitate that in her painting. The dusty brown trousers and jacket, the functional white t-shirt, and even her guild-approved reds are faded and dulled. This is no flashy gunslinger, this is a woman who gets things done brutally and efficiently. (Even her garb is functional.)

The base was done in my typical Malifaux fashion: Grey stone, washed with various colours to infuse some variety, then re-drybrushed with grey to fade out the colours more. I added some moss and water effects to get across the grimy, dockside nature of this encounter.

Overall, I like the idea of this woman dwarfed by some necromantic nightmare, calmly dispatching one opponent and lining up on another. I have an idea for my next diorama too, so we'll see when Wyrd next decides to swing a contest our way!