Octagon-dicetrays, homemade

I have been sitting on wooden parts for years and after the operation I

wanted to let these come to use. Walnut, maple and a bottomplate made of

pine will become my dicetray number 3.

I have not decided if I will lacquer all parts in a clearcoat or only the octagon and

paint the bottom in white.

To add that extra "cosy" dicefeeling I also added a  soft rubber-inlay that will be fitted

with either blue or green felt.

This dicetray will be used in all games and also to inspire my children to start playing

RPG-games and miniature-skirmish-games.

I also made a nice second hand-find, a wooden teabag-boox that will store most of my

collection containing dices and game-accessories.

To be continued.

Damaged STUGs are salvaged

 One of my favourite 15mm-models in the german collection are the STUG´s and STUH´s.

I bought some of these new and some on second hand in various condition.

If you speak about the working horse of the german tank-force you must choose the

Panzerkampfwagen IV and also the STUG. Later in the war the STUG was upgraded with a

powerful cannon (PAK 40) extra protection (sideskirts etc).

Working on my pile of shame I also fix my finnish collection with 3d-printed models(STURMIS).

I like 3d-printed models but cannons and small details can be very fragile and I have bought

a small second-hand stash containing bits to 15mm-models made of tin.

I also added a tank-commander and I will also upgrade with camo-nets and ammo-boxes etc

to add that extra feeling and diversity to the models.

To be continued.

Sdkfz 8 Bufla or PAK43 is the question!?

Looking in my "pile of shame" I found 2 models of german Sdkfz 8 Bufla and also

two bases of dug in artillery-positions but the latter mas missing a vital part...the gun.

I thought to myself why don´t make these models modular!?

In the beginning of the World war 2 the germans built 10 pieces of the 88mm mounted

on tracks and named it Sdkfz 8 Bufla. This bunkerbuster was very effective and was

used mainly in Poland and France but was retired in 1943 (Eastern front).

In a friendly game these Sdkfz 8-models could be used anywhere but if you play a 

campaign or fancy the late war they are not allowed to enter the gaming table.

In Berlin and East-prussia 1944 - 45 the gun on these models could easy become fixed

PAK 43-artillery positions and a deadly menace to any gamer. :)

The PAK 43 was a very heavy artillery-piece and difficult to both operate and move but

when at place it could knock out almost any enemy-tanks at a distance.

I also show one of the legendary 88mm-gun that is similar in strength as the PAK 43.

Next step will be to repaint all of the shown models on the pictures.

Have a nice and sunny weekend!

 

Soviet creative tank-projects

When it comes to gaming 15mm and especially Flames of war I really like the

diversity of models on the gaming-tables.

My collection of these small "gems" is ever growing and to collect is a big part

of my hobby so far. On my shelf I have German, Soviet, Finnish and Japanese

models in the 15mm-scale to play Flames or war or similar games.

During the pandemic I bought both the Soviet T-43 and SU-76i but the boxes

has been almost forgotten until today. The T-43´s are all from Battlefront but

the SU-76i are a mixture of 3D-print and Battlefront.

T-43 was built in 1942 and was intended to replace both T-34 and KV-1 as an up-

armoured medium tank but was never mass-produced when the T34/85 became

logical choice .

The SU-76i is originally a german tank with the gun/gun-turret removed and replaced

by a soviet superstructure and fitted with the 76,2mm soviet anti-tank gun.

About 300 Panzer III´s and STUG´s were a part of the loot when the germans surrendered

in Stalingrad and they were transported to soviet factories to become the SU-76i (the "i"

stands for inostrannaya and means foreign in russian).

Both models in my opinion had fragile gun-barrels so I decided to replace and scratch-

build them using leftovers from"bits-sprues".

I like both models and it will be fun to paint them in the near future.

3D-model on order

I got an personal order to make a 3d-model of a vision a time ago.

The vision was a building that could have been when built both a school and

a kindergarten under the same roof.

I got some drawings showing 2d-views and the outside measurements of the

vision of the build from the architect and the rest to make the 3d-model did I 

figure out myself on my free-time.

To not narrow the vision of the build I choose to make it in plain white.

The building and small roofs are printed using a 3d-filament and the spiral-

staircase is printed using a 3d-resin-printer.

Fixing missprints

When I 3d-printed vehicles I also got some misprints for free.

Instead of using them as wrecks I tried to save them and made some

renovation. It was mainly the wheels that got some kind of error and

I made new ones using bits-leftovers.

After some work I have revived:

3 models of Zis 5 (soviet tank truck)

2 models of Opel blitz 3,6-36 S/SSM (german cargo-truck on tracks)

3 models of T-26 (soviet ligt tank)

2 models of GMC 2,5 tonne cargotruck (US)

3 models of M3/A1 armoured scoutcar (US)

I am back

Hello all!
Time has passed for a long time since I was active on this blog but it has been for a very good reason.

In October 2024 I worked very hard both at work and in private and my body crashed...

I got herniated disc between 6-7 and this affected very much in my daily life. The nerves were 

not functioning properly because the bones grinded them apart because the substance between was 

simply not there anymore. My right hand was hurting and the two longest fingers where numb,

the neck, back and right arm was in constant pain. I couldn´t work or sit by a computer nor sleep and

only after a lot of medicine the situation improved slightly.

In August 2025 I was operated and the surgeon was very good. Only thing he warned me about was

that because of the cut is made in my frontal neck under my chin it could affect my speech and give

me a "whiskey-voice" but I told him that if the rest could be cured it was no problem and   my wife

also like the music of Barry White. :)

On the x-ray-pictures you can see the device that is now at place and firmly attached to the bones using

screws ( I feel a tight bond to the monster of  Frankenstein) :)

I am very greatful for the operation and life is getting better and better. I am also looking forward

publish new reports about my hobby.

Flames of war - Halmstad game-tournament, May 2024

Early May this year I attended to one of the bigger and nicer

events in my opinion, Flames of war - game tournament!

The tournament was situated in a very nice building in the

center of Halmstad near the Nissan-river.

The house was built in 1912 and has the very best character

in my taste (architectural details, spacious and big windows

and not least parquet floors made of solid oak.

On top of all of this written above the persons that organized

the tournament were all very inviting and I felt more than 

welcome as a newbie-player from the countryside. :) 

At arrival we was briefed about the rules and also how

to play and which person to face in the game.

The tournament also handed out prices to the winners of

the game but also i the class, best painted models/figures.

Very nice tournament that will be held once again in 

august this year at same location.

For more information visit "Flames of war Sweden" on

Facebook. 

Next report will be published about my two games at this

tournament. To be continued!