Project V

Status: FINISHED

Contains: Figures

Status:	FINISHED
Contains:	Figures

Inspired by Battlefront's Tropic Lightning freebie (I got mine with Wargames Illustrated), I decided to get into Vietnam gaming with a friend of mine. This was another first for me, I actually did a project with someone else and everyone had clearly defined goals and responsibilities.

I got my stuff from Battlefront (via FLGS special order), and got everything done in record time, despite my inexperience with this scale. Since then, we've had a good number of games in the jungle.

Painting the Figures

Before starting this project, I had steered clear of 15mm figures apart from a couple of abortive tests. I just felt I could not paint the teeny things to a standard I was happy with.

However with this project I accepted that I would be doing "dipped" bulk troops and not worry about them individually. In addition I experimented with base coating the figures with my airbrush. In the end I'm pretty happy with the results. Here are some pictures I took during the painting process.

These are Battlefront 15mm miniatures. At this stage they've been primed and then I just airbrushed the base color. I chose the early war tan to make them stand out from the Americans. Here's two Vietnamese infantry companies getting ready for battle. Here's a batch straight from the wash.

Closeup of the newer batch of infantry. The webbing color isn't quite kosher, but I think it gives nicer constrast so screw historical accuracy... These are Battlefront 15mm Vietnamese. I'm sad to say the casting quality left a lot to be desired. The weird tint is from the camera. Ok, finally saner colors. Here's an overhead view of the troops. It's not obligatory yet, as they aren't based.

The first batch of Vietnamese before the wash. VC support weapons being assembled. I quite like 15mm vehicles, I can live with the infantry but assemblig these tiny crew served weapons is just infuriating... Wily CIA agents had stolen the actual machineguns from my Battalion HQ pack. Fortunately the resourceful commies pressed some spare Brownings into use.

The only I could figure out to reliably assemble the mortars was to glue them on the bases straight away. Primed mortars. Battalion HQ and weapons platoons primed.

Close look at support elements. HMG bunkers. Pretty neat all resin pieces. Makes you wonder if more figures could be made this way, like all prone LMG teams? Another view of the bunkers.

Empty ModelAir bottles in the background. I need to go in and get a refill soon. Here they are, the last of my VC getting ready to be based. Some Vallejo white pumice to hide the individual base edges. That stuff is great, apart from the color. The clean white is a bit difficult to cover with paint. Maybe I should have gotten black pumice instead...

Laying down the base green. Maybe brown would have been a better base color, but I started with this so I decided to stick with it.

Finished Figures

The finished figures in all their glory.

Closer view of the brave defenders. The obligatory overhead view. Here they are in all their glory.

That is one horde of commies... Onwards to crush the imperialist oppressors! These figures really don't take too well to being photographed this close. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed, they were not very good castings.

The RPDs are sprinkled randomly through the bases, they don't have a game effect in Flames of War. This is actually my first infantry horde army. Unless you count skeletons. And orcs. Imperialist armor beware, we have RPGs!

Commander. Except since there's another company, there's actually another company commander too. For some reason the actual machineguns were missing from my box, but the resourceful heroes scrounged some imperialist MGs to make ends meet. The battalion HQ in all its glory.

Weapons companies. No, I did not paint the helmet chin straps. I'm a very very bad person. I absolutely hate assembling these tiny things.

I differentiated the high command stand by not giving them any guns. Imperialist Dragons approaching! The recoilless rifles aiming to tickle enemy armor.

Actions Shots

Ok, I also played games with these figures (usually losing under the weight of the American firepower). Here's a random collection of action shots.

Here's the board waiting for the first game. Note the pile of boxes I had to clean from the table to have room for the game. I made this before I realised we didn't actually have any airborne infantry. The sly imperialists advance.

Setting up for the initial ambush. An entire PAVN infantry company blown away! You gotta give the imperialist firepower some respect. For every one you shoot, there's two more ready to take his place! Another infantry company advances to tackle with the Americans.

The last valiant effort to defend the objective. HA-ha! Scratch one dragon! The mech platoon needs to walk from now on.

The woods are crawling with commies. Over the hill and not too far away... A bit of a traffic jam here... if I only had some effective artillery. Must get the divisional mortars next time.

The Forest of Doom! The Americans walk into a veritable nest of booby traps... which they then clear without any mishaps! Nguyen, you were supposed to sharpen the punji stakes! Desperate assault against the remaining infantry. At this point my only hope was to destroy enough units and hope the Americans would fail a company morale check. Watching the empty skies. I completely forgot about these guys once I deployed them to cover the objective...

Cong springs the ambush from the bushes along the riverbank. Hey guys, where did you go? Only the rear support line remains after the failed assault. Yes, pincer movement! Another Vietnamese company lurks in the jungle.

A new company assembles for assault. Finally some results! As the dawn breaks the VC recoilless gunners can actually see some targets and yankee tracks pay the price. Initial assault moves in.

Intense firefight ensues. The result of assaulting American positions... The Americans disembark.

Secure the landing zone. Charlie creeps through the bush. Guarding the objective.

More Americans drop in. We're hit! We're hit! The choppers are back with more men!

More Charlie appears, trying to move forward. This is not going to go well... The American patrol is ambushed in the yellow fog. I guess I need to work on lighting for the game room.

Two devastating rocket pod attacks later... VC forces hot in pursuit. More smoke. Those M113's have seen better days.

Sucks! (0) (0) Rocks!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
Copyright 2003-2021 Mikko Kurki-Suonio


These are Battlefront 15mm miniatures. At this stage they've been primed and then I just airbrushed the base color. I chose the early war tan to make them stand out from the Americans.	Here's two Vietnamese infantry companies getting ready for battle.	Here's a batch straight from the wash.

Closeup of the newer batch of infantry. The webbing color isn't quite kosher, but I think it gives nicer constrast so screw historical accuracy...	These are Battlefront 15mm Vietnamese. I'm sad to say the casting quality left a lot to be desired. The weird tint is from the camera.	Ok, finally saner colors. Here's an overhead view of the troops. It's not obligatory yet, as they aren't based.

The first batch of Vietnamese before the wash.	VC support weapons being assembled. I quite like 15mm vehicles, I can live with the infantry but assemblig these tiny crew served weapons is just infuriating...	Wily CIA agents had stolen the actual machineguns from my Battalion HQ pack. Fortunately the resourceful commies pressed some spare Brownings into use.

The only I could figure out to reliably assemble the mortars was to glue them on the bases straight away.	Primed mortars.	Battalion HQ and weapons platoons primed.

Close look at support elements.	HMG bunkers. Pretty neat all resin pieces. Makes you wonder if more figures could be made this way, like all prone LMG teams?	Another view of the bunkers.

Empty ModelAir bottles in the background. I need to go in and get a refill soon.	Here they are, the last of my VC getting ready to be based.	Some Vallejo white pumice to hide the individual base edges. That stuff is great, apart from the color. The clean white is a bit difficult to cover with paint. Maybe I should have gotten black pumice instead...

Laying down the base green. Maybe brown would have been a better base color, but I started with this so I decided to stick with it.


Closer view of the brave defenders.	The obligatory overhead view.	Here they are in all their glory.

That is one horde of commies...	Onwards to crush the imperialist oppressors!	These figures really don't take too well to being photographed this close. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed, they were not very good castings.

The RPDs are sprinkled randomly through the bases, they don't have a game effect in Flames of War.	This is actually my first infantry horde army. Unless you count skeletons. And orcs.	Imperialist armor beware, we have RPGs!

Commander. Except since there's another company, there's actually another company commander too.	For some reason the actual machineguns were missing from my box, but the resourceful heroes scrounged some imperialist MGs to make ends meet.	The battalion HQ in all its glory.

Weapons companies.	No, I did not paint the helmet chin straps. I'm a very very bad person.	I absolutely hate assembling these tiny things.

I differentiated the high command stand by not giving them any guns.	Imperialist Dragons approaching!	The recoilless rifles aiming to tickle enemy armor.


Here's the board waiting for the first game. Note the pile of boxes I had to clean from the table to have room for the game.	I made this before I realised we didn't actually have any airborne infantry.	The sly imperialists advance.

Setting up for the initial ambush.	An entire PAVN infantry company blown away! You gotta give the imperialist firepower some respect.	For every one you shoot, there's two more ready to take his place! Another infantry company advances to tackle with the Americans.

The last valiant effort to defend the objective.	HA-ha! Scratch one dragon!	The mech platoon needs to walk from now on.

The woods are crawling with commies.	Over the hill and not too far away...	A bit of a traffic jam here... if I only had some effective artillery. Must get the divisional mortars next time.

The Forest of Doom! The Americans walk into a veritable nest of booby traps... which they then clear without any mishaps! Nguyen, you were supposed to sharpen the punji stakes!	Desperate assault against the remaining infantry. At this point my only hope was to destroy enough units and hope the Americans would fail a company morale check.	Watching the empty skies. I completely forgot about these guys once I deployed them to cover the objective...

Cong springs the ambush from the bushes along the riverbank.	Hey guys, where did you go? Only the rear support line remains after the failed assault.	Yes, pincer movement! Another Vietnamese company lurks in the jungle.

A new company assembles for assault.	Finally some results! As the dawn breaks the VC recoilless gunners can actually see some targets and yankee tracks pay the price.	Initial assault moves in.

Intense firefight ensues.	The result of assaulting American positions...	The Americans disembark.

Secure the landing zone.	Charlie creeps through the bush.	Guarding the objective.

More Americans drop in.	We're hit! We're hit!	The choppers are back with more men!

More Charlie appears, trying to move forward.	This is not going to go well...	The American patrol is ambushed in the yellow fog. I guess I need to work on lighting for the game room.

Two devastating rocket pod attacks later...	VC forces hot in pursuit.	More smoke. Those M113's have seen better days.