Konflikt '47 - USA Showcase

There’s something wonderfully chaotic about the world of Konflikt '47.

It takes the familiar battlefields of World War II and twists them into a diesel-soaked nightmare of giant walkers, experimental weapons, and supernatural horrors.

For me, that blend of history and pulp sci-fi is exactly what makes the game so much fun to collect and paint.

I recently purchased the Konflikt '47 Starter Set that includes the core of an Axis force and a USA force. While I have a German army for Bolt Action, in WWII games I’ve never much been interested in the USA, so it’s an interesting option for me to consider.

In this post, I wanted to showcase my starting USA force, a project that I’ve expanded from the Starter Set models into a 1500pt army. With both this USA company and the Axis force, I decided to focus on specific Konflikt ’47 units rather than bring across my Bolt Action units.

It took me a while to start on the Konflikt ’47 figures as I needed to absorb some of the lore of the setting to decide on a paint scheme. Folk online has a wide variety of takes and interpretations for their colour schemes, and this being a ‘Weird World War II’ setting you are mostly unconstrained by realism. The temptation is of course to stick closely to the late war US uniforms, which is something I’ve not painted before. So I purchased a MiG Ammo US army uniform paint set and got stuck in.

The USA are an organisation that has moved beyond the real-world forces into a Christian Nationalist crusading army, but I didn’t want to bring any overtly religious iconography into the paint scheme. So, I stuck to a realistic olive drab tone across the board. The box art paint schemes include bright ‘red, white, and blue’ patriotic pauldrons, which is something I intended to avoid. However, painting these dark green initially, I changed my mind and went for a slightly more muted but none-the-less ‘star spangled’ approach. I think it was the right decision.

I’ve tried to keep each unit visually cohesive on the table, with olive green predominating. The USA use Rift-tech Tesla weapons, and these appear to be glowing blue. I stuck with painting them in that colour as it contrasts well with the green, and is visually distinct from the green glowing Axis weapons of my other force.

Whether you’re already deep into Konflikt ’47 or just curious about the game, I hope these miniatures provide a little inspiration for your own hobby projects.

Firstly, the group shot, all 1500pts assembled. I’ve yet to play so I’ve no idea if this is a good force in terms of winning games, but I tried to assemble a variety of weirdness to try out!

It consists of three platoons.

Assault Platoon

• Platoon Commander (Firefly)
• 2x Firefly Airbourne Squads (6) with super-SMGs
• 1x Rifle Squad (6) with ATRDs (anti-tank rockets)

Heavy Support Platoon

• Platoon Commander
• 3x HMG Teams

Armoured Walker Platoon

• Grizzly Medium Walker
• Linebacker Jump Walker

Armoured Platoon

• M4A9-T Sherman with Tesla cannon

Here’s the group shot with the whole company assembled so far.

Here is the boss. I’ve yet to name him but he is a Firefly character with a Tesla jetpack and super-SMG. I gave him ‘Guts’ as a skill which seems appropriate for a leader of a US force.

The Fireflies are highly mobile, hard-hitting but fragile core troops for the USA, very much in the mould of the Rocketeer pulp sci-fi character. As you can see here, up close my painting is crude as I go for speed over perfection. I call my painting technique ‘slapdash’. But at arm’s length on the tabletop is does the job.

Rounding out the assault platoon is a small unit of basic infantry. I figure the mobile US forces still need some grunts to hold objectives. I kept these basic but did add some anti-tank rockets in for a bit of extra punch.

For heavy support I went fully into a heavy machinegun deployment as it seems to synch up with the US ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ special army rule that favours rapid fire weapons.

Next is the armoured walker platoon, led by this Grizzly medium walker. This was a Warlord resin kit and was a real pig to assemble. Firstly, Warlord uses highly aggressive mould release for their resin kits, and you must REALLY scrub them clean to get paint to adhere. Even so I missed a few spots! Also, there was a lot of flashing to clean off, and the upper deck part was severely warped. Even with hot water and bending I couldn’t get it to fit and ended up having to chop it into four pieces to get it to fit on piecemeal. These walkers are tall, and so to get them to fit into my storage boxes I left the tope halves separate, using powerful magnets to connect them. It has the bonus that the top halves swivel!

Next it the Linebacker light walker that comes in the Starter Set. This was a very good quality plastic kit so much easier to assemble. Oddly the pilot modelled into the cockpit is super small. While these models are 28mm scale, that pilot was barely scaled for 15mm! I used a 28mm head to upscale it a bit though, which took some trimming and finagling to get it to fit once I’d put the clear plastic back into the canopy. I painted the cockpit full red to represent a red-light soaked fighting compartment which covers any embarrassment.

  

 

Finally the armoured platoon rounds things out with a Sherman Tesla tank. Again, a nice easy plastic kit to assemble, but the Tesla turret is resin, so needed heaps of soap to clean it off again.  Also, the power rig on the back of the turret is metal, making the turret heavily unbalanced to the rear. I’ve kept it unattached so that I can swap out for another turret if desired.

Overall, a fun force to assemble and paint. I’m looking forwards to throwing them at the Axis on the table.

Konflikt '47 - Axis Showcase

There’s something wonderfully chaotic about the world of Konflikt '47.

It takes the familiar battlefields of World War II and twists them into a diesel-soaked nightmare of giant walkers, experimental weapons, and supernatural horrors.

For me, that blend of history and pulp sci-fi is exactly what makes the game so much fun to collect and paint.

I recently purchased the Konflikt '47 Starter Set that includes the core of an Axis force and a USA force. While I have a German army for Bolt Action, in WWII games I’ve never much been interested in the USA, so it’s an interesting option for me to consider.

In this post, I wanted to showcase my starting Axis force, a project that I’ve expanded from the Starter Set models into a 1500pt army. With both this Axis company and the USA force, I decided to focus on specific Konflikt ’47 units rather than bring across my Bolt Action units, although I did fall back on some heavy weapon support teams from that sister game.

It took me a while to start on the Konflikt ’47 figures as I needed to absorb some of the lore of the setting to decide on a paint scheme. Folk online have a wide variety of takes and interpretations for their colour schemes, and this being a ‘Weird World War II’ setting you are mostly unconstrained by realism. The temptation is of course to stick closely to the camouflage patterns of the late war Germans, but I don’t like that pattern and find it a struggle to paint it well. As the Axis are an organisation that has moved beyond the real-world German Third Reich forces and represent a mix of national troops, all under the command of the mysterious ‘Green Vault’, I decided to lean into the obvious ‘bad guy’ colours of grey, black and, as a restrained accent, red. I also decided that they ‘rift-inspired’ commanders would have muted green in their schemes too. So for this force I went with grey vehicles, ‘feldgrau’ (field grey) power armour, and similar feldgrau colours for any infantry. For the Axis glowing sci-fi technology, I fixed on a bright green and it contracts well with the grey and runs with the Green Vault idea.  

I’ve tried to keep each unit visually cohesive on the table, reinforcing the idea of an organised, monolithic army.

Whether you’re already deep into Konflikt ’47 or just curious about the game, I hope these miniatures provide a little inspiration for your own hobby projects.

Firstly, the group shot, all 1500pts assembled. I’ve yet to play so I’ve no idea if this is a good force in terms of winning games, but I tried to assemble a variety of weirdness to try out!

It consists of three platoons.

Assault Platoon

• Stahltruppen platoon commander (rift master)
• 2x Stahltruppen (3) with assault rifles and panzerfausts
• 1x Stahltruppen (1) with 2 LMGs
• 1x Nachtjaeger (4), hideous mutations of man and beast

Heavy Support Platoon

• Platoon commander
• MMG team
• Medium mortar team

Armoured Platoon

• Panther X with Schienenkanone (platoon command vehicle)
• Puma X with Schwerefeld projector
• Vogelspinne (recce walker) with AT gun and autocannon

 

First up, His Nibbs, the overall commander. I’ve yet to name him, but he’s a master of the Rift. Wearing Stahltruppen power armour he’s effectively a walking light tank, immune to most normal small arms fire. I’ve gone with one red pauldron to denote a command figure. He wears a green coat over his armour to denote his membership of the Green Vault.

The Stahltruppen power armour infantry are similarly impressive, able to walk though rifle fire with impunity. This unit are the support team with LMGs, and sport black pauldrons to show their heavy weapon status. Although I modelled these with panzerfausts, I didn’t include the upgrade with this unit.

The Nachtjaeger are hideous mutants, whose DNA have been fused with bats and worse. These are made from some old metal ‘demon’ models I found in one of my ‘bits’ boxes. No idea where they come from, but they seemed appropriate for the unit. They needed some wings though, so I made some leathery skin flaps from sprue goo. It seems to have worked out OK. I have a feeling a unit of four won’t be too useful but it’ll do for a start.

The heavy weapons platoon has been drafted in from my Bolt Action early war German force. I may upgrade them to proper Konflikt ’47 models later but they’ll do for now. 

Finally, the armoured platoon. My Bolt Action armies tend to be light on armour as I prefer early war and infantry heavy forces in WWII gaming. But I figured I’d lean into the late war tank jamboree with some of the interesting sci-fi vehicle variations. 

It Panther-X has a Rift-tech energy based Schienenkanone, which I think has the capability of punching through its target to his others behind. It was a lot of fun to paint, and although I wanted to use transfers to mark it up the Zimmerit surface left few locations to apply the decals!

 

Puma X with Schwerefeld projector was similarly quick, easy and fun to build and paint. I did some crude ‘lightning’ effects on the projector ball. They’re a bit rough up close but look fine on the table.

 

Lastly, the Vogelspinne reconnaissance walker, which was actually the first vehicle I painted, as its in the Starter Set. It was tricky to build and the legs seemed a bit fragile so I based it up to give it a bit of stability.

Overall, its been a fun project to start. I’m hoping to get it to the games table in the next week or two. We’ve played a fair bit of Bolt Action so we’re familiar with how that works. It’ll be interesting to see you the pulp sci-fi rules for Rift technology work to change the game.

Image from East Leeds Militaria facebook page - used without permission

The East Leeds Militaria Society Wargames Club has been playing some Warband Fantasy lately, and have some excellent looking 28mm armies on the go.

Here's their Facebook page link for the latest action between Goblins and Undead.

Its great to see Warband on the table, and although it was 'designed' to make use of the aesthetics of large amounts of very small (10mm) miniatures, it still works and looks amazing with the more common scale of 28mm miniatures.

If you're near Leeds and fancy a game of Warband this looks like the club for you!

Their details:

• Firthfields Community Centre, Garforth, United Kingdom, LS25 2HD
• elmswargames@gmail.com

Turnip 28 - The Pastinaca 233rd Regiment of Foote

Some time ago I put together a first go at a Turnip 28 (T28) army. I wasn’t really happy with the result and in any case, my wargaming companions didn’t really buy into the game so it withered on the vine.  Recently, while playing One Page Rules, one of my friends revealed his own T28 themed army! 

So among other projects I set about updating, rebasing and partly repainting my force. I also expanded the force with a few other bits and bobs (so far).

Anyway, one of the great joys of T28, aside from its core facilitation of a bit of conversion work, is that it is steeped in narrative. Most of the best wargames are! So as well as discussing how I created this force, I’ll also give the narrative for these little toy soldiers.

Pastinaca 233^rd Regiment of Foote

My regiment is a denuded rump of mutated soldiery, most of whom have very little memory of much before the last bout of imbibed fungal grog.

They are part of the ‘Stranglin’ Harry’s Wretched Recruits’ cult, and have taken to worshipping the Grand Parsnip. The 233^rd wander the barren marshes, fens, and bogs of the Ardene Sours in search of food and glorious war. Their original uniforms were red, but attrition and an increasing penchant to show their allegiance to the Parsnip, means that yellow coats are worn by replacements and new recruits.

The Toff

Every T28 force has a single leader, the ‘Toff’ to command it. I created mine for a mix of a Perry Medieval figure, Games Workshop parts and a 3D printed head. As with all models in the force, it is given a rough paintjob and heavily doused in AK Streaking grime. The base uses AK ‘wet ground’ basing.

So, here we have the Toff himself, General Mann Waisse, 802^nd Viscount Bouillon. Waisse is heavily mutated with a woody infection that has relocated his skull out of his head, meaning his noggin is now held together by his helmet, which he never removes. Afflicted by a constant headache from his sloshing, rotted brain, he is utterly callous and uncaring of his minions, who he uses in his merciless search for glory. He prefers to fight in the old manner with blade and shield.

Every Toff needs a cadre of Toadies to keep the soldiery in line, and General Waisse has his contemptible compatriots, who he mostly hates.

Perhaps the most powerful among them is Bishop Bakkebaard, a minister given to tremendous tub-thumpery. Bakkebaard fluctuates wildly in his allegiances. On odd days he spreads the gospel of the Grand Parsnip, especially when the lads are hungry. On even days he preaches the word of the Worm God. In truth he believes in nothing save his own stomach, which he fills at every opportunity, particularly with long-pig and parsnip stew. Bakkebaard carries a brutal falchion for carving meat and a brass icon, which the soldiery fear and revere in equal measure. Bakkebaard found it in a waterlogged hayloft several years back (he thinks). His splendid moustache is actually a feathery fungal growth that infests his lungs and pokes out of his nostrils.

I believe this was a Games Workshop figure of some kind, and it received only minor conversions before painting.

The other two Toadies are Lieutenants Alexi and Bela although everyone calls them ‘The Pointers’. Alexi and Bela come from the eastern wastes, and speak a strange babbling tongue that nobody understands.  Hence they are only able to make themselves known to the soldiery by pointing and gesticulation. Alexi favours a huge chopper to dismember his foes. He carries the skull of his dead wife, and her favourite hat (in a hat box) as a reminder brief happiness leads only to misery. His brother Bela is a skilled pistoleer now trapped in his armour, as infections made his skin slough off.  He tanned his own hide and wears it like a cloak.

Both are made from a mix of Perry Medieval and Napoleonic figures with bits from Games Workshop.

‘Stranglin’ Harry’s Wretched Recruits’ cult gives me access to a special unit called ‘rootlings’. I really wasn’t sure what to do for them, but after a good rummage I found some Games Workshop goblins. Mixing them with some Games Workshop Branch Wraith bits I’m pleased with the result.

The soldiery regard these rootlings as blessings from the Grand Parsnip, and it seems that only Bishop Bakkebaard is able to communicate with or control them. In battle they pop up from the ground to cause trouble before disappearing into the ground again. Generally the soldiery call them 'The Red Caps', as they say the hoods the rootlings wear are soaked in old blood (which they aren't).

General Waisse maintains a small number of Chaff, skilled musketeers whose main role on the march is to scout out the ground ahead. When the musket balls start flying they are enthusiastic marksmen, and terribly noisy. As they blast away with their firearms, its accompanied by a cacophony of cries such as ‘every one’s a winner!’, and ‘first one to hit the captain gets ‘is liver!’ These chaps never quite seem to stay dead no matter how many times they fall in battle. Captain Cranmer has never learned to keep his head down, ans as such has lost most of the flesh on his head. Old Bokey is heavily mutated and once served with the Bone Eaters before transferring to the Chaff because of his skill with a musket. Unfortunately he lost his firearm somewhere, but it no longer matters as his mutated arm can throw iron-like thorns as lethally as a musket ball. In the camp they keep to themselves for the most part and are avoided as they are seen to be somewhat spooky by the others.

Once again these are made from a mix of Perry Medieval and Napoleonic figures with bits from Games Workshop. I didn’t repaint them yellow, leaving them with red coats as, well, they don’t seem to stay dead so haven’t been replaced yet!

The Twisted Misters form a heavy unit of Brutes, close combat assault specialists who are highly mutated by their devotion to the Grand Parsnip. They are bullies, and vicious butchers in melee. While the wider soldiery fear them, their tendency to return from the battlefield caked in blood and bearing sacks filled with tasty livers means they remain an integral part of the 233^rd.

Among the usual Perry/Games Workshop mix there are a couple of weird metal miniatures. I don’t know where I got them from, but they look suitably brutal.

Bill’s Butchers are the next unit of Brutes. They are armed with captive bolt guns designed to kill livestock, which they found in a collapsed barn outside of the ruins of Haybiss. A unit of new recruits, they exhibit only mild mutations so far. They are led by a gruff-voiced sergeant simply known as Bill. They joined the 233^rd on the promise of plentiful meat, and are disgruntled to find that they have to hunt the prey themselves. Most of it comes from opponents killed in the melee, where they use their spring-loaded killing bolt contraptions to good effect.

This unit is made with a mix of Perry Napoleonic, Warlord WWII Russian, and 3D printed T28 style parts.

Although the 233^rd are a regiment of foot, General Waisse recently managed to attract the service of a troop of Whelps. Fast riding and haughty fellows, they do not fraternise with or even speak to the infantry. To be fair, they barely speak to the General, considering themselves better than the foot sloggers. Mutations are rife among them and their horses.

I made these from Victrix Napoleonic French cavalry as a base, with mutations made from a plastic toy spider and a greenstuff/Mulliput mix.

This chap has a severely mutated head obviously.

The mutated spider-horse.

The Tumour Guard

I picked these figures up from the front of a couple of wargames magazines and used them with very little conversion. The only addition was some texture paste over their faces. They form into a Fodder unit armed with muskets.

The Tumour Guard is populated by fellows whose heads and vital organs have been entirely replaced by vegetably tumours. They are blind, deaf, mute, and brainless, operating entirely on intuition gleaned from a connection to the Grand Parsnip. They move in an unnaturally uniform way, almost as if they were a single being. In camp they stand at attention and never seem to rest or eat.

The Umbles

The second Fodder unit was made from the usual mix of figures and bits.

The Umbles are a true unit of battle fodder. Nobody cares for them, or even knows their names. They are an unruly rabble at best.

The Worms

The third Fodder unit in the army is heavily enhanced with greenstuff and miliput mutations to give them long mutated noses or helmet snouts.

The Worms as they are known are afflicted by a particular blessing from their worship of the Worm God. Each is slowly degenerating into a large earthworm, a fate they embrace with ecstatic joy. For each of them, they pray for the day that they will take their final form and slither off into the ground as a beautiful burrowing worm. They believe that the din of battle hastens their transformation and so they march to war eagerly.

The Bone Eaters

Long ago the sergeant of this unit mutated into a goat-like form, before being killed by a fateful sword thrust from some long forgotten foe. His unit now carries his bones aloft into battle to honour his loss. Out of respect the Fodder of this unit only eat bones. They crush them into a powder and add the dust to a mix of brackish water, blood, and bile to make their ‘bone paste’ that they consume greedily. They consider the best bones to come from a hanged creature and so their current sergeant, who calls himself Harry in honour of Stranglin’ Harry, carries a noose for the purposes of food preparation.

I’ll be adding more to this force over time I think. We’ll be playing our first game of Turnip 28 next week, where the 233^rd will be taking on the Cult of Charybdis I suspect. Should be fun!