Comics from "Hijacked" Photos

Most of my posts contain photos of game sessions that I took myself.  

However, with all the on-line "rabbit holes" I venture into, I often come across photos from other gamers that trigger my imagination to write a webcomic or a "5 Second Flick."

I'm leading off today's post with a webcomic I concocted from one of the last pictures from my friend Tim's Indochina game session from a couple years ago. I finally got around to hijacking utilizing it, when I thought of an amusing plot hook for the encounter. 

(Note:  Even though I don't profit from utilizing other people's pics, I first try to ask their permission to use them.  If I can't contact them, I'll at least cite the source).

A couple weeks ago I stumbled across a couple gems from some of the Facebook gaming groups I belong to. 

The first is from Dean B.'s Normandy 1944 scenario of a Bolt Action game session:

I thought this was a great image to paraphrase General Blumentritt's exasperation in the film, The Longest Day. 

The second photo is from a guy calling himself "Otty." 

He's been posting pictures in the Wargaming in Middle Earth Facebook Group, about the figures he's converting from other fantasy wargames into Middle Earth-suitable troops.

This particular picture reminded me of Lurtz's command to his Uruk-hai in the finale of the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring:

I'm currently in the middle of working on a couple of my own Warhammer 40K picture projects, along with painting my Cruel Seas collection.

In the meantime, I thought these hijacked borrowed pics-turned-webcomics would be a nice interlude until I get my act together until I can write the next in-depth blogpost. 

Pass in Review: Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) for Warhammer 40K

(Image from:  Deltavan 1 Military Humor)

I spent the first four years of my active duty US Air Force career as an electronic warfare technician.  My job was to maintain the electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment on B-52s.  After a few years of removing and replacing black boxes, I realized I wasn't enthused about being a fix-it man.  

I'm still not--even when it comes to painting miniatures.

I wanted to cross-train into a more combat-orientated career field.

And boy, did I get my wish.

I ended up becoming a member of the US Air Force's Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) group.

So I spent the remaining 16 years of my military service working with US Army headquarters and combat units helping to coordinate and direct Close Air Support (CAS) and Forward Air Control during exercises and actual deployments.

TACPs aren't just skilled at calling-in air strikes.  They're knowledgeable about an array of joint fire support, such as; US Army Forward Observers who perform with artillery fire, and Naval Gunfire Officers with ship-to-shore fire support.  (The US Marines have a similar group called ANGLICOs--Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company).

We're a tight-knit group and still keep in touch through social media.

Fast forward to a few years ago, and my son-in-law got me interested in Warhammer 4,000 (WH40K).

I delved into the game by purchasing earlier editions of the core rulebook and the codices.  I developed an affinity towards the Astra Militarum, and raised company-sized element of my own regiment, the 187th Dragoon Regiment (Composite).

(I still have an entire troop/company to do a blog post on.  But due to health reasons I haven't been able to conduct a large photo shoot yet).

A couple years ago, I asked my friend Peter to paint a command squad for me, but reconfigure it as a TACP.  He finished them early last year, and I've finally gotten around to posting my homage to TACPs past & present.

Somewhere on the Sector Fronteris... 

...an unusually configured Chimera rumbles into a ruined outpost.

Side Note:

I bought this model pre-painted and assembled.  It's been so long, that I can't remember who I got it from.  

TACPs support every type of Army combat unit.  For those assigned to armored, mechanized infantry, or armored cavalry units, they often have their own Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), or "track" as we liked to call them. 

I thought this particular Chimera, with it's risque nose art  would be the most suitable in my collection for my TACP.

Now back to the opening scene...

A 5-man team of an Astra Militarum TACP disembark. 

As the Chimera moves off to perform a perimeter security check, (and for readers to get a better view of the figures), the TACPs establish an observation point (OP). 

Now for a more detailed look at my WH4K version of a TACP, here's a side-view profile:

Peter did a remarkable job on the figures and especially with the TACP flag.

Now here's a look at the individual figures, and their functions within the TACP. (Note:  "TACP" can also refer to an individual as well as a team). 

The Air and Artillery Support Officer (a combination of Master of Ordnance and Officer of the Fleet):

The vox caster:

The Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC):  

A JTAC is an enlisted member performing the same functions as Air and Artillery Support Officer.  This will allow the team to split up if necessary in order to service two targets, and also provides back-up when if either become a casualty. 

The Target Designator/Heavy Weapons Specialist:

I have this figure armed with a plasma gun to be used at designating targets, by illuminating them with plasma fire, and to provide heavy weapon support to the TACP. 

The TACP Standard Bearer:

TACPs, and every other combat unit here in the Second Millennium, don't wave standards around in the heat of battle.  

But the figure and flag are too cool to pass up.

Pass in Review: Some German Vessels of Cruel Seas, Part 1

(Wikipedia image:  Seibel Ferry)

So far, I’ve only completed a few Kriegsmarine craft.  

The first, are a pair of “War Fish Cutters.” 

Both are painted nearly identical, except the large life rafts are orange on the first vessel...

...and yellow on the second one:

I guess I’ve been too infatuated with the larger, Kriegsmarine ships, because I never heard of Kriegfishcutters until I started collecting Cruel Seas vessels. 

The hull and superstructures were painted “Wolf Fur” gray from my  Army Painter set, while the deck was painted “Leather Brown” from my Reaper Learn-To-Paint kit.  I splashed on some Vallejo Paint grey and rust ink-wash to give the boats a grungy, weathered look.

Since I have a large micro-armor collection, I wanted to get some of my Siebel Ferries finished and ready to go.

Two are now painted, while I have two unpainted ferries still “in dry dock.”

I wanted my ferries to be as versatile as possible, so I didn’t glue any of the guns to the vessels’ deck.

Here’s a couple of bare-deck views:

Here’s a couple of views, of a ferry in “full gunship mode:”

I don’t know if having "loose cannons on deck" will be practical during gaming sessions.

However, I want to try and utilize these vessels for transporting vehicles during a game session.

Here’s some views of a ferry carrying several vehicles:

I have a lot more ships and boats to assemble and paint.  I’m not sure which vessels I’ll start working on next.  I have a few other painting projects I want to finish first, but please stay tuned. 

Pass in Review: Some Japanese Vessels of Cruel Seas, Part 1

(Wikipedia mage:  A Shin Yo suicide motorboat)

I’m still in the process of painting the smallest and easiest boats in my Cruel Seas collection.  

The following are some examples of my Imperial Japanese Navy vessels.

I finished-up the last of the Daihatsu-class landing craft.

Unlike “fully manned” set, these empty versions are taken from the deck of the No-1 class fast transport T-6, which I haven’t gotten around to assembling yet.

I painted these empty landing craft the same “Filthy Cape” color from my Army Painter set, and slathered with Vallejo paint, grey ink wash.

Next, I assembled and painted four AB-Tei gunboats

These armored boats were actually used by the Imperial Japanese Army to support their riverine operations in China.

Here I staged a couple armored boats guarding a landing site.

I found these vessels easy to assemble (super gluing 3 turrets), and paint.  I tried distinguishing the individual ships by painting the 6 midship top hatches a different color., while the main hulls are “Filthy Cape” grey, with grey ink wash.

During World War II, Japanese forces employed a number of special attack units...

...to include kamikaze boats.

The Warlord Games set contains 6 boats, 3 armed with depth charges...

...and 3 with rockets:

These were the tiniest and easiest boats in my collection to paint, since they’re all solid pieces.

More than 400 allied vessels were struck by Japanese suicide attack weapons during the last year of the war...

...everything from landing craft to battleships and aircraft carriers.

A couple years ago, historians discovered a kamikaze boat base on Formosa. 

My next Cruel Seas post will feature a couple of German vessels.  Stay tuned!