The Decompression Chamber

DSCN0142, a photo by The Gonk on Flickr.

That's the new name for my "man cave." After five weeks of inactivity when the wife and kids were gone, they have been back now for a week. And in that week, I've finished an entire Flames of War M2A1 105mm artillery battery with staff team and spotter, as well as three Old Glory US paratrooper command teams I was lacking and most of a staff team! I love my family, but after a full day at work and then another five hours with the wife and three kids, I am definitely ready for a break. For whatever reason, I find retreating to the painting table very relaxing. That and my general lack of direction reminds me of "tinkerers" who work in the garage with no real purpose, just tinkering for the sake of relaxation. I tinker with miniatures.

Why a 105mm artillery battery for my airborne, you may ask? After losing several games to German Tigers, I looked through my unpainted box and picked the thing with the highest AT rating I had that I could use. And that was my 105mm battery. After banging away at their top armor 2 with my AT 3 paras, the AT 4 105mms have TWICE AS MUCH chance for a kill! Between that and my P-47s, I should be able to kill two Tigers...although I have definitely been considering purchasing the 155mm battery as well...

I took these guys out to seal last night. I did my usual routine of thoroughly gloss coating them, bringing them inside for at least 10-15 minutes, and then giving them a final coat of Dullcote. Well, you might have heard a little thing about the massive heat and humidity we are dealing with. And, for the first time after, after ten years of sealing in any sort of weather, it finally happened-- my sealant frosted up. It looked like all my figures had been weathered with a white drybrush. I was a little upset, as that was a fair amount of figures and I sure as anything didn't want to repaint them! I've seen enough discussion about sealant frosting, though, that I had a pretty good idea of what to do. This morning, when the weather was somewhat less humid, I went back out and gave them a quick once over with the gloss sealer again. Instantly, the frosting went away. I let that sit awhile, then gave them a quick Dullcote, and viola!!


I'm pretty sure this not the sort of map a staff team would be looking at. However, there are limits to the amount of research I'm willing to put into a figure that's ready to be painted. When I look at that, I see a bunch of guys looking at a map-- staff team, great. I do think they are conspicuously lacking in books, though. Shouldn't they have a few books full of mathematical tables for artillery ranging and coordination? Anyway, the paratrooper staff team is definitely incomplete, but may not be completed for a while. I will throw a few maps and scratchbuild a couple of books for them someday.