The Italians are coming...in their little tanks! Well I've been hard at work trying to paint the first batch of models from my newly acquired collections of 1:300th scale models. I'm still waiting for a few other purchases to arrive so I decided to have a go at some Italian tanks first. This is the HQ and first two platoons of M14/41 tanks from an Italian Compagnia Carri (Tank Company). I need to buy a few more of these to bring this company up to three platoons but in the meantime these will get me started.
The M14/41 was a slightly improved version of the earlier Fiat M13/40 with a more powerful diesel engine. It had a limited production run as it was already considered obsolete by the time it entered service. Despite the upgrade the M14/41 was unreliable, cramped, and caught fire easily but and was only really suitable for recon missions.
These look nice, shame they will be little bonfires in the sand.
ReplyDeleteYou really did a great job on the basing and labeling, add's a lot to the finished models
Ian
Thanks for the thumbs up. I've changed the labels slightly so the first coloured box contains a letter corresponding to the type of unit it is (ie A for Armour, HQ for commanders etc). The idea is that I can more easily mix and match units without having to change the labels.
DeleteMolto bueno. Nice work Lee and I'm very happy you've got the 6mm bug.
ReplyDeleteA note of caution though. You do know that Italian tanks were armoured with essentially tin cans welded together. Against anything with a decent gun on it (6 pounders for example) these have the expected lifespan of a chocolate button in a microwave.
I'd hide them behind something more robust (like a camel) until the last possible moment.
Oh yeh, these are cannon fodder for sure. I've read some hair raising reports about the predecessor (the M13/40) which had armoured plates bolted to a frame. One good hit from a HE shell could cause the rivets/bolts to break and the plates to drop off like a clowns car at the circus!!
DeleteI think the Italians often get a bad press but frankly it would take a brave man to climb into one of these piddly little tin cans and face the enemy.
Just be sure to bring the marshmallows.
ReplyDeleteGreat miniatures Lee, and it takes a brave wargamer to even contemplate Italians in the desert. Couple of quick questions - what size are the bases you are using and from who....and i'd love a detail of how you have done the labels.
ReplyDeleteThese are mdf versions of the FOW small bases (25x32mm) from Warbases.co.uk
DeleteI wrote about how I did the base labels a while back, check out this link.
Sorry I actually meant what did you print them in? Word/Excel and what sort of printer.
Deletethanks,
Ah right... I made them in Excel using the font Tahoma 12pt Text size. I didn't define the print area but just set the page to 35% normal size (on A4 plain paper) although you may have to experiment a little until you get the size right for your purposes. I printed these on my work printer (shocker!) which is a Ricoh Laser-jet but I have also used my home printer (a HP Laser-jet) for other labels. I glue them in place with PVA and when dry give them a coat of varnish to seal them in place.
DeleteHope that helps.
Perfect thanks.
DeleteHah, little to say about my own country pitiful history of aroured vehicles.
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say that some infantry units were forced to adopt a homemade AT device called "Boma Passaglia" (Passaglia bomb) which was a lunch can filled with explosive, using a frag grenade as fuse. They were unreliable and totally Dangerous...for the user.
Little we have learned it seems. Ariete C4 is still a wannabe leaopard 2A4, and any comparison with Leo 2 A6 and abrams is impietous....
At least on the airforce side things are brighter :D
Bleh! So many typo's!
ReplyDelete