"Modern British Army Uniform & Vehicles? (28mm Empress)" Topic

I am painting a group of modern British soldiers in 28mm.
I have 24 Empress British Infantry figures (one of each Brit01 to 06) and 8 Airfix figures and three Airfix vehicles (Landrover Snatch, Landrover WMIK and a Jackal).

The Airfix figures are all equiped in standard uniforms and weapons. The radioman has a 2 metre long aerial coming from his backpack. The Empress figures are more tooled up with the weapons fitted with gun sights, extra handles, weapon mounted torches and grenade launchers. The Empress helmets also often have cameras and the radios have short aerials.

I am undecided whether to paint them in Desert DPM or Multicam (Multi Terrain Pattern).

The uniforms changed in 2010. Is there anything to identfy kit as pre 2010 or post 2010?

Are the Snatch Landrovers still used?

Mick

three Airfix vehicles (Landrover Snatch, Landrover WMIK and a Jackal).

Aren't those vehicles a bit big for 28mm?

No – I think that they are perfect. I do base the figures on slottabases.

The Airfix figures are the same proportions, head sizes and weapon sizes as the Empress. The Airfix just have longer legs so look like taller men. Now they are based and part painted, I cannot see which is which from 50 cm away. The Empress are much heavier as you would expect. If I look close, the Empress figures are much more detailed.

The vehicles are not for the faint hearted. They have a lot of parts including fully detailed engines, suspensions and interiors.

Mick, thank you for the quick ( and intentional or not) review vis compatability of empress and airfix. ive a bit of airfix stuff to do and was looking apreciativly at the 2 helo dismounts from airfix

If you mean the two Empress helicopter crew, I haven't got them yet but I think they would work well.

Gripping Best also have a pack of downed US helicopter crew from Blackhawn Down.

The uniforms are the new style multi-cam, you can tell from the angled trouser pockets believe it or not. However they dont have the new helmet covers and scrim netting on helmets is now gone. The problem with modern wargaming is that as soon as you've cast the model the world has moved on.

Dear Doug,
Thanks for the comments. I think I wil go for all of them in MultiCam.
Does anybody know if the Snatch is still used?
Mick

The snatch is no longer in use in Afghanistan, its still about, we use them for public order in Cyprus…

The scrim on helmets is here to stay, well my helmet still has it on, as do the rest of my Bn.

Steve

Yes, I don't think the scrim net was ever 'official', iirc it started off as para thing but it looks really cool so…

It is only a net over the helmet cover.

Sorry, i thought you meant actual scrim…

I was on about this – link

The top picture.

The scrim nets have been "outlawed"…Mainly because the lads were doing all sorts of weird things with their helmets….

Steve

yeh, yorkie that was what i meant, no figures with it yet but perhaps do-able with green stuff

Thanks everybody.

There are some additional comments here.
link

Here is a WIP photo.

It is very difficult to see which soldiers are Airfix and which are Empress.

The three kneeling figures in the middle at the front are Airfix (hand up with LMG, rifleman, radio with long antenna). The tall walking figure behind the Airfix radio man is also Airfix. The vehicle crews are Aifix.
Everybody else is Empress.
The vehicles will probably need to be based as they are a bit too delicate to use without bases.

Bigger picture here (use the magnifying glass button)
link

Regards
Mick