Operation Cerberus- what's in the box?

First purchase for the year is the Operation Cerberus box for Dust Tactics from Fantasy Flight Games. For the benefit of several viewers (Hi, Laffe), I've taken some pics. Nothing newly painted this time, but some cool stuff straight out of the box.

First floor built, with the two character figures on top and the rest of the bits in front:

A Walker and some troops added to illustrate the size. 

Second floor added, more troops in windows.

Third and final floor added, with troops in windows and on the roof. There are two doors included, Only one is used in the base model so I put the second one on ther side for illustration purposes.

From above and behind, showing the cardboard strips that function as inner floors, allowing you to place troops in windows on various floors and still reach into the model to move them around.

All in all a very nice kit, I'll be getting a second box and some GW ruins and that will be me sorted for a bit of FIBUA.

L'Addition - The price of War.

2011 was the first year that I decided to keep track of my war-gaming spending, inspired by the now discontinued Frugal Wargamer blog. I have been using a handy little app for my Android phone called Daily Expense Manager from Appstudioz Technologies to note down my purchases as they happened. Time to look at the bill:

Games: 295 SEK

Minis: 632 SEK

Paint, Terrain and Craft stuff: 599 SEK

Books: 288 SEK


Grand total: 1814 SEK


Not included here are two boxes of 1:72 plastic soldiers bought on vacation (we all know vacation expenses do not count), nor is the Revised Dust Tactics box set I bought with money I got from selling old GW Epic stuff.

All in all a rather cheap year, mostly because the Tax Man realised he had been getting his sums wrong in 2010 and made me cough up the difference during 2011, to the tune of more than ten times the total above. In 2012, I hope he will find out that he got the right for 2011, or even better got them wrong in my favour.

I have already made my first purchase for 2012, a pre-order of Operation Cerberus and the Malifaux Rules Manual at my FLGS.

It's all ruined!

I bought the Tram Barricade set from the boys at Kerr&King at Salute 2007, and today I finally finished it. I have two more ruins from them still waiting to be painted, but let's not dwell on that. Instead, let's look at what's finished:

"My love for you is like a truck.."

Four new vehicles, all bought as a birthday present for myself and readied for the coming Winter War game just after Christmas. These are from Minimi Miniatures , a company I can most wholeheartedly recommend.
First two GAZ 60 half-tracked trucks:

The two GAZ AAA trucks.

Both the 60 and the AAA are absolutely  stunning models and I have in no way done them justice with my painting. I will get more of these, a lot more. I see a long life of service for them, from Raate Road via Summa to Taipale and Viborg, and then from Moscow to Berlin.

Yet another batch of Russians

Or, more correctly Soviets, since they will be making their first appearance on my table as the 44th Division at Raate Road and those lads were Ukranians. To be honest, I don't think the 44th had these kinds of jackets, but suitable Soviets are few and far between, so I'll live with a slight anachronism.

The three on the left are Pegasus, the three on the right are Italeri and the tree stump is from a shrubbery outside my office. I have mixed the types of paint used on their uniforms to get a feeling of mixed units for my great Taipale Assault, planned for perhaps next winter, like so:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUbV7VTiJ8s

Sum: +48(66)

Finnish AT rifle

A Finnish Lahti Anti Tank rifle. The gunner is Eureka, his observer is Reviresco.

This brings the total up to +42 (60), with one more update to do today.

Ruins

Time for two pieces of terrain. First up is a piece from the Italeri "Walls and Ruins" set. It has not been based, I intend to just plop it down among the wreckage in a urban battle.

Second is a scratch-built ruin, intended for the Finnish Winter War but probably usable for most of the East Front as well. It is timbered from matches and the fire-place is made from pieces of Linka Moulds Brick Walls. Everything is covered in white acrylic paste and dry-brushed white.