Bolt Action : Japanese A5m Claude in Shanghai 1937

 Hi guys

I have just completed a plane for Bolt Action in the Far East.  I want to expand my tiny Chinese/Japanese/Manchukuo forces with more vehicles, this time a Japanese air support unit, a A5M Claude aircraft, as seen in the film "The 800" during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937.

There’s something special about early-war aircraft, and the Mitsubishi A5M Claude is one of those planes that instantly pulls you into a different era. Before the legendary Zero, this was Japan’s frontline naval fighter—the first monoplane carrier fighter in the world to enter service. 

The A5M made its combat debut during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War, particularly in the fighting around Shanghai in 1937. At the time, it equipped units like the 12th Kokutai, one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s key air groups deployed in China.

These aircraft often operated from carriers such as the Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga, which played a major role in projecting Japanese air power during the conflict. The Claudes quickly proved their worth, outperforming many Chinese fighters of the time and establishing air superiority in several engagements.

I really like this less known pre-WWII aircraft :)

The kit itself is Hobby Boss 1/72 A5M is one of those kits that doesn’t fight you. It’s simple, clean, and perfect for a quick project because it´s for begginers, with some details simplified, so perfect for wargaming! The fit is good overall, and you can get a really nice result without going crazy on aftermarket parts.

Magnets and transparent acrylic rod made a perfect flying stand!

The classic look for a Shanghai-era Claude is the natural metal (or aluminium lacquer) finish, mixed with some masked red areas.

 I didn’t want it to look like a mirror, though, that can feel unrealistic at this scale, so I went for a slightly toned-down metallic with Ammo Mig paints: I used a soft aluminium base rather than a bright chrome,  I added subtle panel variation with slightly different metallic shades and finally, kept weathering minimal, with a pin wash in the panel lines and some dirt and smoke where it should normally be.

In Bolt Action, early-war Japanese forces aren’t always the most common choice, which makes something like the A5M stand out even more. It works perfectly as a thematic air support option for a 1937–1939 China theater force, along the Type 89 I-go tank and an armored car with some artillery.

I hope you like this little project.

30 Years War Commander base: Catalan/French Josep Margarit

 Hi guys,

I have just finished a command base for my TYW French army in the Pyrinees/Catalan front. 

As I normally play with  Warlord's Pike & Shotte rules, I need several command bases for the different "battalias" in the games, so I was (and I am!) short of commanders for my armies in the 30 Years War period. 

I wanted a commander who could be a generic general, but also I wanted to paint a miniature based on a real historical character.

So I opted for a Catalan who revolted against the Hispanic crown in 1640, Josep Margarit.

Josep Margarit was the main military commander of the Franco-Catalan forces during the Reapers' War (a War inside the 30 Years War). In January 1641, his actions prevented the Hispanic Crown from supplying its troops during the siege of Barcelona, contributing decisively to the victory at the Battle of Montjuïc.

He later led the defense of Camp de Tarragona, commanding the miquelets, and played a key role in multiple engagements that year: Valls, Cambrils , Constantí (freeing 400 prisoners), and fighting in Montmeló, Vilafranca del Penedès, and La Granada. Some historians attribute his effectiveness to experience in banditry and guerrilla warfare.

In September 1641, he joined a diplomatic mission that secured cooperation with Louis XIII.

Margarit’s military successes made him a prime target for the Hispanic Crown. In 1642, he blocked Castilian troops under Pedro de Aragón from crossing Catalonia to aid forces in Roussillon. He later led the recovery of the Val d’Aran (1643), organized grain supplies for Catalan troops in Lleida (1646), and became the leading figure in the resistance during the siege of Barcelona (1651–52), refusing to abandon the plague-stricken city. 

After its capitulation, he continued leading military raids (Ponts, Solsona, Cardona, Ribelles, Cadaqués, La Seu d’Urgell) in an attempt to regain control of Catalonia. The Treaty of the Pyrenees 1659 ultimately ended his hopes of defeating the Hispanic Crown.

 

I chose a miniature that had that kind of  strange moustache,  long hair and that black hat similar to those worn by priests. Also the figure had to be in armor, and wear a white sash.

As you can imagine, a I had to make some conversion, I cut a plastic head from one of the commanders of the plastic sprue of Warlord's TYW/ECW captains, and the body of a metal commander from 1898 miniatures.

The other guy in the base is an officer from The Assault Group's TYW range. I painted them using some Foundry Triads , which I love for this period:  Buff Leather , Dark African Flesh, Rawhide...  I personally use a lot these 3 triad for boots, buffcoats, gloves etc.

the  cloth armband in the officer's arm is black , which was the color (along with French white) of the Catalan units in French service or fighting the Spanish.

I hope you like it !

Cheers