New Twilight 2000 themed Miniature Wargaming blog!

[Jason Weiser]

http://500twilight2000.blogspot.com/

Come by and take a look!

[Adm.Lee]

Following now.

[TitusPullo]

Got it, thanks!

[Pinhead Slim]

Thanks so much for the 15mm figure rundown, I've been dying for a post exactly like that for at least a year now, you're my hero.

[Adm.Lee]

A thought struck me: Have you given any thought (research) to modeling the train from "Going Home"? And might that appear in a post someday?

I haven't looked in the module for a while, but I'm sure there's some technical info on the locomotive, enough to look around the Web to see if someone's produced a model of it.

Off the top of my head, it was a 2-8-2, and I recall from some of my father's railfan magazines that Poland keeps (kept?) a few steamers in operation. One of his friends made the trip to operate such a locomotive within the last decade. Given that, I'm pretty sure there's a model floating around out there. HO scale is 20mm, and N scale = 6mm, right?

[kato13]

N scale = 6mm, right?

I think N scale is 1:160 and 6mm is 1:285

[Jason Weiser]

Z scale is closer to what you're looking for in terms of 6mm

[Silent Hunter UK]

A thought struck me: Have you given any thought (research) to modeling the train from "Going Home"? And might that appear in a post someday?

I haven't looked in the module for a while, but I'm sure there's some technical info on the locomotive, enough to look around the Web to see if someone's produced a model of it.

Off the top of my head, it was a 2-8-2, and I recall from some of my father's railfan magazines that Poland keeps (kept?) a few steamers in operation. One of his friends made the trip to operate such a locomotive within the last decade. Given that, I'm pretty sure there's a model floating around out there. HO scale is 20mm, and N scale = 6mm, right?

Full details on scale here. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rail_transport_modelling_scale_standards)

[Jason Weiser]

A lot more has gone up on the blog since I first began the thread, so pay the blog a visit. I tend to update frequently!

[Matt Wiser]

Excellent article on Kalisz. Well done, my friend!

[Tegyrius]

Good stuff, Jason. I've been lurking and enjoying for a while.

Also, nice job on the cav figures.

- C.

[Jason Weiser]

Thanks Teg, but I cannot say that I sculpted them, simply fronted the money. This gent did - https://www.elhiem.co.uk/

And he's made separate modular human legs for the cav figures (the figure top half has a pin that slots into the lower half on the horse). Voila, instant dismounts!

[Jason Weiser]

Just wanted to take the opportunity to bump the thread, and show we are still in business! Lot has been posted and lots more to come!

[lordroel]

Just wanted to take the opportunity to bump the thread, and show we are still in business! Lot has been posted and lots more to come!

Nice looking blog.

[The Dark]

A thought struck me: Have you given any thought (research) to modeling the train from "Going Home"? And might that appear in a post someday?

I haven't looked in the module for a while, but I'm sure there's some technical info on the locomotive, enough to look around the Web to see if someone's produced a model of it.

Off the top of my head, it was a 2-8-2, and I recall from some of my father's railfan magazines that Poland keeps (kept?) a few steamers in operation. One of his friends made the trip to operate such a locomotive within the last decade. Given that, I'm pretty sure there's a model floating around out there. HO scale is 20mm, and N scale = 6mm, right?

N is closer to 10mm (British N is 1:152 and American/Continental N is 1:160. 10mm varies from 1:160 to 1:182). For 6mm, you'd probably want Z scale, which is 1:220, while 6mm is 1:285 to 1:300, depending on who's doing the casting.

My notes on what I consder the best matches between military scale and railroad scale:
6mm - Z
10mm - N
15mm - TT
20mm - HO
25/28/30mm - S
40mm - O
54mm - Gauge 1

[Jason Weiser]

Hope noone minds, but I am bumping the thread as there has been a ton of content added, and it might be worth folks taking a look.

[Olefin]

Excellent blog - I completely totally recommend it for anyone who hasnt seen it yet - and love your analysis of Kidnapped - you are completely right that it's, as scripted, a Total Party Killer - only way they could have made it more dangerous is to open a door and you get magically transported to its only possibly rival at killing parties - i.e. to the Tomb of Horrors

[Jason Weiser]

More content has been added, so I figured a harmless bump was in order.

[The Dark]

A thought struck me: Have you given any thought (research) to modeling the train from "Going Home"? And might that appear in a post someday?

I haven't looked in the module for a while, but I'm sure there's some technical info on the locomotive, enough to look around the Web to see if someone's produced a model of it.

Off the top of my head, it was a 2-8-2, and I recall from some of my father's railfan magazines that Poland keeps (kept?) a few steamers in operation. One of his friends made the trip to operate such a locomotive within the last decade. Given that, I'm pretty sure there's a model floating around out there. HO scale is 20mm, and N scale = 6mm, right?

The module calls it a Pt-47 2-8-2, which is a PKP class Pt47 (no hyphen). It's a standard-gauge 2-8-2 that masses 93.8 tonnes empty and 104.2 tonnes fully loaded, and has a maximum speed of 110 km/h (and can reach that speed with a consist of 600 tonnes). 180 were built between 1948-1951, and the last was retired in 1988. There were two primary tender families for the Pt47, and both make the train heavier than it is in Going Home. It's either 196.65 tons or 200.73 tons (the newer tender carries more fuel and water, and is thus heavier). The capacities for both water and coal are off - Going Home says it carries 32,000 liters, but the three primary tenders classes were 33, 34, or 27 thousand (the version with the automatic stoker, like Korzub, could only carry 27,000 liters), and the coal capacity was 17 tons, not 9 tons. Also, it's kind of hilarious that the adventure refers to it as a light train, since the Ty2, Ty5, and OI49 all weighed less full than the Pt47 did empty.

One thing lacking from the FF&S rules is a way to build rail vehicles. From what I've been able to find, an article was proposed for Challenge at some point, but was rejected for not being detailed enough. While I have an interest in trains, I don't know enough about them from a technical perspective to write up a design sequence.

[Silent Hunter UK]

The module calls it a Pt-47 2-8-2, which is a PKP class Pt47 (no hyphen). It's a standard-gauge 2-8-2 that masses 93.8 tonnes empty and 104.2 tonnes fully loaded, and has a maximum speed of 110 km/h (and can reach that speed with a consist of 600 tonnes). 180 were built between 1948-1951, and the last was retired in 1988. There were two primary tender families for the Pt47, and both make the train heavier than it is in Going Home. It's either 196.65 tons or 200.73 tons (the newer tender carries more fuel and water, and is thus heavier). The capacities for both water and coal are off - Going Home says it carries 32,000 liters, but the three primary tenders classes were 33, 34, or 27 thousand (the version with the automatic stoker, like Korzub, could only carry 27,000 liters), and the coal capacity was 17 tons, not 9 tons. Also, it's kind of hilarious that the adventure refers to it as a light train, since the Ty2, Ty5, and OI49 all weighed less full than the Pt47 did empty.


Well, Going Home was written in 1986, when it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to get accurate technical data about railway traction east of the Iron Curtain... certainly rail enthusiasts were able to do trips there, but it wasn't easier and pointing your camera in the wrong direction could lead to some unpleasant conversations.

[Cdnwolf]

Following. And N scale is as small as my old hands and eyesight will allow me to model. If it fits in your mouth it is N scale... if it fits down your throat it is Z... and you are an idiot for swallowing it in the first place.

[Silent Hunter UK]

British OO is a bit different to HO, namely a narrower track in scale to the body as it was difficult to fit the motors in the smaller profile British locomotives while maintaining scale.

It would be interesting to use a model railway as a minature battle board... with a train running through it. I read that the Berlin S-Bahn was used during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 for ambulance trains, resulting in the slightly surreal sight of them running through a battle.

[The Dark]

British OO is a bit different to HO, namely a narrower track in scale to the body as it was difficult to fit the motors in the smaller profile British locomotives while maintaining scale.

It would be interesting to use a model railway as a minature battle board... with a train running through it. I read that the Berlin S-Bahn was used during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 for ambulance trains, resulting in the slightly surreal sight of them running through a battle.

One possible plot for such a scenario would be a strike to take out a Soviet nuclear missile train. The RT-23 Molodets (NATO reporting name SS-24 Scalpel) could be carried in a special launch car that was designed to look like a reefer car. A typical launch train had three M62 C-C locomotives (diesel-electric with 6 pairs of driving wheels divided among 2 trucks), three converted passenger cars that were the power generator, command, and support cars, and three missile cars. The engines carry 3900 liters of fuel and consume about 400 liters per hour at speed of 80-100 km/h.

[Jason Weiser]

Done a bit more for the blog since I last checked in, including a weathering and stowage article!

[Jason Weiser]

Much more has appeared on the blog, a terrain article, an article on 6mm miniatures, and a general news article.

[Jason Weiser]

Lots more has appeared on the blog, and we have a new staff writer. So, come on down and read the latest!

[Jason Weiser]

Been quite a few articles since I last posted. Come on by and take a look, link is at the top of the thread.

[Tegyrius]

Hey, Jason. You may want to add Spectre Miniatures (https://www.spectreminiatures.com/) to the 28mm list. They tend toward ultramodern rather than Cold War but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They also have one of the better selections of realistic (i.e., not "Kevlar bikini" styling) of armed female figures out there. No US distributor but I've not had problems ordering from them.

Hasslefree Miniatures (https://www.hfminis.co.uk/) also has some stuff usable for T2k, though the selection is hit-or-miss and they're expensive. I've seen them in local stores, so someone is importing and distributing them in the US.

- C.

[Jason Weiser]

Hello all, just thought I would put the word out, am working on a two part article on "Paint Schemes of the Third World War", the NATO half is up and it has value to ALL miniatures gamers. Plus, I'd welcome advice/errata/corrections and the like.

[Jason Weiser]

There's been quite a bit of work by our contributors of late, and we've crossed the 100 post mark! So come on down and take a look.

[Jason Weiser]

Two new posts thus far for August. One on a reader's 20mm efforts that is simply nothing short of stunning, and the other is a module suitability review of the Advent Crown article for miniatures scenario ideas.