Hobby Champions: Isaac Paul’s K47 Commonwealth Force

We recently held our annual Trade Sales Conference, with staff flying in from all over the globe to attend. Naturally, we had them face off in a Konflikt ’47 tournament while they were here! (I’m given to understand that this is how bonuses are decided in the Trade team. -ed.) Isaac arrived from the US with a frankly astonishing effort on his British Commonwealth force, so of course we had to get him to tell us all about it!

“Holding Burma was not what we expected. Years of fighting the reanimated bodies of friends and enemies in the darkness of the jungle, of ghosts appearing among us, slaughtering my friends before they even knew what was happening. Morale was… lacking.

Once we were bolstered by the metal men, something changed in our disposition. We no longer felt that we were on the back foot.”

This 999pt British Commonwealth list is based on a rag-tag squad of Chindit engineers and the automated infantry assigned to their sector. They have been fighting a war so visceral that a unique bond has grown between the bots and men.

The Burma Campaign was always fascinating to me, as it’s often forgotten against the backdrop of the wider war. Chindits were always going to be my go-to for Commonwealth forces in Bolt Action, and the squads I kitbashed using the Commonwealth and Inter-Allied Commandos sprues were originally the foundation of this Bolt Action army. (Finally something from Isaac that isn’t German or Romanian! -ed.)

Once I saw the Automated Platoon box featuring all the new plastic K47 British Commonwealth kits I couldn’t say no. The project pivoted to K4, and I targeted completion for the Sales Conference Tournament while we were visiting HQ. I… may have gone a touch overboard with the theming. (Leaflets. He produced gorgeous informational leaflets for every opponent. Honestly, I think he’s just showing off! -ed.)

The Chindits were painted using Ghillie Dew speedpaint over a zenithal prime of Vallejo Ivory on black primer. I highlighted the uniform using Warpaint Witch Brew to really make them stand out on the board compared to the colors I used on the ‘lifeless’ bots.

The Mk IIs were built pretty much identically using light autocannons with the only kitbashing being slight battle damage and barbed wire rusting around their bayonets. The Mk IIC Director got a head swap from the base MKII set and a reposition of the left arm to give him a more, well, directing pose, easily setting him apart from all future MKIIs I may add.

Painting the bots was trial and error. I started with a pure black primer, followed by a drybrush of Vallejo German Grey, and an overbrush of AP John Blanche Thicket Grove. On the MKIIs Vallejo Burnt Umber was sponged on to give them a dirtier, rustier appearance.  The models were doused in enamel grime wash and cleaned up using odourless spirits. Once the enamel dried overnight I went over and did a light dry brush, as well as adding splotches of Warpaint Crypt Wraith to brighten up the drab look. I used a sponge to add a bold metal chipping effect using Vallejo Air Aluminium. After all those colors were applied, I mixed black acrylic with gloss varnish and applied it to many of the joints and spots that looked like they were leaking oil. They’re machines in motion after all!

The 10 Mk Is were split into 5-bot squads. The cleanest and most put together were the HMG-wielding bunch who were pretty much painted identically to the Mk IIs. The MMG gunners with their bayonets received the extra touch of red paint to their replaced limbs and blood splatter to represent them dealing frontline Banzai charges, Shibito, and traps!

The truck is an ever-so-slightly modified Bedford with a jury-rigged automaton to drive it. I’d like to say this was an inspired idea, but really it’s because I completely forgot to put the driver in his seat before I glued the cab shut! It features the closed canopy without the full frame giving it more of a flatbed design. Painted identically to the automated infantry, I adorned it with spare bits to show how the Chindit mechanics fight to keep their automated comrades in working order as best they can in the hellish jungle.

We’ve also reproduced Isaac’s leaflet here for you – it’s things like this that can really elevate a force, and if you’re hunting for ideas for winning those all-important ‘best themed’ prizes at events, you could do worse than take a leaf (geddit?) out of his book!