You may think that is a click-bait style title, but there is a genuine answer.

It’s cause they are both all about the razzle dazzle!

musical explanation here!

So one of my nemises (nemisi?) Simon put an idea in my head. Knowing full well I loved the look of the heavy walkers and knowing I loved a challenge he suggested painting a mammoth like a ship to fit my naval theme.

Hmmm I replied. “I don’t know if naval grey would look good.”

Then the glint appearred in his eye, the one that means he’s making trouble, usually for me. “No no”, he said “Proper naval dazzle camoflage”. He sent a picture. I foolishly looked. Like most my ideas it was crazy enough to hit my awesome buttons.

For those who don’t know about Dazzle Camo it was a form of camo that goes against all logic. By using geometric patterns and shapes the aim wasn’t disguise, it was to hide movment and heading, making ships harder to hit with torpedoes.

Of course, on land on a giant slow moving walker practically it makes no sense.

But no-one has even accused me of being practical!

The Zebra has become a labour of love and one of the most interesting schemes I’ve ever painted.

I’ve also got 2 DUWK trucks (the usa sent a few hundred over) that match the theme. I think i’ll be dazzling them up too!

This feels like a natural conclusion on my soviet project, however I’m not quite there. Although I’ve essentially finished the army and it’s great fun to play I want to go back and improve certain units.

I’m going to put some time into the daughters just to make the colours pop more and also following Si’s article I’m going to have a go with streaking and filters on the Zebra. Then some basing work.

Naturally I’ll share the results!

In the meantime any feedback on the Zebra or the project as a whole is most welcome.