Saturday 16 October 2010

Protecting the Armoury

With the prospect of more Napoleonic games on the horizon, and more gamers at the club, it was clear from our last session that we need more terrain- buildings, woods, rivers, roads- the lot.  So I've been working on my allotment of trees as well as some buildings and structures for 28mm games.

I've made good progress with a redoubt I've made from old tofu tubs, and prepared bases for a row of resin buildings I ordered years ago from Hovels.  These are great buildings, and will look good once painted and glued on the base with a surrounding fence.  But being resin, they are heavy.  I've also got  the Hovels' carriage house, but that will be for later as it will be quite an undertaking.
In the background is the basic shape of what will be a small(?) armoury, something which seems suitable for opposing forces to fight a battle over.  

I knocked it together this morning in about thirty minutes from various pieces of foam packing material- the crumbly white stuff- which I cut into shape and glued together with cocktail sticks and PVA.  The whole was covered with packing tape to cover gaps and prevent the foam from crumbling away, and then I brushed it liberally with undiluted PVA to seal it.  

I will then face the whole structure with foamcore panels, and add doors, beams, gables, chimneys and the like before the laborious task of roofing it.

Being Styrofoam it is extremely light, so should transport easily to the club despite its size.
The 10 pdr. howitzer in the redoubt protecting it is the next in line in my French for priming and painting.  I've just about finished its companion, the 6 pdr. gun, and will post pictures of that once it is base is finished off.

Yes, I know I should be spending more time on painting miniatures! But to me good wargaming is a coming together of good companionship, fun rules, well-painted miniatures, and attractive terrain.  

As terrain is notoriously difficult to cart around, and I have only a short distance to travel to the club compared to others having to take the train half way across Tokyo, it makes sense that I work on the buildings as others are already painting up a good number of miniatures as well.  

And I do love making terrain, even if I keep on avoiding the annoying problem on how I'm going to store it all.


4 comments:

Paulalba said...

Looking good Robert,
The Redoubt has taken shape nicely.

Rafael Pardo said...

Hi Robert
I like your redoubt very much. Do you think to make trenches in front?
Regards
Rafa

john de terre neuve said...

The redoubt does look good. As an aside it must be quite interesting getting about in Japan. Do you run a car, I was curious because of your repeated references to the weight of figures and terrain.

John

Robert said...

Thanks, all- but I had a problem with the base warping which required some drastic surgery- but evidently it seems to have worked, even if it means a delay in getting it finished.

I forgot how important it is to build up papier-mache in small amounts, and to make sure that enough water has been squeezed out.

I don't think I'll bother with trenches, but I will make a larger redoubt for infantry at a later date, using a Kallistra model I have.

John, I don't have a car and have no plans on getting one as what with the extensive train and subway system here- not to mention traffic congestion- I would hardly ever use it. Parking is the real problem. Anyway, the extremely high parking and gas fees would eat into the hobby budget big time!

I live within 20 min. walking distance of the club venue, and it is only a one-minute train journey from my local station should I need it. If I really need to lug a lot of stuff around, I could always take a taxi.

But some people face a 45 min- 1 hour trip to get here, car or train. Real dedication!