It often happens this way. For quite some time, I will have it in my mind that I need some era appropriate terrain to go along with the figures I have been painting. The most recent example is the 20mm Spanish Civil War collection.
I will ponder and think about things for a few weeks and then suddenly, the muse will take me, and I spend hours every day at the painting desk, cutting up stiff cardboard and match sticks etc to create a new pile of terrain that will then be stored in a box and rarely ever actually used!
So it has been over the last few days - and looks set to continue thus, thanks to the current and immediately future weather in Auckland!
Mainly trench systems in the current building spree but I also tried my hand at a Spanish style windmill, inspired by some images on the Blunders on the Danube blog - thanks Peter!
I now have 4 x 250mm sections of trench partially completed as per above and below
Also have created three MG positions (on left) and three angle joins
This larger join will turn the trench through 90 degrees, and I have two for 45 degrees too
View from the attackers side
I also adopted Gregs suggestion (http://pewterpixelwars.blogspot.com/) re increasing elevation within the trench, in particular for the MG positions
Above for 28mm and below, with the addition of an extra part, for 20mm figures
Finally, below, three different views of the 20mm Spanish style windmill
Looking at the image of a resin 28mm model on Peters blog, they apparently did have these rather odd looking sails...
....... however, I may reconsider those - actual images of the real thing on Google don't appear to have sails quite like this, and as they are not permanently attached, I could easily amend the design!
Thats my lot for today - thanks for dropping by.
Three posts in five days is an impressive way to kick off the New Year. Is one of your New Years Resolutions to surpass 2022’s post number?
ReplyDeleteGood to see you taking time away from painting figures to work on a few pieces of terrain. These pieces will be useful when finished.
Thanks Jon - I don't have a particular goal to beat 132 posts in 2023 at this stage, but let's see what happens - if I have plenty of topics to post on, I might make the effort - will need to have a minimum of ten posts per month for the first quarter of the year!
DeleteI have got quite a bit more done in the last couple of hours but having a break now, I don't want to overdo it and then lose my mojo!
Like Jonathan said, impressive set of entries for the first few days. Glad to see you looking at the weather and getting prepared for things to do. The trench system and windmills will be very nice additions to all the village sets you are also getting ready.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Joe, I am pretty happy with how the trenches in particular are coming together - another post in a day or two when they are done and dusted!
DeleteYou can't beat a bit of scratch building IMHO! It always takes me back to the articles in the Airfix magazine as a kid and my dreadful efforts to replicate the builds contained therein. These days it's easy given my past working life, but I still get a childish pleasure from it.
ReplyDeleteThe trenches and windmill look great and at least you can make hay whilst the sun doesn't shine so to speak. Here it is incredibly mild to the point where it is warm enough to wear shorts!
LOL - and people deny there is anything odd going on with our weather Steve - tonight on the news, the Coromandel Peninsula (about 100km to the east) had over 200mm of rain in one day ie a whole months worth!
DeleteI understand from previous comments that you may have been a professional model maker at some point, so my efforts probably look a bit like what you were doing in the seventies via Airfix magazine! Coincidentally, my mate Andrew was an architectural model maker for several years, hence his skill at creating gorgeous looking scenery. Mine, on the other hand, I would describe as "workman like" - its not awful but its not particularly great either - but good enough for me!
Honestly I sort of prefer the workmanlike look these days as it's a nice contrast after years of, at times, insanely high quality models. As long as it looks OK on the table, then that's fine by me.
DeleteIn Spain they had Summer like temperatures (25C) on Xmas day and in the Alps they are having to use artificial snow for one of the downhill ski races this weekend!
nice work on the windmill , are your are your forces crossfireable ? I have acres of 20mm italian / buildings
ReplyDeleteCheers Gunny! My SCW are individually based 20mm.....my original idea was to use Great Escape Games Iron Cross/1914 rules. It would take some work to put them into grouped bases that would work for Cross Fire.My mate Julan and I played a lot of Cross Fire about eight or ten years ago, using 15mm based for FoW.
DeleteI see you are AKL based, so if you want to get in touch, drop me an email at franklinjock "at" yahoo "dot" com "dot" au....yes it is au, I set it up a very long time ago!
Nice work Keith 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt
DeleteGood going there Kieth on the Scratch Modelling - it is great fun to turn inexpensive materials into something that works well on the Games Table. Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeleteCheers Kev, I do find it quite an enjoyable process. Don't think my efforts are quite up to your standards, but they work for me.
DeleteNicely done Keith…
ReplyDeleteI like the natural quirkiness of scratch built terrain… old buildings are never ‘ CAD’ square… my own 1901 built house being a perfect example of that 😁.
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly and I agree on the quirkiness front...they have a bit more character this way! The trench in particular, I deliberately have different lengths in the wooden buttressing as well as some at odd angles and a few gaps here and there.
DeleteGreat work sir!
ReplyDeleteBest regards
Thanks Michal!
DeleteOutstanding. I am particularly intrigued by the windmill, and I am glad to see that my idea about the duckboards was not as crazy as I first thought!
ReplyDeleteThanks Greg...the duckboard idea was definitely a winner...
DeleteThe trenches and windmill are coming on nicely. It looks like your work will be well rewarded Keith.
ReplyDeleteCheers Richard, hopefully I get to use them in battle soon!
DeleteYou certainly don't hang around Keith when you put your mind to something! Good use of the matchsticks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris, it certainly helps that I am still on Christmas/summer leave and the weather isn't that great, so lots of time available to get on with terrain creation!
DeleteComing together very nicely Keith. Those Spanish windmill sails look correct to me and appear on a couple of models I have lying around the place.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence, I may just leave them as is...I went back and checked the source and the sails do look pretty much like what I have done hete
DeleteThose trenches are coming along nicely and I like the look of the windmill
ReplyDeleteCheers Scotty, I am particularly happy with the trench system!
DeleteGreat looking scratch built trenches and I like the windmill, it's pretty much what I have in the peninsular war terrain book I got at Christmas, so I'd say stick!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks for the vote of confidence in the windmill design...it will stay as is!
DeleteNice terrain progress. The trenches should come in handy. I actually like making terrain WAY more than painting figures. 😀
ReplyDeleteBut then you HATE painting Stew, so it's a pretty low bar! I don't mind making terrain but I don't have enough room (due to the disgraceful state of my workspace) so painting is easier!
DeleteVery nice terrain Keith. Excellent work there.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how you can keep up the posts! I can barely get enough time to comment 😁
Perhaps you have a lot. more going on in your "real" life than I do Ben?! Thanks for dropping by and commenting
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