Building the Docks - part 3 - Some Warehouses

In my second post of this project I talked about the modification of the lighthouse for my docks and whilst I was finishing this the first of my warehouses arrived...I decided at this point I would complete all the construction before the pieces got a coat of paint.

If you want to start reading this project from the beginning head here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/building-docks-part-1.html

The buildings shown below were sourced from a guy called Troll Trader on ebay...I bought two buildings - the boat house

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390999102598?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and the extended warehouse

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391052029655?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Construction was easy using pva glue and some masking tape.

The base buildings can be seen in the picture below. The warehouse actually comes in two parts which I decided to glue together and base these on a thin sheet of ply.

These make great buildings for the water frontage. I should also add that they come with a vast number of crates ....I'll feature these in another post.

I am not particularly keen on the mdf finish so these were modified. First up I ran a low brick wall around the base of both buildings using thin blue foam.

Window edges were then added using the same blue foam. This time I left it plain .

The walls were then coated in pva and given a covering of sand. The warehouse walls are going to be rendered.

The roofs were also given the sand treatment not before I added some wooden battens and covered the windows with masking tape. These will be given a black paint job to look like roof felt.

Just need to add paint...

As these were being finished off the next parcel arrived...this time it was a warehouse model sold by Warbases

http://war-bases.co.uk/BUILDINGS/MULTI-28MM?product_id=243

It was quite a plain building so I decided to clad this in timber (using coffee stirrers). Whilst researching this project I noticed that a large number of waterfront buildings are indeed timber buildings.

Again cladding was very simple - pva glue. It was also a great workout for my chopper !

The windows have been covered up...

This one will eventually have a corrugated roof.

So the waterfront grows...

As I am writing this the last of the buildings has arrived...the factory and outbuildings from Sarissa. These will feature in my next post.

Until next time

Part 4 can now be found here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/building-docks-part-4-industrial-complex.html

 

Building the Docks - part 2 - The Lighthouse

One of the key features of the docks will be the lighthouse. This should provide a focal point on the edge of the table and of course give elevation to any sneaky snipers or observers.

The Lighthouse model in actual fact a resin cast piece used for outdoor pond decoration. It was sourced from ebay about a year ago and even comes with a rotating solar powered light.

The model itself stands about 40 cm tall and comes in two pieces - the lightbouse top and the base.

I mounted the base on an off cut of hardboard and created some simple steps up to the door using blue foam. The base will eventually be covered in sand and ballast.

For the roof section I had to cover up the solar panels. If you lok carefully in the picture you can see that I have cut a plasticard triangle and glued this over one of the roof sections. I did this akll the way round the  top and then glued in some cut bamboos skewers to recreate the roof bars.

The whole roof was then covered in kitchen towel soaked in PVA. The Intention to create a leaded roof.

I wanted to create a proper firing platform on the top of the structure. The lighthouse itself was octagonal so I cut out a piece 3m wide than the current top to create this platform.

This was then dressed up with some coffee stirrers

A handrail around the top was then created using more bamboo skewers - you can see aphoto of this a bit further on.

Now remember my static grass applicator that came with a mesh - well waste is always useful. The mesh is perfect for the glass panes on the lighthouse tower light

I clipped out a rectangular piece - primed this and the sprayed black. Using superglue to fix I wrapped this around the plastic tube that comes with the model.

All I have to do now is reassemble the kit and start painting...

I'll be adding the hand rail (using wire ) once it is all painted.

The 28mm figure illustrates the size of this platform.

The warehouses arrived today so when I get back from a business trip to the States at the weekend I'll be starting on these.

Until next time

Part 3 can now be found here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/building-docks-part-3-some-warehouses.html

Building the Docks (part 1)

Hi Folks

In October I have volunteered to run a game at the Annual BLAM meet (for those of you who don't know what I am talking about head here...http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/blam-2014-photo-album-100-pictures.html )

So I had to put my thinking cap on...a game to be played in a 4ft x 6ft space that could accommodate 4-5 players over a couple of hours. I am not going to give away too much in this post about the scenario but suffice to say that I am going to build a dock side environment set in the 1930's.

In this post I am going to address the base board build.

All the boards are based on 9mm MDF. These are treated both sides with decorators pva to reduce chance of warpage

The boards themselves are covered in textured wall paper. Fixed using a superstrong PVA

The textured wall paper will hopefully convey a good sense of cobbled streets

Once fixed on the boards these were all given a top coat of black acrylic

In the final photo of this post you can see that the dockboards have now been lifted using slabs of pink foam to create the wharf alongside which the boats can be berthed.

My tramp steamer sits on the left (yes I know it still needs to be finished) and to the right is a waterline trawler I picked up on ebay a few months ago.




The lighthouse is a pond ornament - its going to need repainting and the top will need customising so figures can access the roof area.

In the distance you can see my pub...for thirsty sailors

I have just ordered some warehouses so thee will feature in the next build


part 2 can now be found herehttp://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/building-docks-part-2-lighthouse.html

In Homage to Waterloo

Today as all good wargamers know is the 200th anniversary of Waterloo. I had hoped to be there for the celebrations but the gods conspired against me. However a good friend of mine has gone so hopefully I'll be able to show some of his photos on the blog in the not too distant future.

This morning I received a note from my brother  - he has no interest in wargaming but is aware of my passion. In this email he sent me the following letter that appears to have been circulated across the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Powerful stuff

In homage to the brave souls who fought at Waterloo the Shed saw a full house of seven players to play a 10mm Napoleonic Battle (using Black Powder rules).

The scenario loosely based on the engagement of Quatre Bras saw several Brigades of British Infantry and Cavalry defend a crossroad from a numerically superior French force.

The following pictures illustrate the scenes as they unfold.

A further write up of the game can be found here

http://quatrebraswargame.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/not-quite-quatre-bras-at-shed.html

and another here

http://wargaminggallimaufry.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/quatre-bras.html

On with my own....

I decided the game would start with the players who arrived first - in this case British left flank and French right flank. The objective to hold the crossroads by the end of the evening.

I was playing in this game and so the write up is going to be quite slim. I was so engrossed at my end commanding the left French flank I hardly saw what was happening at the other end of the table.

The British centre soon took control of the crossroads - with the Highlanders commanding the farmhouse

British Light cavalry stream towards the action..

The British heavy Horse advance on the left centre

With two regiments of Imperial Guard advancing in column towards the centre

Lines of troops across the field jockey for position

French assault troops gather to advance in the centre - supported by the heavy cavalry.

Below: the Left flank of the French push forward to confront the newly arrived British right flank

Birds eye view of the action...

On the left the French cavalry force the British to advance into the woods and take the protection afforded by the square formation

More French arrive on the South western road

The centre advances

Onward the British Heavy cavalry

The British right flank protected by Men in Skirts and Green jackets

The Battle starts - fierce exchanges of fire around the farmhouse

Casualties begin to pile up...red counters

In the centre the French lines are forced into squares by advancing British cavalry

Unleash the Curassiers !!

Its starting to get frantic in the centre but those red coats wont move.

The British hold on valiantly

The French form line and pour fire into the squares...many red coats are driven from the field

The assault on the centre has just bogged down and the clock is ticking

 



Evening falls (OK we ran out of time) - The British held on...

 

 

 

Great fun was had by all.

 

Until next time