Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Some new buildings, hex options and a book reminding us how lucky we are 🙂

Unfortunately the battle I had hoped for this weekend had to be postponed as the Union General was stuck down with illness, no doubt a common feature in 1863 field armies. This did give me some time to get on with some terrain which had been half completed a long time ago.
So long ago I can’t remember the maker of this , possibly Charlie Foxtrot, I’ve changed the roof to match my other buildings, the pumps after and exhaustive search came from 1st Corps, the signs were deliberately generic, I have lots of scatter terrain which I can use to enhance the Petrol Station if needed.
Another fairly generic rustic building, built on the same very cheap MDF base model as my thatched cottages, I gave this one a slightly different roof, very slightly ornate to perhaps represent a Norwegian village building or perhaps Central Asia ?
Magnetic bases, after the success of our El Cid hex game I have been thinking about other options, my ancient collection is predominantly based on single metal bases in 24 man units. With a magnetic base these can easily be split down into 8 man units which fit the 100 mm hexes quite well. I had the magnetic sheets already so ordered up some 85x50 bases. Here are a couple with Persians to show the effect. I have made enough for a fairly large battle if needed and at this scale I have enough for a lot of significant ancient battles.
Finally I had a busy weekend working due to the storms, so took an hour off and popped into town, one of the second hand shops had a copy of this 1970’s Featherstone book for 75p. Whilst much of the book is really just modelling tips and ideas l thought I would share a couple of nice pictures which remind us how lucky we are these days. I am sure several of you remember these early days 🙂 
Remembering a time when you couldn’t buy SU85’s so had to convert from tanks
The great man himself making figures in the kitchen. I certainly tried this but with pretty limited success, although I know a few people who still tinker.

and here am I worrying about getting Afghan cavalry who are suitably armed for early 1900’s it does remind us how lucky we are and the absolutely vast and limitless choice we have in almost every period and multiple scales. Having said that if somebody out there would like to expand the range of Early war Norwegians that would be good 👍

Hopefully some more painting today after a blustery bike ride ?

Matt


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28 comments:

  1. Norm22 February 2022 at 11:07

    Matt, nice weathering on the buildings. I am guessing that modern Health & Safety would be all over that photo :-)

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    1. Matt Crump22 February 2022 at 11:42

      Perhaps at least Donald should have tucked his tie in !

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    2. Lukas Angelika23 March 2022 at 09:27

      Ich möchte DR. AKHERE für die wundervolle Arbeit danken, die er für mich und meine Familie geleistet hat. Ich hatte eine ernsthafte Trennung von meinem Ex, aber als ich ihn um Hilfe bat, brachte er ihn mit seinen historischen Kräften zu mir zurück und half mir auch dabei einen Job zu bekommen, da er mich verzaubert hat, hat es mir wirklich gut getan und seit ich ihn kenne, ist mein Mann mir treu geblieben Hilfe, wenn Sie mit einer Trennung oder einem Eheproblem konfrontiert sind, wenden Sie sich einfach an diesen Mann, um Hilfe zu erhalten. Er wird Ihnen helfen, alles mit seiner Macht zu regeln. Bitte kontaktieren Sie ihn über seine E-Mail: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com oder rufen Sie / whatsapp: +2349057261346 an Ihre Probleme werden gelöst.





































































































































      Ich möchte DR. AKHERE für die wundervolle Arbeit danken, die er für mich und meine Familie geleistet hat. Ich hatte eine ernsthafte Trennung von meinem Ex, aber als ich ihn um Hilfe bat, brachte er ihn mit seinen historischen Kräften zu mir zurück und half mir auch dabei einen Job zu bekommen, da er mich verzaubert hat, hat es mir wirklich gut getan und seit ich ihn kenne, ist mein Mann mir treu geblieben Hilfe, wenn Sie mit einer Trennung oder einem Eheproblem konfrontiert sind, wenden Sie sich einfach an diesen Mann, um Hilfe zu erhalten. Er wird Ihnen helfen, alles mit seiner Macht zu regeln. Bitte kontaktieren Sie ihn über seine E-Mail: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com oder rufen Sie / whatsapp: +2349057261346 an Ihre Probleme werden gelöst

      Delete
  2. Michal DwarfCrypt22 February 2022 at 11:11

    Yes, love the building too!
    Best

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  3. pancerni22 February 2022 at 12:48

    Very nice buildings. Thanks for the tip on the pumps.
    I remember turning a MK IV panzer into self propelled gun with some sheet styrene the last year in college. It was in 1/87th scale, sort of.
    Yes about being spoiled for choice. I know I am!

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:14

      Thanks Joe we are certainly spoiled , except of course for WW2 Norwegians🤔

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  4. Phil Robinson22 February 2022 at 13:08

    Fine looking buildings and a good nostalgia find, makes you think "were they the days?" doesn't it.
    Don't Empress make some mounted Afghans with suitable weapons?

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:16

      Thanks Phil I’m pretty convinced my gaming is far more rewarding these days than my humble attempts back in the early 70’s

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  5. DeanM22 February 2022 at 14:54

    Nice new terrain, Matt. Love the old book too.

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  6. Ray Rousell22 February 2022 at 15:21

    Great looking buildings Matt.

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  7. Steve J.22 February 2022 at 18:03

    Lovely looking buildings Matt and the magnetic bases is a good choice in terms of flexibility of unit size and movement.

    We certainly are spoilt for choice, especially now with 3D printing able to produce one offs of the most obscure AFV's etc. No more having to buy several kits, styrene sheet etc to make a fairly standard AFV. I still love looking at my old Airix magazine and guides, but the effort in making just one conversion is hard to comprehend today.

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:20

      Thanks Steve , the bases give me lots of flexibility for mixing and matching my ancients for future hex based games. On choice we are certainly spoilt I wonder how many variations of 28mm panzers are available….a lot I guess

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  8. David22 February 2022 at 18:14

    Top building is Warbases' Workshop. Great progress there and a timely reminder of the hobby Golden Age we are living through. Mind, I recall when that book was the bee's knees!

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:21

      Thanks David yes warbases I remember now it was made so long ago but not painted I have lost the packaging etc..I think yes it is a golden age now 👍

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  9. Lawrence H22 February 2022 at 19:53

    Great work on the buildings, and I love the old Donald Featherstone book. I remember finding a long strip of roofing lead and trying to make some figures, but they came out looking like fishing weights.

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:22

      I tried it too but sadly my efforts were poor 😢

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  10. Stuart S22 February 2022 at 21:04

    Great post Matt, I remember trying my own castings which my father brought back from Germany and Operation Lion Heart, the might heavy and pure lead :-)

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:23

      Easier to just buy stuff now but a fond memory perhaps, I remember building the plaster mould etc….

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  11. Stew23 February 2022 at 04:15

    Nice buildings and the bases seem to work on the hexes.
    We do seem to live in an age where almost any miniature you might like is a click away. 😀

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  12. rross23 February 2022 at 06:16

    I too think this was an excellent post Matt. I remember as a ten year old trying to follow instructions in an Airfix Magazine on how to use the tracks and bogeys of a Bren gun carrier to make a kettenkrad....total failure! Ditto attempt to convert the Airfix soft plastic M113 into a Stug! I also had a go at home casting courtesy of a couple of Prinz August semi fiats....worked ok but you really needed ten or twelve different molds to create a viable army so that didn't last too long. I really am not nostalgic for the gloss painted, very basic figures of those times....to me, it's like being nostalgic for black and white sixteen inch tv's or an Austin Allegra or Hillman Avenger....!

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:24

      Great stuff Keith I no I tried casting Roman archers but they were rubbish !

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  13. Aly Morrison23 February 2022 at 22:14

    Lovely buildings Matt…

    I think I’ve still got that book… somewhere…
    It always makes me smile when I see pictures of Donald Featherstone wearing his tie while casting miniatures…
    Standards had to be kept… for everything.
    I remember my father indulging in DIY/hitting things with a hammer/decorating… Always in a shirt and tie.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Matt Crump23 February 2022 at 23:24

      Thanks Aly a time when ties were what real wargamers wore !

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  14. Jonathan Freitag24 February 2022 at 23:43

    Matt, your buildings are terrific! Good to see your Joy of Hex continues. Looking forward to seeing your troops back out on the grid for another game one day. A Featherstone book not in my collection. Hmm. As a youngster, I regularly cast bullets with my dad but never figures. If only I knew then...

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    1. Matt Crump26 February 2022 at 08:37

      Thanks Jon, the magnetic bases opens up a lot of ancient battles with the hex system, no chance of running out now ! The book is really only of quirky interest as it really focuses on the challenges people had back in the late 60’s/70’s but American money it was only $1

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