28mm Buildings - Part 5

Well, I made it...Or them, rather...

I didn't managed to get any more than the just a basic paint job done (and even then I had cut some corners). But, I guess, they don't look too bad...If you half close your eyes!

It was a useful experience and I learned a lot about these type of models. I still wish I had had more time so I could have weathered the models...Maybe next time.

I think my favourite was the 'cafe' model, especially because we decided to have a bit of fun with it...

The printed signs and posters livened up the vanilla paint job, I downloaded some of these from the Rapid Fire website (they have a variety of WW2 signs and posters): Rapid Fire - Free Downloads. Others I found on the web by searching for WW2 French posters of the occupation.

I was rather pleased with this chalkboard menu image (I'm easily pleased). I also found some period maps and an aircraft recognition poster to make a 'French Resistance' room upstairs in Rene's Cafe!

Little touches like this tickle me, so I thought I'd also like to add some resistance graffiti too. The bombed out cottage seemed to be an ideal canvas for some deviant artwork...

An earlier photo where I was still painting some of the 'rubble'.

Not every house needed these extra embellishments, I thought this little farmhouse would like quite nice au naturel...

And, of course, there was the original test model I did for this project...

That was four down, two to go, but I was starting to run short of time by this stage. And this is where I started to take some short cuts, just to get the job done in time. So I wasn't altogether happy with these last two...

This burned out farmhouse is particularly hokey...I was really pushed for time and only just got this done. I didn't have time for the shading that I applied to the other bomb-ruined house...

I could finish off this - and, indeed, any of the models - later, but, in the meantime, I delivered them as they are to the Scarborough Gaming Society for their demonstration games that they are doing at the Scarborough Science Fiction Festival over the weekend.

Conclusion - What I have learned...
MDF wargame buildings are fun! It's a nice change from 'display modelling' that takes liberties with realism (although I am sure more a 'realistic' job could be done than my hurried examples) and they do have their own challenges which are mainly to do with the way they are designed to be taken apart for play.

In fact, one of the main things to bear in mind when painting and decorating these type of models is that they are designed to be interacted with. Roofs and floors have to be detachable and floor space needs to be clear to allow miniature soldiers to be placed inside. So, there are certain restrictions to what you can do, for example, I couldn't add lots of 'rubble' on the floors of the bomb-ruined houses in case that obstructed play.

Ultimately, unlike display models, these houses are designed to be played with. So too many or too delicately detailed embellishments are perhaps not ideal. (I had to consider that these models are often transported, packed away and unpacked frequently so any ornamentation that could be knocked off probably would be knocked off!)

Painting wise, I learned that MDF is a bit of a paint guzzler! It has been suggested that I may need up to three coats of a primer - or to use a proper MDF sealer - to prevent further paint coats from being soaked up.

But, most of all, I learned that wargaming is a game and is meant to be fun. Obviously, some wargames are intended to be taken a little more seriously, but Bolt Action as a game system isn't necessarily one of them and there is plenty of opportunity for some tongue in cheek adornments.

Finally, the tight schedule for these - totally at odds with my usual tortoise-like work pace - was quite liberating as it took the pressure off me when it came to decisions about when something was finished (and replaced it with a 'that will do' attitude, which was sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing).

I hope to do more of these type of models, in fact, from the client's reaction to these models I am sure there will be more coming my way!