Ardennes ‘44 - Rear echelon additions and a few other bits

 This weeks additions are mostly American rear echelon pieces . These will make good scenario pieces with rear troops being caught and having to defend or escape . 

Most are 3d prints from Battlefield 3D - which makes these kind of items really easy to get now . 

 

Telegraph wagon and Armoured wrecker 

GMC wrecker and covered M3 Halftrack 

Dodge and Ambulance

Water trailer and various supply scatter pieces 

Some new 76mm armed Sherman’s 

 

A few new Panzergrenadiers 

 

That’s been a period of decent focus which has now git this up and running . Still more troops to add of course , but I have enough for the first game - huzzah! 

This of course means time for a new focus of course ..

Terrain - Stream for the winter table

 One of my requirements for the winter table is a stream. With table top plonk on pieces it’s always a compromise between look and practicality. I have a few different stream / rivers purchased from manufacturers ready done . none of which I am really happy with , or would fit with the winter table  , so I decided to make one myself . 

I wanted a deep dark colour , and with possibly some frozen pieces - though flowing water doesn’t freeze easily . 

Pendraken are releasing some new MDF pieces as basic starters for  rivers and also roads and Leon kindly let me have some advance pieces. They are in a range of lengths and widths and shapes with a straight flat end  . So just the job to start with for a prototype. The items could easily just be base coloured and away you go for a quick solution. But me being me I wanted something more realistic .

First up a few pictures of the end result

 

So here is the making it steps .

The basic pieces 35-30 mm wide and with various shapes up to 300mm long 

The items being used - all of which were in hobby stash anyway

First job was to chamfer the edge with a craft knife and a file .
Do this in a well ventilated space  

 

Milliput added to make up some bank sides.
This is also very rigid so less potential to warp.

  

All sprayed up in the Raven black - which is charcoal colour
Both sides are sprayed to seal the MDF.

 

Painted dark black /green stream base  and then it had a black wash too.
Also painted the banks a flat brown . I did consider adding some small rocks at this stage , maybe I might do in the next few sections .

I used masking tape to cover end joining pieces.
Then added the Yacht Varnish with a big brush .This is slow drying 

After the varnish has been drying for a few hours I stippled the surface with a brush.
In another project I found a hair dryer also produced various effects too.

I allowed everything to dry for 48 hours .

Next was a fine overspray of Matt varnish and the grey to break up the gloss slightly . This was done from about 18 inches away with just a quick movement. Next was a white grey drybrush of the banks and apply the snow paste.

I did a little drag of the snow paste across the water area in some place to indicate a bit of movement .

  

I added some snow tufts onto the middle island piece that had been made from milliput 

It took me a couple of sessions overall so about 8-10 hours - the longest bit being the milliput. I am sure some form of caulk in a gun would do a similar job . Some processes need overnight drying time too. 

Job done for now . I have about 8 feet done and will add another 4 - 6 to give me more variations at some point . Very pleased with the end result. It has made me think about downing something fir the summer tables