Picking up those brushes again.

Hi and welcome to the occasional mutterings of Dave Doc, a military modeller and some time gamer. Gaming and model making has given me a real education, History & Geography(obvious really), Artistry, Politics, Economics, Logistics, Project Management -you try building miniature armies without the last 3.

I will use the blog to record my creations & the odd occasion I actually do some gaming.

I have always been inspired by the aesthetic side of gaming. Playing on well constructed terrain using excellently painted units is always a joy.

Tuesday 17 March 2020

Dystopian Times - Part 1 Communications tower

This post seems the start of new project. This will be some skirmish gaming for future sci-fi dystopian world.

I picked up some bundles of MDF kits when I was at the Crisis show a few years ago and they have lain in the “to do” pile - it somehow feels appropriate to kick this project off now


This piece is 8 inches diameter by 15 inches high.

I have made this piece into a communications tower. The centre of the build is a Pringles tube. The top part is a recycled yoghurt pot . I have added a piece of car aerial with a wired in red LED to the top . The battery box, switch and wiring are in contained in the pot . This part is removable as well .


This piece was from Products for Wargamers . It went together pretty well


The stash that remains to be built







Sunday 15 March 2020

Normandy 44 - new buildings

I picked up some more of the excellent buildings made by Stephen at Tiger Terrain last year and have spent the last couple of weeks working on finishing these off. They are a real joy to paint up. They are perfectly cast with no resin warping or bubbles. The detail is accurate and crisp.

The "Marie" or "Hotel de Ville" 
I have not made my mind up on basing for them as yet - partly as i want to do all the same and i still feel like i need to get another set of stuff this year to fill things out - but the tonw centre is certainly getting there.

                            

it also has a swappable damaged roof section too 

shell damaged shop snd town house
They all have removable roof sections and floors . I have magnetised these as well.
and the reverse side




picked up 3 out house pieces as well . still need to finish off the yard bases 






Monday 9 March 2020

Normandy 44 - Burning Sherman - "MK1"

I have a few of the 15mm Battlefront Sherman kits that are surplus to main requirements. As such I am going to turn some of these into game markers. Shermans of course known for catching fire - earning them the nicknames of “Ronsons’ after the ligher, or the more macabre “Tommy Cookers’.

I have used the 5mm Flashing LED liberated from a tea light candle in the commanders hatch . This is then wired and soldered  to a DIP switch connected to a two cell 3v LR44 battery case that’s been added under the hull . This gives access to the switch and cell changes.




Batteries and switch . All needs a bit of tidy up in the Mk2 , but I know what I want to do





This will be a MK1 version , which was just about solving the problems . The MK2 will be neater in terms of connections , access etc. Then Mk3 should see lights in the crew hatch area too.

This one a gift for JamesM ,so I have left the vehicle pretty clean so James can match it in with his existing stuff and also add any British specific markings .