On the 'blackstuff' (not Guiness! Road building).

Firstly, welcome to Stuart. Thanks for following.

I've always struggled with roads and highways on my tables. Consequently I've tried tens of ideas. This is my latest trial, which I particularly like. NB It is a lift from someone else, but I can't find it again. I think it ma be on pintrest (facebook).

Step I

Collecting supplies. A trip to the pound shop and I picked up a pack of self-adhesive floor tiles. All for you guessed it 'a pound'.

Then off to a pet shop to purchase some 'fish tank gravel'. About £5.00. There are plenty of different styles and colours. I just chose this one, there's even some muti-coloured ones for you fantasy players out there ('Follow the yellow brick road!').

Step II

Using a coupe of models I measured what width I wanted. There are two; a wide one allowing for two vehicles; a narrow one, half that size. Which were then cut to size. The nature of the tiles means that you can do it with scissors.

Step III

Pour out the gravel into a suitable container. Top Tip: Get a container big enough to fit the biggest piece. I'm still awaiting the ramifications of the Viscountess when she finds tiny black and grey pebbles in the dining room.

Step IV

Peel off the backing and immerse 'roadway' in gravel. Tip: I found that laying them 'sticky side' up and the covering the strips better then pushing the strips 'sticky side' down onto the gravel.

Step V

Apply some pressure to the newly laid surface, then shake/stroke of excess pebbles. Then viola!

Narrow

Wide

Some WIP BUF cavalry on a narrow strip.

To do:

I think I'll finish them off by by coating them with a solution of PVA glue and water and or a spray of varnish.


Thanks for popping by. (Cheers to whoever out me onto this, also).

Rob.

A bit of something and 38 FEST 2015.

Now usually if I want a piece of terrain I'd scratch build it. However, last year I got a gift card for a local hobby store. Sadly, this place was geared really to trains and RC models. As such I picked up a couple of Dalpol packs (I'm sure they're old Airfix molds so there was a nostalgic element involved). I spent last week sorting them out. I think this little building will appear in many of my scenarios. It has that 'I can be anything quality'; an Inn, a cottage, a farmhouse etc.

I thought I'd have a plunge into PazerKaput's http://panzerkaput.blogspot.co.uk/ ,VCBW 38FEST2015 details below. I have an idea for a scenario, so I'll be building up the terrain and troops for this table and playing the game come May.

When and Where is this Taking Place
38Fest2015: This Spectred Isle is going to take place over the whole month of May, actually the last game need to be finished by 30th May, to enable us to prepare for the Partizan game, and it is open to everyone, no matter how large or small your VBCW forces are and whatever scale you fight in. There are no sets of rules that we are going to say you have to play with, play with what you like. All anyone needs to do is to play the scenario in the month of May and notify me of the result of the game, Red win or Blue Win, Which Farms were control of who and who found some of the Crown Jewels. You can do this by either posting to Very British Civil Forum, http://vbcf.freeforums.org/ or email me personally. Also if you can take photos of the game and post them on the Very British Civil Forum with a bit of a write up of the battle, that would be nice but it is not a requirement to play the game. 

So please pop by again to see how I'm getting on.

TTFN

Rob.

Meet the Platoon.

HQ Platoon

 This is Apple Manipolo (platoon), I Centuria Company), Xth Cohort Battalion, BUF Northern Division.

The Cohort took a bit of a hammering during the battle of the Cheshire Plain and is at two thirds strength.

Rather then work on two full sections OIC 'A' Platoon chose to have three under strength squads and hope for reinforcements at a later date.

                        ORBAT 

A Typical Section (actually I Squadra)

HQ Section
Capomanipolo/Lt.  Buru 'Paddy' Adair (5/1)
Caposquadara/Sgt. Graham Edwards (4/2)
Vicecaposqadara
/Cpl. (Act)(LMG)  Gerard Hall (3/2)
Camicia Nera
Scelta/L.Cpl(No.2)  Bishop White (3/2)
Camicia Nera/Pvt.
Buglar/Runner         639 Henry Taylor (2)
CN  (Runner)           Eric Parker (2)

I Squadra

The Full Manipolo

VS    Matthew Walker (4/2)
CNS  532 Barnabas Thomas (4/2)
CN     Roger Wood (3)
          Oscar Anderson (3)
          652 Garfield Taylor (3)
          Hugh Baker (3)
          Nathaniel Joiner (2)

II Squadra

VS       Terrance Mitchell (3/2)
CNS     Hayward Parker (3)
CN       941 Stephen Thomas (3)
            Harper Allen (3)
            Francis Lee (3)
           494 John Hall (2)
                                                                                          Leonard Davies (2)

III Squadra

VS            753 Jude Thomas (3/2)
A.CNS      Jake Plumber (3/1)
CN            Jason Stockton
                 Michael Page (2)
                 Shaun Mackenzie (2)
                 Malcolm Kennedy (2)


The numbers in the brackets are leadership/movement scores. I'm going to use two sets of rules Corner of a Foreign Field (altered for d6) and World Aflame. I hope background/backstory gets built up during the project.

More to follow. Thanks for popping by.

Rob.

NB. Note to self take an online course in closeup model photographing.





























                          

REORG

Well it has been over twelve months since my last post! Where does the time go?

If anyone out there reads this humble blog you may be aware of its cousin 'Plastic Zombie' and there it outlines some issues I've been having. Despite the absence of posting I haven't been totally away from VCBW.

In November I embarked on a project to write a VCBW novel. This was going to be based on a series of encounters played on the gaming table.

The Cover

The novel got started, however, I was too ambitious as I based it around the concept of a Battalion Recce in Force. Although I wrote a quarter of the 50K words (it was a sort of competition) I never got around to the gaming element. The size of the unit was too big to develop characters.

Well March sees a new chapter opening in my life I have decided to rekindle the VCBW project. The novel (?) will be centred around a BUF platoon and their exploits in a Civil War campaign situated, where I live.

I intend there to be Batreps, chats and some modeling. So there you have it. I am keen to succeed at this after dismal failings with Plastic Zombie last year.

Here goes.

Thanks for popping by.

Lorcan.

Next Post: Meet the Platoon.

Artillery Templates, terrain markers.

In an attempt to kick start my VCBW campaign I re-read the 'Yuletide' edition of Miniature Wargames.

There was a very interesting scenario about a mini-campaign revolving around a river crossing. It is written in such a way that it is easily adapted to any period. After a little thought I shoehorned it into my concept for the 'Wirral Campaign'
I want this ready by Easter so a concerted effort to build up my forces must start now.

As a preamble, and as arty plays such a role, I wanted to get some templates up and running. So here is my concepts. 

The stuff needed.

Sealing the central hole

Although the 'World in Flames' rule set has a smaller diameter for arty. I've used CDs as they are convenient and cheap. A suitable 'saving throw' house rule for those on the edge should get over the extra coverage. 

Plasticine Sausages 

Rolled into circles.

Hot Glue to Bases

All three experiments

PVA glue wash to harden

Filler covering

Hot glue for puddling

Now leave to dry paint and base. They appear OK but not too happy with them. Let's see what happens in the future. I have some further ideas for these and others.

Catch you all soon.

LRQ.

FIBUA, OBUA, FISH Terrain.

If ever I get this project moving (which I hope to this year) I imagine doing quite a bit of FIBUA (fighting in built up areas.) Now I believe called OBUA (operations in built up areas.) My first idea for a scenario is a 'bumped' patrol at a pub. Hence this post.

I was surfing through 'YOU TUBE' the other day and I came across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_2114248595&feature=iv&src_vid=HfM2LNIIcao&v=B4a4m_FPuww

It's a video by a character called 'DMScotty' (http://dmscraft.proboards.com/) OK I know it's D&D but the terrain techniques can be adapted.

This got me to thinking and I thought that interior action has always been difficult as the usual, papercraft, building interiors tend to be too cramped for figures once they are based. So came this project, Build a cardboard interior tile for your buildings and move the action there when appropriate.

The plan: The experiment was set on my backwoods cabin. I increased the dimensions by 1/3rd for the tile and away I went. (I had a write error  on my camera and didn't realise 'til now so the photo tutorial is a bit bare.)

Tools Required, minus hot glue gun and cardboard.

1. Draw outline on cardboard (c.f. video link for discussion on c.board).

2. Cut out pattern. 

These will be the walls.

 3. Glue the walls down

The beauty of cardboard cutting with scissors

 4. Unlike DM Scotty's idea I've built the walls up two layers. This has opportunity of giving the tile a slightly more realistic window element. It's hard to see in the picture but I hope that you get the idea.

The external and internal views.

 5. Undercoat, couldn't find my black tin.

6. Whilst it was drying I knocked up some doors, a bed and a stove.

7. Check it out, prior to painting.

Thanks for popping by and stay dry out there.

Lorcan.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you all and I hope that you have a pleasant and peaceful time, wherever you may be.

May you all find something in Christmas stockings.

I hope to get back to this project in the New Year.

Lorcan.