Friday, December 13, 2013

paper warehouses, kit comparrison

   Things are progressing reasonably well, I haven't lost my temper once this week!...thus far!
Lots of honey-do's have been accomplished, I've made it to almost all Church and school functions-except the times I was at work-, and I've also made respectful progress on my painting.
I even have found the time to set up the tree, string the lights, and set up my nutcracker collection; although, I suppose those are requirements for the season! It seems that my paint table has a foot race between the 44th Regt of foot and the  Prison Outbreak zombies. One will be featured next week, If I survive the next five, twelve-hour work days and the non-winter drivers seeking home or shopping as I go to and from work!
I have slowly been taking advantage of technology with this hobby. First using the internet for research instead of the library, then forums with like minded hobby enthusiasts, paper models to replace the expensive kits and time consuming scratch builds, and of course blogger!

There is nothing wrong with scratch builds nor kits. They do take time from the minions and can take money from recruiting more minions. I have several really nice kits and scratch built terrain pieces, I consider it mandatory to have objective markers or army specific terrain bits to anchor a force in what is mostly a modular, generic battlefield. Papermodels are really great as they are cheap and often nice free ones can be found. Some can be reskined or include optional components which can lead a hobbyist to fill a table with structures from just one PDF file. Dave Graffam is one such designer who includes several skins and options in his builds including instructions to scale the structure into any size you need. His builds have been the easiest ones to build. Chris Roe makes splendid Scifi vehicles and structures which fit well into BladeRunner/5th Element/Battlestar Galactica/ Serenty type settings his builds are a bit more intermediate to expert but are exquisite in the function( removable roofs/walls, working ramps, etc). I have several different kits from many makers. I had thought to make my own to sell, but I'm still a ground pounder and free time is for my minions!

I have two warehouse models to show. One is the multistory warehouse from Finger and Toe models, the other is a derelict warehouse from Stoezels Structures. Both are really easy to build and could fit well in most any era from WW1 to future war.

I made the Finger and Toe model a four story structure. It could have several more levels or even one. Several optional doors and windows are included to further personalize it. I am very unhappy with the roof and have made several previous structures as static pieces because of the warping roofs. The Stoezel structure is laminated paper over foam core and it has a solid build that is rapidly endearing me to his kits. I may try laminating the finger and toe models which should remove the dreaded warp issue.


there is some warping here, but I found this a novel way of building a layer cake construction and keep the levels from shifting during use. Glen included the interior parts to help stabilize the floors


Glen also used the concrete decorations to hide the seams of each level making this a very functional model...except for that roof!


The Stoezel structure has two floors, because it is so solid I store my paper crates and barrels in it.
It is truly a warehouse for my minions! It came with a staircase and the support posts which hold each upper level in place. each post is precolored even on the end pieces. ..in case you should want to lay a few down for tripping hazards or further adding to the disrepair of the derelict.


Finger and toe has spots in the corner for the support posts, but they are only colored on a few sides and the top.


The blue line is marking the area for a floor in the stoezel structure. you can cut a rabbit in the foamcore and build this as a threesided, layer cake, or a removable floor as I have done. make sure you test fit first as Carl gives you enough print acreage on all the pieces to accommodate your building preference.


My Free French Scifi Marines have graciously wandered into the top floor of the Finger and Toe warehouse. They are trapped! Although Glen included stairs, they are taller than the floors and you will have to cut out openings for each level. While this makes a nice sandbox approach, I have discovered that some windows and sections would be covered by the stairs, so I left them out.
They are more ramps than stairs as well. They do have a good slope for mini bases and did go together quickly. Another big deterrent is only the side and rear of the stair are skinned, it has to be against a wall. I am going to save them for a future build.
Both kits are really nice. The finger and toe model cost me less than $5 and the Stoezel structure was free. With cost, ease of build, skin quality, game potential...the better kit is the stoezel structure, but I truly like the sand box Finger and toe. I'm going to rebuild it with foamcore and go for a couple of large up to 10 storey towers for snipers! You could even run a skirmish for ascending or descending the tower. But the derelict is free and really easy to build.
If you haven't built one yet, I recommend a wrinkle free scrapbook glue, 170# cardstock, and spray photo adheseive for sticking the card to the foamcore. I'd use black foamcore as it looks better than white when thin slivers show thru slightly off cuts. Follow the instructions and allow time for the glue to set. I have a slew of cheap markers to edge the cardstock with the similar color to the skins, this also removes the white slices peeking thru. Last of all, it is paper and it is easy if you take your time; however, both of these models took a weekend to build together. I spent perhaps 6 hours for each build not including dry time. I played with my kids, painted models and performed honey-do's.
It was a rainy Michigan summer weekend which may have influenced the warp factor of the finger and toe model too!
Thus concludes another week, It'll be redcoats or berserker zombies next week!
 

Friday, December 6, 2013

Imperial Guard 40k

Good morning! I think I am adjusting well to being a day-walker. I have completed the East Essex Regiment and the first batch of zombies... well completed save basing! I have to paint the bits added to the infantry bases and flock them. I should get that done in a few weeks or next week if lucky. Military Ball this weekend, Christmas decorating only 2% done, holiday shopping, plus my mandatory exercise regime does take a lot of slices from "free" time. My oldest daughter and youngest daughter both have birthdays this month and all four kids still have holiday programs in music and celebration as well as the errant sporting venue! It is a shame I am not wealthy, an assistant would be a huge help to organize my daily schedule. It's supposed to be my wife, but she has that peculiar glazed look she only gets during the holidays. It's that 50 yard stare promising dismemberment/ death if I forget to be somewhere that I should already know about! Thus I shall have to be wary this Yuletide. Now onward with hobby goodness!

The following is the newest addition to my Cadian 7th Cavalry. They are my oldest army with minis going all the way back to the mid 80's; they are also the litmus test that gives solid evidence that even a completed host is never truly done. I do dart about like a madman, flitting from project to project( Germans and Tau are 1/2 painted and dusty from before I deployed...2yrs in wait!) I took the Sash and Saber spare ACW heads and test fitted them to check feasibility in adding some more rough riders to my army. Not only did they fit really well, but I also discovered that I have scores of plastic guard bits. Scores, as in, enough to build another 2-3 platoons. I scrounged up some parts for a new veteran squad and then I snatched a few more bits to make a Sgt Major model. With 5 platoons all with chimeras and the squadrons of tanks and batteries of artillery, it was past time for a Sgt Major to terrorize junior officers and enlisted alike.
my new vet squad

My painting style has changed a lot, but I still use the same spot colors.



Each platoon has a colored shoulder pad to indicate platoon allocation.
my veteran squads are just plain olive drab as they are beyond platoon structure.

I am really liking the effect of the sash and saber heads.
the sgt major, a RTO, and plasma gunner

I gave the Sgt the Stetson as I only had 10 spare heads and one was obviously not a kepi.

a view of the rest of the squad from the rear, each color is the three tone method over a black primer coat. each area also received it's own color wash for blending...didn't use or know of washes in the 80's!





I obviously still need work in photographing my work, but although all is flash wiped, you can see the bling and command presence of the Sgt Major!

Not to be left out, My renegade forces ! My renegade forces use gray as a primary color then purple, blue, red, and green in accordance to power alliance. These fellows are Slanneshi, so they use purple for a second color.

I used Catchan, chaos marine, chaos warrior, chaos knight, beastman, kroot, and a whole lot of "?" to build this squad.


I used a smattering of skins and furs to instill a marading, pillaging look to them. They are not showing up to help anyone but themselves!





I gave them one bull headed troop, I tried to keep the whole skull and chaos star bit minimal


The brass was hit with a turquoise then tin bitz followed by a burnished brass drybrush



I built them way back at the start of this century and blocked in the color. They were used in the Armageddon/Cadian gate campaign. I can't remember which one was going then! It wasn't until this summer that I finished with midtones and highlights followed by washes and basing.
There is a real rebel vs. federal feel to them which is intended. The federals far outnumber them too as the Cadian7th is my favorite army to use in 40k. I like having a ton of average men armed with flashlights( lasguns are probably the worst weapon to use in 40k but 40 shooting at one squad can be brutally effective!). The renegades are a great foil for them as I do not use all the chaos worshipping extras that are allowed. I do have deathguard nurgle marines to bolster them and they were painted to match my bloodaxe orks for human mercs. The renegades were really just a theme force to confront the Cadian7th and let me enjoy troop movement and all the fun of traditional combined arms without demonic and psyker powers disruptions.
well, that is all for this week. I'll have more next time. in the meanwhile, and if this works, below should be a YouTube video or link of the bohemian rhapsody done for star wars. If it works, this old dog has a new trick! I just wish I knew how to save the videos to my external drive. Perhaps I'll ask the younger soldiers this weekend....
 
 
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