A spot of architecture chaps?

A project that has been on the back - burner for a while received a boost this week when I took a break from Bronze Age painting for some nice straight-forward Napoleonics.  These were bought almost before SP2 was published, and a couple of boxes of Perry plastics provides enough figures to create the basic forces I need.
Being me of course I added some metal command figures (Front Rank - long time favourites of mine) and skirmishers.  These included the character figures I needed as well as an engineers wagon.  So far so good.

My intention is to keep the Bronze Age collection in Durham and use these 28mm Peninsular figures for Cyprus.  Therein lies the problem however.  I had just about completed enough figures for a small game when I realised that I had no terrain.  None whatsoever.   My entire terrain collection is 10-15mm.

This of course is relative.  A tree in 15mm becomes a bush or an olive tree in 28mm, but I have no roads, buildings or walls.

The first thing to do was raid some granite driveway stones from a nearby un-named source. This gives me some rough stone walling, and my 10mm desert hills become simply rocky terrain in 28mm.  Looking at the Lardy Blog didn't help since it transpires that they are well into a new Peninsular War set up.  In fact it cost me 7.50 since I had to buy the new SP2 campaign rules, which are exactly what I needed for solo play.

I began my Spanish walling with some simple polystyrene packing.  I soon had five wall lengths, and set to glueing them down to artists card bases.

Next I used small off cuts to place buttresses, and spills from the walls.  Some wooden blocks for end sections gave me the ability to join the different heights into continuous walling, if I want to.  The Lardy terrain has large garden sections to fix the buildings into the landscape... great idea but my space is at a premium.  

Thick paper bricks were glued in place for areas where the render had fallen off, and more artists card provided the thick flat tiles that top the walls.  After that I armed myself with a spatula and filler to give the walls a plaster render.

In a fit of enthusiasm I built a gateway and a fountain, using exactly the same techniques.  Close observers will note that my fountain resembles a toilet.  I'll admit to not seeing that at first.  Still, against the side of a building or wall it looks like ... a fountain, or water trough, very similar to some of the ones we have here in Cyprus.

It will have it's own "spend a penny" rule...

Dick Wellard inspects the new terrain

This is of course all a learning curve.  My Bronze age project will need its own terrain, and among other things I plan to build a Canaanite town as well as Egyptian and a Sea Peoples war ships. (one of each, I`m only partly crazy)  In that sense the finished effect of this peninsular terrain looks promising I think.

The French wonder why that gate wasn`t painted.

I also completed my deployment marker for the French.  From the Perry plastics box I selected one of the spare drums, turned it side wards,  mounted it on a flocked poker chip, and placed some discarded shakos and packs around it.  It represents kit the French throw away as they march onto the battlefield.  The British one will use similar decoration.  I haven't yet decided on the secondary deployment markers.

So it's on to the first game.  A lot more painting to do...

The Oels Jager with British observers.

Captain Weissmehr gets some initiative among the rocks 

Major Finguin hides with his Voltiguers in the walled enclosure

  

The Wachtmiester of the Oels commands a group forward in line, losing a man.

The French losses are heavier however.

"Run Away, Run Away," the family motto of the Finguins

Von Weissmehr gives them his special "sausage volley" aimed at their retreating backs

The last word goes to newly raised from the ranks Dick Wellhard, who, having observed the battle finally gets to spend a penny at the fountain.  Apparently it`s good luck.  With a "Dawns and Departures" game over the Vimeiro terrain to look forward to he will probably need it.