The Cabbage Patch - a modelling tutorial for Flintloque

Some time ago I produced a couple of modelling tutorials for the paper based magazine Barking Irons. Regular readers/followers will know that this publication is now Web based and edited by Craig Andrews of Orcs in the Webbe fame.

The latest update of Barking Irons Online (or BIO) features part one of a two part tutorial written by me - The Cabbage Patch. Full details can be found here the second article detailing how the piece was painted and textured will follow shortly.

Photo One - Shows our hero Foul Mouth Freddy making his way through the main gateway of the Cabbage Patch.

Photo Two - Shows the modelling complete. Next stage painting.

I have been asked to produce a series of regular terrain building articles for BIO, I hope that this is the first of many and that you like it. Should any reader have any suggestions for future terrain tutorial, please contact me here or at the Notables

Tony

Convair 1186-C

I recently came across an article over on Aircraft Resource Center written by Dan Swiersz. For full details and a great read go to this link and check out Thursday , Apr 28 2011 1/48th scale scratch-built KRAKEN.

This image is from the Jared A. Zickek book Secret Aerospace projects of the US Navy and shows the Convair 1186-C on the front cover.

This second image was taken from ARC and shows the finished model. It really is a fantastic beast!

Tony

Foul Mouth Freddy - a gaming scenario for Flintloque

Barking Irons Online features the first part of a three part linked or 'narrative' based gaming scenario for Flintloque and featuring that potty-mouthed Orc Sergeant Foul Mouth Freddy. In this adventure Freddy decides to escape from a quarantined camp to find entertainment in the drinking dens of the local port town.

For full details of Freddy's latest adventure go to this link

Further adventures of Foul Mouth Freddy can be found here

From the seed of an idea some years ago and taking inspiration from an Uncle of mine, the whole FMF phenomenon has taken off with a limited edition miniature (available from Alternative Armies, see; this link) as well as a short story or Novella planned for release very soon. I hope that you enjoy these 'tongue-in-cheek' scenarios and gaming themes as much as I enjoy writing them. I should also point out that Craig Andrews does a great job in sorting through my ideas and writing some superb fiction. Thank you Craig.

Tony

Anzac Board - Lone Pine by Grand Manner

Since SALUTE there have been a number of sites that have featured this fantastic gaming board which was built by Dave Bodley at Grand Manner.

This week Dave (Grand Manner) has posted a whole range of images on his Facebook page.

In addition I have some work-in-progress shots which I will upload later this month when Wargames Illustrated is published.

Regular readers will know that I was lucky enough to help with some of the minor construction of this board - it really was a treat to be able to help.

Tony

Art by Craig Davison -

These pieces of art will appeal to a certain generation, particularly if you ever longed for a Raleigh Chopper or dresses up as Batman.

Art by Craig Davison

Enjoy

Tony

Ogam & Stone - a model railway layout

This particular narrow gauge model railway layout was built over ten years ago and has since then been safely stored in the garage attic. I was recently speaking to a work colleague about his plans for a small industrial railway layout (a small mine) and I was telling him about this model. I decided to renovate the display and take it into work to show him. The layout is in fact based on an old wardrobe shelf and measures just 31 inches x 18 inches.

Most of the buildings and structures are scratch-built using balsa, plastic card and DAS modelling clay. The track is PECO 'crazy track' and is 16.5mm gauge with the layout built to 7mm =1 foot or 1/43.5 scale (O-Gauge). The 16.5mm track depicts a narrow gauge line of 2 foot 4 inches in this scale.

I am afraid that the running stock, which is also scratch-built is stored elsewhere and I am not sure it is still in working order. Now that the layout is back in the light of day, I will try to get some images of the engine (a narrow gauge diesel) and the wagons uploaded.

Here are some detailed close-up images, please click on the image to enlarge.

The layout is based on three main sources, a small stone masons yard which used to occupy a site just south of Bristol, an Irish narrow gauge engine shed and an illustration in a very early Railway Modelling magazine.

The name is taken from an old English name Ogam, meaning Stone, so the actual name could be read as Stone & Stone.

The layout featured in an issue of the 7mm Narrow Gauge magazine Narrow Lines.

Tony

Salute 2011

I am sure there will be many who are planning and looking forward to attending SALUTE 2011, London. Unfortunately due to personal circumstances and work commitments I will not be attending this year.

Later this year my son Gareth will be getting married and I am keeping all of my holiday entitlement to use around this great event. In addition I tend to work most weekends which means that I am very particular about which shows I attend.

I wish everyone well and hope that the show is once again a great event. I have never attended Salute while it has been at Excel, but have attended other trade events there. It is not one of my favourite venues.

In planning for future events this year - I am hoping that I will be able to attend the Wargame Show at Newbury and the IPMS Show at Telford, both of which are easier for me to drive to, but even these are subject to change.

Tony

Princess Juliana Regiment on Barking Irons Online

The Princess Juliana Chasseur Elite Regiment are now being featured on the New Barking Irons Online site, see this link

This shot shows some of the ex-brewers sneaking around the side of the mission.

Tony

Windmill Model for Flintloque

In late 2009 I was asked to produce an article for the new Flintloque/Alternative Armies paper based magazine Barking Irons. I produced a detailed article on the construction and painting of a Spanish style windmill. The article was published in issue one of Barking Irons, a magazine that is now wholly internet based. This week the new Barking Irons Online site was launched by Alternative Armies under the management of Craig Andrews of Orcs in the Webbe fame and Tilting at Windmills my original article has been reproduced in full as an online entry, for full details go to this link and enjoy.

Photo One - The finished and painted windmill model.

Photo Two - The inspiration for the model came from a couple of Internet searches and this quick sketch.

Photo Three - The construction completed and the model awaiting a coat of paint.

I am assured that further articles, both published and un-published that were produced by me for Barking Irons will be uploaded to Barking Irons Online in the very near future.

Please note that BI online covers many gaming systems produced by Alternative Armies and will be worth a quick glance by many gamers.

Tony

Re-cycled Material for Modelling

I am sure that other readers would have come across a similar experience. This week I was given this box of wood veneers in the hope that I could find a use for them in my hobby. Oh Boy - it was like Christmas and my birthday had come at once! A box full of modelling material that I was immediately imagining as ship decks, roof tiles or wagon sides. The real benefit was that they came in different thickness's.

To give some idea of just how much there was, I have included this second image of the pieces stored in a used Cider case. I estimate that there are at least 100 separate pieces in four of five grades. I am sure that pieces will find there way into future models and similarly that some of the stock will be re-distributed amongst model-making friends. Real re-cycling!

I have many more stories of how I have had donations given to me of what at first looks and seems like rubbish, but with a modellers eye these pieces of spare plastic sign, ex-lipstick containers or aerosol can lids soon become something much more interesting.

Thank you Ivor,

Tony

More Grand Manner Buildings on LAF

There are more Grand Manner buildings featured on this Lead Adventure Forum post - a great action report and some fantastic photos from The Battle of Wangau 1813.

The new church tower has only just been completed by Dave and really looks the part in these fantastic photos by Fugazi.

For more details of the GM range go to this link

Tony

Away-Day 2011

For the past two years Dave (Grand Manner) and I have arranged what we comically call Away-Days. Visits and tours of historical sites to gather as much information as possible, plus hundreds of photos!

Past Away-Days have included;

Hessen Park, Germany

The Roman Fort Museum, Germany

Wealdon and Down Open Air Museum

Avoncroft Museum

This year we are planning a couple of day trips around the Welsh Marches, following a rough route along Offa Dyke and taking in the border towns of Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Leominster,

Hereford and Hay-on-Wye.

The whole area is full of historical sites, from Roman forts to medieval town houses and with a planned stop-over at Hay-on-Wye to search through the bookstores we should have more than enough to fill two days.

The reason for this post is to ask for some advice and guidance. Are there any sites or buildings that we should include or towns that we should not miss? Any help would be greatly appreciated, so to any contacts or books that you think we should be referencing prior to the final planning.

So far the list includes;

Broomfield Priory Gatehouse, Ludlow

Stokesay Castle

St. Marys' Church, Ludlow

Bridgenorth Town Hall

Ledbury (loads of interesting buildings)

Bishops Castle, Shropshire (again loads of buildings)

Additions;

Lower Brockhampton, Nr. Bromyard, Worcs.

As discussions develop it looks more like three days than two - a North, Central and Southern tour.

Tony