I really ought to be writing up the two Kavkaz campaign battle report postings I have in draft, but just haven't had the heart. Instead I spent much of last evening and this morning scratch building this thing.
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| French 12pr field piece. |
Well, sort of scratch built. The gun barrel is I think a home casting from a minifigs original. Don't ask me whence I got it - I don't recall. I've had the thing for years, sitting on a less satisfactory gun carriage. The wheels are plastic, from an ESCI Napoleonic cannon set. The ammo box is taken from another Minifigs cannon. The rest is balsa, match stick, little bits of paper, little bits cut from plastic tube, and corner bits cut from a paperclip.
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The green is wrong for French artillery - even given likely variations in the paint mixes (yellow with a tiny bit of black added) - but it will do, at least for now. Artistic licence.
This piece stands as the artillery park for my VI Army Corps, likely to be commanded by Marshal Ney.
Nice construction work. The gun looks great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jonathan. I'm tolerably pleased with it.
DeleteCheers,
Ion
Good scratch building work, good to hear.
ReplyDeleteAccompanied by a certain level of bad language getting the metal bits on, but worth it in the end. It will do.
DeleteCheers,
Ion
I think you have spent your time doing the right thing :-) You have put a ton of work into recent posts and I find that a step back from doing that occasionally is good for the overall mojo.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Norm. For me, that is a very encouraging thing to say. The 'mojo' will return sooner or later I guess. Actually one of the reasons for the campaign going so far ahead of the write-ups is that the writing-up can be a bit of a chore sometimes.
DeleteThat is why I'm not a novelist - or any kind of writer.
Cheers,
Ion
The details on the carriage are drawn on? Well done!
ReplyDeleteJennifer -
DeleteI did consider just drawing on the details, but they are actually paper glued onto the woodwork. Gives a more 3D look. They have been outlined though.
Cheers,
Ion
Looks good. A nice bit of scratch building using what is available.
ReplyDeletePeter -
DeleteMy earlier attempt was not a success, and although I had it for years, never used it. I'm better pleased with this effort, though I admit I put a deal more work into it. It also was a matter of making use of - in the sense of putting to good use - stuff I had lying around.
Cheers,
Ion
A nice bit of construction there Ion. The cannon has turned out well.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Geoff
It'll do me, Geoff! Thanks!
DeleteImpressive scratchbuilding!
ReplyDeleteNeil
I hope, Neil, it performs as impressively in battle!
DeleteYou've done a nice job on that. I need to take a break from things for a while too sometimes. It is a hobby not a job after all.
ReplyDeleteThere is that, Martin. But my break from war gamery stuff is doing other war gamery stuff. Like this... Come to think of it, I've made quite a few small things in the last few weeks.
DeleteCheers,
Ion
Nice work, Commander!…and there’s never a ‘wrong’ colour, as the gun factory in the day didn’t have access to a Dulux* colour chart 🙂.
ReplyDelete*insert name of local top paint brand here.
Hi Martin -
DeleteI know the colour could vary, as it what achieved by mixing a little black with yellow to get a kind of olive green. I actually tried it with another of my guns, and achieved a very satisfactory result. But I don't think the possible spectrum would compass such a greeny green as the above cannon is. Looks more like the Russian artillery in colour. Actually I tried mixing a bit of beige into the green paint this time. Made little difference. Never mind.
Cheers,
Ion
Excellent scratch built gun...very nice...building a model is equally as good a way of spending your time as writing up battle reports...if not more so....Regards.
ReplyDeleteTony -
DeleteWell, it was productive time, and my French army was wanting at least one extra cannon. Maybe at least one of my Cavalry Corps will receive a park of horse guns...
Cheers,
Ion
Very nicely done AP!
ReplyDeleteCheers, WM!
DeleteEach of your campaign posts is very entertaining and inspiring but are obviously a huge amount of work so I'm not surprised you need a break. Start writing again when you feel like it - you should enjoy the writing as much as we enjoy the reading.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brian -
DeleteBut I have resumed the campaign narrative, and there are two more postings soon to appear. One of them a small skirmishing action (as it turned out: spoiler alert) and further campaign events. BIG battle - not yet fought - on the horizon. Turcowaz dilatoriness may prove their undoing.
Cheers,
Ion