Having scratch built some of the other buildings from the hundred days campaign of 1815, (Hougoumont and la Haye Sainte), the next challenge was the farm at Quatre Bras. In fact I started this project around the time it was announced that the original building was due to be demolished, and in that respect it seemed quite fitting to construct the farm.
The construction is not an exact scale replica but does capture most of the main features of the farm to use with my 6mm Napoleonic wargame collection. As most of you who have visited here before, (or even may not), know I use Adler miniatures, which are excellent figures but somewhat 'heroic' in stature. Thus they do look a little out of scale for most buildings on the market, so the answer I find is to scratch build.
To that end, I start by drawing a basic floor plan of the structure using aerial photos, side and elevation images and inspiration from other wargamers models. Using all the information gathered I roughly proportion the building volume using the figures in my collection as the standard size for buildings, doors, windows and multiple floors.
Next the basic building shapes are cut from photo mount card and glued together on a suitable sized base. Typically wood glue available universally is used for the main construction, but sometimes I use a dab of superglue to hold the sides together and the finish with wood glue.
The construction is not an exact scale replica but does capture most of the main features of the farm to use with my 6mm Napoleonic wargame collection. As most of you who have visited here before, (or even may not), know I use Adler miniatures, which are excellent figures but somewhat 'heroic' in stature. Thus they do look a little out of scale for most buildings on the market, so the answer I find is to scratch build.
To that end, I start by drawing a basic floor plan of the structure using aerial photos, side and elevation images and inspiration from other wargamers models. Using all the information gathered I roughly proportion the building volume using the figures in my collection as the standard size for buildings, doors, windows and multiple floors.
Next the basic building shapes are cut from photo mount card and glued together on a suitable sized base. Typically wood glue available universally is used for the main construction, but sometimes I use a dab of superglue to hold the sides together and the finish with wood glue.
After drying overnight, the rooves are measured and glued onto each basic block.
Once thoroughly dry, 'milliput' is prepared and stuck onto the roof of each building and scored to create a tile effect. Some areas of tile have been 'roughed up' to create the impression of battle damage.
Again an overnight drying is required, since a misplaced finger can ruin the tile effect by flattening it.
The doors and windows are made using 'milliput' which is rolled out really thin and the various indentations made to create the desired effect. These are subsequently glued on in the appropriate place for the building design.
The whole structure is undercoated and then each building is painted, weathered and highlighted accordingly.
Once all is fully dry, (again!), scatter grass is added to complete the ground work.
All that remains is to add some figures and get into battle!
Unfortunately by the time I had finished this project the real farm at Quatre Bras had finally been demolished in spite of determined efforts by many to save the day.
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