My foray into VBCW - Village almost finished

[Hu Rhu]

I have been wanting to dip my toe in the VBCW waters for some time but have been side tracked by the LPL.  Well now I have found the time here is my project.

The location is the top end of the Wylye Valley, North West of Salisbury where the sway of the Anglican League is at its most tenuous.  To the northwest the Bishop of Bath and Wells is a lone outpost and reliant on getting supplies via the railway line which runs through Westbury. To the north are the Royalist forces with their southernmost outpost at Chippenham. To the northeast is the Socialist Enclave at Swindon.  To the south and southwest are the BUF forces in Dorset with their outposts as far north as Shaftesbury. To the west are the Somerset Freedom fighters, whose allegiance is only to their own way of life.

Into this potential cauldron steps Viscount Weymouth, the elder son of Lord Bath, who has offered his services to the Anglican League.  Using his father's ancestral home of Longleat as his base, (his father has fled to Paris with his 'wifelets') he sets about raising his forces. These are all based on local villages and communities who owe their patronage to Lord Bath.

Horningsham and District Women's Institute
Warminster School CCF
Heytesbury Cricket Club
Sutton Veny Temperance League
B Div Wiltshire Constabulary
Old Sarum Detachment of the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps
Larkhill Battery Royal Museum Artillery

These will be stiffened by some territorial troops - A Coy Wessex Regt and C Sqn Wiltshire Yeomanry

Most of these figures have to be acquired but some are on the painting shelf.

Next I needed a battlefield to fight over.  I started out by deciding what a typical English village should have in it.  This will be built up over the next few weeks but I thought I would show you my first offering.  The home base of the Heytesbury Cricket Club.



The clubhouse.

Side View with sight screen

Close up of the pitch roller


That's my starter. Next up a few more buildings and then some painted figures.

Cheers

[Plynkes]

Interwar has gone a bit cricket-mad lately. Must be all the wonderful weather we've been having. 


Nice one.

[Doug ex-em4]

Ace pavilion, scoreboard, and sightscreen there....looking forward to seeing some more. Is the roller a doll's house accessory? Looks good.

Doug

[Hu Rhu]

Nice one.

Is the roller a doll's house accessory? Looks good.

Plynkes, Doug.  Thanks for the comments.

The roller is scratch built from a piece of balsa dowel with some fuse wire for the metal work and a cocktail stick handle.

[Doug ex-em4]

The roller is scratch built from a piece of balsa dowel with some fuse wire for the metal work and a cocktail stick handle

Good Lord - so it is...! Idea and method now shamelessly stolen.

Doug

[Yankeepedlar01]

The sight screen is a great touch! Add a Redoubt dog taking a leak for humour perhaps?

[Mason]

That is wonderful, Gary!
Love all of those elements.
The roller is a touch of inspired genius.
 

Good Lord - so it is...! Idea and method now shamelessly stolen.

Ditto!

Why did I not think of a Cricket Club myself before?
I am even making a willow-wielding fella at the moment and the thought STILL didn't occur.
D'oh!
 

[jp1885]

Fantastic work sir - bravo!
I too may have to snaffle your roller idea 

[Mick A]

Absolutely wonderful chap! Please let us know how you painted the clubhouse, that is some wonderful weathering!

[Hu Rhu]

Absolutely wonderful chap! Please let us know how you painted the clubhouse, that is some wonderful weathering!

A cheat I'm afraid.  I used one of Ebob's paper houses mounted on card and added the pillars out of wood. The building is the Commandant's Office from the Stalag Luft III game.  Link is here: http://www.ebobminiatures.com/products/downloads.htm

[Plynkes]

It makes for a very effective cricket pavilion nonetheless. I really like it.

It is just right, and has a sort of faded charm that sparks off old memories. I have spent many happy hours as a feckless teenager sitting on the verandas of such places, drinking cider with my friends when I really ought to have been doing something more productive. 

[Hu Rhu]

It makes for a very effective cricket pavilion nonetheless. I really like it.

It is just right, and has a sort of faded charm that sparks off old memories. I have spent many happy hours as a feckless teenager sitting on the verandas of such places, drinking cider with my friends when I really ought to have been doing something more productive. 

Thank you, I agree about the faded charm.  Now wait until you see what the cricketers come out like.  I am experimenting with various creams rather than straight white to get a faded look for them too.

[Rob_bresnen]

I used the same building as my cricket pavilion- you have just taken it to a much higher level with the little detail- well done.

[Hu Rhu]

I used the same building as my cricket pavilion

Rob, I'm not sure I have seen your pavilion and a quick search didn't bring me any luck.  Can you post a link? Always interested in other gamers ideas.

[Rob_bresnen]

I am not sure if I posted any pictures..basically it looked like yours but not as cool- I didn't make a score board, for example.