15mm south russian or ukrainian village

[fraction]

Over the last weeks I've put together a modular south russian / ukrainian village. Mainly intended for the summer of 1942, I have thought out a layout which give me satisfying options to have either a small or a larger village on the table. The village follows some featues I worked out to be prominent for many of the small settlements in the vast rural area in the region of interest. Key features that I was looking for were:

- a village oriented along a central road (linear settlement?)
- the unpaved road is very wide (in reall up to a 100m)

all in all the project is done for around 90%, here are some pictures:





Could not resist to set up some tanks:


I am quite happy so far. The size of the modules and the layout are a good compromise for me to depict distintive features of the real thing. It is flexible enough for variation. In addition I have some unbased buildings for larger villages. The rear areas of the enclosed plots will be left open, so I could either add a stripe of fense or bases with fields / barns.

So what is missing? will add more grass to the tiles and pigments for the road. The fencing for the church and a low stone wall for one of the plots will be added too. Last but not least I plan to add a lot more details, like some livestock, wagons, firewood, etc.

Cheers Robin

[OSHIROmodels]

Looks great 

[FlyXwire]

Fraction,

These modules look super!  I like your 'groundwork up' approach to designing a multi-scenario terrain kit here (nice forethought).

One flocking feature you could consider, would be straw/manure piles outside most of the huts....the goats and family animals were often co-housed in these living dwellings (a ready source of lice btw), and the manure spoil inevitably ending up outside the doorways, before it could be shoveled into the garden plots (sometimes the piles got huge and scaled to the overhanging straw roofs).

Not sure manure piles are something you want to model though. 

Please keep us updated on your progress - this is looking very sharp!

[Truscott Trotter]

Looks great. I have several of those buildings myself they are excellent.

For additions I would like to small trees and shrubs along the fence lines and longer tufts of grass there too.

Hay/manure stacks and bits of timber, wells ans carts

The pictures I have seen of Russian villages were not as 'neat n tidy' as those in Western countries

[Bravo Six]

WOW!  Nice work there.

[cuprum]

Great job. Here you can play games from the 16th century until the Second World War.
FlyXwire for cattle there were special buildings (barns) - no one kept animals in the house)))
There are not enough additional buildings - barns, baths, wells, canopys (under which haystacks, carts are usually stored, horses are standing in the heat). In addition, in these areas it is customary to grow extensive orchards, watermelon, pumpkin and other gardens.

[SJWi]

Very nice. Can you tell me the manufacturer(s) of the buildings please?

[fraction]

Thanks guys!

Details will follow, as I stated.

I am aware, that there should be several additional buildings for each of the houses. I felt the need to abstract this, as the bases would be too crowded with all the buildings. I have some more small scratch built sheds etc. I will add, but not every plot will get it's additional outbuildings.

Manure piles, pumpkins and melons are good hints I have not thought of yet, but these will find their way on the boards.

If you are looking for the real thing, this is the most detailed information I could find:


Though its for bessarabia (where my ancestors lived 19th century to 1941) it should give the general idea for rural farm organisation.

Could translate it if needed, but basically there are four main buildings, most divided for the different purposes.

@SJWi: the buildings on the six bases in the left are from a really nice guy from france: https://neveu.blog4ever.com/articles seems a bit outdated and dont be hessitated by the french language. If you contact them they will reply in english. It was really nice to deal with them and the quality is top notch. The smaller destroyed buildings and the church are from Mark IV: https://www.ecwid.com/store/markiv/Fury-on-the-Steppes-15mm-Scale-c1441075 these are also quality buildings.

Best Regards
Robin

[cuprum]

I think these will be useful pictures for inspiration 

https://yandex.ru/images/search?text=%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B5%20%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%2C%20%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0%20%D0%B8%20%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80&from=tabbar

[fraction]

I think these will be useful pictures for inspiration 

https://yandex.ru/images/search?text=%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B5%20%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%2C%20%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0%20%D0%B8%20%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80&from=tabbar

Those are romantic! Huge difference in the mood compared to the b/w wartime pictures you see from either side! But wattle fences are a nice addition too. Thank you for that!

Robin

[FlyXwire]

Robin,

Here's an authentic color photo taken in the Ukraine during the summer of 1942, reported to be of Gen. Paulus heading into his headquarters near Poltava (for the grit and spoiled look of wartime izbas) -

[Truscott Trotter]

That's an impressive pile of manure - that house must belong to an important person!
'(I did read somewhere recently that was the measure of a farmers importance - not sure if it was Poland, Russia or Italy now  )