Boxer Rebellion project re-emerges, page 11, tiny update

[FifteensAway]

Richard, I was browsing this thread looking to see if you've posted any photos of your wall with any of the Blue Moon buildings - didn't find one.  But did find where I'd said I was ordering a damaged wall section or two from Blue Moon.  On Sunday I was able to see how they fit and they only match to the legation walls that come as separate pieces - they DO NOT match to any of the specified nation legation walls or the Chinese walls.  So, I can use them for damaged sections of my "German" legation but will have to find other ways to represent damaged sections of the other walls.  I expect I'll follow Hollywood's example and create some 'scrim screens' to represent damaged walls or maybe some sort of 'destroyed state' drapery to lay over a 'destroyed' section of wall.  Hmm, that last thought is tempting - and probably a lot easier, maybe some tulle painted black (or bought black?) might do the trick.

[War In 15MM]

I don't have one of the damaged walls by Blue Moon, but would I be correct that the problem is length rather than height?  If it is length rather than height you could cut one of the original walls so that it is two pieces rather than one with one of the pieces the length of the damaged wall then you just plug the piece you need in when needed.  To be honest that's not the approach I would take... lack of courage.  I would simply building a plastic section of wall so that the plastic section plus the ruined wall section are equal in length to the original section.  I've done enough of these now to know that it wouldn't be hard.  The exterior of most of the walls can be reasonably matched using JTT O scale brick (97423) the interior skeleton would either be 255 or 256 Evergreen square tube... depends on the thickness of the wall.  The tile on the top of the walls is JTT HO scale Spanish tile.   If you are doing the wall for the Japanese legation you would need to use JTT HO scale Random Course Stone for the exterior of the wall.  To make the firing steps I would use one of the Evergreen V-groove sheets (4125 is good)  for most of it and other Evergreen pieces as needed for side support and planking.  If you need a stone look use some JTT O scale Random Course Stone.  If you decide to make your own ruined walls make the rubble out of a mound of Milliput (yellow grey/the red and white box) and score it using an old tooth brush (a little rough on the teeth and gums if you use the one you actually brush with) and chop up some random plastic bits to stick in the Milliput.    I do all my cutting with scissors and a little hobby. 

[FifteensAway]

Richard, you are right - I could rebuild the walls.  BUT!  This is already too massive a project so I'll find other ways.  Though might try a cast of an existing wall and then 'destroy' the casting.  Or maybe another trick up my sleeve which I can't reveal publicly at this time...maybe.

Did realize an easily corrected miscalculation on the wall bastions which will need buying in some more moulding to cut to match - my 'matched' pieces that but up against the wall were a bit narrower than needed.  Easy fix but a little more time. 

[War In 15MM]

Always more to do.  When I begin one of these project I like to guess/project how long it will take to complete.  After all these years I'm usually in the ballpark in terms of time, but it seldom take less time than projected and often more.  When I did my 28mm spaceport the amount of time actually nearly doubled because so much became available during the projected that hadn't been available during the planning.  Anyway, I ramble.  Good luck.  Post pictures of the Tartar Wall when you can.

[traveller]

Fantastic! Looking forward to see more!

[War In 15MM]

FifteensAway, the wall is looking good!

[FifteensAway]

The link to the blog again: http://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/boxer-rebellion.html.  With a little luck and a lot of effort on other higher priority tasks (real life stuff), I'll start gluing the walls together this weekend.

[War In 15MM]

FifteensAway, I noticed that your placement of the buildings in the US legation compound is different from what is shown in the Blue Moon picture.  Have you found period pictures that have guided you in your placement of those buildings?  I've been looking, and I can't find a picture from the period to guide me.

[FifteensAway]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China_-_Peking._American_Legation.jpg

I guess, if it works, I'll let the above link be my answer to your inquiry.

It is abundantly clear to me that a great deal of artistic license is necessary to set up the Legations in a 'historical' manner.  Is the image from the time of the siege, before, or after?  Since little or know damage, I'd say before.  But with so many Marines, I'd say after.   From one map of the legation to another, things move around - including whole legations (like the Dutch one, for example).  I do try, to the extent I can, to use photographic imagery but it is a limited resource.  I doubt there are ten people alive on the planet who would know if your set up was correct or not.

I wish I could find more of the French aerial photographs of Peking in 1900 - assuming there are more -  and I suspect there are.  Or maybe a way to enlarge the photo showing the Forbidden City with the legations in the background, that would be very cool.

This link has actual photos of small parts of the Legation area (damaged) and even one of Legation Street if not the legations themselves:

https://www.google.com/search?q=aerial+photographs+of+the+Peking+legations+in+1900&client=safari&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:Ca0dR5jEC2N7IjgFT4ThdQ9aifXyiPZPJQ-gzLk329JiBYobzJEGevAfS1zsV4slEgwqBEjyrDup9WQa8ill7c75KCoSCQVPhOF1D1qJEWReiQnH4d8oKhIJ9fKI9k8lD6AR4xkBPDEiXAIqEgnMuTfb0mIFihGolriGa-ZzPioSCRvMkQZ68B9LEYtzW14clW90KhIJXOxXiyUSDCoRZF6JCcfh3ygqEgkESPKsO6n1ZBHgnsVQnGTFWSoSCRryKWXtzvkoEVA5bMFD4BEZ&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjoxI_o7cLbAhUFE3wKHfcnCYUQ9C96BAgBEBg&biw=1240&bih=633&dpr=2#imgrc=_

The internet opens up wide possibilities - and sets some hard limits.

[War In 15MM]

FifteensAway, that picture of the US legation compound is exactly what I was looking for.  Thank you.
My work this week was focused on constructing the pre-siege walls for the US legation compound.  This was by far the most difficult of the wall constructions because the tile tops on each wall come to a central peak rather than a single slope that is the case with the other tile-toped walls.  The other problem was the fact the US legation’s walls do not form a simple rectangle, but have a few walls at odd angles with others and those were tough to bring together.  Next up is the fifth legation, the British.  It is the largest, but the walls appear to be rather simple in their construction. 
IMG_1834 by Richard Garretson, on Flickr

[FifteensAway]

Looking good.  With your wall and five legations and only a 5' x 7' table - and your hotel, however that turns out - and any other buildings in the mix, you are going to have a crowded board.  What astonishes me is your drive and accomplishment in creating two sets of the same board, one pre-siege and one siege.  Even with any compromises you make, that is an extraordinary above-and-beyond level of effort.  And you are easily one of the few across the planet who regularly goes above-and-beyond and I think this time you are going above-and-beyond even yourself.  Keep going, many of us will be thrilled with your final achievement, I'm certain.

[War In 15MM]

FifteensAway, thank you so much for the kind words... you are always very generous.  I may have mentioned earlier that I don't think I realize how demanding building the pre-siege walls for the five legation compounds would be.  I'd like to think that I will complete the British legation walls by the end of next week... could be a little longer.  With it done the construction of all the pre-siege walls will be complete.  I think it will have involved a month or more of serious work, but as I come to a close I glad I did it.  When I set the collection up I will do it on two 5 ft x 7 ft tables.  One will be the pre-siege table with the city undamaged and one will be the legations under siege with lots of city destruction.  I'm hoping I do the figure painting some justice, but the big attraction for me is all the great structures.  I'm really drawn to that kind of thing.  Even with my Little Big Horn collection I made a big Indian village.  I think the two table/before and after approach to the Boxer Rebellion will allow for a very smooth photo session and an interesting result in the end. 
By the way, yesterday I got my last significant shipment of Blue Moon Boxer Rebellion structures.  That included the Austrian legation building which is likely to be my Hotel de Peking (very nice piece... as you know), and the Mission Building from the British legation.  Last night and this morning I worked on unbunkering the newly arrived Mission Building for use with my pre-siege British legation... looks pretty good so far.
Richard

[War In 15MM]

Pictures from the Old West sent... hope you got them.  While searching for the buildings I found a dozen nice unused 15mm barricades (probably originally from my Rorkes Drift project) that will now find their way into Peking.  A successful search on more than one level.  I'll get the list of what's available at Brookhurst when I visit tomorrow.

[FifteensAway]

No pictures in PM, no pictures in email - were they snail mailed?! 

Glad to here you plan to set up two tables - will be a lot easier to move figures and buildings back and forth and save a lot of time. 

[War In 15MM]

The pictures were sent.  They may have been too big to go through.  I'll post them here.IMG_1836 by Richard Garretson, on FlickrIMG_1838 by Richard Garretson, on FlickrIMG_1839 by Richard Garretson, on FlickrIMG_1837 by Richard Garretson, on FlickrIMG_1840 by Richard Garretson, on Flickr