Author Topic: Vauban fort - updated w/FIELDWORKS - Feb 6 (Read 5557 times)

DintheDin · « **Reply #15 on:** November 01, 2019, 06:47:41 AM »

This is an epic job! Congrats!
I'll be following this thread with great interest!

Mad Guru · « **Reply #16 on:** November 03, 2019, 04:23:21 AM »

DintheDine: I can't tell you how happy it made me to read your comment, which I take as a tremendous compliment! Your own amazing Vauban fortress, which you BUILT FROM SCRATCH, was a big inspiration for me on this painting project, so thank you very much!

I just posted the 7th and final part of my painting process on my blog.

It details how I finally figured out the solution to the problem of the breached wall section, inspired by the timely arrival of Ian Weekley's 1989 book on military modeling:

There's more written and photographic detail on my blog, at this LINK:

https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2019/11/painting-vauban-ch-vii-once-more-into.html

Meanwhile, here's a few visual highlights:

Happily, the friend I painted this fortress for has Kindly agreed to allow me to keep it on hand until after I manage to organize and play at least one siege game with it. It will probably be a F&IW game, with the French occupying the fort at one far end of the table, under siege by British forces, while a French relief column marches from the far end of the table. The relief force, led by Voyagers and Indian allies, will have to cross a river, through a forest, and over or between some rocky high ground before reaching the siege lines, and along the way an ambush force of British Rangers and their own Indian allies.

FifteensAway · « **Reply #17 on:** November 03, 2019, 05:14:04 AM »

"Thanks very much, but as a follower of your own recent Peking Legations/Boxer Rebellion efforts, I think this project is somewhat dwarfed in size and scope by your own, despite your inferior scale! Whoops, sorry, I of course meant to say smaller scale!"

Ah, the joys of repartee. Afraid some of the 'cousins' don't quite get this American style of banter. Hope they do in Canukistan.

The Ian Weekly book was a nice find.

Ah, if only I had time to work on the Boxers (and the FIW, the AWI, the Old West - and the model railroad). I guess, in comparison across the varied scales, my Boxer project is a bit large with a couple score and more buildings in tact and more destroyed plus the six legations and the now built Tartar Wall.

Had the joy of the distraction of dealing with elderly father being evacuated from house to ER and then the hospital itself evacuated due to the Kincaide fire. All back and settled safely at home as of Thursday night. At this point, the holidays are going to be a great interference. But there is hope. Eventually.

Back to the project - wonderful to see it finished and at least with some figures.

Screenwriter, hunh? Very cool. I have aspirations in that direction but probably another arena of endeavor that will be delayed until retirement - with all that entails in the youth focused world of movie making. Curious changes in that whole world with lots of opportunities going away and lots of others opening up (traditional studios versus the upstarts of late).

Mad Guru · « **Reply #18 on:** November 03, 2019, 06:59:53 AM »

Oh, man, the fires. I didn't know you were also in California, albeit much farther North. Very happy to hear your father was moved out of danger and is safe and sound. I'm in Studio City, at the south edge of the San Fernando Valley. We've had fires to the North, South, and West, but as of yet nothing close enough to be a serious threat or force evacuation, thankfully. Just some smoke in the air and occasional ash. Re: screenwriting... I know I'm very lucky to make a living telling stories. And yes, it has been a... dynamic time in the industry, this past decade or so, really since the aftermath of the 2007-2008 Writers Guild strike. Lots of change, for the worse and better, depending on your very specific work experience and point-of-view. My writing and producing partner and I carry on carrying on, for which I'm thankful.

Holiday interference in your plans... ah yes, time. The most evasive of treasures! The youngest of my 3 children is a high school senior. This time next year my wife and I will be "empty-nesters" and the rumor is, despite still working constantly, I will have more free time to potentially spend on the hobby. I hope that will be the case!

Thanks for the compliments on the Vauban paint job. Re: our repartee -- my first metal wargame armies were 15mm Mikes Models! Somewhere I still have a sh#t-ton of 15mm Medieval English, French, Scottish, & Low Countries armies, plus a big homemade 15mm castle system, and 15mm Afghan & Anglo-Indian 2nd Afghan War armies... and my brother's 15mm Samurai armies! So I really don't have anything against the so-called "one true scale" AKA: 15mm. But... I don't think I've played a game with 15mm figures since the end of the Reagan administration.

Mad Guru · « **Reply #19 on:** November 27, 2019, 02:20:45 AM »

Not content to leave well enough alone, I added a grander gatehouse to the commercially purchased Vauban fortress I painted for a friend, which was originally designed by Ian Weekley. I used an arch from the Kobblstone Miniatures Mediterranean collection of model buildings. Sadly Kobblestone is not currently selling their stuff at this time, but hopefully they will get back in business some day.

For anyone interested, here's a LINK to the post I just put on my blog, and thanks in advance should you choose to visit:

https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2019/11/new-luxury-gatehouse-for-vauban-fortress.html

Here's the inspiration that pushed me to find something grander:

...and here's a few pics of my final results:

FifteensAway · « **Reply #20 on:** November 27, 2019, 05:08:59 AM »

I like the new gatehouse. Did you (or your friend) choose the gatehouse to be a different color than the other walls or still working to match to the rest (I skimmed the blog post so hope I didn't miss the answer there!)?

Atheling · « **Reply #21 on:** November 27, 2019, 08:59:02 PM »

It look amazing

Emir of Askaristan · « **Reply #22 on:** November 28, 2019, 06:40:16 AM »

Oh I do like that gate house! Very nice indeed.

DintheDin · « **Reply #23 on:** November 28, 2019, 11:22:01 AM »

I like the gate house but also how you managed the rubble of the damaged wall section.

Mad Guru · « **Reply #24 on:** December 02, 2019, 01:05:59 AM »

Many thanks for the positive feedback Darrell, Emir of Askaristan, & DintheDin, it's very much appreciated!

FifteensAway...

Oh man, I had struggled with that color mismatch and decided to just let it be. I used the exact same colors on the fancy gatehouse as on all the other pieces, from the spray-paint base-coat on. I think the darker look is due to the rougher stucco texture, as opposed to the smooth brickwork on the Vauban pieces, giving it some built-in shadow. It bugged me but I had already done the weathering wash so I decided to let it go and put the finishing spray sealer on the gatehouse before posting about it. Then I saw your comment... which was simply an honest observation and a good question. So I emailed my buddy who I painted all this for, and he wrote back saying he hadn't noticed before but it would look better if it was lighter, so... I did a test on one of the low side walls to see how fresh paint would look atop the sealer and it looked fine. So I did another 2 lighter coats of paint. It's still not a perfect match but it's lighter and a closer match to the rest of the fortress. When I first read your question I was a bit bummed, but I got past that fast and must thank you for helping me improve the look of the gatehouse. Thank you my friend & fellow California resident!

Here's a before & after comparison pic...

...and a few more pics of the lightened version:

FifteensAway · « **Reply #25 on:** December 02, 2019, 02:05:40 AM »

First, didn't mean to cause any angst. But the newer version does blend better - and still works with the slight color variation, can just be that they wanted the gatehouse to stand out a bit (rather than a lot), makes it seem more like the pieces were designed to work together. Good job! I'm sure your friend will be delighted to play using that beautiful bit of work.

Atheling · « **Reply #26 on:** December 02, 2019, 07:04:53 AM »

Yeah, I like the latest version too.

I did enjoy taking a peek at those Mediterranean buildings too- some useful ideas there

Battle Brush Sigur · « **Reply #27 on:** December 05, 2019, 06:53:07 PM »

Great effort! Thanks for all the step-by-step explanation. This is a great centrepiece (or table in itself!)

Mad Guru · « **Reply #28 on:** January 25, 2020, 12:54:18 AM »

Thanks very much for all the kind comments! And to FifteensAway, fear not my friend, any and all hobby-related angst I suffer is entirely self-inflicted! I'm just happy you reinforced my own honest opinion!

After some procrastination caused by fear of doing more harm than good, I finally added a coat of weathering wash to the luxury gatehouse. I managed to avoid disaster and am very happy with how it turned out, as I think it's finish is now a much closer match to the rest of the fortress. I also redid the basing on some F&IW canoes to match my current green-tinted resin rivers, rather than the old blue-painted rubber rivers they were originally done for a decade or so ago. If interested in seeing some photos and reading a few more details, please click on the LINK below, and thanks for your time if you choose to do so!

https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2020/01/vauban-gatehouse-weathered-canoes-go.html

Meanwhile, here's a few pics:

It's possible I may be able to get one siege game in using the fort and the somewhat extensive siege-works to go with it that I've painted up for a gaming friend, before I have to pack it all up and send it to him. If I can't manage that I think I will still try to take some better quality pics of a pantomime siege.

FifteensAway · « **Reply #29 on:** January 25, 2020, 04:42:33 AM »

Loverly. Or, now that you've adjusted the color of the gatehouse I can focus on the roof tiles which I did not before - which tells me you did it right. As to the tiles, they make me think of a copper roof turned to verdigris. Though probably just green tiles. Very nice.

Really like your green waterways and the new canoes bases blend very well.

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Author Topic: Vauban fort - updated w/FIELDWORKS - Feb 6 (Read 5557 times)