Modeling Calamity

[Heisler]

Yes, that means exactly what it sounds like. I am building a model of my town of Calamity. I was having a hard timing visualizing what everything was going to look like. I didn't want to but saw to wood without have a really good idea of exactly what I wanted to do, so I borrowed another model railroad technique. Build a small scale model of what you want to build. The bulb went on when I stumbled across a packet of mattboard at Hobby Lobby. I grabbed that and a pack of clay and I was off to the races. More information can be found on my blog:  http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2013/03/modeling-calamity.html
And a picture of Phase I:

[Elbows]

Cool, so you're going to model a static town?

[pocoloco]

Oh wow, this is going to be a cool project to follow. Seems that you have it all planned out very nicely. And much kudos going for a set-piece town. Keep us updated!

[Blackwolf]

Looking forward to this

[Heisler]

I think the whole mini project is going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to getting home from work tonight and working out some of the terrain elevations, as well as the road and river locations. Hopefully there will be a few more photos to share later tonight.

I think I'm going to try for a combination of a static town along with removable buildings. I need it to be transportable I think being able to remove the buildings from the board is key for that, but I think mostly they will all go back into the same positions. Some of them will probably work out to be interchangeable since the buildings will be the same size. I suppose I could build what amounts to carrying cases for each board though but they might start to get pretty heavy at that point. Also being able to remove the buildings will allow me to build in some surprises for the players, I just finished watching the first season of the Wild Wild West and that had definitely provided me with a few ideas.

[Elbows]

What's your overall scale?  Are the squares representing 1x1 foot sections?  (so 6x4 ish?)

[Heisler]

The scale is 1/8" = 1" that makes the grid squares in the picture 1 1/2" square. Its a convenient scale to work in. It would have been nice to to step up to 1/4" = 1" but then it would have been to big to work with although measuring everything out would have been easier. Basically the size of the mattboard determined the scale.

[Admiral Benbow]

Sounds like an innovative approach, very interesting ...
 

[Heisler]

As much as I would like to lay claim to an innovative approach the model railroaders have been making scale models like this for decades to help build their model railroads.

[FifteensAway]

Hey, there, Heisler,

Can I call you a "gear" head?  I, too, am a military and railroad modeler so I can appreciate your post from that perspective.  I love that you have posited 25 buildings in your mock up.  Nothing wrong with all the small towns so many build but I love seeing the larger ones.  I am going for over 100 buildings in mine, though some of them are multiple buildings on a single base (also, must state that I am working in 15 mm so that isn't as daunting as some might think).  I also love that you seem to be heading towards some vertical elements in the terrain under the town - not just around the town.  I'm still trying to sort out that challenge.  But I do want there to be hills within the town, not just a flat space  -- before naming my town Anachronism I was toying with Rottenwood since a part of my inspiration comes from Deadwood.  And that place most definitely was (is?) not flat.

I do have one hopefully constructive comment on your mock up.  It appears that you have the front of all of your buildings facing the same way.  You might be doing that on purpose but I think a town will look better (and provide some alternative modeling elements) if you mix that up a bit.  Look forward to seeing your progress on this project.  And, boy do I understand the time element in building such a project.

Curmudgeon In Chief

[Heisler]

Well, since a "heisler" in railroad terms is a geared steam engine I suppose "gear" head is appropriate! The first pictures posted are a bit misleading. They were really taken to show off the buildings. I arranged them by manufacturer for the picture and that's definitely not how I'm imagine Calamity at this point.

I did have some time this week to work on the board a bit more and now you can see an actual layout coming into shape. I used pretty thin layers of clay so I can scrape it off if I need to. I probably won't it really didn't take much clay to get to this stage. I haven't worked in any higher elevations yet, although I did cut the stream in so there is some below ground level terrain represented.

Here are some pictures of where I'm at right now. If I decide I don't like the road and stream arrangement I'll just make another set of boards. I'll keep the buildings removable. There are more pictures on my blog http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2013/03/modeling-calamity-ii.html
And a few pictures here to wet your appetite:

[Thargor]

What a great idea.  Will watch this with interest.

[Elbows]

You know..if you do it well enough, I'd be tempted to keep the thing around as a small campaign map (who owns favor in what saloons, etc.).  Very cool stuff.

[Heisler]

That's a good idea, hadn't even considered that.

[Elbows]

Perhaps used as a map for the GM to give hints/tips to players etc.  I dunno, I'm sure you could find a use for it --- making it more worth your while.