Makers of resin Dark Age buildings

[Atheling]

Grand Manner is indeed spendy, but their quality is a worthy compliment to your gorgeous miniatures.

Exactly my point really- you want the best to go with your beautifully painted models, yeah?

Darrell.

[Captain Blood]

Well yes - except stylistically, the GM Dark Age buildings are a bit of a mish-mash of different styles and cultures, whereas I prefer a more coherent look to my villages

Thanks all, for your excellent suggestions. Keep 'em coming!

I think what I may do, in the interests of research and advancing the corporate knowledge of LAF, is to buy a sample building or two from each of the ranges I like the look of, and then see what we think...

My favourite buildings are still the Gripping Beast ones. Very sturdy and IMHO the best for the (5th -6th C) period.

Thanks Willie. The astonishing things about the Gripping Beast Dark Age buildings is that they appear to be incredibly cheap - like £10 - £12 each (as opposed to a range of £20 - £30 each for equivalent mid-sized 'houses' from several of the other manufacturers). How can they do them so cheaply I wonder? And can the quality really be any good at that price? We shall see...

Sod resin, you want some lovely bespoke terrain that would be the envy of your friends 

Ah, James... If only I could afford your rates 

(Plus, what draws the eye is a mat of bedraggled teddy bear fur... I'm just not convinced... I think I prefer the solidity of resin thatch...  )

I do like your smokehole though

Gotta say, the Curteys ones do look very nice...

Hmmm...

[Captain Blood]

Since we are building quite a good list - and we don't have many medieval stickies - I have now made this topic sticky.
Do keep adding to it. Pics would be good too if you have any from the various manufacturers...

[Dr DeAth]

I do like your smokehole though

That's not a phrase you here every day of the week

[Malamute]

That's not a phrase you here every day of the week

Maybe in Cumbria?

[Mason]

Maybe in Cumbria?

 

Might be a good place to start looking for some Dark Age buildings too.
 

[katie]

My understanding is that the buildings shouldn't have holes in the roof. For two important reasons; 1 -- when it rains it drips on your fire. But MUCH more important is that 2 -- it turns the house into a blast-furnace; the hot air rises rapidly out of the top, cool air is pulled into the base of the fire which fans it, making it hotter... and eventually it sets the roof on fire.

See pictures at; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Stow_Anglo-Saxon_village

(It's worth a visit if you're passing and interested in the era.)

[Dr. Zombie]

Where the smokehole is placed is a hotly debated subject amongst archaeologists. And it has become almost religious. There are those who believe the smokehole to be in the roof and those who believe it to be at one end of the building and those who believe there is one at either end.

For wargaming purposes I can live with either sollution. Truth is we will never know.
Not until my timemachine is perfected. Those unconsidderate Dark ages people did not leave any buildings standing for us to study. Or perhaps it is the people inbetween the dark ages and now who were inconsidderate?

[Eric the Shed]

You clearly weren't taken with my PMC ones then? Now sold by Caliver




Its all right Richard - I'll forgive you

 

[OSHIROmodels]

Interesting about the smoke hole. I always thought it was away from the fire along the ridge but with a protective couple of planks to stop the rain falling in (but where those planks would go and how the rain would be stopped is any man's guess  On top would be a good option).

Maybe in Cumbria?

Shut it frog boy 

cheers

James

[Captain Blood]

You clearly weren't taken with my PMC ones then? Now sold by Caliver




Its all right Richard - I'll forgive you

 

They're not bad Giles... And they are cheap 
I have quite a few of the PMC half-timbered and tiled buildings for C15th - C18th (and beyond).
Just think the PMC Dark Age buildings look a wee bit on the square and regular side for Dark Age huts... I see them as a bit more organic-looking somehow... Slightly more primitive (yes, I know the Dark Ages weren't actually primitive at all, but that's how I see the buildings, alright?  )

[Atheling]

Interesting about the smoke hole. I always thought it was away from the fire along the ridge but with a protective couple of planks to stop the rain falling in (but where those planks would go and how the rain would be stopped is any man's guess  On top would be a good option).

I'm certain that the smoke filters through the thatching from the fire in the houses.

Many houses as late as the Late Middle Ages didn't have chimneys. It wasn't really until the Tudor period that they became more numerous.

Darrell.

[Mason]

Shut it frog boy 

 

[Lowtardog]

Cap`n those GB buildings must have been out for some 15 years I reckon since the Pattens ran the company, the cost as I understand it is in recouping the cost of the mld after that its pure profit or almost

[Silent Invader]

I'm certain that the smoke filters through the thatching from the fire in the houses.

Many houses as late as the Late Middle Ages didn't have chimneys. It wasn't really until the Tudor period that they became more numerous.

Darrell.

That is what I'd thought as well.

And West Stow is definitely worth a visit.