Marianas Gamer's Entry in the Build Something Contest

[marianas_gamer]

I am planning a Back of Beyond/Central Asia/India/Persia build for the contest.
LB

[OSHIROmodels]

And it'll be an interesting one 

cheers

James

[marianas_gamer]

I have decided over the last few years that in order to maintain my lead mountain (and wife's tolerance for my behavior and wargaming) at a tolerable level that I need to limit my gaming obsessions to Darkest Africa and the Back of Beyond. Now, mind you my BOB extends from Persia and the Caucasus well into Island South East Asia and the Pacific  .....and is severely tempted by Tribal to even include New Zealand (maybe Borneo and New Guinea will suffice) and chronologically ranges from 1890-1940. I have neither the skills, tools, or really, inclination to deal with aircraft. I mean, like any good Warlord, I feel that the damn dangerous things can be bought and maintained by Contractors. So without including fantasy elements I was feeling concerned on how I would build an entry into the BSC. Airfields in the BOB were damn minimal and would not be much of a build, particularly by LAF standards. After a number of pink gins, some Macallans and some navel contemplation I came up with the idea of building a Tower of Silence. These Zoroastrian towers are found from Persia through India and Uzbekistan. They are towers where the dead are placed to be defleshed by vultures and kites. Essentially they are a tower for birds. The only humans there are food for the flock. So with a theme around birds/flight I thought that I might meet the requirements and consulted (i.e. threw myself on my knees and begged profusely) with James and those who must be obeyed. They were quite kind or perhaps embarrassed by my performance (believe me it is not the first time - less so these days since I don't drink Jägermeister as often as I used to  ). Here are some examples of Towers of Silence from Persia to India and Uzbekistan.








I plan on building one that is compatible with my board and needs for gaming. This also gives me an excuse to finally paint up the wonderful vultures that I bought fro HLBS years ago.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I have decided over the last few years that in order to maintain my lead mountain (and wife's tolerance for my behavior and wargaming) at a tolerable level that I need to limit my gaming obsessions to Darkest Africa and the Back of Beyond. Now, mind you my BOB extends from Persia and the Caucasus well into Island South East Asia and the Pacific  .....and is severely tempted by Tribal to even include New Zealand (maybe Borneo and New Guinea will suffice) and chronologically ranges from 1890-1940. I have neither the skills, tools, or really, inclination to deal with aircraft. I mean, like any good Warlord, I feel that the damn dangerous things can be bought and maintained by Contractors. So without including fantasy elements I was feeling concerned on how I would build an entry into the BSC. Airfields in the BOB were damn minimal and would not be much of a build, particularly by LAF standards. After a number of pink gins, some Macallans and some navel contemplation I came up with the idea of building a Tower of Silence. These Zoroastrian towers are found from Persia through India and Uzbekistan. They are towers where the dead are placed to be defleshed by vultures and kites. Essentially they are a tower for birds. The only humans there are food for the flock. So with a theme around birds/flight I thought that I might meet the requirements and consulted (i.e. threw myself on my knees and begged profusely) with James and those who must be obeyed. They were quite kind or perhaps embarrassed by my performance (believe me it is not the first time - less so these days since I don't drink Jägermeister as often as I used to  ). Here are some examples of Towers of Silence from Persia to India and Uzbekistan.








I plan on building one that is compatible with my board and needs for gaming. This also gives me an excuse to finally paint up the wonderful vultures that I bought fro HLBS years ago.

WOW - never seen these before.

I look forward to seeing how your project develops.

Tony

[marianas_gamer]

I have started the tower structure taking my cue from the great Matakishi (and his disciples) and basing the build on cork tile. In the case of towers this is actually quite simple, cut out circles and stack them one on top of each other.

Here is the base of the tower.

Here is the surface where the bodies are defleshed and a well for temporary storage of bones.

Here is the stack that make the upper walls of the tower. Note that a door has not yet been cut.

Here is a decorative architectural element that will be located over the eventual door.

A side view of the base structure of the tower.

An overhead view of the tower structure.

My next step is to cut the door and install a ramp to the tower. Then I need to decide if I should base everything and whether I should do some greenstuff work or go straight to spackling the tower and ramp.
LB

[marianas_gamer]

Fighting off a dose of Delhi Belly, I stayed home from work today and finished the base structure of my Tower of Silence. The door is cut, everything is glued and the ramp has been built.  Here is a view straight on



Here is a view from the side.



Here is a view from the top.



I still have spackling, any greenstuff details I decide to do, painting the  structure, and painting the vultures and some human remains (still in transit to Guam).
LB

[marianas_gamer]

Based

[beefcake]

That's brilliant. I want to see more!

[AKULA]

Excellent.  A really interesting piece of terrain

 

[marianas_gamer]

Resident vultures of my Tower of Silence painted and ready to go.





This is moving much more quickly than I expected. I will post the structure after it has been spackled and that will be the last of the photos until the end of the contest. I am really enjoying the innovative ideas and builds being put out by the other contestants. There are a lot of very talented people on this forum!

[Vanvlak]

Very nice - and innovative. 
Where are the vultures from?

[marianas_gamer]

The vultures were by HLBS when they still had a large 28mm line (and some wonderful African animals). I bought these years ago when they were phasing the line out. Really quality minis that I do not believe are available anymore. I would love to be proven wrong as I want some of the Baboons.
LB

[Hammers]

I choose to believe, that you and I, my dear marianas, are two very likeminded fellows.

[Vanvlak]

The vultures were by HLBS when they still had a large 28mm line (and some wonderful African animals). I bought these years ago when they were phasing the line out. Really quality minis that I do not believe are available anymore. I would love to be proven wrong as I want some of the Baboons.
LB

Thanks - hope so too.

[Silent Invader]

A fascinating subject matter.

Very neat cutting: excellent