Brécourt Manor - Part 3 Wicker Work and Plank Walls

In earlier posts I covered the design approach and then the building of the base board for the model I’m building to enable a refight in 6mm of the battle at Brécourt Manor by Easy co on D-Day. This blog post will look at the building of the trenches.

I had cut out and caulked a basic trench design into the base board and covered this with a layer of soil and tile mix. This gave me my base floor and colouring. Watching the Band of Brothers Day of Days episode I picked out a number of elements I wanted to recreate in my build. In no particular order these included plank walls, corrugated iron panels, wicker palisades, dug outs, sandbags and trench roofs. I'm covering the plank and wicker walls in this post.

For the trench wall where the 4 guns were placed I wanted to make them a more robust feature.  I figured that with the blast from the guns and the extended presence of the crew firing that they should be properly defined and well built. I decided to make the walls from planks. I used flat tooth picks cut length ways and thin off cuts to represent the supports. I used wood glue to stick them together and a coat of strong tone followed by a desert yellow drybrush.

For the trench sections I decided these would be mainly wicker walling. Building this was quite straightforward but a little bit tricky at first. I used cocktail sticks as the main posts, cut up staples for the middle panel uprights and thread for the wicker.

I put a bead of Blutack down about 4mm deep. I then inserted the cocktail sticks about 10mm apart and then 2 staple pieces between each post. These were painted dark brown. The thread was tied with a simple knot to one end and using tweezers threaded in and out. I found that I used between 16 and 20 runs of thread to make a palisade section about the right height.

I found the thread sprung back and tried to uncoil every two or 3 runs. I just needed to twist it at the end of each run to reduce this likelihood. I also left the uprights higher than I needed them to give me more room to play with.

I didn’t worry too much at this stage about the exact positioning of the thread. I used static grass glue to stiffen the thread and once wetted I found I could easily move the thread up and down the uprights, opening it up where needed and closing it up as appropriate. The glue, being tacky held things in place while it dried.

Once the glue dried the posts were trimmed to size and brown paint applied across the thread and tops of the posts. A drybrush of desert yellow completed the piece and I was able to use the points on the cocktail sticks to pin the piece in place on the board.

Any gaps between the wicker and the trench wall were then filled in and covered with the basing mix.

Next time its on to corrugated iron, sandbags and the dug outs.

Please wargame responsibly!

Charles the Modeller

Brécourt Manor - Part 2 The Base Board

The composite aerial image, contour map and trench sketch image I used to plan the build

In part 1 of my series of posts on Brécourt Manor I covered the design elements of my current project, a model of the German guns destroyed by Easy Co, 506th PIR on D-Day. This post will look at construction of the base board.

Although I intend to use 6mm scale figures at 1-2-1 representation, I have used a slightly bigger ground scale. In order to fit everything I wanted onto a 600m by 900mm board I’ve used a ground scale of about 1:550. Even so the actual manor itself is not on the board. I just want to concentrate on the fight for the guns and so need to give the US some room on the western side of the guns.

The base board and my tools

I picked up a 610 by 900mm 6mm ply sheet from a local DIY store. I coated both sides in PVA to (hopefully) prevent warping.

I screwed some 25mm by 25mm trim to the 4 edges, countersinking the heads. I then sanded the edges to make them smooth and fully flush. 

Flipping the board over so the trim was at the top I trimmed some 25mm polystyrene insulation board using a modelling saw and glued it between the battons.

Next I drew lines every 10cm, vertically and horizontally across the board. I then used the maps I’d created to mark the lines of the hedgerows. I believe on the actual field the hedgerows contain drainage channels or gullies, and that the German trenches used a set. However I decided it’s simpler to raise the hedges slightly and move the trenches out into the open for ease of play.

I glued down some cork along the hedgerow lines. 

Next I marked out the trench lines. I used a standard base size to assist with the size of the gun emplacements and widened the trenches to give me space to place infantry figures as well as trench walls. I intend to base figures on 8mm circular bases and so cut the trenches 15mm wide. 

I then cut them out with a modelling knife. The whole trench area is a fair bit larger than it was historically. However, as most of the action will take place here, I am happy to compromise with this oversized element.  

I went around with decorators caulk to fill in the gaps around the edge of the model, smooth out the hedgerow humps and give a solid surface to the trench system. Or at least I did for part of the model. I finished a tube of caulk and then started a new one and finished the work. I then spent a day or two with something niggling me slightly before I realised to my horror that the 2nd tube had been white silicone and not caulk. Cue banging my head for a day or two and cursing the manufacturer for almost identical tube markings.

OK so it has the product description in great big lettering but I went by colour and they're the same!

Whilst not ideal I decided I could live with it. It has subsequently been annoying where bits have had to be cut out causing more minor damage than necessary but I don’t think it’s going to be anything other than an inconvenience.

I gave the whole board a base covering of brown paint.  

Finally I applied a hardening layer of soil and tile mix on a PVA base with a watered down PVA overspray to protect the base and give the later layers of flock a soil coloured underlayer in the event of scrapes or thin coating.

This completed the base and I then began to model the trenches which I’ll cover in my next post(s). 

I took a lot of inspiration from watching videos by Luke APS off youtube. He has a whole range of videos out there and offers some awesome tips to modellers and gamers - well worth checking him out.

Happy gaming!

Charles the Modeller

Brécourt Manor - Part 1 Background

So I have been casting about for something to make after completing my Arnhem model. After looking at a range of projects I have finally settled on a Brécourt Manor board. Brécourt Manor is the site of the famous D-Day action undertaken by Lt Dick Winters and Easy Company against a battery of German artillery firing on Utah beach. Here’s a handy video from the TV series Band of Brothers.

I decidedly this looked like a decent project because it was different from Arnhem, was small enough to fit within my household space constraints, could be fought in 6mm, and would make a decent diorama or participation game. I know a number of people have modelled it before but none I've seen are in 6mm.

Whilst Arnhem was designed to be as accurate as possible I have taken a much more flexible approach to the design and build of this project. 

I started with the aim of fitting it onto a single 600 by 900mm board. I intend to represent each soldier and weapon on both sides individually using Adler and GHQ models in 1:285 or 6mm. The ground scale though is closer to 1:600. I have ignored the Manor itself which would be just off the board.

I looked at a number of very helpful websites to provide information on the battlefield and the battle. A review of all the information I could find resulted in a number of additional choices and compromises. 

A contour overlay from a very useful website, https://contourmapcreator.urgr8.ch/, clearly indicates that the entire battlefield is essentially flat. The contours are at 1m intervals and this combined with the high zoom mean the info is very much indicative and approximate. I have therefore decided to leave the board flat.

The location of the actual German positions were not in the field as shown in the TV series but within the hedgerow, most likely using a pre-existing drainage channel. Photos from the day and shortly after show minimal indication the Germans were there at all. However I don’t want the game to be any more fiddly than is has to be so I have moved the German positions out of the hedgerow.

There are also two schools of thought on the location of the guns themselves, with the position of the 1st gun disputed. Many sources, including the TV show, place the 3rd gun away from the other and facing west rather than north. Others place all the guns facing north. I’m not going to make a big deal about it but I’ve decided all 4 guns in the diorama will face north in a single line.

I have also moved the location of the bunker and ammo store to fit better with the model layout. I have helpfully stolen a trench map and overlaid it on my contour image as the basis for placing the trenches.

Adjusted sketch map of the trenches overlaid on satellite image. Squares = 10cm on the board

I am also unconvinced that the guns were covered by camo nets, but I’ll probably try and make some just to give it a go. They are likely to be removable and come off the model very quickly in a game because they will be fragile and just get in the way.

Next time I’ll talk about the building of the base board.

Keep your dice rolling!

Charles the Modeller

2019 Year in Review

Please bear with me whilst I indulge myself, a little bit late maybe, in an end of year retrospective but Xmas was a busy time. So at the end of my first year blogging I thought I’d have a review of the year and a look at what I hope to achieve wargaming wise over the year to come. 

2019 achievements

• I managed to post 25 blog entries across the year - almost 1 every two weeks. I’m very pleased that my initial enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed and that I can still find things to talk about!
• I completed a scale model of Arnhem and it got lots of appreciation from those that have seen it including exhibiting it at a couple of shows.
• I took my eldest son (he’s just turned 11) to Joy of Six and watched him have a most marvellous time with the games put on by Peter Riley and Dan Hodgson. Subsequently he joined me at Recon manning my participation game. I have high hopes he’ll engage more in the hobby over the next few years.
• Helped my friends develop a set of war game rules.
• Written and played several big piece WW2 scenarios including the Bulge and Arnhem
• Made a lot of trees
• Substantially completed the painting of my WW2 Russian army - just cavalry still to paint. Of course, until I need more. Obviously.
• Painted a small force of WW2 Americans
• Acquired a substantial amount of WW2 Germans
• Helped my son build a scale model of an Andersen shelter for his school homework, but really as an excuse to interest him in modelling.
• Ended the year as enthusiastic about wargaming as I was at the start. 

2020 ambitions

• Exhibit at the Joy of Six, hopefully alongside my friend Roly and his Chateau la Londe game
• Engage my eldest son more and teach him some basic war games.
• Introduce my other son to wargaming and modelling.
• Continue to produce this blog
• Produce another model or two - I’m currently thinking about building a small board to refight the battle at Brécourt.
• Paint up my early war German forces
• Refight some BEF and Barbarossa games
• See the war game rules published
• Play a lot more games and maybe expand the periods I game in. 

Keep gaming!

Charles the Modeller

Arnhem Bridge - side by side B&W

Having now finished the Arnhem model I'm having a bit of a modelling hiatus whilst I figure out what I'm going to do next. However I've had a bit of a play about with some photos, and as I've seen a number of wargamers do, I've decolourised them. Next I put them alongside some of the original aerial photos and I'm pretty pleased with the results. 

Enjoy!

Charles the Modeller

Fiasco 2019 After Show Update

The All Hell Let Loose crew debuted the Arnhem participation game and model that I've been developing over the last 6 or so months at Fiasco in Leeds. It was pretty hectic from my point of view but very enjoyable and I think the game we put on was a resounding success.

The All Hell Let Loose patent game storage system

Doubles up as a seat

We arrived just before 9, quickly found our spot and were rapidly deployed so that by just after 9:30 I was able to take a quick look around. The show was well laid out and there was plenty of space between tables, games and traders. I was particularly impressed by the Brexit game which looked amazing, had a great premise and by the regular shouts coming from the table sounded like a riot of a game. There were some great sci-fi, Napoleonic and WW2 games as well. I didn't really have a chance to look at them in too much detail as I was too preoccupied with running my game. 

Leeds wargaming club have some photos here and deserve a big pat on the back for a well run show.

Storm of Steel Wargaming have a short Fiasco video on youtube in which my game features and uses an image of the model as its stock image. Thanks guys!

A somewhat grumpy and less enthusiastic write up can be found here. My model doesn't feature in the only two games "worth photographing" so I promise I'll try to "do better" next year.

The game attracted a steady stream of interest and got lots of positive comments. A number of visitors said they had been following progress online which was also very pleasing as blogs tend not to get too many comments so its hard to know whether people are really reading them. So a big thank you to anybody who stopped by and stroked my ego!

That's me on the left.

The game itself was a simulation of Graebner's charge when the recon battalion of the 9th SS attempted to charge across the bridge and brush Frost and his men aside. It did not work out well for the Germans historically - Graebner, along with a significant number of his men, was killed, almost all his vehicles were destroyed and the formation shattered. 

The German assault encounters a bit of resistance!

Players got the chance to play Frost and his men whilst I played Graebner. To add a bit more fun to the party I came up with a scoring system and we had a Top Gear style Lap Time board to record the results. Players lost points for every German unit making it through to the end of the ramp, for every British casualty and for every turn the British player needed to destroy the Germans. In addition players gained a point for every vehicle destroyed with a single shot by PIAT or ATG fire and for withstanding an assault with no casualties by giving me a stirring battle cry. It wasn't really serious but it did add a bit of a challenge to what could be a very one sided fight which used a very truncated and abridged version of the All Hell Let Loose rules.

The top scoring players were Ellie and Joshy (aged 5 and 3) ably assisted by their tactical adviser dad.

I was able to run 9 games for 13 people and was particularly pleased that 5 of the players were children - my contribution to the fight against the greying of the hobby. I was also able to entice one player who hadn't gamed in years to give it a go as well. However the real highlight for me was playing with a gentleman whose father was at Oosterbeck at the same time this battle was going on. It brought a bit of a personal connection for me to the real battle for Arnhem.

I think everybody that gave it a go enjoyed themselves and the rules seemed easy to pick up - I had several players correcting me at points! Thank you to everyone who gave the game a go.

Further thanks to Dave, Roly, Mark and Jon for assisting me with transport, the rules, the game, the figures and being great company at the weekend. Thanks chaps!

Pleasingly I was also invited to 2 more shows. I'm hoping to take the game to more over the next year. At present these are

Recon - Pudsey on 7th December

Vapnartak - York on 2nd Feb 2020

Hammerhead - Newark 14th March

Partizan - Newark 17th May

Phalanx - St Helens 20th June

Joy of Six - Sheffield July

Hope to see you at one of these!

Charles the Modeller

Arnhem at Fiasco 2019

The All Hell Let Loose team and my Arnhem model will be at Fiasco in Leeds at the Royal Armouries on the 27th October 2019. We’ll be by Sally 4th, Colonel Bills and the Bradford Battletech Battalion.

We will be running a quick participation game using 6mm figures simulating Graebner’s charge across the bridge. You can see Richard Attenborough’s version here.

Please pop over, say hello, and give the game a go.

May your dice roll well!

Charles the Modeller