This is a quick post
in my series on my build of Brécourt Manor. Earlier posts have covered the
trenches. This time I’m covering the guns themselves.
I’m using GHQ
models, G54 105mm Howitzer to represent the guns. The models are pretty pricey
- 2 deployed guns, 2 towed guns and 2 tractors in each £12 pack. For the 4 guns
I needed two packs. Costly but very detailed and quite beautiful. I also can’t
justify gluing them permanently on the model - I need them for my other
battles.
GHQ model and painting, copyright GHQ and Magister Militum
To use them on the
model I cut bases to fit into each of the gun pits. I used 1.5mm plasticard cut
exactly. To represent the prepared position I decided the guns would be mounted
on top of wooden planks. I had a quick go at scoring balsa wood but the narrowness
of the lines made the whole thing very tricky.
However I found a
pack of staples in our stationary drawer. I simply cut the staples into 3 and
using some gorilla glue and laid them out roughly on the bases.
These were then
painted with desert yellow and a strong tone ink wash. I used Adler extras including spent shell casings and ammo boxes. The base was then
covered in an earth and grout mix.
The guns themselves
were sprayed with a sand undercoat, heavy desert yellow drybrush, military
shade with skeleton bone highlights.
Next time I’ll look
at the rusted truck and vegetable patch.
Welcome to another
blog post on my model of Brécourt Manor, based heavily on the look from the TV
show Band of Brothers. In the last post I talked about building plank and
wicker walls, this post will look at corrugated iron, the dug outs and
sandbags.
To make the
corrugated iron palisade walls I used cut down toothpicks as posts and
aluminium foil for the corrugated sheets. I found a really helpful video online
which started me off.
Whilst the youtuber
was using tin from a take out tray, I didn't have any to hand so I substituted
aluminium foil instead. I folded some foil over until it was about 8 ply. I
adjusted the height to size, about 5mm high. Then I used a cocktail stick to score
lines in the foil. I painted it completely with rust coloured paint and then
gave a heavy dry brush up and down with platemail. I used a strong tone wash
and added the odd ash grey highlight. By going up and down this hopefully
conveys the idea of rust and water running down the sheet. I then glued the
posts to the foil and placed them in the model trench.
I included two dug
outs in the trench system, the command/ radio bunker where Lt. Winters found
the map recording all the German artillery positions and an ammo store.
The command/ radio
bunker I made larger. I decided to wall this as if it was lined with logs, just
to add variety to the model. The logs are simulated by 1mm diameter leather
cord strands which I laid next to each other and then used PVA to glue together.
I covered the cord with Oak Brown paint and gave a Desert Yellow drybrush.
I used the spoil on
the sides to raise the overall height of the bunker and for there to be an
opening on the south side looking out into the field.
I intend to create
an ersatz desk and radio station but that will be later in the build.
I cut out the ammo
store and just covered the walls with the earth layer. The ammo crates are from
Perfect Six Miniatures.
I built removable
roofs for both bunkers. Again I decided to simulate logs laid side by side.
This time though I used cocktail style toothpicks just over 1mm in diameter.
These were laid side by side, PVA'd and then covered in the earth mix and
flocked with Woodland Scenics fine turf.
I put the
sandbagson the model in place last.
Outside the trench I used a bead of flexible filler covered with the base mix
to simulate the spoil from the trench. I set this back from the trench edge by
a couple of mm.
Between this spoil I put a single depth, single width line of
sandbags. The TV episode showed sandbags on the edge of the trench and it helps
give the model trench definition. I also thought they might be being stored
there for when needed or were bolstering the defence and preventing the spoil
being washed back into the trench.
I made my sandbags
using air drying clay. Mel the Terrain Tutor has a really good video on making
sandbags. He’s working at a bigger scale but the principle was spot on. I made
my sausage 1.5mm wide and gently flattened it to 2mm before using a cocktail stick
to mark the individual bags 3mm apart.
I found the lengths would often split after
about 4 to 6 sandbags. Once dry, again the lengths would easily break apart at joins if you
weren’t careful. However this often worked to my advantage as the ground
changed direction and was uneven. I just placed a little PVA down and then
gently pushed with my finger. The lengths generally broke at a sandbag join and
could then be easily adjusted.
Once in place I
coated them with PVA to harden then and a quick coat of skeleton bone and a
strong tone wash gave me a great result.
Finally I used several
sandbag lengths from Perfect Six Miniatures on the entrance to the trenches at
the western edge.
Next time I'll look
post a quick update on the guns themselves.
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.
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.
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.
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
