Strongpoint

Once I had based the model and added sand, flock, and tufts, it came to life in a very satisfying way.

Amongst other things, I am working on a water wagon, supplies stockpile, and mimosa bush to accompany this piece, and form what I think will be a fairly a substantial position.

The completed model with a Naval Brigade contingent, and the water wagon (Empress Miniatures) and supplies stockpile (Skytrex).

Strongpoint and HMS Hecla’s Naval Brigade

Uncharacteristically rapid progress with the conversion of the Afghan tower, and the Suakin strongpoint is pretty much done. It just needs basing. I’ll work out how to populate it later.

The energy spilled over into the next Empire units, Vice-Admiral Hewett and a couple of officers, and a 20 figure Naval Brigade company from HMS Hecla. These fellows are wearing sennet hats, usefully contrasting the company from HMS Carysfort. I’m looking forward to painting them, in tandem with the RMLI company.

But first I must finish the Hadendowa camel band (just needs basing), a band of rifle armed warriors, two bands of spear and sword armed warriors, and the Rub command group.

I’m really quite pleased with the way this turned out. Now it just needs basing.

The second Naval Brigade company, this one is from HMS Hecla.

Stongpoint: beginning to look the part

I have snatched an hour or two over the last couple of days to paint, shade, and highlight the strongpoint model.

The sandbags need finishing, and the bars on the door, a bit of tidying up (stray dry-brush bristles that need plucking from the surface, mostly), a little retouching, then base and we’re done. Not too shabby, and quicker than most of my work to-date.

Not too shabby … looking the part.

Strongpoint: more progress

I made a bit more progress with the strongpoint, assembling the platforms and fixing them to the upper section of the tower.

Inevitably some adjustment was required, and a couple of extra narrow planks to fill spaces, but it begins to look the way I imagined that it might.

The strongpoint model, and some the fortifications it is based on.

Strongpoint: progress

I set to work on the conversion of the Afghan tower. The most difficult part was the reduction of the height of the upper section, which required careful work with a junior hacksaw, followed by a lot of sanding. Being resin, a face mask was required … not that it felt that much different from the day-to-day of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work on the hourd followed: planking for the deck, shorter vertical planking for the waist-high railing, and short stout beams to support the entire assembly. All made from balsa wood. The hourd will be mounted just below the door in the upper section.

The tension between modeller and gamer surfaced once more when considering the width of the deck. I base individual figures on a 30mm square MDF tile, with a magnetic base. A deck around 30mm wide would have looked absurdly out of scale. The deck is 20mm wide, so I have resolved that the strongpoint’s garrison figures on will most likely either have minimal bases or be glued on to the model. The modeller within will triumph.

The parts of the hourd, and a dry run with Renedra sandbags.

Suakin–Berber railway strongpoint

In an earlier post [link] I said that I planned to make a small strongpoint of the kind built to protect the construction of the Suakin to Berber railway. In the meantime I discovered a model of an Afghan tower, made by Studio Miniatures, which appeared to have all the features I needed for the basis of my model.

While it will need some modifications and additions, in particular an external platform at the level of the mid-level door, it already looks the part.

Studio Miniatures’ resin Afghan tower.