Saturday 5 September 2020

The post arrived and Sci-Fi terrain project wraps up

Today I was going to be writing up the latest game report from my WW2 Western Desert campaign. But all plans were cast aside as the post arrived with the latest copy of "Programmed War-game Scenarios" by C.S. Grant. Once upon a time I owned this book back in the 1980's and somehow managed to lose it while moving house and country. So it was great to buy the new reprint from Cavalier Books. I have started reading through the chapters and scenarios, after the obligatory skipping through the pages thinking that looks interesting, and oh I look forward to reading this. I must say I do like the size of the book, it is magazine size and is nicely laid out making it easier to read.

A battle report has yet to be written up for the last WW2 Western Desert game.

The distraction that arrived in the post this weekend.

During the week I was able to complete a few chimneys and a crane. I hope these will to add to the industrial look and feel of my sci-fi wooden block terrain. The chimneys were made from some old cardboard tubes I had saved in the hope that one day they may prove useful. 

I cut the tubes and stuck on an MDF base and a cardboard top. The top was trimmed once the glue was dry. These were finished off they same way as all my terrain for this project with a paint of grey, printed details such as ladders stuck on, a quick wash of black, before using caulk pastels to add some rust and tone to the features.

The crane was made from some left over wood and made so it can reuse a chimney by sitting on top of the structure.

A couple of recently completed chimneys. They fit quite nicely on to the existing buildings to turn them into factories, rather than habitats. 

A chimney on its own.

Old cardboard tubes were used for the chimneys.

An MDF base was glued to the bottom and cardboard at the top and later trimmed once the glue had dried.

The crane fits on to a chimney

Having set up the terrain to take photos it was to good an opportunity not to have a quick skirmish game using One-Hour Skirmish Rules. It also allowed me to use my newly painted gang of squat mercenaries.

Squat mercenary gang

The heavily armed and armoured gang have been employed by the local merchant house to defend a recent shipment of contraband goods overnight.

The squats are tasked with guarding the contraband.

News about the contraband has leaked and a local gang has decided to try and steal it. However, they have to quickly overcome the defenders as the local enforcers will likely turn up once gun shots are heard.

The local gang

Local Enforcers

The attacking gang sneak up as close as possible to the storage area, before launching their surprise attack. After a fierce shootout they are able to get to the contraband. However, they are unable to steal much of the contraband as the local enforcers turn up surprising and taking down some of the gang.

The attack begins

The first contingent of Enforcers arrive.

After the shootout the remaining gang members pose for a selfie.

All being well I hope to post the WW2 game report during the week.


14 comments:

  1. Having copies of the original Grant book,I am very interested to read what differences there are in the revised and expanded edition.

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    1. The additions include a new scenario Fog of War and illustrations of figures from various periods are scattered throughout the book, which I don't recall from the first edition.

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  2. The chimneys look great. My Grant story the same as yours, once owned it and now am happy to own it again :-)

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    1. Thanks. I am very happy to own a copy of the book again.

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  3. The progremmed scenarios book is a joy to own and I'm lucky to have been able to buy a good value second hand copy a few years ago. As for the sci-fi terrain, it looks fantastic!

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    1. I am enjoying re-reading this book again some 30 years on.

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  4. Nice to know the books are available again. I loaned my copy of Wargame Scenarios to a friend who promptly lost it. Looks like an order to Cavalier Books is in the offing.

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    1. It is a much nicer layout and size than I remember the original being.

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  5. It all looks fantastic with the figures in place Peter

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    1. It was good to get the terrain finished off and then be able play a few one-hour skirmish games.

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  6. If your postman is going to deny me the next Desert Campaign AAR - I shall have to set up a booby-trap for him... ;o)

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    1. Your comment made be laugh this morning.

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  7. I still have my copy of scenarios, and it has given many fine games over the years. Time to have a look at it again!

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    1. I am pleased with my purchase and I am eagerly reading it now.

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