28mm Factory and Barn

For me, one of the benefits of the lack of wargaming conventions over the last two years has been the discovery of new wargaming companies online.  One example is Father and Son Gaming.

Located in central Ohio where I am originally from, I don't recall how I first found their website in January 2021.  They were very responsive when I emailed with some questions.  When I asked some of my Ohio gaming friends they gave positive recommendations.  They have a nice line of MDF terrain and other gaming accessories.  Many of their buildings are for WWII but can easily be used in other settings.

In February 2021 I ordered three 28mm buildings from them.  After an extended lull in terrain building, over the winter holidays in late 2021 I assembled two of them: a factory and a barn.  The third is still being painted.  Both of the buildings were easy to assemble.  Although they did not come with written instructions, the photos and videos on their website were more than sufficient.  All the parts fit together very well.  The only modification I had to make was on the factory floor pieces where I filed down some of the tabs that fit into the walls.

The factory is a good addition to my modern terrain.  I quickly spray-painted it a medium gray.  I considered making the roof a different color but decided to leave it all the same depressing factory gray.  The photos include three of my biker gang who are doubtlessly guarding all manner of illicit goods.  The large windows work well for gaming purposes.

The roof and upper floor are removable and there is plenty of room for miniatures.  The building also includes a ladder that is hidden in the shadows of a winter afternoon.

The barn did not come with a base piece but the website description is very clear that it does not.  I spray primed it black, then assembled it.  I gave it a quick coat of thinned black paint to cover any spots the primer missed, followed by two coats of Howard Hues Wood, then two drybrush coats of Howard Hues Colonial Khaki.  A coat of GW Agrax Earthshade brought out the detail.  I glued it to a piece of styrene for a base.  I coated the styrene with a 50/50 mix of glue and brown paint, then spread a mix of ballast across the base.  On the exterior I added patches of static grass, various tufts and bushes.  I left the interior as a plain dirt floor.  The final step was two coats of Testors Dullcote.  I am very happy with how it turned out.  It will serve for a variety of periods.  I have left the side and back doors off for the pictures but they can be put in place.  

The bikers are again guarding their stash.  I like how you can see the outline of the biker at the other end of the barn.  There is a loft at one end.

28mm Medieval Church

This week I finally completed a medieval church that I bought back in 2018.  It is made by Wild Land Store, who have a Facebook page with their products.  I posted the ruined Cathedral I bought at the same time back in June 2018:

https://mirosgames.blogspot.com/2018/06/ruined-cathedral.html

Wild Land are located in Ukraine and were very easy to do business with.  The church is made of MDF and is very sturdy.  Each wall consists of an outer and inner piece and all the joins were easy to fit together.  The detail is deep and easy to paint.  I sprayed it black, then brushed on a thin coat of black to even out the coverage.  After drybrushing the exterior walls a dark grey I let is sit from October until mid-February.

When I finally got back around to finishing it I must have been temporarily insane, because I decided to paint each stone individually.  When I regained my senses it was too late to turn back!  I used three different tones of grey to make it more interesting.  I used a lighter grey to drybrush the interior and then painted the front door and the trapdoor inside the tower a darker and lighter shade of wood and the metal fittings gunmetal.  I painted the roof dark brown then drybrushed two coats of a red-brown.  At the end I painted the ground earth brown, added a coat of glue then applied static grass and various bushes.  I am pleased with how it turned out and even more pleased that I finally finished it.  

The pictures have 28mm miniatures from Black Cat and Crooked Dice to show scale.  The base is 7" wide x 11" long; the peak of the tower's roof is 12" high.  Both of the roof pieces come off to allow access to the inside.

 

  

Ruined Cathedral

I have wanted a terrain piece like this for years.  It is a great centerpiece for post-apocalyptic games I play such as Across the Dead Earth and the upcoming 7TV:Apocalypse.  In addition it can be used for a range of other eras from medieval to modern.

Early in 2018, someone in one of the wargaming groups I follow on Facebook mentioned a terrain manufacturer named Wild Land Store.  After looking at their Facebook page, I communicated with them and asked some questions about their products.  I eventually ordered the cathedral, a smaller intact church and 2 bus stops.  Wild Land is located in Ukraine and were very helpful in arranging payment and in less than 2 weeks I had my terrain.  I highly recommend them.

I will note that there are not any written instructions.  However they sent me pictures from different angles and the small number of parts made it easy to put together.  Each wall is 2 pieces of MDF (1 for each side), and the wall supports each have 2 pieces.  It was very easy to assemble.

The detail is cut fairly deep and really lent itself to drybrushing.  I sprayed it black to prime it and added some black paint on spots that didn't get enough coverage.  I drybrushed a dark gray, a medium gray and a light gray in succession.  After painting the outer area brown, I applied static grass and added some bushes.  I also wanted to add some vines, so after consulting the Facebook group Tabletop Commanders Forum, I used pva and flock.  I think it turned out well.

Most of the pictures have 28mm miniatures from Studio Miniatures or Dead Earth Games to show the scale.  When I took these pictures yesterday morning it was cloudy and so the light varies.  The actual color is what you see in the brighter photos.

One of the good things about this building is that it is really 4 separate pieces.  You can use all or some of them in a game.  It also makes storage much easier.