FROM THE WORKBENCH: A very productive weekend!

Wow...For the first time in what seems to be "Ages", I spent the majority of the weekend at the table, building, painting, ummm...cleaning up the mess that is the "game/work room"....and finishing and starting new projects.

Mucho stuff to talk about...

First off:

In May of this year I went ahead and asked on TMP (http://www.theminiaturespage.com/); about a 15mm scale garbage dump. I didn't want the standard "junk yard", of stuff...I wanted "Garbage"...since in most third world countries garbage dumps are picked over by looters and scavengers, most of the things that you would see in a US Garbage Dump, would be taken in a 3rd world.

I didn't get much in the form of answers, but I did get some good ideas on building my own.

So I did.

It took me about a month, (in between life, work, sickness, 2 dead computers, 2 ACW reenactments, and a ton of "other" projects)....But I got it done.

Here's the end result... (The pictures are a little larger than usual, due to the fact that I wanted the readers to be able to see "what" is in there.

(Eeeeewww...what's that smell???...and the green stuff leaking from the pile???)

The Pile of Rotting Trash measures about 3 inches long by about 2 1/2 inches wide. It's a nice little square of mouldering smelly nasty stuff. At first I was perplexed about how to make it, but after thinking about it, I experiementsed and it was successful! (Instructions below)...

(All that is missing is the swarm of 15mm flies...fun fun fun...)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Materials needed....

1: Sheet styrene/plasticard: Thin

2: "Grey Pumice" Groundwork material. (Grey Pumice is a waterbased material that comes in a plastic container, (which has a future as an oil storage drum), and has a gritty, lumpy feel. It can be spread on and worked while wet. It's easily painted, and makes good groundwork.

3: Toilet paper...(clean preferably..unless you want a realistic "smell")....

4: Parts of "stuff" from your bits box.

MAKING IT:

1: Cut the styrene/plasticard to the desired shape. (I made mine square so that I could make 1-2 more piles and attached them in any variable shape.) You could also make the bases irregular circles, etc...

2: Plop on the Grey Pumice. It's like working with sticky wet sand...I found out that using a popsicle stick is a good way to slop it onto the plastic. No need to be neat on the project...slop that stuff on!

Make sure that when you put it on, that you put it on IRREGULARLY...(lots of it forming a shapeless "mound")...Be creative...make little piles, and open pit areas, etc...

3: Now SLOWLY cover the wet gooey mess with toilet paper. For best results use the cheap 1 sheet/1 ply stuff and apply it 1 sheet at a time, overlapping in layers..wrinkle some of it up, mash some of it up...This is going to be a nasty pile of "stuff"...so neatness does NOT count here...

4: When you are done giving the messy pile "form" with the TP, look in your bits box and find those parts that you are NEVER going to use...(old pieces of styrene beams, old wheels, broken sprues...pieces of "crap" that you can't figure out what to do with...) Start to insert this "stuff" into the wet pile at random, at all angles. Put some on top of each other, set others off to the side. Don't worry about ripping the Toilet paper...that's what it's there for and it adds to the effect.

5: Let dry for about 3-5 days...

PAINTING:

1: Best thing to do is start with a dark coat of BURNT UMBER (don't use black)...

2: Thin the paint with water so that you have "runny paint", (like a wash), and start to apply it to the entire pile, (You will notice that it soaks in...good...try to get as much "white" TP painted as possible. Yes you will miss spots...don't worry. Let each layer dry for about an hour.

3: Next is to get a color that says "Mouldering nasty stuff"...I used a mixture of thinned black, hilighted with shades of dark green, and then drybrushed with "Velvet Teal"... I did this pretty much over the major pile.

4: Then I added the rest of the colors...shades of brown...mixed with green for moldy soil, light green mixed with jade green for "chemical leaks"...painting and weathering the "Crap" (bits), that are in the pile...a light drybrush of black...some bits of color...it's a good chance to see how many colors of paint you can put to one project.

5: Seal it and you are done!

And that's it...

All that is missing is the "smell" and the buzzing of the flies...

Let me know what you think....

FROM THE GM'S SIDE: AK47 Rep. Version 2???

Recently, word is out that AK47 Republic has been re-released as a "Version 2.0", with updates, errata fixed, issues taken care of, rules explained, etc...
That being said, I haven't seen a copy of it yet, but I think I shall order it this weekend.
That also being said, one only has to wander over to the Yahoo Group "RFCM", and still see a LOT of questions about possible "errors", having to do with transports, tanks, gun systems, etc.
Sure AK47 is simple, (That's the beauty of it). It's a nice engine, but I like mine with a little more "tweaks"...(Example: In AK47...a HMG will stop a tank...ummm..oooooooookay..., and a "tank" is a "tank"), which I also have probs with, (Example: Common sense tells me that a 35mm Gun mounted on a "light tank", will almost definately NOT knock out a M1a1...track hit and immobilazation, maybe...KO?...come on...); but AK47 has this...
I think that is why we as gamers like to tinker with the rules, and I like to use the Cantwell Modifications to AK47 Republic. It gives a bit more...
I shall be checking out AK47 Republic Version 2 this weekend when I order it from Brookhurst.

June update: Photos and news!

Holy cow!
Pete, (in Las Vegas), is a member of the LVWargamers. They are using Bongolesia as the setting for their 28mm "Battlefield Evolution" games!



And thus, they have a blog up also!

Wow...a second blog dedicated to my wonderful African hell-hole. I'm honored!
http://bongolesiaevolution.blogspot.com/

And in other news:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've finally gotten around to taking some pics of some of my "almost completed" projects...so look on and enjoy.
And as usual, let me know what you think!
















Bongolesian Supply Trucks. (Battlefront 1/4 CWT Resin British Lorries). They are fun to paint and hold colors really well. The second was modified to be a flatbed, courtesy of my trusty Dremel)...















Two shots, (right side and oblique left front) of my new "Funkytown" urban block. The balcony holds 2-3 stands of 15mm troops...The buildings are made out of foamcore and the entire section (a six block area) is set up to be able to be used in a wide variety of configurations.
















Ooooooooooooooohhhh....Politics...Bongolesian Style.... Good stuff for all....You know who to vote for...they make it so easy for you....
















The "Wild Ducks" Mercenary Group...(Just missing Richard Burton and Roger Moore...and a good soundtrack!)...















The Sign that will be at the Airport to let you know "where you are"...as if you needed to be reminded...
















Some of my soon to be "many" stands of 15mm Peter Pig "Looters". Gods I HATE these figures....not for the quality, but for what they represent, lawless scummy rabble...Taking what they can...Ah well....time for a good old fashioned shoot 'em up eh?















Some more of my French Based UN Troops for trying to keep "Peace" in Bongolesia....(Good Luck Boys!)...

Update...and yes pics to be coming!

Wow..where is the time going?...
Well...my projects are on "slowed down" mode as usual. I haven't made as much progress as possible.
Since my last building spree, this is what I have done.

FINISHED:
1 additional block of "funkytown"...
2 1.4 CWT Trucks

Almost finished, (needing final touches, flocking etc..)
3 stands of mercenaries...
4 stands of looters.
5 stands of French UN troops

1 "Bongo Cola" billboard.


Still in various stages of work.
1 Mi-24...(just started)
4 more "Funkytown" buildings
Idis Auto Sales
Bongolesian Fast Patrol Boat
1 UH60 Blackhawk
6 UN Trucks
4 PETROCO Tanker Trucks

Hopefully I will get the pics up and running this weekend.

More to come soon.

A very OVERDUE update...

Sorry all; It's been two months since my last update on this site, as my life has gone into high speed with the summer months approaching. I'm not only gaming, but working full time, writing a new set of rules and involved in ACW Reenacting, so my schedule for making things has fallen waaaaaay behind.

Currently on my worktable of projects.

3 extra sets of buildings for 'Funkytown"
1 auto lot for "Idis Auto Sales"
1 victory location marker of a crashed satellite...(pics to be posted soon)...
4 stands of mostly painted looters
1 NH-60 and Mi-24 waiting priming and assembly.
4 3.2mm thick pieces of styrene to serve as airfield runway (on one side), and soccer field (on the other)
4 more UN supply trucks.
4 stands of "The Wild Ducks" mercenary group.

I found out on Friday that the deadline for submitting games for Gencon has already passed. Oh well, there is always next year.

I'm hoping to get some more wonderful fun stuff up soon...and some pics...

Also..for those that are interested, the listing for the BFL (Bongolesian Football League) will be posted soon.

More to come in the near future...

Quick update, (no photos)

Just a quick update. I've spent the last couple of days working on some AK47 Projects. I am hoping to build some of the helicopters this weekend, (including the Mi-24)....we'll see how it goes. Currently I am working on a new scenario and have been asked to run more games at the store...plus my Americans are slooooowly coming along....

More to come including pics!

My gripe to QRF...

Dear QRF;
As a maker of quality 15mm scale military miniatures, you have an amazing range of product of WWII, post war, and modern equipment. For this I am truly thankful for.
That being said however, there are some things that I would like to draw to your attention.
1: Quality Control: The QC of your items is a hit and miss issue. Looking at the QRF packs that I have opened I can honestly say that I have at least a 50% ratio of items "missing pieces". Now...Your response is good to send the missing pieces, but come on...I mean...when you put the parts for a 100 mm AT gun in the bag, please make sure that the mantlet shield is there...or when you put a tank in the bag, it might be handy to include the gun barrel.

2: Fiddly stuff...On more than one occassion, your items come with so many small "fiddly pieces" as to make it a headache as to where to put what. (Please see my suggestion below)...

3: What goes where?...When you issue a kit with 20 odd pieces, it would be nice for you to have SOME sort of assembly diagram. I am currently attempting to build your MI-24 and am having to rely on photos off of the web, due to your lack of (okay....nonexistant), instrucations and diagrams.

4: Split bags: On occassion I've gone into stores that sell your product to find your bags splitting at the bottom and parts falling out. Please fix.

5: WTF? On occassion I have ordered items, or seen items in a store that I have been interested in, only to NOT buy it due to the fact that the bag holding it was so scratched and scarred that I couldnt see the product, or even make an ID of what it was supposed to be...Example: FOW markets a tank..."GERMAN MK-IV PZKPW "Panther". This was a mid war medium tank with good speed, armor and a main gun. It proved to be a headache for allies.
Simple effective and told what it was.
Now..look at some of your packaging...
GRPZKPFWMVIVA LL/75 or PZKPFM MKIII L/50....
That may be fine IF YOU KNOW what it is that you are looking at....but if you don't you are going to say "WTF?"
That is IF your packages are marked at all...many aren't.

Please please PLEASE QRF....please correct these issues and you will see better and increased sales...they are not that hard...just a little better packaging, and making sure that stuff is there like it's supposed to be.

thanks...

Murph