Just completed 4 x Minefields, 4 x Barbed wire obstacles,4 x Czech Hedge Hogs and 2 explosion markers to add to my Support List for Chain of Command Game.
MINEFIELDS #1
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| British Mine clearance team clearing a minefield. |
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| Instead of throwing out plastic sprues, they can be recycled to create unique defensive structures. |
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| Minefields are 6" x 6" square, with the aid of a ruler cycle thru the sprues until you find a section that complies to this measurement or very close to the measurement. |
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| Using clippers trim off the excess plastic |
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| Remove the excess plastic on the inside of the square |
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| you are now left with 2 x squares |
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| Use a sharp modelling blade to trim off any remaining fine excess plastic. |
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| Use a hand drill to create holes. |
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| Fit and twist the matchstick in hole. |
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| Circular shape is created on the base of the match stick ensuring a snug fit. |
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| Use pre-measured matchstick as a guide to trim each matchstick. |
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| Matchsticks fitted |
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| Place superglue into the hole and replace the match. |
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| Matches on both plastic squares super glued in position |
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| Wrap pre made barbed wire around the post, |
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| Do not to pull the wire tight between each post as this will pull the base up, instead allow a slight give in the wire between the posts. |
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| Once the bottom wire is complete construct the top wire. |
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| Secure each point where the wire wraps around the post with a drop of super glue. |
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| Plastic stryrene sheet was used to construct the sign |
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| and super glue in place |
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| completed minefields |
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| Undercoat with black primer |
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| Dry brush base with Model colour 977 Desert Yellow |
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| Use Model color 984 Flat Brown to dry brush the posts and wire. Mix 984 and 819 Iraqui sand at a ration of 1:1 and highlight, then use 819 with a touch of 984 to further highlight the wire. additional step if you wish is to use gun metal to highlight very small areas of the wire. |
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| The warning sign was download from countless images on the internet and reduced in size to fit, Great idea from Tiny Hordes blog. |
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| Flocked |
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| Completed minefields |
MINEFIELDS # 2
This minefield is ideal to use over terrain that encompasses different terrain features which may vary in height.
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| British Mine clearance team clearing a minefield. |
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| As before use plastic sprues |
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| Select suitable pieces |
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| Trim off excess |
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| Drill holes, note the holes on the edges where the barbed wire will be placed inside and secured. |
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| Fit matches |
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| Trim height and super glue in place |
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| Construct sign boards |
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| Start by wrapping the post leaving 2 equal pieces of wire. |
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| bend the wire to meet the base and do the same with the top wire. |
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| Super glue |
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| Super glue board in place |
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| Undercoat with black primer |
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| Dry brush base with Model colour 977 Desert Yellow |
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| Use Model color 984 Flat Brown to dry brush the posts and wire. Mix 984 and 819 Iraqui sand at a ration of 1:1 and highlight, then use 819 with a touch of 984 to further highlight the wire. additional step if you wish is to use gun metal to highlight very small areas of the wire. |
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| Secure printed cardboard warning signs |
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| Brush on wood glue and flock |
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| completed 2 x minefields |
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| Include a exploded mine crater in the middle. Added bonus are the rounded pieces of plastic which pokes up from the flock which resemble exposed mines, note that the boundary of the minefield should be 6" x 6" . |
EXPLODED MINE CRATER
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| Use 2 pieces of Stryrene plastic sheets |
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| Construct a rugged shape using a modelling knife |
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| Add pieces of plastic sprue material to form the center of the crater and glue in place |
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| Use Milliput to fill in the inner portion of the crater. |
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| pull the material into the center. |
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| Add a roll of Milliput onto the exterior of the crater. |
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| Blend the roll onto the plastic sprue and down onto the base |
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| Add a smaller roll of material on top of the sprue. |
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| Blend |
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| Add some spots and blend finely over the base. |
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| Use a pointed instrument to add some detail |
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| Add points of interest by adding a helmet and a boot. |
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| undercoat with black primer |
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| Base with Flat Earth |
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| Wash with Agrax Earthshade |
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Paint the inside of the crater with Black Grey and wash with a black wash. Using the 50:50 mix of Vallejo Flat Earth 983 and Iraqui Sand 819 dry brush the whole crater but only lightly dry brush the black grey center of the crater.Finally paint the helmet and boot.
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| Add flock and they are completed |
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| View of crater inside the boundary of the minefield |
BARBED WIRE
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| British Wire cutting team clearing Barbed wire. |
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| Using a ruler, select a piece with a border of 6" x 2". |
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| 4 pieces ready for trimming. |
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| Trim off most of the excess pieces leaving 2 struts in the middle for stability. |
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| Trim up the excess |
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| Unfortunately I could not find the 2" width I needed so I needed to reduce the width. |
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| measure |
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| Cut |
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Trim the length to fit onto the inner portions of larger piece
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| Glue in place and hold down while it sets overnight with Bluetak. |
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| Following day fit match stick |
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| Glue match stick in place. |
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| Trim length |
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| start adapting the wire. |
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| Do not to pull the wire tight between each post as this will pull the base up, instead allow a slight give in the wire between the posts. |
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| Use small pieces of wire to secure the main wire in place. this adds to the effect of barbed wire. |
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| 1st outer wire complete |
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| Top outer wire added and position the inner wire. |
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| Weave another wire around the over the existing wire and glue in place. |
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| completed barbed wire. |
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| In the course of making the barbed wire obstacle I ran out of preformed barbed wire and my local hobby store was also out. I visited my local arts and craft store and purchased this roll of wire for a DIY project for making Barbed wire. |
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| First step is to cut a long length of wire an fold in the middle. |
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| anchor the folded side |
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| Start winding one wire over and under the other piece of the wire. |
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| finished DIY barbed wire |
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| Undercoat with black primer |
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| Dry brush base with Model colour 977 Desert Yellow |
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| Use Model color 984 Flat Brown to dry brush the posts and wire. Mix 984 and 819 Iraqui sand at a ration of 1:1 and highlight, then use 819 with a touch of 984 to further highlight the wire. additional step if you wish is to use gun metal to highlight very small areas of the wire. |
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| Add flock |
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4 x 6" x 2" completed barbed wire obstacles.
CZECH HEDGE HOGS
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| British Demo team clearing the Czech Hedge Hogs |
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| They are actually constructed from metal, I used the metal strip that reinforces the rubber on car window wipers. I trimmed and shaped the strips of metal using a Dremel type hand motor, glued in placed and used Green stuff to create the bolts. |
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| Undercoated with black primer |
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| Painted with gun metal paint |
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| Washed with Reikland Fleshshade. |
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| Intensified the rust in key areas with Vallejo Model colour 982 and highlighted very small areas with gun metal colour. |
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| A easier way to construct the Hedge hogs is to use plastic Styrene strips, follow the link for Tiny Horde's useful link on how to make Czech hedge hogs: http://tinyhordes.com/field-defences/ |
