David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Tuesday 7 February 2017

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day {Part Two}

Having assembled the villa kindly sent by Diane and Martin at Warbases I decided I would like the front wall with integral gateway to set the piece off. I also wanted a 3mm MDF base to mount the finished piece on, so I ordered both over the Internet. The gateway, together with some other MDF bases I needed arrived on Saturday, and is now assembled to join its fellows on my desk awaiting developments. It's a straightforward job, once you lay out all the pieces of course. It took no more than 15 minutes to complete ~





















I've decided to cover the walls and floors, as far as practicable with scaled down prints of original Roman mosaics and wall paintings. I've been happily trawling the net for suitable images and am pretty much sorted now. The next stage will be scaling them correctly to fit before printing them out. Pointless really, as once the roofs are on what will I or anyone else see? Ah, but I will know it looks right, so I can smile smugly and put Baldinus off his stroke. I hope I'll get the interior decoration done this week. I've worked out an order of progress then for the building exterior, so I can get ready for that the week after. In the meantime I've finished my Eureka 3lb Battalion gun sets for my Wars of the French Revolution project and started some Foundry SYW British Foot Guards ~









I will start with the main villa building portico. I intend to paint the three walls with Basetex to seal the MDF and give a textured effect to dry brush over. I'll use cheap craft paints for that as I have the colours I'll need in stock. The woodwork I think will be red on the trellised portico and door jams. The doors may be red, or perhaps a rich blue, I haven't decided yet. Anyway, off on errands now. Pop back nearer the end of the week to see how I progress. Vale!

10 comments:

  1. Looking good, I trust you have not downloaded those Pompeii murals :~) those will certainly put him off the job in hand. You have also done a fine job on those Austrian guns, well worth the few extra pennies spent they are too

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    1. Perish the thought! All very tasteful and suitable for the servants to see. Decided to leave murals and mosaics to another day so instead I've stippled the walls which face into the courtyard.

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  2. The villa is coming along nicely. I do really like the Eureka guns. Lovely figures and a nice pair job. I must get some.

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    1. The guns are fine sturdy models with no fiddly bits, which pleased me. They come with 8 items of equipment though

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  3. Replies
    1. A word of warning here: it leaves a very small courtyard.

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  4. I trust you are leaving the option open to remove the roofs. Then you can not only fight inside by enjoy the art inside.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the roofs will be separate, but I don't anticipate too many of my 80x50mm bases can be accommodated.

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  5. Nice gates and lovely Hungarian artillery.
    Best Iain

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