It's also made of MDF,I have been working on some other TT combat MDF buildings for the Italian wars and have tried to work out the best way of finishing them. The thing is if I add texture then I run the risk of losing the etched detail, so I may as well have made them in foam board. The other option is to do thin washes so as not to lose the detail.That's broadly what I've done and here it is with an Essex musketeer.
I've also done a bit of dry brushing and have done the spire as stone, the roof as tiles and the chapel roof as lead. The roof lifts off and I've got some heroic looking pews that I might paint at some point but I can't honestly see why I would use the interior, still nice to have the option. It's a good kit with the instructions online and went together pretty easily.
I think it's alright,I don't think it's brilliant, it's so big which makes sense for skirmish games like bolt action but I realise that I now want slightly undersize buildings. I will be able to use this for St Johns Barnet and the smaller church can stand in as St Marys Monken Hadley, although I have been tempted by another smaller chapel!
As I had to work through the summer we had our family holiday last week at half term and we all went to the Amalfi coast, no photos of castles and fortifications but as this post is of an ecclesiastical bent I thought no one would object to some medieval cathedrals, first up Amalfi in a Byzantine style.
Nice door made in Syria, I really like the contrasting stonework. Next up the Norman cathedral of Salerno.
It's a really nice cathedral,Norman on the outside, mostly baroque,apart from these pulpits which are great I think.
I also wanted to go to Salerno while I was in the area as it was one of the beaches my dad landed on in WW2, he did Sicily,Anzio and Normandy as well in a landing ship tank and was left with an abiding dislike of general Mark Clarke, which I learned about at an early age. It was also Salerno where he and his shipmates looted a piano from the first floor of a bomb damaged hotel with no stairs, so nice to wander and try and guess which one it might be!
More terrain in the pipeline and some more Italian wars stuff.
All the best Iain
Lovely model, all that window work really elevates it to something special. Enjoyed your photo's - my own father hit the Salerno beaches.
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm! Glad you liked the photos, which unit was your dad in?
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Pretty cool! Will you add anything to resemble the stained glass? I have another 28mm church and it's an issue I haven't been able to solve.
ReplyDeleteOh, and really beautiful pics!!
Thanks Suber! Maybe I'll have a go with some gell? Good luck with your church!
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Great model and really enjoyed your travelogue and family connection to the places you visited. No photos of you storming ashore? A lost opportunity!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jonathan! Nice to have an additional reason to visit!
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Thanks for the Salerno pictures, haven't visited this place (yet)...and splendid model!
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil! I'm sure you'll make it sometime!
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Great model and excellent photos of the real thing in Salerno!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cyrus! I also made it to Pompeii,Heracleum and Oppontis, right up your street!
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The church looks great, I could do with one of those for my Witchfinder world. The curse of MDF buildings is deciding how to finish them. More recently I have opted for a light sand and PVA mix, certainly along the lower areas or growing woollen 'vines' to disguise some of the joins.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael! Yes I can see it in a witch finder game of yours, it's the degree of additional finish that's needed I guess.
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Beautiful piece of scenery Iain and I love the photos from your trip.
ReplyDeleteThanks Oli! Just a pity I didn't make it to Naples to take some photos of fortifications! Almost swung it but not quite!
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Great work Iain, I think you've done a good compromise on adding to the texture effect, while not losing the etching.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful reference pictures from your holiday
Thanks Dave! It's a bit of a balancing act with MDF I think.
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Splendid looking church.....holiday snaps really interesting as I am keen to get to sicily hopefully soonish
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt! Yes Sicily would be good too!
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That Church is huge ! (There's also a St, Mere eglise one too, that looks even bigger). I'm with you in that whilst I like big buildings they're not always practical for gaming big battlesm but make great centre-pieces for skirmish-style games. Finoshing mDF buildings, hiding the joins detailing the exteriors and so on, leaves meundecided whether or not I like them, though some are really good.
ReplyDeleteI'm always interested in seeing architectural features and I doubt any serious gamer wouldn't enjoy seeing these (and other) great examples.
Thanks Joe! Yes this is called a chapel! I pretty much agree with everything you say as far as MDF is concerned I haven't come down on either side yet!
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That's one big beastie of a church Iain, lovely model with excellent details. I think you have finished it well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lee! I know it is big!
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Cracking job on the model Iain. Unless you're going to do some swash-buckling sword fights in the church I wouldn't bother with the pews either.
ReplyDeleteLots of inspiration for your Italian Wars games in the other photos. I love that pulpit - ecclectic mix of styles: some of the patterns looks Islamic, some Anglo-Saxon even (well it does to me) and then there are the columns.
Thanks Nundanket! Yes there seems to be a bit of everything in that pulpit! I think your right about the Anglo Saxon/Islamic/ kitchen sink finish too!
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Nicely looking church, Iain! You did it very well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dmitry! I thought of your Byzantine troops when I saw Amalfi cathedral!
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Great work on the church. Hope it graces a battlefield soon
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul! I live in hope!
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Brilliant church, maybe some colored tissue paper stuck on the inside of the building over the Windows? The architecture pictures are great. Always humbling to think these things were built without power tools etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark! Maybe some gell?
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Beautiful looking model!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Michal!
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Nice work and a nice model, though like you say rather large for wargaming purposes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark! It is quite big!
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That's worked really well - I started just looking at the photos and didn't realise it was an MDF kit at first - well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob! That's good to know, maybe not so bad!
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I agree that bigger buildings are better for skirmish games or those regular games but on a larger table. But the church looks outstanding and top notch. 😀
ReplyDeleteCool vacay pics. Beautiful setting.
Thanks Stew! Glad you liked the non wargaming pics too!
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Looks excellent! Colored cellophane glued to the inside of the windows could make some really impressive "stained glass"!
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter! Yes, now I can't see myself using the inside I might stick some gell on the inside.
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Very nice, and I quite like the larger buildings, on a larger table of course. Lovely pictures of the Amalfi coast architecture as well, Iain.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence! Yes nice architecture!
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Quite an impressive terrain piece! Love the windows.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Dean!
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Bell work lain and nice trip. if you pass by Florence and if you have never been there I recommend the Stibbert museum.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ronin! Haven't been in Florence for 24years but I do hope to go again and will look the Stibbert museum up!
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A beautiful place of worship, very nicely done Iain!
ReplyDeleteWell thank you very much Fran!
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One of the loveliest church models I think I've ever seen. And even to scale!
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
Stokes
Thank you very much Stokes, very kind!
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Another trip of yours I am envious of mate. Pics are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThat church looks good too! The washes were the right choice.
Thanks Dai! Worked out ok in the end!
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