Following on from my post: Lutheran Church I.

• 

• 

• 

Although I scaled the model for 15mm during the design process, I also designed it to use a .2mm print head with a layer height of 0.06mm, which although vastly increasing the print times, does give me the flexibility to scale up the print for 28mm without losing detail.

Overall I am very happy with how this turned out, but I do wonder what the “box” on the roof ridge to the left of the steeple is? I would guess it’s some form of chimney for heating the church, but have decided to omit it since I can’t get a clear picture of what it actually is. Likewise I completely made up the far side and back of the church, reasoning that the far side would be a reflection of the near side in respect to the arrangement of windows, and that it would exhibit far less damage. As for the back, I just completely made it up and added a small door for rear access.

Reading (still): Welker, David A., The Cornfield, Antietam’s bloody turning point. (2020) ISBN: 978-1-61200-832-5

So a few weeks ago I started making fences, and then more fences, which is something I continue to do in my spare moments and while I am still about 10 feet short of my desired goal for the snake fences, I did decide to hit the pause button and do a test paint on one of the smaller sections so I could get a feel for what they would look like once done.

Progress: snake fences 32/40′ . post & rail: 4/8′ . rough stone: 6/8′ . picket 0/3′

Snake Fences: Matt Black (spray paint), liberal dry-brush Raw Umber(247), dry-brush 50/50 mix Paynes Grey/War Grey(065/078), dry-brush Warm Grey(078), dry-brush/highlight (bottom rails only) Army Green(AP)

I’ve also been a bit distracted with the “bits” that go alongside wargaming, the markers, firing sticks, movement trays and such, the little things that add to the “feel” of the game more than the look, though they can also enhance that too. So there has been some progress on planning for some of these, namely a 3D printed Minie Ball to act as either a casualty marker, or even a disorder marker for ACW games depending on the ruleset. I saw some used in a similar fashion on this video: Markers and Aides for Fire and Fury, and was inspired for a theatre specific gaming aide.

Reading (still): Welker, David A., The Cornfield, Antietam’s bloody turning point. (2020) ISBN: 978-1-61200-832-5

Reading (distraction/inspiration): Back Issues of WSS (Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy) In a nutshell I am a long term subscriber that kept my subscription going while not really reading any issues, so I am at 92/117.

It was my second “real” post on this blog and was supposed to be the one of the major reasons for writing, chiefly being a collection of research notes and then a displaying of the final 3D models I had managed to craft from said research.

But life and the hobby seems to throw lots of “shiny” at us to serve as a distraction* and delay to our plans. Not to mention a slight pedantry that forces more than a few “do-overs” as I try to make it as perfect as possible.

No battle plan survives contact with the enemy

Helmth von Moltke

I think the same can be said that any wargaming project does not survive contact with the painting table. Or at least I find it so…so maybe my planning needs a little more work?

So fingers crossed, the next plan is to tackle the Lutheran Church from Sharpsburg, made famous by the Andrew Gardner photo, and then maybe the Miller Farm, so I can bookend the Antietam cornfield.

* I have supported all the Blood and Plunder Kickstarters, which sit unpainted next to my painting bench seemingly in accusation of their neglected state and teasing that they would be such fun…must resist…28mm…pirates…so tempting.

Reading (still): Welker, David A., The Cornfield, Antietam’s bloody turning point. (2020) ISBN: 978-1-61200-832-5