A flurry of messages with Willi this morning resulted in a bench-clearing exercise (and I needed a break from the PBR micro-work PE and painting). Nothing like some DIY scenery / buildings for a change of pace. I have a nice small stable of intact buildings, but who doesn't like some nice bombed/burned buildings for your ETO gaming table? I've always had a hankering (no pun intended) to recreate some of the buildings from the iconic final battle in Saving Private Ryan. An upcoming game session at Willi's provides a rationale and a deadline.
Voila!
First, we'll survey the layout, identify each recognizable individual building or scenic element, and find photos of each. Then choose a few to build, as close as is economically possible. Move out!
First, the infamous corner Cafe. There are many photos that show it, but few in profile.
This:
Yields this:
I'm using my quick build foam core and printed texture image buld technique. Now to find some nice dressed stone images.
Found a small section I'll have to copy, cut, and paste repeatedly to make sheets large enough. Also, based on a test print, I'll need to lighten it. Meanwhile, based on the proportions of the sketch I put two side walls together out of foamcore, with the rounded corner made of two old film cans wrapped in cardstock.
Cut out windows based on the blow-up of the screenshot. Print and apply the "stone" on the side walls.
Add the back wall with an offset based on photos. I'll add on the adjoining building after finishing this one. Now more texture manipulation to create the dressed stone rounded corner, and begin adding the trim at each story break.
No joy looking online for the kind of window framing in the screenshot, will have to fab from cardstock. Using a case of photos to weight it down and keep the top cornice tight up against the walls.
Cardstock and balsa for architectural trim.
Coming along. Next, windows in the windows, and "Upham's Stairs".
Here is the first "test window" in the Cafe.
Photos show it closed, with curtains. (TBD)
Now to fab 7 more....
Make balsa frames and drill to accept styrene rod to create 6 pane windows as seen in movie stills.
White glue in place.
Now for some important, and on the first floor, visible detail. In the movie, Upham fails to go to Fish's aid, up the stairs, which turn ninety then straight up to the second level. The dark paint follows the stairs.
There is also a large post holding up the ceiling. Stairs and risers of balsa, post a scrap plastic tube. At the top of the stairs a door into the 2nd floor apartment....
...complete with bullet holes.
Now for the back wall which we will make removable for gaming.
The next apt over was completely destroyed down to the ground before we got there so only vestigial floors remain
More balsa for framing and flooring. One more floor to go
Here it is with damage, color, weathering.
I can find only one photo that shows, obliquely and from above (the church tower?) the back of the neighboring shop/apt, so some of what I did is speculation. Again, the panel is removable to facilitate gameplay.
Here it is in progress. The view of it sitting on my window framing surface was an accident, one I liked do much that I made a "tile floor" for it using the same graph paper.
The signage is speculative. You can see a rectangular sign above the window in relief, but nothing straight on. The large signboard just looked right. I installed a "broken" front window in a balsa frame with bits of clear plastic packaging.
the far side view shows two windows, one bricked up. The mottled dirty surface is some mig ammo pigment rubbed over a white primered surface when just dry, by "finger". I sealed it with clear flat.
All it lacked was the utility brackets on the front and side. A good photo of the hotel across the street was used as a guide, and some HO scale utility poles gave up crossarms and insulators, mounted on styrene rod brackets.
That about wrapped up construction. Here's a series of all-angke shots. The next will likely be on a gaming table!
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