"Scratch-building coarse models" Topic

Does anyone else scratch build coarse models of vehicles, figures, scenics, etc, to use as 3-dimensional mock-ups to flesh out larger forces?

For example, one of my sons recieved as a gift a model of a helicopter-like craft from the science-fiction Halo series. I suppose the figure scale to be about the same as 35mm, as it is meant for the little lego toy figures. I observed that in silhouette it was a fairly simple few shapes, and in an hour cut out and glued two more together in my basement shop. They're obviously home-made, but with some paint they'd probably pass the 3-foot rule (okay, confession: they'd pass the 6-foot rule).

I'm also quick to cut cardboard to make many buildings to flesh out a city-fight. When they're in scale with my better model buildings, and with a little craft paint, the results are usually pretty good, again from the 6-foot rule standard.

I was wondering if anyone else did this sort of thing to flesh out their battalions of tanks, aircraft, scenery, or even figures, etc for wargaming.

Jim

I'll sometimes use Legos (Lego? Legii?) to build the approximate shape of something I want to scratchbuild, so I can get a feel for the approximate dimensions. It's really pretty darn helpful, really.

Not enjoying a game at a particular time just because one balks at using a piece of wood for a unit/element points to why one plays: if you balk, you're not playing to play the game.

If the game doesn't work for you because you don't have the correct stuff, you're not playing to play. If the enjoyment depends a great deal on how "neat/correct" the table/board looks, you need to find a better set of rules.

To qualify: The fact that you can enjoy it MORE because of the neat little toys…well, that's why we do miniature gaming, isn't it?

To answer the OP, yes of course, I'm a wargamer. The earliest efforts I can recall were 6mm 'infantry' made from cardboard counters and halftracks carved from balsa wood. I just made a card model Schneider CA1 because I'm too cheap to buy an expensive metal one for the amount of use it will get.

Martin, you hit it on the head. I know I won't game more than once or twice the HALO battles with my son, so my cheap self went the homemade route on purpose.

My passion for WWII micro armor makes GHQ purchases easy decisions. $20 USD for a HALO hovercraft in 35mm…not so much.

Good point, Don. The game is more important than the toys, but I like the toys anyway. I know some who like the toys more, and to be honest, I ain't casting stones at those worthies either.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I used to, but not anymore. For me and me alone (my viewpoint is not binding on anyone out there), wargaming is a visual extravaganza. Yes, when the game starts, I want to beat the crap out of my friends or enjoy refereeing them as they scheme against each other, but I want it done in as cool looking a set up as I can make it.

I think that's largely now because I can afford to buy the models I need and/or have, after many years, developed a scratch-building/crafting skill. Years ago, when younger, I wasn't quite as lucky or as skilled, so I used Legos for buildings and poorly done cardboard facsimilies. There is a particularly famous incident in our group of friends that dates from the 70s, as told on my web site, in the ironclads section:

One particular Dave tactic has become legend – it was a WWII game for which Chris and Dave were to construct large opposing fleets from balsa wood. [inspired by the P. Dunne naval rule book] Chris, of course worked painstakingly for weeks on his fleet. Dave made a small number of surface ships and carried on with other things not related to wargames. Then, the night before the game, Dave realised he had a pitiful number of ships. In true Dave fashion for those days, he slapped together a large number of "submarines" which were were vaguely hacked approximations of splintered balsa wood. On the day of the game, the "submarines" were conveniently around a corner (the game was played on a floor). When Chris's magnifently crafted fleet came around the corner, they were slaughtered by barrages of torpedoes.

I don't think poor Chris ever got over that.

But nowadays, I prefer not to use coarse models – I'll make stuff myself (I've put together several small AFVs from nothing but plastic card and dowels, for example), but when I do, it will be as detailed a job as I can do.

But, the above is just my view of wargaming. I bet dollars to doughnuts that I would enjoy puctures of what you've done.
--
Tim

Tim, What a great story. Your point is well taken; I'm likewise more able to afford now than then, but I'm still a bit of a cheapskate outside my niches of WWII 1:144 and WWII 1:285.

Jim

Tim,
Great story to which I can definitely relate. Nowadays though I'm a little more affluent and can afford to splurge on some of the fancier pieces. My chosen scale is 6mm although I'm delving more and more into the 1/600 scale toys. Must admit I still have a swack of 1/72 scale WWII as well as some modern. True gamer here, just keep it all, one day it'll get some use again.
I'm of the opinion now that a wargame should eally be more like a moving diorama. When I can afford the time to host a game at home, rarely nowadays, it's nothing to take 3 or 4 days to set up the scenario and terrain pieces and put a real show piece on.
Must say I also enjoy creating and painting terrain pieces as much as troops and vehicles. Always on the look out for interesting shapes. And as my wife has pointedly noted, not all the shapes that interest me are that inanimate.

Ray

Hi Tim,
Wonderful story. We do this because we enjoy seeing it in grand fashion on the tabletop. That is why we aren't boardgamers.

Mark

Meh… Go for it. Some things I've bought have ended up like that anyway.
It's not just the paint job on the web photos that makes them look like refuges from a childs art class…

@Jim – If you're doing rough scrtach builds, you're only a few steps away from building better more passable builds.

I'm an aesthetic gamer so things like Lego buildings, rough cut block vehicles, paper figures just don't appeal to me. Because of that I pushed myself to learn to convert and scratchbuild and as far as gaming goes it's been one of the best investements of my time. Not only can I now build myself something if it's not out there, but I can also cast up some copies if I need too.

I honestly think if you put some more effort into it you'll pat yourself on the back down the road.

@gwierda – " If the enjoyment depends a great deal on how "neat/correct" the table/board looks, you need to find a better set of rules."

That's a load. Rules sets have nothing to do with what the game looks like unless you buy some sort of chit based or block based game…but then you're not really miniatures gaming are you. I get that some people don't understand the aesthetics to gaming, don't feel they should paint their figs or use anything than what they can pull out of a computer parts box or off a book shelf for terrain, but it's missing a great deal of the point. For a lot less the cost of a miniatures game you can cut out some circle or square cardboard pieces and play just about anygame you want. There are tons of board games that have a one time up front cost and can be played without the bother of all the things that are involved in miniatures gaming.

If you think people have been playing miniatures games just to push around some bare tin on a crappy table, instead of the spectacle of hundreds of little figures all painted up on a nice looking gaming table then you're fooling yourself.