"Hougomont by Leven Miniatures" Topic

Leven have just released the latest 6mm Waterloo building in the shape of Château Hougomont.
This a limited release for members of the perfect six forum at the moment but will be on full release soon from leven.
For a look at a painted version go here:

link

For a taster here is the unpainted model I hastily put together quickly this morning.
link

This is a superb model, very crisp and clean and all credit to Mick at leven Miniatures for making the effort to get all these buildings ready for the 200th aniversary.

It is a really nice model, thanks for linking to to the release Tim

It is brilliant. Perhaps because it is 6mm, (so it can afford to be) it is the nearest to the real proportions I have seen modelled. Those walls would not be easily loopholed mind you, but I just love this. I do not possess a single 6mm figure, but this could be a good stand-alone model. Roughly, what size does it work out?

Hi deadhead from memory it fits an A4 sheet.

Richard

It's 265 x 175mm deadhead but you can at least double that if you want to add the formal garden and the orchard.
Mick is apparently bringing out some extra wall sets to enclose these areas.

Wow beautiful!

At that size, it is a must. Heck, I might even try to copy Perfect Six…..but somehow……..

" it is the nearest to the real proportions I have seen modelled"
I can't agree – the proportions of the west side cowshed and the wall that connects it to the south stable block (bottom left) are all wrong. Also the north gate is not positioned correctly. Looking directly through it, its right pillar was inline, or even slightly west of the line of the great barn. This model has put the north gate too far to the east.

I think this pic imgur.com/TyQEDrf shows what my pedantic wittering is trying to say. I'm not being mean, it's a nice model, but saying its proportions are more accurate than others (the Hovels one for example) just aint so.

I do know what you mean, but I am so impressed that I have immediately ordered one.

As above I mentioned, the walls are too thick and I had planned to replace them. This is for wargamers, but I want a display piece instead. How I wish I could have that in 28mm, but space……….?

I think they have just made a slight error in assembling the parts. The walls and gate are separate items. Just swap the east and west wall parts and the gate is nearer the spot that I have seen three years in a row, now.

The cow shed? True……a simple wall there is wrong. Surely should be a building, or those French would be in like a shot! I do plan to work on the basic kit and thanks for spotting that. The present barn we must remember is what was rebuilt after the fire. There are many pictures of the ruins in the first year or two after showing hardly a wall still standing and those propped up with logs.

Strikes me as very good value, in a scale that is practical for buildings, but, unless you have skills of Perfect Six is more "challenging" for humans.

Finally I, personally, think there is nothing mean or pedantic about criticising any new product. That is what I love about this forum. Creative comments……pointing out what might be wrong should just invite further expert input.

Hovels are great. I have their gate of LHS in 28mm. I gaze at it sometimes and wish I had the room for the rest, though!

I just love the idea of a Hgmt that I can fit onto A4…….

Here's an odd thing. Went to look at Hovels' model and they have also placed the gate far too east!

and they have also put in the same wall from the cowshed to the stable block……

link

Hi Deadhead, I meant that the length of that little linking wall compared to the length of the cowshed doesn't look right on the 6mm model. I think the Hovel's one is spot on. I agree with you r.e. space – I dream of one day having Hougoumont laid out permanently in a big dutch barn…(rather than in boxes in my tiny shed!)

Can I pick your collective brains then? I know the compound perimeter buildings that do survive are somewhat changed since the battle. Obviously the great barn was rebuilt and many a print shows very little left, even of its brickwork. The space taken by the small wall at the South West end is now a low building, as in your aerial photo above. Do you think there was just a wall there? Seems quite a weak spot in the defence if so.

Already invested in replacement walls and roofs. Bricks and tiles in 1/300 scale would not be visible, but in N gauge they are! OK they are exactly two times too big but………

Model railway shop in York yesterday….just what I wanted. Metcalfe Models produce sheets of red brick for long platform bases and other sheets of stone and roof slates……ideal. Plastic card moulded with N gauge tiles in red (dodgy colour though) for the roofs also. All I need now is release of the kit in January.

@deadhead and Lord Hill….
Are there any buildings in 28mm which are appropriate for use on the wargame table that you could recommend?
I have a couple of brigades per side for the 100days era- I'm way off doing any big battles but would like to do some what if type things. Early days, pushing into Belgium, scouting, advanced guard actions etc. The countryside was so littered with small villages/farms is there anything you could point me towards? Bit of a novice when it comes to proper scenery, usually make my own hills, trees etc.
Thank you
Nb

"Hovels" any day…..brilliant, if you have the space. Countless releases lately, esp of LHS, but it is such fun to make your own as well. The result is yours and unique

My 6mm Hougoumont and LHS have just arrived. I have only just started taking them out of bubble wrap at work and must stop, to get them home. The quality of casting is much sharper than I had expected….these should make into "little gems" and are of a size not to upset Mrs Deadhead too much.

The Tsar's coach over Christmas seems to have been the last straw. You'll all know the quote; "We saw little enough of you over the break, as you were painting/photographing etc….you said once you went part time, I would see more etc…….and your study is filled with these things now, where can we fit etc etc". I can read the runes……

Deadhead

I had hoped that Hovels had revisited their 1/300 range, unfortunately whilst good at 28mm and 15mm they have been surpassed by Total Battle Miniatures & Leven Miniatures in 6mm scale

You speak the truth, Lord Hill. The Hovels Hougoumont is indeed superior in every respect. But the Leven model is in 1/300 or 6mil scale. There is very little else on the market in this scale worth ordering.

I thought the Leven Hougoumont model overall looked a bit too wide (E to W). Chop an inch out from West of the North gate and the central dividing wall and I think you would be there for a very decent 1/30O model. AnD Leven do the buildings for pretty much the whole battle, affordable!

Re the wall by the cow shed, this was/is a small, roofed lean-to joining the two buildings.

Apologies for deleting above but I have, in the past, been too eager to reply and got everything wrong in the process. There was more than one cowshed, but I think 1815Guy must be referring to the short walled section between the Gardener's House (the south and best preserved face of Hgmt) and the West-facing cowshed.

As long as I have been visiting Hgmt this has indeed been occupied by this increasingly derelict lean to and the earliest photos show it. All commercial models have shown a simple wall instead. ….and guess what the restorers have done just recently? Demolished it and replaced with a plain wall! I suspect they know what they are doing?

Maybe, or it could be budget/safety considerations resulting in a simple wall.

The demolished structure would have been far, far, safer than a tall wall like this. There is a picture on this forum from only a week or two ago with it all now painted and cobblestoned…but, try as I might……….