Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 29 April 2019

Abandoned Buildings #2

     Yes, the roof is on crookedly !
This collection of unfinished buildings were truly abandoned when support for my Boxer rebellion project fell by the wayside all those years ago.
They were however a great learning step in my model making, with the new improved roofs being a step up from the Japanese castle ones and the Temple ones.
It's obvious that the roofs are made from corrugated card but are laid on a stepped roof underneath.
The walls are 3mm foam-board (yep 3mm!) and after these were made and I stepped up to 5mm foam-board  I realised the joy of rabbeting corners, *I have a duplicate of the one shown that didn't survive over the years.
The above with roof removed (based on "The Student House" in the British Legation 1900)
 All the buildings shown here were for the British Legation in Peking (Beijing) in the year 1900 and were based on photographs and pictures in "The London Illustrated " newspaper (if memory serves),
A single story building acting as a visitor's Reception to the Legation
All the buildings were intended to have lift-off roofs for figures (but no internal detail).
Above Building with roof removed (bit too obvious ?)
Another smaller two-story building -note unfinished roof ridges.
Another single storey building
Five out of the six or seven buildings intended for the British Legation
 The feature of the British Legation that is most widely known is the entrance way, which is still in use today.
The real thing (now used by State Security !)
My unfinished rendition
Rear view, built using the thickest cardboard I had
Wrecked vuilding with compund wall and figure for scale

This was the biggest compound of all the Legations at the time of the 1900 siege and had to be the first to be built of probably eight or nine iirc,

So that's it then for another week, one in which I've managed zero hobby input and am still relying on posts that allow me to wallow in nostalgia - sorry.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you've found something of interest and as always your comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

26 comments:

  1. Just going through a lot of your posts Joe and I must say you have a mighty impressive lot of buildings :) I'm horrible at scratch builds so it's fun to see your "nostalgia"!

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    1. Thanks Ivor, everyone starts out being rubbish at scratch-building but you know what they say about practise !
      My purpose in building stuff was because I couldn;t afford anything better (not that there was much when I started wargaming) and if it serves it's purose, looks vaguely like what it's meant to be, then it's good enough for me.

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  2. Talented work Joe especially the legation entrance!

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    1. Thanks AL, the entrance was the most satisfying to build too;

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  3. Nice buildings Joe - nothing wrong with a wallow

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    1. Thanks MJT, I'm quite enjoying revisiting my old stuff, but I do wonder what enjotment, if any, others find in it.

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  4. These are great, especially the entrance.

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    1. Thanks Michael the building need a lot of work on them still, but the entrance is certainly almost table ready as it is.

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  5. More nice examples of your modeling creativity, Zab. Keep 'em coming!

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    1. Thanks Jay, shame they'll probablynever be finished eh ?

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  6. Nowt wrong with a bit of nostalgia Joe, and as for "outside interest", I'm sure others (like myself) will still find inspiration from your handiwork and the conflicts your old minis and terrain were intended for - which are anything but "mainstream" :-)
    I'm glad you 'realised the joy of rabbeting corners' - a technique I STILL struggle with, but hope as you say, practice will improve ;-)

    If it's any consolation, you've achieved more hobby-wise since your last post than I have, but not only that, you've motivated me to get summat done :-)
    Many thanks for another great post!

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    1. Thanks TWA, I should really do a tutotial on whatnot to do when modelling ! Mainstream now seems to be fights on a card table and bear little similarity to wargames as I know them.
      I still have several armies tht are "forgotteb" too, but at one time were my main goto games, but more of that at a later date.
      I'm happy that I've motivated someone, now if only I can motivate myself into doing something a little more positive !

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  7. Oh, that;s look really great! I agree, very creative work!

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    1. Thanks Michal, I really would have liked to have finished them though.

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  8. Nice buildings, great scratch builds! The arch is excellent, I'm enjoying your retrospective of structures and looking forward to more!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, though I think they're pretty bad, save for the entrance which is far better than the others.

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    2. I don't know,I think you could happily use them as a partially built housing estate and the nice reception building as a bus stop? You could surely use them for your zombie apocalypse?
      Best Iain

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    3. Thanks Iain, I do like the way you think

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  9. Like these housemodels very much and the english legation in particular.Great pictures and lots of inspiration.Thanx Joey :)

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    1. Thanks Ptr, I still wish I'd finished them all.

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  10. Make no apologise for a trip down memory lane. I have often wondered why Boxer rebellion is never wargamed much. I feel it should be played more.

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    1. Thanks Clint, other than "the siege" the battles are very much one-sided affairs, but it does long for a "what if" approach.

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  11. I'm very impressed with all this work Joe & your posting this stuff will give ideas to others :)

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    1. Thanks Frank, that's very generous and I like the idea that others will find inspiration from my failures !

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  12. What a corking project, Joe, and such a shame it never managed to reach fruitition. Do you ever hope to give these marvellous buildings a few final sessions and get them finished?

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    1. Thanks Blaxx, I should really post a photo of thee nine-foot "Tartar" wall", for which I did the most work !
      Other thean the two single-storied buildings I doubt I would ever finish these off.
      Like so many things half-done, without an end purpose,I really don't see the point anymore in expending the energy and time.

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