Scenic backdrops

I have always been slightly envious of railway modellers’ scenic backdrops. These have made appearances in the photography of showpiece wargames too, notably Perry Miniatures’ facebook page and Wargames Illustrated, and others besides, I’m sure.

I decided to have some of my own, and began to look for suitable backdrops. Then there was the matter of mounting them; although they tend to be printed (inkjet on-demand, I assume) on fairly heavy stock, this is not rigid enough for game or photo session use.

I wanted backdrops suitable for my two current projects, this one based in fifteenth century England and the other based in nineteenth century Sudan. I figured that I would mount the different backdrops back-to-back on foamex.

I sourced two sets of Scalology backdrops from online model railway store Model Masters. These come in matched pairs for a maximum display width of three metres, each 1500mm x 381mm, including a 5mm boarder all round. I bought two cut lengths of foamex a bit larger than required, mounted the backdrops using 3M sheet adhesive, and then trimmed them to size.

Both sets cost around £80 all together, in terms of prints and materials.

Verdant and desert backdrops ready for gaming and photography … wait to see how they look in use.

More paint

Finally, I have got some more paint on. All the flesh has been applied, shaded, and highlighted, and those figures wearing mail have had it painted.

I have also added two figures for my first vignette, Francesco Coppini’s Papal mission of 1459. The fellow holding a staff topped with a cross will become the Papal standard bearer.

Two units of hand gunners, gun crews and, in yellow, John Clifford, a mix of Perry Miniatures metal and plastic, and Steel Fist Miniatures dollies.

Two units of mercenary crossbow men on the left and Francesco Coppini and a Papal standard bearer on the right.

More mercenary crossbow men

I’ve had a bit of time to finish assembling my mercenary crossbow men, and they are beginning to look the part.

Some of these fellows are really quite encumbered with bolt quivers, cranequin or windlass, swords and bucklers.

The joins between arms and torsos required a bit of filling, but they’re now ready for undercoating … then I have to decide on their liveries.

14 more crossbowmen assembled from Perry Miniatures’ plastics and Steel Fist Miniatures’ metal dollies. These will join the two I finished a while ago.

More mercenary crossbow men and first application of paint

I’ve made a bit of progress with the new project this week, while keeping an eye on the Sudan adventure.

I have assembled a few more mercenary crossbow men, although most still need helmets and some will get swords. I need to consider the style of helmet, since this should aline with these fellows’ regional origins.

I also got around to applying the first coat of flesh to the figures that I assembled over the past few weeks.

More mercenary crossbow men, utilising Perry Miniatures plastic parts and Steel Fist Miniatures dollies.

The first application of paint … mercenary hand gunners on the left and artillery crew figures on the right. One of the yellow fellows at the top is destined to become Lord John Clifford … the other is for practicing the tabard, which will be a check pattern of yellow and blue, with a red bar, or Chequy or et azure, a fess gules.