Sunday 10 June 2012

Bazalgette Gets A Bit Cagey

Hi, All!

Finished at last!

Well, here it is then: the finished Bazalgette Light Armoured Perambulatory Contrivance. This started as a simple conversion of a child's toy and became something of a major project. I've learned a lot in the process and I'm very happy with the final product.

Interior details remain visible, while crew are protected.

I had previously intended to glass-in the crewmen's compartments, but after a little experimentation, and in response to some comments from readers of this blog, Lead Adventure Forum and The Miniatures Page, I opted instead for a protective 'cage'. This, I feel, looks more appropriate to the period and the genre - the acetate 'glass' panels I tried looked far too modern.

Gunner Theakston has a great vantage point from which to rain destruction upon the enemy.

Captain Jethro 'Gutsy' Whitbread commands from within the belly of the beast. 

I also flipped over the twin-mounted Gatling guns, so that their magazine is on the top, as a Gatling gun should be. This was a relatively simple change and well worth it in my opinion.

The corrected twin Gatling guns.

Another small touch was to add a little bracket above the right wrist, enclosing one of the conduits. Previously, this conduit had lain unsupported at an odd angle - it just wouldn't sit like that in real life!

Left: without bracket. Cables don't hang like this! Right: the added bracket helps to make some sense of the design.

A final addition was a slightly comical telescope for the gunner, forming a sort-of-eye for the machine. I think it adds character.

A telescope adds a touch of life to the machine.

So there you go. Another Weapon of Mass Delusion completed. And possibly the last for a few weeks.

I'm expecting a busy time at work for the next week, but I hope to find time to start on some terrain I have planned and also to finish basing my British redcoats and sikhs, which will complete the army (for now!) Then it's on with some special projects I've been thinking about, including working on a new force to face the Brits - possibly the Chinese...

More soon.

All the Best!

10 comments:

  1. An excellent final effort, well done Sir!
    I had pondered a little about the glass effect you had considered, and likewise agree what you have done makes for period sense.

    Look forward to seeing all your creations 'in the flesh' sometime...

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    1. Glad the final product worked out, Herr Bauermann!

      Drop in anytime. We need beer.

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  2. A triumph Sir! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your progress on this amazing piece of work from humble beginnings to a work of art! I have to say that I'm very excited to see what you come up with for the Chinese.

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    1. Thanks, Michael. It's been a long project (three months!) and should have been much quicker. But I got there in the end and I'm very happy with the results.

      Got a few ideas for the Chinese already...

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  3. Marvelous, my dear Colonel! The bars quite make the whole thing look so *right*. You do realize you'll have to actually post some photos of these wonderful machines in a game one of these days, don't you? =)

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    1. AJ, Old Chap! Good to hear from you as always.

      The bars worked in the end, didn't they? I'm glad I went for them.

      A game will be forthcoming, I promise. All I need is some terrain and an opponent...

      Don't I, Scott?

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  4. it's not a recent post but I was interested by the river and the falls and I wanted to have a look!
    just impressed by your work!
    I think that I'll wander in your blog, because it looks very interesting! (even if I'm not a wargamer and just paint some 1/72 figures, I'm an Old West fan, so maybe I could find some great ideas here!)

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    1. Hi Sam! Welcome to my blog.

      Please have a good look around. In particular, I hope Leadwood piques your interest.

      All the Best!

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