The top of the tower:
For the core of this piece I used the round the same round cardboard as for the basic tower underneath. The resin stone structure is simply bend around this
core while after the cast, and getting it out of the mold fairly quickly, it is still very soft and flexible. So I simply raped the resin around and use a
scissors to cut this resin piece.
The buttress pieces all have a foam board core over which I glued this resin pieces. It is like wallpapering a room. You cut the desired pieces and simply
glue them on.
For the windows on top I first cut this piece until it fit and then glued it on the cardboard core. Once dry I used a sharp knife to cut out the windows.
The stone trim just below the windows are there to hide irregularities from the 2 pieces that where bend around the core.
After a spray paint and 2 shades of grey the piece fits nicely on the tower.
I decided to make this piece removable since this part would stick out over the large mountain making it more vulnerable for bumping and damage.
The connecting wall piece:
Now that the main keep is done I start on making this connecting wall piece between the keep and the deeping wall. The deeping wall is build on a lower
plain so I have to visualize this by making some difference in height. Actually the difference in height should be larger as it is in my version but in
order to do this I had to lift the keep another few inches or so or make the deeping wall les high. Both options where not desirable so I end up making
this connecting wall piece with not that much difference in height.
For this part I used a slightly other technique. I did not build the wall out of foam board plates and cardboard but I build it totally out of foam in
stead. This works just as well as making skeleton structures for walls as I did with the very first wall segments only this works even faster! So you see,
while building I try to experiment and improve my skills. In this case, speeding up building.
The original version has a walkway that goes down (or up) in one straight line. I choose to make a small intermediate piece where I can stack some minis on.
To keep the consistency of this project I applied this small stone edge just below the walkway again.
The deeping wall:
Here you can see that I used the same technique, building this wall out of foam sheets first and then apply the resin over it.
The wall bends slightly inwards. I choose to make this wall short. I know this wall is very long but since I had to work within a certain time frame and
because of the size of the entire project I choose to make this shorter version of the deeping wall. I can extend it whenever I want but for now I think
this will do.
One possible thing I may do in the future is to make this part again but then the “blown up” version.
How it all fits together:
In the next series of pictures you can see how the connecting wall piece, the deeping wall and the small mountain at the end fit together.
As for this small mountain I used the same techniques as I did on the mountain behind the keep. I cut a path in to the foam mountain so there is a way you
can get on and off this wall from the mountain side and from the side of the keep.
A possible extension could be, making a kind of elevated area behind the deeping wall with the stream carved in to it.
The build up project:
Now that all parts are painted I can show you the final pictures of the project. I am aware that I do have to do some minor detail work on it but after
working 3 month on this big project I must take a time out.
So yes the wooden gate and defending hatches are still missing,
Yes I have to make the caverns livelier by adding more shades of colour,
Yes I have to make a ruined deeping wall,
Yes I must make an elevated area behind the deeping wall.
If I will do these things I will let you know but for now I want to focus on other stuff.
I hope you never the less like what I have done And hope to top this project with some other idiotic challenging project.
The pictures below are some set up shots to dress the keep up a bit. The final pictures are made at the annual war game weekend in Emst, the Netherlands.
Lots of fun and some nice tabs on the shoulder. Well that is all I need to keep me going ?
The build up project:
I build this project with one important goal in mind: “Game play”
In order to make a structure that is suitable for game play make it accessible, easy to transport and strong enough to handle.
Looking at the game play you can see (looking at the pictures above) that I made gates and walls large enough so you can stack on and place minis without
having too much trouble. Looking at the keep from a birds eye view you can see that the walls and gates are large enough to place more minis side by side
or behind each other.
So making exact copies of known structures is fine for me as long as I can use them in game play properly. If not then I simply alter it so I can use it
well in game play.
Helms Deep the first page:
Helms Deep the second page:
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