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| Under attack from 18 French battalions at Neerwinden |
I didn't want to build integral to terrain boards preferring
the ‘place on top’ option. I knew that I would incorporate artillery and
infantry positions. I knew there would be plaster and glue involved but beyond
that nothing was sketched or planned. It was just an idea I carried around in my
Noggin!
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| The utilitarian dinner mat- an endangered species in my house! |
The start point was a gun position constructed on one of my
favourite pieces of household detritus – the old dinner place-mat. I have used
these as a foundation many times. The first and it seems well remembered
iteration, was part of what brought the League of Augsburg into a more
prominent focus within they hobby way back in 1994. Then, I constructed a
French four-gun position on two dinner mats which featured in WI#98. Alas, in a moment of madness I sold it at SELWG about 10 years ago! - what a dipstick.
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| Dinner mats Inc.. another Hilton meal will be unsupported |
I reprised
that design about 2005 with a Russian GNW position which can be seen in Beneath
the Lily Banners. In the interim I built several small redoubts on the same
base material together with various command vignettes, a gallows scene and
other pieces of table candy. Those cork table mats are really modelling gold.
Cheap, the right shape and not prone to warping, they are wargamer friendly
items which should be sought out and horded at every opportunity!
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| Gun gin WLOA925 on yet another size of mat! |
With this project I wanted something which was both self-contained
and modular. By that I mean each piece could be a stand along feature but if
several were built, they would all fit together to create something grand. Once
started I found the ideas for the next piece flowed freely. Having at one point
put together the basic construction of three sections I remember distinctly
brushing my teeth before bed one night and getting the flash of a great
additional idea!
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| The breach section under construction |
A breach! Do a breached section! I went to sleep that night
with thoughts of how that might look. This is a fairly common feature of my
wargaming meanderings… over active mind!
This series of articles shows the process of building and
painting the defensive line. Neerwinden was the short term application but I had
my mind on Russian defences for the Great Northern War as the backdrop to the
whole project.
In part 3 we'll get to the messy bit... constructing the defensive line.
