I had a splendid day out with my military G-scale trains in the snow today. The weather conditions were challenging with low temperatures, snow and ice causing slippery tracks and less than perfect running conditions. It was a bumpy ride.
- Probably just like the real thing. I think this was most likely this year's last running session:
A blog on my model railways, model railroads, wargames, military modelling, and other thing related to scale modelling
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Military G-scale trains fighting ice and snow
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Making a small H0e/H0n30 layout in just 6 evenings
Small layouts and 'pizza layouts', and especially those made to narrow gauge and H0e/ H0n30 in particular, have always intrigued me. Several members of my MRC, Gleng Modelljernbane Klubb, have made such narrow gauged pizzas in different scales and gauges. Many of them are seasonal layouts and have a Christmas theme, which inspired me and made me thinking for a while to make one on my own.
My wife made a chess-table by painting a chess-board directly on a table. I 3D-printed her some black and white chess-pieces to go along with the chess-table. After a long while the varnish started to turn yellow and flaking off, and the table didn't look so good anymore, and she was going to throw it away. I've said before; Throw away nothing - it might come handy some day. By coincidence the table was circular and an idea to convert it into a small seasonal micro-/pizza- layout was born. Luckily I had some Roco H0e/H0n30 starter set and some other narrow gauge stuff laying around. At this time there wasn't that many days left before Christmas, so there was not much time to loose.
Day 1
I had a H0e-starterset which fitted the table nicely. The track were glued down to the foamboard with some few blobs of PVA here and there. -And then some obligatory test-running. I then weightet the track down and let the glue set overnight:
Day 2
Some small blocks of styrofoam was cut to shape as small hills, and glued down to the foamboard with PVA. Then the chuncks of styrofoam were covered with drywall plaster. Now everything needed to dry overnight again:Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
I tried to replicate the temporary white paint used for winter camouflage on Norwegian vehicles back, as it did not turn out like a 'solid' white color, but somewhat more transparent. |
Layout at a glance
Scale: 1:87
Size: Diameter 19 1/2"
Height:19 1/3"
Style: Circular table, island, micro layout
Period: 2000 - 2006
Locale: Norway, fictious - "Somewhere up North"
Theme: Christmas micro layout
Backdrop: None
Fascia: Original table edging
Conclusion
Monday, December 18, 2023
Season Wars 2023 - Once Upon a time under the Christmastree in the north
It's less than a week until Christmas, so it's about time to fight the annual 'season war'. Last year the 'Season Wars' was played with Thor Sheil's OMOK - One Man, One Knight free wargame rules, and 'The Ginger Bread Army' won the battle.
The 'Ginger Bread Army' has hold the ground since then, but this year the 'Cookie Men Army' (called Gøttekællær in Norwegian) returns, trying to reclaim territory. The 'Ginger Bread Army' occupies 'Yule Village' beneath the Christmas tree, which they defend trying to avoid the new Circular Railroad Company to enter and cross through their precious little town.
The white 'Cookie Men Army' decides to help the Railroad Company by fight the tan 'Ginger Bread Army' trying to force them to retreat so the Railroad Company can complete their Railroad and at the same time let the 'Cookie Men' hold the ground this year.
Since both the armies probably were 'Green' last year and gained some experience since then, I'll let both armies fight as 'Seasoned' according to the rules this year. Another lesson the white army learned last year, was to create warbands with similar weapons in each and not spred them out on all units.
The Battle
Conclusion:
- In the rules firing ranges are given in inches an centimeters, whatever you prefer. But for all ranges from 8" and below, there are not exact compassion in centimeters, giving the cm much shorter range than inches.
- In this version of FUBAR unsaved hits are not taken as suppression. I don't know why not, but I think suppression is a nice game mechanic slowing down or pinning units or punishing units leaving members behind. Perhaps its omitted due to medieval tactics and warfare? Were they more likely to leave wounded behind? If you have any thoughts of this please comment in the comment section below.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Making supply-trains for winter warfare
There hasn't been so much time for hobbies like wargaming and model railways as I'd like to lately, and therefore it's been 'all quiet on the blogger-front' for a while. When I was invited by friend and his wife to join their annual 'winter/season/Christmas drive-in running session' in their garden, I decided to use my modelling time to prepare my military garden trains for winter warfare and giving them a season-theme due to the occasion.
...so then there was time to finish up, and pack everything together. The weather was perfect for a winter running-session. Thank you Astrid and Heine for your hospitality, great time and letting us run trains in your beautiful garden.
Friday, September 22, 2023
The 38th Internationale Modellbahn Ausstellung and Märklin days in Göppingen 2023 - Not just only trains
The model railway club I'm a member of in Norway usually goes on an annual trip abroad to visit some of the big model railway exhibitions on the Continent. This year we went to the hometown of Märklin, Göppingen in Germany to visit the combined 38th Internationale Modellbahn Ausstellung and the 13th Märklin days. As the name suggests it's mostly trains. - So perhaps not so much for wargamers, but slightly more for military modellers. Here are some impressions.
First some from the mandatory stop at the World's largest model railway layout at Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg. These models are made to 1:87th scale.
Here are some non railway impressions from Göppingen (click on images for larger pictures):
The bridge over River Kwai was made to Z-scale/ 1:220 |
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