MiniAFV blog

 I have dropped the "MiniAFV" blog from my blog listing.  I have been getting virus alert off his web page.   Being a good person I told they could have a problem.  

So I got this snarky reply: ErhntlyNovember 19, 2020 at 8:50 PM

 Impossible, the site uses Google software, closed loop"

Well here the message I get only at his site.  The problem is still.  It is your choice to go there or not. 

The Wargamers Forum

 As of late TMP has become a little slow.  Plus Tango dominates the post over there.  The wargamer forum seems to be a little more active overall.   

Currently there is a great AAR  on the "Drive Minsk".  This group is using Battleground Easy Eight rules. The interesting part is they have added a little elements of Chain of Command.   My personal feeling is that CoC use Easy Eight Battleground as an foundation for their ruleset. 

The AAR can be found here: Drive to Minsk   Be prepared to spend some time reading this AAR.

Some eye candy for your viewing.

Why I hate the USPS

 In the past several year the USPS service has gone from the best to the worst.  Now I'm forced to pay outrageous fee for mail delivery.  Today I received a package from Battleground in Australia.  My mailman didn't even knock on the door.  The package was just tossed there.   One end was torn open. I could see where someone stuck their grubby hand in to see what was in the package.   Any on the MDF item had been broken.   Also I do not know what is missing.  I have to sit down do an audit of what I got.

Duo Z-upgrade by TH3D

 I been going crazy keeping my x-gantry from sagging during the printing.  My plan is to relocate my extruder to on top on the x gantry,  Another mod to make printing  a smooth operation.   Here is a great video on the upgrade.

New lock down. This time for three weeks

 Our great govenor has decided based on her video science,   To lock down the people of Michigan.  This time Thanksgiving will be ruined.  Next stop will be Christmas.   We have been in a locked down of some sort for 238 days.  I 've lost my mojo to post aything right down

Hand salute to all veteran who service their nation

 Remember the Veterans as they are the soul of you nation.

Please remember this. From Mark Alexander's column - this pretty well covers what today is all about:

"Amid all the political rancor that dominates the public discourse and news cycles, we should remind others of the following observation from Army veteran Charles M. Province:

It is the Soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,

Who serves beneath the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

At one point in their lives, all veterans have written a blank check made payable to 'The People of the United States of America' for an amount up to and including their lives."

20mm/72 nd scale Tractor factory for your viewing...

 Yes I'm not right in the head....lol.   Just completed this for customer.   The factory 14" x  20" X 6". As you will see it very large.  Three section took 24+ plus hours run.   One section was 17 hr and another 15hrs.  Overall it ran okay. It will a couple minor tweaks during assembly.   I do commissions.  From medieval, ACW , WW2 and Modern europe.  If you are interested contact me.

Enjoy

 

A few more picture of the Department store

 Leonard has been working away on this model,  He has incorporated some hinges so the back department store can be accessed during the battle.  Plus made platform for each floor to place the miniatures.  Leonard use Battle ground rule set to play.  One can can find most of the rule here on my blog.  Just click on the topic Easy Eight Battle Ground.

Please become a follower

 I have only 75 followers of my blog.   Not very good for the number of years I have been posting.  Also to add a comment you must have a google ID.  Sorry for this too many spammers.

Squad/Section overview for the pass 50yrs

 The video pretty well covers at the Wargame rules set for WW2.   Surprisingly I own quite a few of the rules reviewed.

VASL 201 How to update you VASL file. Chapter "H"

 Video on how to installed Chapter "H" for your VASL file.

Perry Brothers recreate the Battle of Rushville

 I love the Perry Brother game photos that they posts. Here is some eye candy. Enjoy.

How make 3d ASL maps by Ritter Cross

 

3D ASL MAPS

My first adventure into the world of 3D mapmaking goes back about 15 years when I fell in love with the game ‘Thunder at Cassino’.  As great as the game was, it was incredibly hard for me to see the level changes due to my color blindness and the (ugly) way the map was made.  So I decided to add levels to it. I purchase some foam sheets from the craft stores and with some enlarged photocopies and an xacto knife I produced a 3D airbrushed map.  Unfortunately, no one ever wanted to play so it ended up moving from spot to spot in my house until it was so damaged that I finally threw it away.

Since then, I have learned a few things including what types of glue not to use, the proper tool to cut foam, the cheapest way to reproduce maps, and the order in which to build.

Here is a list of what I use to build my 3D ASL (or other game maps):

• Hot wire foam cutter
• Foam Sheets (I use 12″ x 12″ x 1/4″)
• 1/2″ MDF. I buy the 4′ x 8′ sheet at Home Depot and get them to cut it to a manageable sizes (usually 2′ x3′).  Lowe’s does not carry the 1/2″ and the 3/4″ is very heavy.
• 1/2″ poplar planks for the side walls.
• 3M 77 Adhesive spray.  DO NOT use too much as it will melt the foam and turn your beautiful mountain into oatmeal!!!
• Airbrush and acrylic  paint(do not use enamel or oil based paint as it will melt the foam) to airbrush the white edges of the foam (skip this step if you don’t mind the white edges).
• Self healing cutting mat
• Xacto knife
• Chop saw
• Table saw
• Router
• Wood Glue and clamps

 

Blue items are not required if you don’t want to put wooden walls around the map.

Building the Map

1. Decide what map you would like to build.  The more levels the better.  You may like desert scenarios but there isn’t much point in building a 3D desert map unless there are lots of hillocks or an escarpment (actually one of my favorite maps I built was for the desert scenario ‘Point of No Return’.  Prior to building the map I could never quite visualize what was really going on on those boards).
2. Download VASL and the map file that you decided on in step 1.  Load the map.  It is very important that you zoom all the way in, otherwise the quality of the image will be very poor.  Click on the orange and black German with a grenade on the left side of the VASL window and then chose ‘save map as PNG image’.  Open ‘Paint’ (I have not luck opening PNG images in Photoshop so I use Paint) and pull up the image you saved.  Save the image as a JPG on a thumb drive.
3. Bring the thumb drive to Staples and get them to print the image as posters.  You will need 1 black and white poster for every level of the map and 1 color poster for the top layer.  The b&w posters cost about $3.00 each and the color poster costs around $20.00, so for a 6 layer map it will cost around $38.00 at the printshop.
4. Go to Home Depot and buy a piece of MDF that will be at least an inch wider and longer than the map size.  If you are buying a sheet (I suggest 1/2″), have them cut it to size right there in the store. Also buy 1/2″ poplar planks that is wider than the height of the map.
5. Glue a b&w map to the MDF (this will be level 0 or the lowest level in the case of water) of the map leaving a 1/4″ MDF edge beyond the end of the map on two edges.  Trim the MDF on the other two edges with a table saw so there is 1/4″ edge going around the whole board.
6. Using a router with a 1/4″ blade, cut a rabbet in the bottom of the MDF board.
7. Using another b&w map, cut away and discard all of the level 0 terrain leaving only level 1 and greater terrain.  Glue this section of the map to foam sheets being careful not to use too much glue as it will melt the foam.
8. Trim all excess foam from this section of the map using your hot wire cutter being sure not to set the temperature too high as it will melt the foam too quickly.
9. Glue this section on the map to the board.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for all subsequent levels.
11. Air brush the edges of the foam with appropriate color acrylic paint.  Do not use enamel or oil based paints as it will melt the foam.  Overspray is fine as all of the b&w map sections are being covered by the final color map after the airbrushing.
12. Cut out each level of the color map and glue them to the 3D black and white map board starting from the lowest level (it is important to start from the lowest level to avoid getting glue and the higher levels).
13. Cut your 1/2″ planks to a height that is a couple of mm’s higher that the highest point of the 3D map.
14. Cut a 1/4″ groove into your planks a 1/4″ from the bottom of the plank.
15. Round over the top of the planks.
16. Cut the planks to fit the sides (with 45 degree edges) of the map board and glue and clamp the sides (planks) into place.
17. Sand and finish (being careful not to damage the map).

Do not do the steps written in blue if you will not be adding sidewalls.

latest 3d prints,

 Here is my latest run of 3d prints.  These are filamnet (PLA) prints.  I have the rights to sell a large number of WW2 buildings and more.   Late next month I will be doing custom dice towers.

 I can provide a 3d printing service for you custom prints.

Here are a few pictures.

Brown river navy boats last of series

 last of the series of photos for now.