To ease the storage and transport problems of 25mm buildings developed the following construction techniques: The buildings are designed to fit into one another and by utilizing a jigsaw the buildings double as their own ruined selves. No space is list to an interior ruined facsimile. Also by choosing stone and thatch subjects the structures are suitable for use in many periods. Buildings are laid out on 1/4" balsa stock with a sharp pencil and T square. After cutting out basic shapes opposite walls are taped securely together with masking tape. Using the jigsaw the "damage line" is now cut making sure to pass through all windows and leaving sufficient area for assembly of the upper section. Windows need not be cut out until opposite walls are separated as you may not want windows in all walls. As opposite walls are "spun" around when assembling, it is not always apparent that these pieces are identical. After gluing walls together (end pieces outside), floor and roof are now glued on. Note pad backing is good for floors but I prefer artists pressboard for the upper roof section. Floor and roof give the sections the required strength to withstand handling. Interiors are now painted black. Detailing may now be applied. Taking advantage of the balsa construction door details (planks, bolts, etc.) are scribed in with a sharp pencil. Door is then "framed" with square toothpicks, etc. Stonework is the familiar paper and card with spackle wash. I mix the base color with the spackle to eliminate a separate painting step. This also minimizes the effect of chipping. Mixture is applied right up to the door frames. For color on these particular models, I chose a medium grey with light grey/white highlights. Roof thatch is also spackle with color added. Each layer is done separately and allowed to dry. Texturing is done with an old toothbrush while still wet. These ideas may be expanded upon to include larger buildings such as churches. These can hold several buildings of concentrically smaller sizes. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VIII No. 2 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com