While I was at ATC, I examined the terrain pieces for sale by Barb's Bunker (www.barbsbunker.com). Ernie Baker and his wife brought a lot of neat stuff for 25/28mm gamers, which is okay with me, because that is my favorite scale. However they do have 15mm items for sale, too. I liked everything on display, from the Dark Ages line, through the Camps, Desert, Forest, World War II and General Purpose Ranges. Some of the most unusual pieces include grain and food stalls, butchers, fish mongers, and even a camel dealer! I purchased the Desert Well and the General Purpose Uncovered Well ($12 each).

The desert well is about 4"x2.5"x2.5". It is a resin, sand textured base with a hole in the ground, surrounded by medium sized rocks, which are used to keep the cloth or hide well covering in place when the well is not in use. The tarp is depicted thrown back with rocks on top of it, allowing your Biblicals, Brits, Sudanese, Egyptians, Mexicans, Cowboys, etc., easy access to the valuable water. The 'bucket" mechanism itself is a simple A-frame with a pole extended over the well. Attached is a hide bag and rope. This piece, as with all of their pieces, comes painted, assembled and ready to play right out of the box.

The other well is roughly the same size, but is on a circular flocked base. There is some shrubbery around the base of the stone well and a distinct dirt path has been worn to and around the well. A bucket is perched on the edge, and a rope attaches from a simple elevated cross piece to the bucket. As the term 'General" implies, this piece can be used to span many years and can be a small part of a village/town, or a significant feature in a skirmish game. Most of Barb's Bunker products contain extra goodies like people, accents, animals, tools, etc.

This line of products will remind you of quality model railroad scenery -- not the stuff most of us throw together for a game. These pieces are well built out of good materials. Everything is painted and assembled. Their painted $12 wells compare in price to unpainted, unassembled pieces elsewhere. No need to mess with balsa, glues and paints, they have done the work for you!

I suggest you go to their website or give them a call at (443) 535-9993. Barb's Bunker also has a nice full color brochure. At the risk of upsetting the casters of lead (or is it pewter?), I recommend you invest some of your hard earned money into this scenery instead of buying another army that you are not going to paint for five years. Spend $50-150 on a centerpiece that you will be proud to display, and will rival the scenery in the British glossy magazines. Or, start out small with an investment of $12-30, and you will get you a nice selection of wells, merchant stalls, fields, a pig sty, a chicken coop, or an orchard.

I intend to buy more of their line and I sincerely hope you give them a try.