28mm Steampunk Buildings for In Her Majesty's Name

Novus Design Studio is an online only retail business that makes quality resin buildings and accessories, including a couple Steampunk buildings.

Their heavy gear Victorian house has a metal roof, brick construction, riveted front door, windows with metal shutters and strategically placed gear clusters.

The model features 2 lift off roofs and a detailed interior ideal for your troops.  

This groovy steampunk house measures: 4.5"W x 6.25"L x 5.5"T  (114mm x 159mm x 140mm) and will only cost 36.00 USD

Novus Studio's  Steampunk Factory features brick construction augmented by such notable details as gears, sprocket clusters, rivets and metal roof panels.

A set of heavy metal doors and a lift off roof completes the factory details. Anyone in need of a repair facility for their machines need look no further!

The factory measures: 6"W x 7"L x 5"T  (152mm x 178mm x 127mm) and also costs 36.00.

Their initial product selection features 15mm urban ruins, 15mm Normandy/European ruins, 15mm bridge, fountain and wall sets, 28mm Steampunk buildings, Fantasy bridge and wall sets, and a small selection of 6mm structures.

Have a Great Battle
The Old Crow

Warhammer 40k Space Marine Squad: Customized for The Lost Legion

Here is the beginning of our customized Warhammer 40k Space Marine squad to go with the Lost Legion Dreadnoughts. Did a great deal around the house today and finally had an hour to squeeze in a few conversions. These were a set of 10 Space Marines picked up used, cut up a bit and converted to fit our "Lost Legion" feel. If you missed the Dreadnought post, these guys have been stranded out on the edge of space and living off the land.

They have a hodge podge of weapons scavenged off the battlefield. Our squad leader is packin an orc shoota and has a choppa slung over his jump pack. He also is sporting a sidearm and plenty of ammo pouches.

Next is our rifleman. He's taken up a Necron sniper rifle and has held on to a few grenades. He also has a charging pack slung on his back belt under the jump pack

This Space Marine is carrying a traditional bolter but has also scrounged up a Tau weapon converted from a downed drone.

There is a heavy weapon specialist, you can see above, who received a standard rocket launcher, extra sidearm and grenades Then there's this guy.

We wanted something a little more dynamic so we gave him an orc shoota and an outstretched chainsword arm to look like he's on the attack. Using Necron bits a destroyed warrior was mashed together and the Marine positioned like he was running over top of the fallen enemy. We added ammo pouches, a sidearm and other extras.

Seeing the big rings on the side of the shoota, we decided to hook on some grenades., He can sling the gun over toward his left hand grab, shoot and throw! We'll post more as they get finished.

Have a Great Battle!
The Old Crow

World War 2 History in North Carolina

Back from a jaunt in the southern USA states and had a few interesting stops. One of them was in the mountains of North Carolina where we visited the Museum of Ashe County History.

Located in the original 1904 county courthouse, the museum has been restoring the building piece by piece and adding displays as they continue to grow. Today, In light of our recent Bolt Action posts, we will focus on the World War 2 Veterans Honor Room.

Immediately upon entering the room you'll notice a large display with various uniforms and larger
artifacts like the mail carriers bike used in Nuthampstead, England..

and the Bomber Crew "Mickey Mouse" Flak Helmet.

The Rifle Case from left to right, one is an 1898 Krag Jorgensen whish was issued to some home guard units. Number two is a 1917 Enfield used for training, home guard, Alaska Territorial Guard and Lend Lease to allies.The third rifle is the 1903 Springfield left over from WWI but also still servicable. Four is the M03A3 Transitional 5 shot bolt action. A modernized version of the 1903 was preferred in the Marines over the M1 because of its accuracy. Five is the iconic M1 Garand 8 shot semi-automatic and Six is the M1 Carbine 15 or 30 shot semi automatic

Other display cases contain a plethora of artifacts and memorabilia...

along with photos of the local veterans who served and contributed to the display.

For more details, visit their site at AsheHistory.org or visit!!

The Museum of Ashe County History, Inc. 301 East Main Street, Jefferson, NC 28640
Phone: 336-846-1904 or email: info@ashehistory.org

Have a Great Battle!
The Old Crow

Warlord Games Plastic Marines Squad Two for Bolt Action

We completed another squad of Marines from the Warlord Games Plastic box set.

Again the amount of options and variables included in the set are phenomenal.

Here we have our two crouching body types..

And here the two standing poses.

Lastly the runner.

Have a Great Battle
The Old Crow

Warlord Games Plastic US Marine Corp set for Bolt Action - Review

Lets take a look at Warlord Games US Marine Corp plastic box set for Bolt Action. Warlord keeps producing great figures and armor for Bolt Action. If modelling and World War II are a passion for you, check out the many offerings provided on their site. This squad was made from one of the sprues in the USMC plastic box set.

Here is an overview of the sprue with listings for all the items provided. In the box set, there are 5 of these sprues and a weapons sprue. The sprues were clean with very little flashing and seem lines.

This is the weapons sprue contents.

Back to the infantry sprue, here is a detail of the bodies 2 standing, 2 kneeling, 1 running and 1 prone. There are paired arms with weapons and many single arms with weapons.

Arms giving hand signals, positioned to fire weapons, holding binoculars and throwing grenades are included. You'll find many extras like backpacks, water bottles, knives and a machete.

Ten heads are included for additional variety and additional ammo bandoleers, bottles and paraphernalia. These five heads are all wearing helmets but there are others with caps and one with a bandaged eye.

We positioned our prone marine with the BAR on tripod, an ammo bandoleer with knife and water bottle too.

One of the kneeling figures we positioned firing and the other has his weapon arm slung and binoculars in hand.

On the back of the first Marine we attached a full pack, knife, bottle and ammo belt. The other soldier has a holstered pistol and extra water bottles.

Our two standing have a shotgun wielding marine and the second firing his Thompson.

The backs contain a small pack with trenching tool, ammo bandoleers, a combat knife, and water bottles.

Lastly the running marine is signalling and brandishing his Thompson. He has the Thompson ammunition pouch too.

He sports the US Navy Corpman's bag and a belt pouch with grenade. So as you can see, with everything provided, your force can have many individualized Marines.

Have a Great Battle
The Old Crow

The Joy of Bits

Well I thought there would be time in July to continue the flurry of miniature modelling fun. Life events and work projects keep interfering with modelling. We had started this band of Space Marines to go with the Dreadnoughts from the last couple posts but have not had time to get back to them. I don't think things will let up much until late in October but I am determined to keep everybody updated on anything that gets done.

Anyway, on to modelling mayhem.

The Joy of Bits. As you have probably seen from posts here on Battleground Hobbies, we love to recycle and use bits n pieces of anything and everything. Old computers and printers provide a never ending array of phenomenal pieces parts. Model bits are no exception to this rule. Recent acquisitions for the current projects have brought a plethora of Warhammer 40k bits into our hands!

A local shop in the Pittsburgh area allows hobbyists to unload old armies and bits for store credit and then resells them in their Bits Bin.

You can find single figures, parts, whole squads and even armored vehicles! In the batch we picked up, there are Necron, Space Marine, Tau and Imperial Guard bits.
(Have I mentioned how I hate when Blogger rotates my photos?)

These will all be put to good use as we continue to build our battle weary "Lost Legion" units. These are the first Space Marines to begin the process and some of those grand bits.

So how do you store your bits? Leave them on the sprue? Or do you categorize them in boxes? This is one of the several organizers filled with bits and pieces, mostly recycled parts.

Yes there are bits in organizers too. And if you doubt, we have plenty of sprues in boxes too.

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow

Warhammer 40k Dreadnought Conversion - Part 2

OK the first Warhammer Dreadnought conversion went well so onto Part 2! As mentioned previously, the two dreadnoughts were picked up from eBay and cost less than one new one. So cutting them up wasn't a problem. In our scenario of the lost legion, these guys are stranded and have to repair and replace things with whatever they can. This guy had a duel Lascannon for it's right arm and we cut it up to look like it took a direct hit or exploded from overuse.

We had a random spare gun in our parts bin and a piece of plastic tubing to beef up the barrel. The existing barrel was trimmed and shaved to receive the new one. For theme sake we figured it was a local area turret mounted cannon that was scavenged and made to fit the Dreadnought.

It was attached to the outside of the arm in a manner to look integrated on the fly. A spare computer part was added as a gravity feed ammo clip.

Extra armor plating was added and was intentionally rough cut to go with our theme. Some traditional stowage and more futuristic looking parts were placed on the top between the shoulders.

This was the circuit board from a network switch and we felt the indicator lights looked like missile pods. Four of the pairs were cut off the board and glued together. A second part will be added as the "mounting" bracket

Additional components were added as communication equipment, a rear mounted cooling system was attached...

and the assembly was mounted on the left arm.

Here you can see the "cooling system" and the lower part is a mounting-reloading arm attachment we created from additional spare computer parts.

Extra armor plates were attached to the left torso and right lower leg and we primed him with the same Italian Olive as the first Dreadnought.

Now he's ready for painting too!

Here's a great view of the rear mounting of the missile pod.

And there you have it, next we'll get to some troops and possibly a transport or two.

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow