Tuesday 26 November 2013

FIW 4Ground 15mm Blockhouse



I bought this and another 4Ground building set at SELWG a few months ago, and I've got to say I'm mighty impressed. The building as with all 4Ground products comes in flat pack format  and was quite easy to clip and glue together. I'm not that happy with how the roof looks at the 4 joins, but I'm sure I can fix it somehow. I don't think the roof can be made in any other way, its just me being a bit fussy??
My only other quibble is, I wish it could be a little bigger......but then don't we all??



I may base the Blockhouse up, I think it'll make it a little more sturdy, but then It'd be nice
 to have some kind of earthworks around it as well??? Oh what to do????
But for £11 you just can't go wrong!





Two Essex minis for size comparison. 


57 comments:

  1. So is it the strip that forms the seam that bugs you?
    Otherwise it's really cool. Like how the second floor is bigger.

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    1. You can't really see the strip too much in the pics but it does bug the hell out of me!

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  2. Looks good, though I'd agree a base would add something. I imagine you should be able to work something out so that your earthworks could be modular add-ons to the core base.

    FMB

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    1. Yeh I've got a few things in mind, just gotta get something down on paper.

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  3. Nice looking piece of kit there sir. I think a base would be a good idea. I ordered their pre-painted Roman Watchtower this week (which comes with a base), so am eagerly awaiting it in the post. Their stuff really is very good.

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    1. Its such a great idea to have them pre-painted.

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  4. Looks great! Reminds me of some of the mountain houses we have in my country

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  5. Wishing it could be bigger, I have loads of emails about that I can send you mate.

    It is a very nice product thats the blockhouse not the emails

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    1. I get enough of them emails myself Pete, no need to share!

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  6. I've always had my eye on the 4Ground stuff - very nice, too ;-)

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  7. Very nice piece of kit!

    How do you plan to use it? For skirmish games? In any larger formation game where individual figures represent a larger number, building footprints can be MASSIVELY over-scale! We have had that problem with our big January games where the Aspern granary had to be removed and replaced by a block once the action came close. Similar problem with the Borodino church this year. Pretty to look at until the action involves them!

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    1. Purely for skirmish or semi-skirmish games. Footprints can be a bit of a pain in games, I'd agree.

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  8. Nice skills Ray. It seems perfect!

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  9. I like it! Reminds me a bit of a nice vacation home but I guess those are probably based on much more practical uses, eh?

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    1. Definitely no holiday home! No TV or Broadband's available.

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  10. Looks great. Roof looks fine, worry ye not!

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  11. As you know I'm already as dedicated fan of 4Ground mdf buildings. For the price they are pretty hard to beat.

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  12. That is a nice building; good job painting it. As far as the base, maybe you should do more than one and not permanently attach it. A small hill, earthworks as you mention, ect.

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    1. It comes pre-painted Mike!! And yes that's the kind of thing I've got in mind???

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  13. It does look good, but like all models they do tend to be a bit on the small size foe 1:1 comparisons.

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    1. Yeh, it could have done with being 20-25% bigger, IMHO???

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  14. Not bad, for what kinda games are you going to use it?

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    1. The French Indian War Sander, I've got loads of 15mm figures for the period, now of course this means I'll have to dig out the rules I was working on a year or 2 ago???

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  15. Looks great Ray! And usefull for other wars of that period I think.

    Greetings
    Peter

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    1. I don't think you can use this outside of the US, but you certainly could use it from the mid 1600's up until possibly the ACW?

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    2. That's what I mean Ray! Only in the US! ;-)

      Greetings
      Peter

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  16. Hi Ray,
    I've bought some 4Ground buildings at CRISIS, but these are sized 28mm. They also look very good and their price is fair.
    The oly thing I don't like that much is that the roofs have some points you can see the connections of the different parts. As you wrote you don't like that either.
    I'm trying to find some way to cover these points.
    Cheers
    Mike

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    1. I was thinking of some kind of dowl, cut to fit over the 4 joins, making it look like a rafter???

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  17. Looks great, Ray! If the roof seams bother you, check out supplies meant for doll houses. Shingle packs and roofing paper would tidy up those seams. I'm getting Longrifle(?) to go with muskets and tomahawks for FIW in 28s. It's not that I'm a scale snob- maybe a little!- but the Conquest mini lines of Indians are the best I've seen. They look like the tribes they represent down to facial features! I just wish they'd do the Algonquin Nation and make some Potawatomi. Why does everyone want sissy Mohawks anyway? ;) check out conquest mini Sauk warriors, they are pure awesome!

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  18. Yeh the Conquest minis are really nice.The FIW seems to be one of the in periods at the moment, with loads of companies producing very nice looking figures.

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  19. Looking great - As you say, FIW is appealing right now. I just started on some figs after a long hiatus from Historicals. As for the roof seams - maybe throw some foliage around it? Best, Dean

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  20. The 4-ground stuff is really quite impressive.

    John

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  21. It's really nice. Little bit of two part resin should do the trick, I think.

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  22. So...is your mouth full of Ding Dongs or did you swallow?

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  23. Great little kit and I think you've done a great job on its assembly. I agree that it might benefit being on some sort of base. Perhaps you could do a separate wooden palisade around it. That was quite common, especially here in Canada. For the roof seams I'd suggest moss at the corners and joins - again very common here on older wooden structures.

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    1. Yep, I'll probably do something like that Curt.

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  24. I'm glad you put the minis there for comparison. Sometimes it's hard to tell the size of projects. I like the blockhouse…it looks cozy ha ha

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  25. I'm quite impressed myself Elsie, not quite sure about cosy though???

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  26. Looks good to me, but I understand it bothering you since it's your art. But to me, it looks fantastic.

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