Sunday, February 5, 2017

'Home' from PhilH: Ruined Spanish Home

"we must extend the terror; we must impose the impression of dominion while eliminating without scruples everyone who does not think as we do"
General Emilio Mola, Nationalist commander, 1936

Throughout the ages, wars have taken their toll beyond the combatants. And in addition to the effects of military clashes, the Spanish Civil War saw a violent repression unleashed against civilians across the country and both the Nationalists and Republican zones, as the antagonists sought to increase their control, root out suspected enemy sympathisers or "Fifth Columnists" or even take revenge for perceived injustices.

For this theme round, I represent this senseless destruction of life and property in a small way, with a farmhouse destroyed in the repression or the fighting. Once someone's home, now just a burned out shell.





 I haven't planned many Theme Round entries this year, to try to focus on main projects. However, last summer about the only miniature hobbying I got around to was some terraining, and I had this ruined farmhouse kit from Timeline Miniatures half built. It is quite a simple design, but I detailed it some more with the addition of rubble, tiles, beams, fireplace and shutters.

To paint, I undercoated in Sandtex Mid Stone,drybrushed a couple of highlights and picked out details, then applied what seemed to be countless washes of Strong Tone, Soft Tone,and Black Washes, in various dilutions, to apply weathering inside and out. I'm fairly happy with the result. While intended for my SCW terrain collection, it could serve well enough in the Napoleonic era.



 A civilian, perhaps the homeowner, surveys the destruction


A squad of Carabineros take up position among the rubble.

While it may no longer be a home, it seems something has taken up residence:

'Squeak'

Well, that was a rather glum take on the "Home" theme, apologies if I've put a downer on anyone's day.

24 comments:

  1. Really good Phil, the photograph with the homeowner is very touching.

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    1. Cheers Michael, the minis were painted a few years ago, but I she was just the right one for that snap

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  2. Great interpretation of the theme! You really went to town with all these different weathering effects. The result certainly was well worth the efforts.

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  3. Excellent work Phil - that rat is a nice touch :)

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    1. I found a bag of rats in the lead pile at just the right time - wonder where else I can add them

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  4. Very nice take on the theme delightfully realised.
    Best Iain

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    1. Cheers Iain! I thought I was being a bit glum if I'm honest, compared the the frequent whimsical entries

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  5. Very sombre, great it fits so well in with current projects too!

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  6. A very atmospheric piece Phil with a tinge of sadness. Well done on the weathering!

    Christopher

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    1. Thanks Christopher - It's not often I want to make terrain, and it's definitely not my forte

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  7. Wonderful piece of terrain, Phil. I particularly like the collapsed roof and burnt rafters. Well done!

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    1. Thank you gracious Snowlord. As I started building, I was thinking: collapsed building kit, but where's the roof gone?!

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  8. Every ruin was someone's house at one stage.

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    1. Quite right Clint. Unless it's a ruined Shopping Mall.

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