PicoArmor

PicoTerrain Buildings

2008-11-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

Fabricated Buildings

While running our demonstration game at Village Games, we received quite a few comments on our buildings. We started the the standard buildings we are offering at PicoArmor.com, and here's what we have done with them.

Besides cutting off the round chimneys and painting them, we have assembled the stock buildings into larger buildings.

The inspiration for this came from fellow 3mm Yahoo Group member, and customer Macunaima30.

Using the basic houses, hotels, and bits of basswood, we were able to construct churches, factories, commercial buildings, and a government office.

Factory Building
We glued three of the hotels together to form the main part of the building.

We added a house in the front as the office.

Finally,we cut a thin piece of basswood (about 2mm square) for the smoke stack.

We may begin sanding the sides of the hotels where we join them . They are slightly inclined, which makes getting them close and square a little troublesome.

Government Building
First we glued a bit of basswood (about 1mm thick) under a hotel.

Once dry, we trimmed the basswood flush to the edges of the hotel with a razor saw.

Three houses were then glued as office wings and an entryway.

Commercial Building
Much like the government building, we glued a bit of basswood (about 1mm thick) under a hotel.

Once dry, we trimmed the basswood flush to the edges of the hotel with a razor saw.

Two houses were then glued to the ends as wings.

Church
Again we glued a bit of basswood (about 1mm thick) under a hotel.

Once dry, we trimmed the basswood flush to the edges of the hotel on three sides with a razor saw. The last side was trimmed as a stairway on to the church.

Finally,we cut a thin piece of basswood (about 3mm square) for the steeple.

Using these fabricated buildings with the stock buildings, we have achieved a mass effect with the terrain with some variety, and at a low cost.

Here we have a West German village with a reinforced Soviet Battalion sweeping past.

The next thing we're going to try is fabricating modular blocks at 40mm and 100mm square. These will be residential, commercial and industrial blocks. We may also add small villages and farms.

Modern Orders Of Battle

2008-09-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'd like to see what scenarios and campaigns interest everyone.

We have begun to play one of the classic modern "what if" campaigns: Fulda Gap, 1985

Division Recon Leaving Bad Hersfeld, Hinds in over-watch.

We began with the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division getting the mission to open a corridor to the open terrain northeast of Frankfurt via Bad Hersfeld and Alsfeld. Once this corridor is open, the 79th Guards Tank Division can exploit, perhaps as far as Frankfurt.

Delaying these units of the 8th Guards Army is the 3rd Squadron to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Other NATO units begin assembling/arriving as the delaying action proceeds. The release of these units are triggered by Soviet gains. The condition and completeness of the NATO units increases with the amount of time that has passes before the triggering events occur.

Much of the scenario was developed using the excellent Modern Battles simulations by John Tiller and HPS. Running the campaign several times allowed for the scheduling of the release of the NATO forces and the availability of supporting aircraft. HPS also publish a series of WW2 simulations called Panzer Campaigns.

We will post photos and reports of the battles of this campaign as they occur.

The order of battle for this campaign are attached below:

Modern%20Campaign%20Soviet%20OOB.doc
Modern%20Campaign%20NATO%20OOB.doc

Miniature Buildings at PicoTerrain

2008-08-31T05:41:00.001-07:00

Miniature houses and hotels are here.

We're planning on creating some build up area stands using these, but we're offer these building in bulk packages as a start.

We tried both the standard plastic and a plastic/wood composite material. The composite cuts and shapes much more like a softer wood. We preferred this over the brittle and difficult polystyrene of the regular houses. It also has a little texture, as opposed to the smooth-as-glass finish of the standard plastic.

While I do prime them, I haven't had to wash and sand them. The accursed circular chimneys also come off quite nicely with a hobby knife.

They are available through the site for $7.50/100 houses and $7.60/100 hotels.

The evergreen tree stands are available through the site as well. We've sent out a couple of test shipments, and the assembled stands shipped well, even overseas.

Long Barreled Germans

2008-08-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

The long barrel Stugs, PZKW IVs, and PZKW IIIs are here.

With these models we can go deep into the war, and to the very brink of 1943.

The Soviets have had the longer barrel T34s since last month, and in a pinch, there are T34/85Ms available in the modern section.

Less Than Package Quantities

Most of the Oddzial Osmy packs at PicoArmor are now available a less than full package quantity through the shopping cart system. The remaining packs (French, Polish, and Modern British) should be up in the next day or so.

Fifteen unit packs are available as singles, triples, or fives. Most aircraft are available as singles, doubles, or quads.

Infantry and combos are not offered at less than a package.

First 3mm Terrain Product

2008-08-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

Here's some photos of our first PicoTerrain product.

These are our tree stands. There are ten evergreen trees mounted in on a 50mm square stand.
The stand is finished with a textured surface, and flocked.

This is a close-up with two BMP3s and a UAZ-469.

The taller trees are about 3/4 inch (20mm) tall, the smallest about 3/8 inch (10mm) tall.

We are planning to offer these as assembled stands, and as kits with the stands drilled and the trees ready to mount.

There has also been a request for the trees supplied alone. What are your thoughts?

Our initial pricing will be:
$3.00 per assembled stand, 10 stands for $25.00
$2.50 per stand kit, 10 stand kits for $20.00
All prices in USD, delivery extra.

We will work on a tree only price, should there be sufficient interest.

John
PicoArmor.com

Opening Post

2008-08-09T18:23:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the PicoArmor blog.

I spend a fair amount of time working with the Oddzial Osmy 3mm miniatures, and I'd like to post the efforts and results here. I'll be discussing paint and painting techniques, mounting and basing, and unit organization.

We have also been working on 3mm terrain. Some tree stands and kits are complete, and ready to go up on the web. There will be 10,000 Monopoly sized houses and hotels arriving in the next weeks, and we'll post our progress with constructing built up area stands sized for Cold War Commander/Blitzkrieg Commander, Spearhead/Modern Spearhead, Panzer Korp, and Command Decision.

We've been working to get Chicago area 3mm enthusiasts together to game as well.

I've just switched from modern to an early war Soviet Tank Brigade. I'll be posting some work in process photos here, as well as some discussion.

John
PicoArmor.com