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Wheat?
Aug 19, 2016 18:46:35 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 19, 2016 18:46:35 GMT
I am doing some fields using fabric and they are getting better as I practice, but still missing a good wheat field. I decided I did not like my fake fur wheat fields after all, the fiber does not stand up uniformly enough, looks more like it was hit by a tornado. Ooiittee's 28mm fur field looks great but I it's hard to get it the right length for 6mm, no barber skills.
So turning back to my original inspiration, Tim's wheat fields on his solo general blog, I bought a Static grass applicator. Cannot get your WWS golden wheat in the US, although I could go straight to the UK company. Tim, did you airbrush and/or highlight yours to get that color?
So....anybody use static grass? What's good for 6mm? Who has some wheaty looking static grass that's the right length besides WWS? Thanks guys, Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 20, 2016 7:19:04 GMT
Post by tim on Aug 20, 2016 7:19:04 GMT
Hi Bruce, I did no airbrushing or highlighting, that's how it came out of the packet. I use 4mm wheat for 6mm figures, it looks about the right height and I find 6mm static grass a pain to use. I use 2mm for general base decoration. I would not do the wheat fields on caulk again as the tended to curl up a bit at the edges after a while although I have read that if you put the caulk onto thick aluminium foil it keeps it's shape better. Have you tried a search on the railway modeling suppliers in the US?, have a look for N guage stuff.
Tim
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Wheat?
Aug 20, 2016 15:01:56 GMT
Post by keithabarker on Aug 20, 2016 15:01:56 GMT
Bruce, what length do you consider is the "right length for 6mm"?
In the Napoleonic period crops such as wheat, rye and corn were taller than today, taller than a man, and would easily limit visibility on a battlefield.
So a 10mm high wheat field would be right for most 6mm figures?
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Wheat?
Aug 20, 2016 18:23:52 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 20, 2016 18:23:52 GMT
Thanks, guys, excellent. I have ordered some 6mm Noch beige from a model railroad supplier here. I am ordering some WWS from Amazon, it may take ages to get here though. I really like the color and the highlights. I am am the guy who puts all my caulk roads on aluminum foil, it really does let you shape it even after several years, and it conforms to terrain. So I will try it with this. Hope it's not too fiddly working with the grass.
Keith, a very interesting point about the height of crops then. I did not really have any idea, but there is a lot of "flock" 2mm static grass around that looks way too short for wheat. I suppose it depends on what point in the growing season it is, but as tall as a man would be good for me.
I do think that there is a concealment factor that should be represented here, as well as the scenic value. There was a lot of farmland around most everywhere, I assume, so I want to include different aspects. Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 20, 2016 19:23:44 GMT
Post by keithabarker on Aug 20, 2016 19:23:44 GMT
Yes Bruce, using crops to give a concealment factor to some farmland seems like a good idea.
In the 100 days I seem to recall there is a quote from a Sergeant of the 42nd Highlanders that the crops were as high as his bonnet.
Also the crops were so high at Quatre Bras that the French cavalry had a single horseman dash forward, find out the position of the allied infantry, plant a lance in the ground, and disappear. A few moments later, guided by the fluttering pennon, a whole cavalry regiment would charge, invisible to the infantry until within a few horse-lengths.
But that was of course June, I guess a few months earlier and the crops would have been lower, and a few months later they would have been havested.
I don't have any 6mm wheat/rye fields yet, so I hope you post some pics when you'tr done!
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Wheat?
Aug 20, 2016 23:23:47 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 20, 2016 23:23:47 GMT
Excellent story, thanks Keith. looks like some of us may want to develop a grain crop concealment rule! I will post some pics when the stuff arrives and I get the hang of the static applicator. Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 23, 2016 22:08:46 GMT
Post by silent on Aug 23, 2016 22:08:46 GMT
Yes Bruce, using crops to give a concealment factor to some farmland seems like a good idea. In the 100 days I seem to recall there is a quote from a Sergeant of the 42nd Highlanders that the crops were as high as his bonnet. Also the crops were so high at Quatre Bras that the French cavalry had a single horseman dash forward, find out the position of the allied infantry, plant a lance in the ground, and disappear. A few moments later, guided by the fluttering pennon, a whole cavalry regiment would charge, invisible to the infantry until within a few horse-lengths. But that was of course June, I guess a few months earlier and the crops would have been lower, and a few months later they would have been havested. I don't have any 6mm wheat/rye fields yet, so I hope you post some pics when you'tr done! Hello keith, interesting story about the pennon, I love these little snippets of info.. .The thing is I wondered wether the concealed infantry would know sooner than a few horse lengths. A number of years ago I had a little part time job driving polo ponies to matches. I knew nothing of horses. There are only 8 on a field. At the first game I was stood on the line and during a dash for the ball 4 horses came galloping towards me exactly where I was standing. Well, I couldn't believe it! For a start the ground shaking like an earthquake beneath my feet was a bit of a shock, more of a thrill really! I was amazed at this... and only 4 horses, and these are small horses. It started to shake maybe 80-100 yards away. I stood motionless thinking 'are they gonna pull up in time?'... hahaa, great stuff. The skill of the riders was superb. 20 yards out the ground was going nuts!
Anyway, I always remembered this and tried obviously to incorperate it into my rules. I imagine then, that the cavalry unit you mention maybe cantered up, or even walked. But of course a lot was going on around the infantry (other horses, guns booming etc) so I can see it happening the way you said for sure. So even with all the noise of the battle, ground shaking with increasing intensity would be a good clue to quickly form square!
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Wheat?
Aug 26, 2016 3:10:06 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 26, 2016 3:10:06 GMT
Yes, horses are noisy! I have seen maybe 50 or more trotting along during the ride outs in the Scottish Border towns. Very striking.
Cavalry could also be sneaky, I am thinking of the American Civil War commanders in particular on various raids. There is the dust factor to consider, this could be a real giveaway under certain conditions.
But I tend to think that during a battle with a lot of noise and smoke already going on, the concealment factor for grain is a valid one to consider. Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 26, 2016 19:16:57 GMT
Post by captainchook on Aug 26, 2016 19:16:57 GMT
All the wheat when I was at the Waterloo 200th anniversary last year was still very green. In fact, the variety they were growing had an almost blue tinge to it. The problem with going green is it may just look like long grass.
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Wheat?
Aug 28, 2016 13:37:43 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 28, 2016 13:37:43 GMT
Today's wheat is not as tall per Keith, and I see from the guy in your very nice pic that this wheat is waist high or so. Perhaps a shorter growing season today.
But I think one thing that makes wheat distinctive is it's uniformity, grasses perhaps are more unruly. In any case, it gives some scenic variety to the landscape and at some point in the season, provides some possibility of concealment. I think I will do some grasses as well. Depending on the scenario, some things for different times of the growing season are good to have. Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 28, 2016 15:54:34 GMT
via mobile
Post by davidsh on Aug 28, 2016 15:54:34 GMT
How about using a walk in/welcome mat? Both height and colour would seem to be right, and can be cut into sections. Plus - they're cheap!
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Wheat?
Aug 28, 2016 16:34:41 GMT
Post by bruce on Aug 28, 2016 16:34:41 GMT
You are right David and I have been on the lookout for these for a while. The best ones for this seem to be more common in the UK for some reason. In the US I have not found one that looks the right scale and is not printed with some design so far, but I am keeping an eye out. Even doing the static grass I would still want some of these type as well, especially when changing scenarios. Bruce
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Wheat?
Aug 28, 2016 17:25:40 GMT
via mobile
Post by davidsh on Aug 28, 2016 17:25:40 GMT
Ah right. Yes, they are very common in the UK - most hardware stores have them. They would seem to fit the bill for a uniform look.
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Post by ooiittee on Aug 28, 2016 21:28:44 GMT
On a side not. Norman Borlaug won a nobel prize for doubling wheat production in Mexico. His research genetically modified wheat to grow shorter and be less subjective to the elements amongst other things. Hence wheat is now shorter Bruce.
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Wheat?
Aug 29, 2016 10:57:19 GMT
Post by keithabarker on Aug 29, 2016 10:57:19 GMT
How about using a walk in/welcome mat? Both height and colour would seem to be right, and can be cut into sections. Plus - they're cheap!
I used a cut-up welcome mat with my 10/12mm WW2 armies. They're common here in Sweden too. Here is a picture from a Sealion battle showing Little Pickington church. I think perhaps the wheat field should have had a little dry-brushing, but I used it "straight from the DIY store".
I think the height works great for "modern" 10mm but would also work for horse and musket 6mm.
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Wheat?
Aug 29, 2016 15:20:58 GMT
via mobile
Post by davidsh on Aug 29, 2016 15:20:58 GMT
They look great Keith. Just the job.
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Wheat?
Sept 28, 2016 4:43:17 GMT
Post by bruce on Sept 28, 2016 4:43:17 GMT
These do look quite good Keith. I think a bit of dry brushing would not be a bad idea, but they are fine as is. I finally ordered one from Amazon that was almost as good as these, but I am not sure I like it as much as yours. I am going to try some craft paint on mine to see what I can come up with. Bruce
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Wheat?
Sept 28, 2016 4:43:33 GMT
Post by bruce on Sept 28, 2016 4:43:33 GMT
These do look quite good Keith. I think a bit of dry brushing would not be a bad idea, but they are fine as is. I finally ordered one from Amazon that was almost as good as these, but I am not sure I like it as much as yours. I am going to try some craft paint on mine to see what I can come up with. Bruce
oops! Sorry for the extra post!
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