Watchtower Variant

This is a variant of the watchtower kit with an extra storey added to the top of the tower using the good old Pringles Tube. It will be possible to make this from the watchtower kit...

I have also added a number of pictures of the new kits to The Gallery such as this one:

And finally - I think I have some good news on the way which means I will be able to relaunch - hopefully during October. More news soon.

B

Watchtower prototype finished

I (mostly) finished painting up the prototype Benan Watchtower. Sorry about the change in tones between the pictures the real colour is somewhere between the two.

Watchtower without the canopy roof.

The optional die-cast hatch opens and closes and is not yet painted. The recessed magnets to connect the canopy roof can clearly be seen in the deck. In the right hand picture you can see the door modeled into one of the flat wall connecting sections - this is hidden by an attached wall, but can be used as an entrance to the tower if it is used stand alone.

With canopy roof installed

4mm magnets are glued into the base of the tubes that form the pillars for the roof and the whole roof section snaps into place. There is too much of the wood colour and pattern here so I will probably change the pillar colour slightly before I finish the grain on it.

Overall I like the design but there are a couple of changes I want to make.

1. Don't recess the magnets so far. So when the roof is not installed  the magnets are flush with the surface.
2. Simplify the underside of the canopy - it currently has beams and trusses cut from styrene sheet. Although this looks good its almost never visible and is a pain to make and paint well, it also doesn't provide a good enough gluing point for the tops of the pillars. I'll replace this with a hexagon with holes cut to accept the pillars. should use less styrene too, hence cheaper
3. Change the roof on the canopy. Although the planking works I think it is too similar to the rest of the wood. I think I shall offer a shingle kit to go on top of it. (note that a conical roof from the pryn-gul tower or the stables kit will also fit.

As always comments and suggestions are very welcome.

A little more wall progress...

A little more progress: I am pleased with these.(pics taken on my phone so sorry they aren't quite as sharp as usual)

Finished Wall Section

Finished Wall Assembled to a WIP Tower & Bridge.

The upper sections of these pieces matches the colours of my existing buildings. The lower sections have small stones PVA glued to the sections and painted to resemble flint covered stone built sections. I hope this gives them more of a rugged appearance than the basic buildings but still looks more like a stockade than a stone fortress/castle.