Jungle Building Materials

From the top, a large piece from a Ross store cut into three pieces plus a trunk, then two Michaels bits - trees with faces that will lose their faces for my purposes, the three rocks from a set that also includes the 15 alike trees found at Walmart, then the three large (and perhaps too flimsy for use) rocks on the left that come from the same set as the 6 trees all alike, and then - finally - the 31 palm trees (there was one on top of the 'brown thing' in the background found at Ross store at a different trip.  Well, technically the two different sets of stuff from Walmart and Ross were actually three sets of stuff each for six total sets, or tubs.  See below for what the tubs look like.

I may take those 31 palm trees and use them to create ferns for the understory of my jungles.  For one, I have a plethora of palm trees I can use to enhance a jungle already prepped and more besides awaiting use.  And, two, I prefer jungles without palm trees for what I have in mind.  I should also mention that the 15 trees and the three rocks seen again in the photo below will at least in part be used to create accacia trees for my Plains of Africa set up with the rocks forming kopje.

This shows the 'brown thing' better which is actually the lid to the plastic tubs and it represents a bridge over a pit of some sort which I will adapt somehow into my games, the palm tree is not integral to the piece.  Actually, if you look at the gray rock above there are three indentations where three of those palm trees are meant to be 'planted'.  I like the rock forms but they are very fragile so I might try filling them with some expanding foam but that might not work since it might burst the hills. 

I bought three of these tubs at a Ross store.  Lots of dinosaurs but not of use for my purposes so they will move on to younger folk like some great nephews or to a local charity.

There were three of these found at Walmart.  

Yeah, I spent a bit by buying three of each of the two tubs but the yield of material to work with was pretty cool.  Somewhere I have even more raw material for building my jungle including smaller versions of the trisected plus trunk item at the top of of the first photo above, or as I've decided to call it: 'Jungle In Training'.

15 mm Gangster Era Police Comparison Photos

For the benefit of others, I'm posting a few comparison shots of the 15 mm American 1930's (or so) gangster 'era' police.  I know, I know, most of you would probably have preferred the gangsters and mobsters - these guys were just easier for comparison.  All the figures in each range are to the same size and standard.

The shot above shows from top to bottom the 6 figures from Rebel Miniatures (originally from Splintered Light), the middle row are the 9 figures from Khurasan Miniatures, and the bottom row shows the 12 from Blue Moon Manufacturing.

The above shows Rebel, Khurasan, and Blue Moon (from Old Glory 25s by the way).

And here are three figures standing just picked at random but, again, Rebel, Khurasan, Blue Moon left to right.

Note that the Blue Moon police come in 6 poses and there are two of each pose.  The 9 Khurasan include 1 detective figure.  So that means there are 20 unique poses for police in 15 mm plus the detective (and if you like, Blue Moon has a Sherlock Holmes usable figure in their horror range that is perhaps the best sculpted figure I've seen in any scale - and there are London Bobbies in that mix).  That's pretty impressive.  Obviously, there is some size difference and that may be an issue for some but I like the variety so will use them all, just maybe give the shorter figures thicker bases.  Plan is that some of the cops will be straight law abiding, some may be on the fence, and some will be on the take.  That last is a good reason for the feds to get involved.

Gangsters Wholesale

Having committed to doing a gangster setup, I've laid in all the models I expect to need.  What I may not have I can probably borrow from other collections I already have - though might be in need of painting (so much is in need of painting!).

For buildings, I bought in the Night Chicago Died buildings from Blue Moon.  They make 14 different buildings and I bought one of all of them and then 4 more doubling up to get to a total of 18 for my little naughty neighborhood.

Figures come from the same range plus from Khurasan and Rebel Miniatures (formerly with Splintered Light).  I did some "filling" in with some more Blue Moon (x2 packs of the civilians) and some others from the Boxer and Darkest Africa ranges.  210 total figures, 39 women and girls and 171 men and boys (only a few kids).  And a dog.

Vehicles come from Peter Pig and Blue Moon (WWI trucks), a late friend's collections that had a few items of use, and some Maitso buys over the years.  I've amassed 24 cars and 16 trucks and a couple of damaged trucks.  And a surprise vehicle that is not going to be given away here!

Here are some photos from sorting out how to arrange the buildings:
Note that the names are from Blue Moon but may not be how I use the building since this is a fictional town despite being inspired by Chicago.  Like I said above, there are four duplicates.  First view is looking down Gangster Boulevard.

Right to left is the National Food Store, Biograph Theater, O'Bannion's Flower Shop.

 Same order, Country Club Diner, North Clark Street Storefront, and Storefront and Billiard Hall.

This is a side view of the Police Station (there will be a public square on this side of the station).

A front view of the station and North Clark Street Apartments.

An end view of the building just mentioned.

And below is an opposite view of Gangland Boulevard.

On the right is the warehouse - the bigger one - end view.

And a street view.

Next up is the Peoria Street Bordello, the SMC Cartage Warehouse - the small one, and the Cooperage Barrel Company.  As in most, right to left.

 Mrs. Orvidian's Boarding House, Mrs. Doody's Boarding House, and North Clark Street Apartments.

 Mrs. Dowdy's Boarding House, Peoria Street Bordello, and Cooperage Barrel Company.

Rear view of above.

 Adjacent rearview.

Further down rearview, nearest the warehouse.

The Warehouse's rear view - the dock has metal supports for the roof just lying in place at the moment.

An angled view.  Nearest the camera, the cross street is Shootout Avenue - the only four way I intend.  On the left before the square is Hardluck Street, near the square is Government Place, farthest on the left is Vice Way.

Those boxes contain all the figures and vehicles.

Now all is needed is a lot of painting.  Oh, and I do plan do acquire or build some street details: call boxes, fire hydrants, man hole covers, drains, garbage cans, street lamps, to give it more of a 'lived in' look.

Fun somewhere ahead.  Along with a good dose of mayhem no doubt.

Just a warning - of a benign nature

I seem to have regained access to this blog so I might be posting more here.  Hooray!  Or, you've been warned!

Chicago Approacheth?

Well, I don't know if it will be Chicago but that is the 'intent' of the buildings - from Blue Moon's "The Night Chicago Died" range of figures and buildings.  So far, only acquired these six buildings:

Front left is the police station, then the Biograph theater, and then the cartage warehouse.  The theater marquee is a separate resin piece and can be seen sitting on the roof of the theater for now.

The Peoria street bordello, the store front and pool hall, and the police station again (by far the biggest building in the range).  The bordello's four upper floor stairs are separate resin pieces.

And then the bigger warehouse around back.

And the other side of the warehouse and the other buildings.  The bigger warehouse includes a separate water tank (in resin) with wooden stands and four supports (in metal) for the dock roof which, along with the dock, are separate pieces (in resin).  There is also a roof vent in metal.  All the roofs lift off.  

Only significant issue I've seen so far are the end walls of the bordello bend outward a bit but that should be an easy fix.

I'm thinking this may be enough for a game but there is the option to buy more buildings from the range and maybe expand it by exploring the buildings for London in the Horror range from Blue Moon.  

Buildings are big enough they would work with 20 mm, not just 15 mm.

July 5, 2019 Edit: I've gone ahead and ordered more buildings, some duplicates, so I will have a total of 18 buildings.  I've also ordered some more vehicles to go with what I've accumulated so far - I believe the total will be 38 (though perhaps more if I find suitable models).  Also ordered some more figures - the police and gangsters from Khurasan - and then some more Blue Moon figures to use as civilians, some will be duplicates and some of the extra figures will slot into other collections.  And if it weren't for an out-of-stock issue with one item from one order, I could say I was - more or less - done buying figures.