The Cabin and the Frontier House

I’ve been asked a few questions about the buildings that I used for the Day 2 ATZ encounter (http://wargamersparadise.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/generation-zed-day-2.html) and in particular what were the houses that I used.

I use paper models from Dave Graffam Models. I like these because they’re not too big and don’t take up too much space on the table and they are scaled for 28mm in terms of the doors and window.

Also the majority of the models (probably all the new ones) come with interiors.

Whilst they aren’t big enough to put detailed furniture inside them they are big enough to put the figures in and to position them up against the windows etc (the placement of windows and doors on the inside of the model matches the outside of the model).

I originally made all the houses to suit my European WW2 table and we’ve had many sessions enjoying the kind of rustic rural scene that they create when they are put together with my dirt and cobble roads, rural signs, livestock, fences and trees etc which all match that period and place.

I buy them from rpgnow and most of them are about $3-5 USD depending on which model is chosen. A bargain, I think, given their quality and that they mostly have multiple skins meaning that you have quite a variety of houses for each file (you could probably do half a dozen fairly distinct buildings per file).

The first one I thought I would show is The Cabin. This was the first building I built and it’s the simplest.

As you can see from the next couple of pictures, it is a fairly small model, but it is well scaled to match 28mm miniatures (sorry the pictures are a bit yellow but I had to take these almost in the dark before I flew out this yesterday morning).

It’s a nice simple design and it’s got a suitable interior as well. 

 I’ve used a variety of materials over the years for making the models but the best I’ve found for durability and ease of making them is foam core cardboard. It doesn’t warp, is light weight and it easy to cut. For smaller elements (like chimneys) I use manila folders that you find in any office. I usually try to build buildings that have something on the roof just to break up the model a bit.

Here is the official picture of the model. 

These are the different texture options that you get with the model:

• Stone walls,
• Wood walls,
• Stone corners,
• Stone foundation,
• Brick walls (3 styles),
• Plaster walls (2 styles),
• Beams (3 styles),
• Many window and door positions,
• 4 types of roofs,
• 3 types of floors,
• Optional floor rugs,
• 2 chimney positions,
• Optional 1" grid overlay.

The next one is the Frontier House. I like this model because it has a 2 part roof structure and it has a small second storey (which is great for housing a MG in WW2).

The interiors are done up to match the exteriors.

And with one roof on. 

I learnt after a while that if I make simple braces for the roof that it’ll sit a lot better on the model and keep its shape better. All the roofs are mode of manila folder whereas the walls, floors and bracing are all foam core. 

 And the official picture. 

So I hope these give you some good ideas about paper terrain. It’s easy (easier than you think), quick (much, much quicker than trying to build and paint) and cheaper than you think and it looks good (often better than model terrain).

DEW