Russian/Ukrainian ruins

I picked up 4 of the Airfix 'ruined buildings' set on Ebay for a steal, and have set to work on painting them and turning them into a ruined diorama for the gaming table. This is the Ruined Cafe, Ruined Corner Shop and Ruined 4 storey store.

I've painted them up to represent somewhere on the Eastern Front, with a few other bits of scenery I had laying about:

A shot of the rear:

A Russian anti-tank gun for scale. Like a lot of Airfix, it's a little on the smaller side for 20mm, and couldn't really go next to my Valiant Rapid Ruins in Normandy (which are a little larger for 20mm) hence, some scenery for my Slovaks, Germans and Russians to fight over!

I also have the Ruined workshop. I haven't put this based with the others, but it can stand on it's own.

Some WW2 dioramas - aka 'fluff'!

We folk at NBHW do like a bit of fluff on the gaming table, and I have had these couple of sets floating around for a bit - I think they were both freebies which came with other orders. 

Firstly, a German checkpoint, I believe from Britannia Miniatures.

Then, with a bit more sense of the horrors of war, a feldjager officer and nco hanging a soldier. This is from CP models. The base incorporates an old piece of scenery which came free with some airfix/matchbox/revell set or other.

Rapid Ruin Normandy Buildings

Last year my lovely kids got me three Valiant 'Rapid Ruin' houses, which I've finally got round to painting.

I followed Colin Rumford's guide on TMP http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=375772 but substituting some colours for similar ones I had. The main colour of Vallejo Iraqui Sand is the same.

Some close ups of the individual buildings, with a shot of each in 'ruin' mode too.

The first I've painted as a simple townhouse, designed to be on the corner of a junction, with a little direction side on its wall.

The second is a slightly better kept townhouse:

The third is built as a cafe, with built in garage. I was quite pleased with the paint job on the garage door!

The signs were downloads from the Rapid Fire! website. I will eventually make a proper base for each, but I need some different buildings - perhaps a church - as they still look quite similar. I like the idea of the cut down ones in Colin's post, but know I wouldn't do that as well as him - perhaps a scratchbuilt one instead?

Horsehair Bocage

Alongside the WW2 Soviets which I have been painting, I've spent some time recently making some terrain pieces and improving some older stuff I have.

Inspired by Steve Tunmore of Tunnie's Terrain, I've had a go at making some Normandy bocage.

http://tunniesterrain.co.uk/

These were made with a plasticard base, covered with cat litter and gravel, painted, brushed and flocked. 

I left two pieces with this showing as 'entrances'.

The bocage itself was made from rubberised horsehair from Ebay, cut and shaped, before spraying black. I would spray brown next time I think! This was then covered with a watered down PVA mix and dipped in a darker, then once dry, a lighter flock. Finally, a fix of a couple of coats of hairspray to fix and protect. 

I also put a tree - made from a twig with rubberised horsehair made in the same way as the bocage, except it was covered with a different flock mix.

Finally, a few shots with a model for scale. Yes I know it's a Russian one!