A new post on an old project; Or Altheim, the return!

So, a project I started a long time ago (way back in 2014, when I had a job, career prospects and a working spine!) has finally risen back to the top of the pile, spurred on by a bunch of models I recently purchased. Altheim has made a comeback!

My 'Altheim' project was originally just a basic plan to remake all of the original cardboard buildings in the 'Warhammer Townscape' book as proper, detailed scratchbuilt models, but eventually morphed to become a plan to build a gaming table of a small working walled town, complete with inhabitants. I got a fair way into it, (here, here, here and here) then, like most of my grand plans, it stalled and I moved on to something else. But here we are, back again, so here's a small recap after the break...



Altheim is a small town in Nordland, located on the trade road between the village of Luftberg and the port of Dietershafen:

(Original Map courtesy of Gitzmans Gallery)

Built on the river crossing over the Salz, the town is currently booming thanks to Dietershafen being the primary port of the Imperial Fleet, and from the river trade both to and from Nordland’s capital of Salzenmund. The town was originally a small settlement that formed at the location of a toll bridge over the Salz. Eventually gaining a garrison and walls to protect this important crossing, the town has prospered and increased in size over the years until it's walls can no longer contain the entire population, spilling over along the roads to the east and west. As a growing trade location, Altheim has built up a reputation as a small but cosmopolitan boom town that welcomes outsiders, unlike some other towns and cities in Nordland. Because of this, Altheim has sizeable Dwarf and Halfling populations, and even has the occasional visit of trade delegations from the Elves of the Laurenlorn Forest. 

Anyway, now you're all in the know, back to the project! Recently I picked up a few new models to go with the project, and although mostly unpainted, you can see most of my inhabitants here:

Mostly these are from the C46 Villagers & Townsfolk range and the Marauder MM62 Citizens range, with a few Dwarf Villagers and Halflings thrown in for cosmopolitan good measure.

My plan is to create a small vignette home/shop model for each inhabitant that is placeable as a terrain piece, and so when they're all combined will make for a full city gaming table. To that end, I've decided to start on the centrepiece of any pseudo-mediaeval town, the marketplace.

The Marketplace: 

To make the slabs, I spread a layer of filler mixed with PVA over a piece of 2mm mdf board and left it to dry thoroughly, then partially sanded it down, before scribing each individual slab out of the sheet. It's slow going, and really rather dusty work, but for me it really creates the most 'realistic' looking stonework. the scribing method even gives small chips on the corners etc, that just add to the effect. Here's a few photos showing my progress:

Firstly showing an early point in the project, I firstly lightly scribed the slabs on the filler, before going over them again to get the depth:

 Second photo: All of the light scribing is now done, on to the deeper work. To the left is a manhole cover, and at the top right a space for a 40mm circular cut out, enabling different objects to be inserted for a modular feel.

One of the modular fittings, a statue on a plinth. Another will be a well, and thirdly perhaps some stocks.

The finished Marketplace: Unpainted as yet, just a light undercoat to prevent the surface rubbing off.

And a slightly different view:

And a close up of the manhole cover, complete with rat insignia, warning of the dangers below...

So anyway, that's the marketplace built at least. I'm now working away from home from tomorrow until the new year, so I won't get a chance to get any paint on it until next year (!) but wanted to get a final hobby post in before I go away.

Hope you all have a fun xmas and a model-filled new year!