So, I've had this on the drawing boards for a while now, and finally built it. I play a lot of 28mm Skirmish Gaming during the Seminole Indian Wars, and have always wanted a complete fort. I was originally going to build the log sections with wood dowels, but since I've acquired a 3D ABS printer, someone had created a French & Indian War Fort sections on www.Thingiverse.com (French and Indian Wars - The Modular Fort by Earsling - Thingiverse) that I could start with as a base. I modeled my fort pieces after Fort Foster, located in Tampa/Hillsborough County, FL, but could be used to create any Seminole War era fort that you would like. I would think that the pieces could be used for a Wild West Fort as well. For more information on Fort Foster: Fort Foster - Wikipedia
THE FORT WALLS
Here are the raw 3D prints. There were single straight sections and a corner section. The creator of the 3D objects also had a double straight section, but I was having issues printing it on my printer. So, just doubled up the single on the double base.
Typical Seminole War forts had a raised firing platform at least a foot off the ground. This would give the soldiers the ability to fire 'down' on any fort attackers, as well as to stay out of the mud while walking a post. The base of the 3D print already provided me with the support for one side of the platform. I just needed to provide the front support and beam, and some floor planking. These were cut from some 1/16" basswood sheet that I had. Wooden coffee stirrers would work as well. The base is made from 1/8" mdf board.
Here's the assembled platform.
The mdf base was covered in watered down white PVA glue, then covered with sand. After drying, the base was painted brown. Once dry, it was dry-brushed with a sand color. After that dried, randomly applied white glue was covered with a green flocking mix, leaving some areas of dirt/sand visible. For added details, I will add some grass tufts at the base of the wall.
Here is the finished platform side of the wall. The top of the palisade wall is painted a pine color and the walls dry-brushed.
I needed a larger 'corner' section, so I combined the small corner piece with two, single straight pieces. Then created a series of support and beams to support the corner platform, and even added stairs.
The Platform boards are in place.
Detailed the same way as the straight wall sections, the base is sanded and flocked, and the walls are dry-brushed.
Unique to Fort Foster, one of the corners has an opening (embrasure) for a cannon to fire from. This corner faces a bridge that crosses the Hillsborough River, so the cannon protects the river crossing. Therefore, I needed a custom piece.
Here, the Cannon corner piece has been painted brown. A ramp was included at the corner so that the cannon can be removed to the parade field.
Here is the finished cannon corner, finished the same way as the other pieces.
THE MAIN GATE
Another custom piece is the main gate. It is as wide as a double, but includes the framing for an operable gate. Here we have the inside, with a 28mm Soldier for scale.
Here is the finished gate from the outside. The base is finished as the other pieces.
THE BLOCKHOUSES
The Blockhouses printed as 2 pieces, the bottom/base and the top. I mounted the base to a 1/4" thick piece of cork. This allowed the door to be positioned so that one would step out onto the raised walkway. The top piece has pieces of cork glued to the underside that fit to the inside corner of the base. That way the top fits on top of the base and does not move.
There is a 3D print of the roof, but I chose to build it out of foam core board instead. Much easier, lighter, and quicker than printing it. (The 3D print was solid.)
It's not that difficult to build it out of foam core board, especially when it is scrap board from work.
I 'shingled' the roof with 1/2" strips of thin card board (Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, etc.) I cut a 1/4" cut into one side of the strip, to represent individual shingles. I cut off an occasion corner along the 1/4" cut as wood shingles are not perfect. These strips are glued to the foam board with PVA glue. The shingles strips start at the bottom, and are overlapped 1/4" for each successive row.
This is what it looks like when the roof has been shingled. I've done this for 15mm buildings before, but instead of cereal boxes, I used brown paper bag (Grocery bag) strips which is much thinner.
Here is the blockhouse all painted and weathered. The base has the same sand and flocking method as the walls.
THE QUARTERMASTER STOREHOUSE
This building started as a cedar incense burner with removable roof. It had an undersized door on the wrong side as it needed to be on the end. The new doorway was cut and framed out with balsa strip. A ramp to the door was constructed of sheet bass wood. The base was covered with PVA glue and sand.
The new door was cut in the gable end wall, like the actual storehouse.
The side door was filled in with a piece of the scrap cut out of the end wall.
The incense burner came with a roof, but had to remove the chimney, which left a hole. he hole disappeared once the new shingles were added to the roof. I added some bass wood soffits around he roof perimeter.
The final Quartermaster Storehouse after painting, dry-brushing and flocking of the base like the others.
THE POWDER MAGAZINE
I had found these mini-Lincoln 'style' logs at a dollar store (Can't remember which one).
This is the parts assortment.
Decided to build the powder magazine using these log toys. The actual magazine building isn't very tall as it does go underground slightly, to keep the powder in a cool, dry place.
I put the model on an mdf base, with glue and sand. I infilled some gaps with trimmed balsa wood to look like timbers. Framed out the roof with bass wood soffit pieces, and then added shingles like the other buildings.
This is what it looks like with the final paint, weathering and flocking.
The Fort is now ready to receive it's first garrison of troops.
