Sloppy service - a rant!

"A three month wait for miscasts madam?"

Your author has been buying wargames items for over a quarter century and I am sad to say that I feel the general level of service is deteriorating.  I am tired of poor service from manufacturers and wonder if others are also.  

With your average 28mm figure now priced well above the psychological £1.00 barrier, we are paying more than ever before to get our hands upon little lead men.  When paying such a premium I for one expect a good standard of service and also a product that is quality checked before dispatch.

Actually, I believe whatever price you pay the item should be in fit condition and supplied as advertised.

Yes of course delays will occur and miscasts will slip through - everyone makes a mistake now and then.  However I cannot help but feel that a great many vendors are just sloppy or simply hope their mistakes won't be noticed by the buyer.  Alternatively, perhaps they bank upon customers' reticence to complain - this is something from which I do not suffer!

It is not my intention to "name and shame" anyone in particular but in the last six months I have been fed a great many cock-a-mamey excuses, including:

• "I am a one-man-band.  That is why I billed your credit card three weeks ago and have not even got around to filling your order" - very popular.
• "Sid/Jim/Bob (delete as applicable) went on holiday the week after we got your order and we have to wait for him to come back."
• "Miscasts?  Well yeah, there are a few but most customers never complain."
• "Our moulds are old and the metal doesn't flow too well."
• "Yes he is missing his nose/hand/cockade but you could rebuild it with putty/it wouldn't be noticeable in a unit."
• "Why are you complaining about miscasts?  Our figures are cheaper than so and so's."

Some of these have come from companies I had once rated as having excellent customer service.  I find this very disappointing.

I am aware that wargamers are a tolerant bunch but such statements gall.  There is no reason why the consumer should accept such shoddiness when buying any product.  The fact that these are little toy soldiers does not alter things!  If you think about it, would you be so tolerant if a sandwich seller said:

"You got a pubic hair in your chicken salad? Well, I am a one-man-band and my other customers never complain.  Pull it out of the mayo, it won't change the taste of the sandwich."

In short, a vendor should excersize a little elementary customer service:

• If there are unexpected delays, drop the customer an email.  Most people will understand that real life can intrude.
• Going on holiday and anticipate a delay when the order is accepted?  Then he/she should alert the buyer to the situation and check that you are happy to proceed.  
• When a defective item slips through, there should be an apology with an immediate offer to exchange the item and refund the return postage (if required).
• Moulds getting worn?  Then remake them!  Don't rely on people not noticing or being scared to complain!  

Such simple steps would go a long way to pacify even the most bellicose of customers.

Now perhaps the postman will today deliver those two orders for which I am still waiting after 3 weeks...

Building "Fort Kalypso" - Stage 2 - Basing

Basic tools and "spacer" as described below.

Although the building is not yet complete it is now time to provide it with a base.  This is best effected at this stage to both avoid damaging the finished model and to enable the structure to be blended realistically into the groundwork.

It has to be said that buildings without bases never "sit" right on the table-top and always look as if they were simply "plonked" down without care.  

You have a couple of options.  The "scenic" base with some simple (or not so simple!) groundwork - perhaps featuring character figures and trees etc.  Alternatively you could opt for a rudimentary grounding just slightly larger than the building's footprint.  This option is seen in the majority of commercial offerings.

Personally, I favour the scenic option and some form of diorama.  In this case a few palm-trees and civilians should effectively set the scene.  Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself - first let's get the structures safely based.

Building seated and extra contours added.

You can mount the building on MDF or styrofoam, the former is stronger but cutting requires safety precautions.  As this is something of a demonstration piece and will not be handled unduly, I chose the styrofoam and hot wire method.  Roughly mark out the shape and cut out.  It helps if you contour the edges carefully as they will look more natural if a gradual profile is achieved.  

Once you have a shape you are happy with, it's time to seat the building.  I always glue them on a spacer made from card or foamcore.  This is for two reasons.  Firstly it enables you to work the ground-level up to the building and avoid obscuring your work with plaster.  Secondly, it enables you to squeeze filler into the join and this provides further adhesion.   To clarify, the spacer should be glued onto the base with "hot glue" or a contact adhesive.  The oasis should be secured with PVA as it provides a better grip.

Woodland Scenics' rocks.

Now create a few styrofoam contours to add to the base - this gives the effect of a varied ground level and breaks-up the flat surface.  The aim is to make the building look as if it is sitting in rather than sitting on the base.  

Styrofoam cut and rocks seated.

An added touch (if appropriate to your setting) can be some rocks.  A long time ago I bought one of Woodland Scenics model railroading rock-moulds.   I cast a whole lot of these and have found them very useful.  An alternative is cork bark which is available through most model shops with a train department.  The choice is yours.

Joins filled and lines smoothed.

Cut away the styrofoam as required and seat the rocks with hot glue.  Do not go too crazy with the stonework unless the setting is mountainous.  A few look great but too many just looks silly.

Once all of this is secure, get to work with the trusty Polyfilla/grout/spackle and fill in any gaps between walls and rocks and of course the join between building and base.  As before you can be pretty sloppy here as the next stage will allow you to correct any errors.  That said, try to do a good job as it will mean less time is spent on clean up later on.

Now put the building aside and go watch Sunday's Columbo re-runs.  After a day or so drying time we can move on to the walls!

Uniform rethink

Imagine these chaps in yellow and we are close.

Sometimes delays that (at the time) seem disastrous prove - in fact - to be fortuitous.  Happily some suppliers' inefficiency has had exactly this outcome for Beimbach-Schönau!

In late 2010 I decided to document the uniforms of the 1740 army.  In part this was tailored to the figures I was awaiting from Northstar.  I had decided that their Austrians were just the ticket for my military due to the State's close proximity to Wien.

Whilst waiting and waiting (plus some waiting and a bit more waiting) for the delivery, I designed my colour combinations and worked on a whole host of elaborate schematics.  During what turned out to be an epic struggle to get my goods, I came to the conclusion that the uniforms didn't "feel" right.  This was due, in part, to my preference for the somewhat simpler "cuts" of uniform.  Additionally the different styles (Hungarian, German and Grenz) seemed to over-power a relatively small military comprising only 13 Regiments of foot.  Finally, it seemed an uninspired and predictable choice.  I want a distinctive force not an Austro-clone!

As this is an ImagiNation and my painting progress had been stymied by late deliveries, I found myself in a serendipitous position - with lots of unpainted Austrians that could be quickly resold.  So I took the plunge and decided to go with a Russian/French look.  Thus the uniform plates will be redone -  laborious but necessary.  The regimental histories, standards and facings are going to remain largely unchanged.

Simple yet attractive!

The general rule for the mid-C18 is that "German and Foreign" Line Regiments wear a French style coat (either open or closed) with the Senior Regiments wearing a Russian coat.  There will be a couple of anomalies in the "Freiwillige" Regiments and these will be noted where applicable.  The "Grenzer" Regiments will be far more "wild and wooly" as I think this appearance better differentiates them from their more "civilised" brothers-in-arms.  Grenadier Regiments will also rear their mitres (or fur caps!) and will constitute the elite "Leibgarde zu Fuß"

Happily, I have plenty of mid-C18 French figures and these will now be worked on to create the first painted units.  In fact dedicated readers will recall IR.10 von Klingenbach (WIP) was already exhibiting a Gallic flavour and is close to pre-painting completion!

However, this will not commence immediately as today I will be working on getting the first fort building completed...

Building "Fort Kalypso" - Stage 1a

Coffee stirrers make great planking in 28mm and larger!

First up, apologies for the delay in posting this installment.  My chest/throat infection matured and my generous children donated a bout of conjunctivitis for good measure.  Thus I have been feeling awful for a few days.  Symptoms persist but the severity is lessening so it's time to get this thing built!

The latest work is fairly simple stuff but well worth outlining.  I made some doors from "coffee stirrers".  The stirrers were trimmed (off-cuts saved) to a width that looked "right" and then glued to cereal box card with slight gaps between the planks.  These assemblies were pressed overnight to ensure a good bond.  I am aware that these gaps are large if "scaled-up" but you cannot escape the fact that the doors just look better with them in situ!

A quick note on stirrers.  You can buy a box of them as I did 5 years ago (catering suppliers have them at very low prices) or you can take a few (dozen) extra next time you buy coffee or a McBurger.  I greatly prefer them to balsa as they are harder and rougher in texture.  That said, if balsa is your thing - go for it!

Cheap pre-mixed filler is used to obliterate the various gaps.

Whilst these doors were drying I filled in all the gaps between the now dried oasis chunks.  This was effected with a cheap ready-mixed gypsum style filler.  I prefer the ready mixed as it dries faster than the stuff you mix yourself - from the smell, I think it contains some form of alcohol!  This was pushed into the cracks and smoothed with the wet pastry brush.

At this juncture we are NOT looking to add the final texture, we are looking to ensure the "skeleton" is sound. Obviously, had I carved the building from one giant block of oasis the filling would be unnecessary but big blocks cost a bomb and I am a father of three expensive children!  After fixing the dome in place with two-part epoxy, I applied more filler to the joint.  This was smoothed to better resemble the lines of the real thing.

A door trimmed and fitted.

Once all this has dried (overnight) I trimmed the doors to fit the apertures.  Fixed in place with a blob of PVA or hot glue, they should be a fairly tight fit.  You can see from the pencil-line that I adjusted my measurements during fitting.

Now is the time to add any window bars - if your plan calls for them.  I used the off-cuts from the door planks and gently "roughed" the edge to give them a "rustic" look.

The strongest way to add window bars.

Cut a slot (top and bottom) and then apply some filler to the window well.  Smooth this out with a brush ensuring there is minimal build up in the corners.  Then simply slot your bar in and smooth the filler into the remaining slots.  When dried, this will give you the appearance of a bar situated mid-wall but will be far stronger than simply glueing a piece of wood against the sills with a butt-joint.

When all the bars are fitted, put the structure aside for another evening.  When this is dry its time to roll with the creation of the textured surface.  The structure will then look much better and be ready for painting.

You don't have to be mad...

Clearly these fellows went crazy looking for Sepoys!

A fast update for my readership.  I am still feeling rank due to a throat and chest infection but I hope to be well enough to get the next stage of the fort completed this weekend.  In fact I am hoping that it will prove to be a distraction from the tickling and wheezy cough.

This week I have begun to go crazy regarding the desired marching Sepoys. Four weeks back, I had hoped Parkfield would be the solution and I placed an order only to get an email telling me I needed to add 5% to the order to cover Paypal payment.  Although not a great sum, I got miffed.  Nowhere at their site was this mentioned and I found the whole affair distasteful.

I then turned to Redoubt, who had a very interesting figure in their Renaissance Range.  He is a marching "Turk" with matchlock.  Ideal I thought, so I ordered some samples plus a selection from their "Wellington in India" collection.  After two weeks, nothing.  Calls and emails resulted in the weak assurance that I "should" be dealt with in the next week or so and that delays were due to staff being on holiday.  I was appalled by this attitude.  Of course I am aware that many wargames operations are small but to take your money and not even try to process an order (or offer a convincing apology) in three weeks is unforgivable. I duly cancelled.

This has left me in the lurch for any marching Indian/Arabian types.  There is a chap from Dixons and he may have to do but I would prefer something a little bit more interesting.  Foundry have some lovely marching Indians but there is no way I am coughing up the ludicrous £2.00 per figure plus some outrageous S&H charge.

At the moment the very simply attired "marching Sikhs" from Old Glory are the leading contenders.  I think I can just about get away with their short jackets, passing them off as some sort of Colonial dress.  Perhaps someone has better ideas?

The ladies of Dulahlipur celebrate!

On a different and happier note, I was pleased to see I have passed the 10K hit mark - for this I thank the readership and I am glad that the articles are something that you wish to peruse.  Such support encourages me to carry on posting and improving the content.

Anyway, time for bed I really need some R&R.

Oasis properties

Another quick posting today - I am unwell and don't feel up to much else.

Some folks have suggested that even when treated, floral oasis is too fragile for wargames use - they are wrong!  I have made a couple of videos showing the materiel before and after a soak in PVA (using an unfinished Spanish mission)  My wife kindly dropped a hammer on the samples to show the effects.

Granted, she didn't wallop with much force but this is more trauma than your average gamer will cause unless he is akin to Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew!  There is a slight indentation from "take 1" but this is minimal damage.

Remember the treatment is just phase one of the process and that the next stages serve to strengthen the structure further.

With some luck I will be able to get the completion of Fort Kalypso documented on the blog this weekend.