Constructing scratch built Africa & Middle East buildings

[Mike Tanner]

I would appreciate any advice you guys can give me on creating scratch built wargame buildings. My preferred geographical types being Africa and Middle Eastern (this includes African mud huts).

I found this site: http://www.matakishi.com/makingdesertbuildings.htm and the owner has produced some very nice looking buildings from cork. I currently have lots of 5mm foam board laying around. I noticed cork paints up well but foam board definitely needs to be textured. What materials should I use to get genuine looking effects on foam board? Have any of you guys experience of working with either of these materials?   

[Simon]

Hi Mike,

I once made some Spanish adobe type buildings with foamboard.  I used some fine fill polyfilla brushed on tom create some texture.  I scored the surface first to help the mixture stick better.

If you start to feel lazy Amera UK make some fairly cheap moulded plastic buildings:

http://www.amera.co.uk/product.php?range=m


Regards

Simon

[Alex918]

Mike,

Answered your question on my terrain mat post as to how I make mine. Foam core is definitely the way ahead using the indespensable hot glue gun! I also use opened up paper clips to help pin the sections of foam core together.

Attempted to use PVA and sand to texture but they turned out too fresh looking, decorators caulk is the favourite for the adobe look.

[Mike Tanner]

Thanks you for your replies, Simon and Alex918. The paper clip tip is a winner as far as I am concerned. I'll let you know how I get on later in the year and post a few pics of my buildings.

[Astronomican]

I use toothpicks to pin my foamcore creations together - cheap as chips from the Poundland shop and you get loads of them!