Chris Carr: Spanish Buildings from 4 Ground Things from the Basement

Brian and I popped into 4Ground in sunny Warminster back in October while going to the Fleet Air Arm museum to put on a game of Blood and Plunder. After a brief tour of the facilities, including the laser cutter, a warehouse full of sets for all manner of game systems (40k, Bolt Action, Napoleonics, WW2, ranging from 10mm to 32mm) and seeing some new designs (including a cracking harbour set up) we were given  some of the fantastic Spanish buildings and the first ones I've built...

Really, for any game systems, you should have a browse.

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

First up is the 2 story Spanish house, all the parts seperated and sorted.

First part of the build was to get the central walls built so I could line everything up neatly.

I dry fitted the outer walls together to make sure everything fitted properly before the next stage

Applying the powder. This part wasn't as messy as first feared. Following the instructions, the powder goes on pretty easily. Put the powder onto 1 of the 2 bags and spread it out evenly 

from the initial applying the PVA glue  to the first dip in the powder and then smearing it around it actually make a nice change from when you usually have to be neat and tidy. All you have to do is put PVA in random place over the walls, jam the wall piece into the powder and then just spread it out over the walls, spray a tiny bit of water from an atomiser then press it back into the powder and done. Biggest mess was from the tidying of the powder and even that wasn't to bad. If your careful it'll go back into the bag a breeze.

I did all the walls together just so I didn't have to keep getting the powder out. The Stuttico effect plaster this gives off is really unique and sets the building apart.

while the walls were drying I made up the roof. Now this is a really neat way of doing the "corrugated effect". Basicly you build up the frame, attach the roof supports to the base of the roof and the attach the terracotta roof "shingles" which are made from  card stock. Ends up with a nice strong "terracotta" tile roof which you couldn't  get without cutting a ton of material.

After the walls had dried I stuck all of the walls together and then applied all of the window/door frames and all the other bits. I had to clean a few bits off the wall from the stucco effects, but this was easy and just scraped straight off.

The completed kit. 

This is a great kit to go together, nice and easy and looks fantastic once built. For the price point of these buildings and the way they look once done, they look a whole lot more expensive than the cost

The 2 Storey building is from 4Ground Things from the Basement and can be bought separately or as part of Farm building 1 set...

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/indie-design/things-from-the-basement/tftb-two-storey-house

The yellow powder for the rustic walls is very straightforward to use and the finished effect is amazing!!! This is the powder laid out for the application to the buildings. It's not actually that messy and it's very easy to apply.

Putting the internal walls and floors together is always the first step as per the building above. First step was to lay out the floor as it comes in 4 pieces.

I dry fitted the walls to work out which ones/sides need the glue/powder paste attaching to. The pieces fit together well and wood glue is definitely the right glue for use on the building.

Applying the powder with PVA mix is easy if you simply follow the instructions, the powder goes on nicely. Put the powder onto 1 of the 2 bags and spread it out evenly.

Its important to let the powder dry. I did all of the walls together just to make it easier on myself to clean up.

All the walls stuck together and left to dry

While the main building was drying I got on with the roof.

When the house is done you really have to varnish it to keep the powder attached, if you don't do this your going to end up with a yellow powder all over the place. I have done it but  it will still take a while for all the excess to drop.

The completed Farm Buildings Set 1 contains the building on the left (Small Building with workshop) and the 2 Storey building on the right...

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/indie-design/things-from-the-basement/tftb-farm-buildings-set

The middle building is from the small farm building from Farm Buildings 2 set. This set also has a lovely three storey building...

 https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/indie-design/things-from-the-basement/tftb-farm-buildings-set-2

The figures used are from Firelock Blood and Plunder...

These buildings are excellent. We will be using them for Blood and Plunder in the Carribean, for Bolt Action in Italy and the Mediterranean and Sharpe Practice Napoleonics for the Peninsular Campaign in Spain and Portugal...