The Idea to put the castle on here was first and foremost, I admit to show it off. But in hindsight I thought to myself "Who better to show it to then you? To ask...What I should add? What colours should I use? and what should a true Bretonnian Castle look like? So please feel free to comment, and post your criticism, (be polite)...and now without any further ado.
My Lords...Ladies of Bretonnia. The Castle (Yet to be named)
The inspiration behind this castle, probly began with a lifetime of fascination with castles, and history. I have a passion for making models and after making woods, a tavern, and a fort for my warhammer figures, a castle seemed like the next big challenge. The Bretonnian army, seems to more based on the French in the medieval times then the English, and so I looked to French castles to fuel this fascination. One French castle from which this inspiration sprung was the fantasy castle of Peirofonds. Sitting on domminant struck of cliff, in a picturesque little village.
Constructed entierly from Blue foam board, (which is strong, rigid, and very easy to cut) thick cardboard, a variety of glues and adhesives, filler, plaster, and bitz.
The rest, imagination and a whole lot of improvisation!
:An Orc raiding party, jumps out of the wood.
In siege conditions, the castle could hold a garrison of one hundred defenders. Not including possible room for others in the vaults bellow the Castle hill. The Castle contains room for 40 defenders on the walls and towers, 63 arrow slits, and old cannon in the old chapel window. 3 walls, strong gatehouse, and one of my favourite parts, made specially for the army of Bretonnia, a Trebuchet platform! The castle does have its own well, and stables beneath the keep. Five battle towers, and the new addition of the Octagon tower,(replaces the D tower) ensuring that all angles of approach are catered for.
Here are several of the early images, showing its many changes.
:The Courtyard
As you can see at this point the model is taking more of its current form, notice the conical turret (which will change latter), also note the gatehouse, and main turret remain blank as I was not decided on it.
After trying numerous things with the gatehouse, like trying a small balcony, I scrapped it and went all out maximising the number of archers I could potentially position on the top of it.
It presented the nice challenge of shaping the foam board around the curved section which worked like a dream. Instead of cutting tiny pieces I cut “V” sections out the back to help it bend. When it was glued in place, I went over with filler and filled the incisions, and now it’s solid! Can fit about eight + archers on it, facing various ways.
This gatehouse is actually one of my favourite components, the curved tower gives the archers a clear view over much of the eastern side of the castle, and vice-versa. Also the tall opening in the gatehouse might not be to everyone’s liking. I admit it is narrow, still a knight can get thought with its lance, which is exactly what it would be used for, but it also gives the castle that, tall feel, dominant feel which castles so typically are like. The horse heads where a nice addition, giving it a real Bretonnian feel, Shields would also work. You may have noticed that I have glued rocks around the Castle; if you look closely you’ll also see some “Odd” shaped ones, that because they are fossils, which can be painted up to look like skeletons, or just weird rocks!
:The Gatehouse
:All painted and looking sharp.
You might have seen the detail in the gatehouse bricks, as much as I wish the card came like that, it didn’t. And every brick you see in this model is painstakingly hand-crafted.
Of course doing that level of detail around the entire castle will take forever so for the most part everywhere else will be randomly covered in cut cardboard tiles. To imitate the brick look.
The edges might be done individually however and made to stand out, and painted a different colour.
For all this time I had no idea what to do with the tops of the tower! So as all great artists do, I procrastinated until I found an idea that grabbed me. I got inspiration from a Warhammer tower (below) I saw and instantly started work on what I thought would be a satisfactory solution. These pictures here show you how the double tapering roofs where constructed. Reminecent of medieval French roofs using one tall thin cone, and a ring of small triangles. Was glued and held in places and when dry was covered in plaster. Then sanded down and painted.
:
GW tower
The end result though is quite neat. Its solid too, so even if it does get knocked in transit, (which it will) I’m glad to say that it’s not going anywhere. To finish: cut several hundred hand cut card tiles and glue them on individually! Joy! I love making more work for myself!
When it was finally all painted, I was so excited I had to take photos of this little diorama. The view from Kings Tower, as a unit of Knights of the Realm hasten to do battle with a small rabble of rather brave Goblins!
A Good view of the Trebuchet Platform, with supporting ramparts on either side. Spikes have been added. And now I just need some Elf heads, or skulls to glue to them!
A good view of the north face, clearly showing the two separate modules that will remain independent. The reasons how and why they were is to be honest quite accidental, but all due to the evolutionary process I mentioned earlier. In hindsight, it’s actually a very good idea that it is, as I’ve got to try and paint this beast whenever I finally decide to stop building it!
With so much attention and revamping on the main gate and towers, I turned the model around and thought…”This isn’t going to do” and so started changing this. Again a new addition upon finding an old cannon in a box of bits, I thought… “Well why not?”
Crafted an old blocked up, Portcullis. All buildings tell a story, and none so much as Castles. I wanted to add age, so by looking at the Castle you can clearly see that it’s been modified, over the centuries of war and fighting.
I actually expanded the base because I ran out of room! My brother-in-law, a War History expert, among many things, is also a collector of High Elves, but I wont hold that against him. He was surprised when he saw the solid castle protected on its west side by little more than a garden wall! (As the original plan shows) I replied saying "The castle was on a steep hill!" Not long after, I saw his reasoning and added an extra "Extention" roughly another fifty percent to the castle!
Birds Eye View the tape is measured at 24 inches.
