Leven Miniatures Fachwerkhaus (German Half Timbered House)

I received these recently from Levin as part of an order I placed and wanted to get them painted up as quickly as possible. Well I managed to get two of the six I had ordered painted up so I thought I would share the results with you.

Two different buildings make up the range so far, but I hope that a few more will be released. The castings were typically crisp with only a few resin beads needing to be poked with a scalpel (they ping off), clean up time per model was about five to ten minutes tops. Then they got the soapy water and toothbrush (wife's) workout. The models start out shiny but after a good cleaning they are dull, then a quick spray of white primer and on with the show.

In the e-mail to tell me the buildings had been dispatched Mike mentioned he hoped I had some small brushes. He was not kidding, I was using the 10/0 most of the time but as the detail was so sharp it was easy to see, less easy to do well. But I found that less care doing the timber and then more care with the plaster was the way to get the best results. I dry brushed the stone parts with three different shades of grey. The roof tiles I started with German Orange and added a bit of flat red and once dry washed in some Games Workshop Agrax Earthshade, heavier on the smaller house, though I had a little more flat red in the mix for the large house.

Then it was just tidy up work, Goblin Green for the shutters as I wanted a dull colour and Black Grey for the windows with a lighter grey mostly dry brushed to try for the "it's a window honest" vibe. The small house was given a ivory wall coat and then highlighted in white whilst the larger building just was left with the ivory. The second big house will have the same treatment as the small one and the three other small ones will get something along the same kind of approach.

I had already decided I wanted to base the Leven buildings (past painted and future) but these I wanted to do so that I could use them all as a town or city dependant on what would be required. So with this in mind I mapped out bases for all six of these buildings whilst also working on ideas for the other buildings so that some of them can be included in with these. So I have glued the buildings down to the bases and will add little extras such as the home made tree on the small house base.

Each building base has one or two outer edges painted up as a road half the width of a gun or limber. So when two are placed side by side such a unit can be placed on the road, even if they have to bring a field with them.

I think these guys are looking for the best billets, through good planning I should be able to make up a fair selection of roads through the town and also make the town look different in each battle they are used in. 

The houses are placed as they will be on the bases, note that two share the same base. I wanted to be able to generate a close packed town or city look which I think I have managed to achieve though it's obvious I need to use more buildings. I have some, both painted and unpainted but I can see another order going into Leven once I have exhausted my stock. at least given the Leven prices it won't cost an arm and a leg to generate a thriving town to burn to the ground.

Not sure what would go on the blank tile, I will be adding some buildings at angles as well, I really want a random feel to come into play as well.

The base size I am using is the same size as a infantry base so a simple token can be placed to represent the unit and I know exactly what ground it will cover. 

I am looking forward on painting up the other four and the other items I received with the order but plan to finish off the 15mm ECW gun crews I have part painted and move on to some of the ECW foote I have sitting on my table. These should be off my table before the end of next week as the latest, such is the plan.