The War Wagon

The finished War wagon in profile

The original wagon from which the war wagon is constructed. All that was used was the flat bed and wheels.

I had this idea in my head to build a centre piece for the Ottoman wagonburg. I wanted a something practical but distinctive and I gained a lot of valuable experience arsing around with the twelve defensive pieces built for the wagonburg circumference.

The finished wagon. Not from a written plan but from a process of evolving ideas.

The centre piece was going to be a one off and I decided to pimp it up a bit with bits and bobs. The first thing was to raise the deck above the level of the back wheels. I did this by placing balsa rods along the flatbed with a height of circa 20mm which allowed me to build the deck out again but over the top level of the large back wheels.

Some of the additional pimping visible in this shot. The hay is dry brushed static grass added to the hay net metal part

Straight sides were the most practical option as it allowed models to stand directly against the outer walls of the fighting platform. The sides and back are build from balsa plated in coffee stirrer strips.
The door is also made form a 'planked' balsa sheet piece and the hinges are from magnetic basing material which is easily cut.

Ground level view - suitably weathered and quite imposing

I constructed a driver's bench and pimped my ride with spare wheels, a fodder net, a tool box and canvas covers for the open top rolled back and tied on both the front and trail edges of the fighting cabin. The axle is from the the other wagon types sold by Warfare Miniatures.

Officers and bodyguard survey the defensive works

Primarily the wagon was to be practical and usable rather than just a piece of modelling so I made enough space to accommodate four un-based models on the fighting deck.

Taken over for purposes of command.

The ladder is a halfed section from our WLOA919 Gun screens and ladders pack. The glue(s) holding everything together are PVA/Wood glue and for some pieces super glue (krazy glue for US readers).

Standing room only

I left the door open deliberately so as to show off the modelling and the wagon although free standing, sits well on a base which I have several of, with two or four horse teams.

Four Tufeckci on the fighting deck

Of course the wagon is tall and imposing but not too tall, large or imposing and fits well and in context with the other bits and pieces I have made (more on those in a later piece).

To provide a perspective on based models outside

Of course the wagon is being used for the Ottomans but equally it could be used for any force which used wagon protection or even taken into Western Europe for a skirmish game - Protect the Noble/Queen/ Treasure or transport the political prisoners etc.

I am certain it will get a run out for a Donnybrook game at some point. The Child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang came to mind unbidden for some reason! Maybe it's for Donnybrook Dark.

With Cossack occupants

Sneakin' up on the Wagon - Ottomans attack the Cossack defenders

See you there maybe?