Fire Direction Centre - Objective marker

Yeah, I know, it's been a while since I last wrote in here. But the thing is I am studying at the moment and the last two months have been really hectic with all the exams and written assignments and presentations and what-have-yous... But hey, I'm back.

Every once in a while I have had time to build something, but not to finish - until now. During last about three months I have created an US Fire Direction Centre. The vignet can work either as Fire Direction Centre included in some Flames of War lists (can't remember any) or I could play it as a normal staff team. I also have this idea about some huge Total War game, where I would play US Artillery Company created on the principles of Battlefront's Total War PDF and have the Fire Direction Centre as a second in command. Or something.

Anyway, let's get to business and see how I made this.

First off, I built the frame of somewhat fortified hut on a large base and placed artillery command and staff team figures and accessories in there. I made the hut out of matchsticks and PVA-glue.

"We don't have a map, see."
"I think the Krauts stole it. They are in the direction I'm pointing at, see."

I am a bit lazy, so I didn't use any filler, but just glued sand to the base. I have realised that only sand, paint and static grass make enough landbase, so I usually don't bother more.

"This shampoo or..?"
Glue added for sand.

Sand added.

After the adding of the sand I primed the whole vignet with brown spray and over that with dunkelgelb. So I did same as with my trenches.

Primed vignet with canopy frame on the side.

Primed vignet.

The fire direction centre wouldn't be fortified(ish) if there wasn't any sand bags, so I molded some with modelling clay. At first, I made thin strips out of the clay, then cut it to small pieces and molded sandbaggy shapes out of them.

Counter clockwise from the top left:
Strips, cut pieces, and finished sandbaggy shapes.

Then I added the sandbaggy shapes around the hut.

"I feel a lot more safe now that the sandbaggy shapes are there, see."

With the tarp canopy I cut out a fitting piece of newspaper, soaked it in waterded down PVA-glue and molded it to the matchstick frame of the canopy.

Newspaper piece molded to be the tarp canopy.

Painted tarp canopy.

I finished the painting of the vignet in normal way, painting the figures and accessories in their places - I always do that. Lazy, remember. Last off, I washed all of it with black.

Painted and washed vignet.

I then added the static grass to the base...

Glue for grass added with other elements of the artillery.
Also, with Jerry infiltrators.

Set to dry.

...and finished.

"We still don't have a map, see."
"I think it was those Nazi infiltrators, that took it. They went to the
direction I'm pointing with my finger, see."
"I'm calling for help, see."
"I'm calling too, see."

Finished vignet.
Some some reason the wash dried to be black-gray spot here and
there, but I think it just looks crappier that way.
In a good(ish) way.

Now, how about that US Artillery Company..?