Turnip28.Artillery Train. 1

The emerging Turnip28 world has fired my imagination and building frenzy so after the sketches I have finally found some time to actually start putting something together. Usually, I would start with the troops and work on the big stuff afterward but with some Perry Agincourt English foot, 1450-1500 Light Cavalry, and some Victrix French Old Guard on order I was reluctant to wait so started on the Artillery Train.
The original meaning of an Artillery train was just a collection of everything needed for a unit of Artillery all ready for marching but I thought I would turn it into an actual Train, abet a wagon based one!
From my initial sketches, the train would be one lead wagon pulled by Horses, this would have the Observation Balloon winch and a giant root as the counterweight.

It would then be followed by several smaller carts that carried the rockets and a final Guard wagon.

The Guard Wagon would essentially be a mobile keep.

Starting with the lead wagon, I used coffee stirrers scored to give more texture and some wooden spoked wheels I picked up on eBay (to save a bit of time)

Size next to Perry Minature Dragoon

I added cardboard to the wheels to give them iron rims

After completing the base I realized I had made it unable to turn so had to rebuild the front and used magnets to attach

Completed wagon with sides and bar for the horses

I have build two of the smaller wagons using the same method

Starting work on the Balloon 

I wanted a wicker base and large enough for two figures that could sit within the large wagon

Metal wire wound around the wooden poles. With hindsight I would have left the corner ones long as they became the main balloon tethers, instead I just added some more halfway through

The basket sitting in the wagon. 

I later changed the bases from round to 20mm square which fitted even better

Plasticard frame opened up the poles and the tops were pressed into the polystyrene ball.

The whole ball will be covered in PVA/tissue paper

Artillery Train so far

With such a muddly theme I also started experimenting with some terrain. The mix is soil, some cheap acrylic paint (brown and black), and flexible filler ( I used Stanley Flexible filler). The mixed dried well on the foam base and held the soil well with some flexibility. I have used Foam playmat/gym mats before and plan on using another set for a muddy battlefield with some half-buried dead, bones and rusted armour with some scattered wooden walkways WW1 trench style.