A Couple of Questions. . .

 

 An old print of the Holstentor (The Holstein Gate built in the late 1400s) outside the old center of Lübeck, Germany, which I've always meant to have a crack at since visiting the city for the first time in February 1986.

Thank you everyone for your continued interest in the Baltic German town center project currently underway here at Stollen Central.  After a bit of real life midday today, Monday, it's back to trying to render some half-timbered effect to four of said town buildings.

But first, a couple of questions this morning from long-time reader Gerardus Magnus, Bishop Emeritus, who asks: "Will this possibly be used in games such as a fighting withdrawal through the streets on some future gaming event or is this to serve solely as a picturesque backdrop? There is also a second question which has piqued my curiosity: will you ever be doing city walls for this civic grouping, either medieval or Vaubanesque? That would certainly increase your possibilities for using this for more active gaming."

Thank you for your questions, Gerardus Manus, and "Yes," to both of them.  The buildings (with ruins inside the shells) can, of course, be split up as needed to represent any number of smaller settlements or villages, or be kept together to represent this rather sizeable town, which occupies 2' x 2' on the tabletop.  There are, however, a few Charles S. Grant Scenarios, in his books on generic wargaming scenarios from the 1980s, that feature large (-r) towns at the center of the featured scenarios, and these are what I have in mind. 

Likewise, at some point (i.e. when I need a break from figure painting again), I'll take a crack at some Vaubanesque walls and a gatehouse (see the photograph below) along the lines of those made by Ian Weekley as featured in an old issue of Military Modelling, or perhaps Miniature Wargames, 30+ years ago (Yikes!).  I think there may also be a chapter on this particular project in Mr. Weekley's book Buildings for the Military Modeller (1989).  But that is down the road apiece.

In any case, and in keeping with my North German Hanseatic theme, I'll probably take a crack at a town gate based on Lübeck's Holstentor below since it has always captured my imagination.  The gate and, indeed, the now largely gone fortifications that surrounded Lübeck, which was a very prosperous town during its heyday, have an interesting history, and those interested might want to have a read about the subject by clicking here.

-- Stokes

 Here is a more recent photograph of the Holstentor gate, one of two remaining, that has a fascinating municipal museum inside the two towers.  The gate underwent two restorations, one in 1934-35, and a second during 2005-2006.  The Grand Duchess and I toured the museum inside during a couple of days spent revisiting the town in June of 2009.

 

Last, here is an artist's sketch of the various gates which were still in place about 1700.  Don't worry!  I don't have the inclination to attempt all four of these with their various rings of walls!  But the old medieval Holstentor gate, and possibly the somewhat more modern outer gate with some sections of wall might be an interesting project down the hobby road.