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Thursday 3 October 2013

The Wargames Hut - Re-organised

You may remember that some time ago I blogged about my Wargames Hut.



http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/wargames-hut.html

and



http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/inside-hut.html

More recently I have become increasingly dissatisfied with the internal layout of the Hut. Part of the problem is that two of my regular wargaming chums are well in excess of 6 feet in height. It would have been easier if they were 6 foot in diameter but they are not!

In addition to that I have a very extensive range of figure collections, thousands and thousands of 'em and they have to be stored somewhere. My original table layout was a pair of 6 x 4's side by side just 2 foot apart and 2 foot away from the end wall of the Hut. I had two 6 x 2 additional boards which fitted in between the two tables and the end wall giving me a possible 12 x 6 foot table.

My storage was underneath the two tables, adequate you may have thought but no. I had to add extra storage in the form of six wheeled bins which can be moved around the hut as access was required. You can see them on the left hand side in the above photograph. On top of that I also had to store stuff on top of the second table as there was no more space anywhere else precluding its use as a game area. The second table has never been played upon.

I still have a substantial amount stored in the house, mostly unpainted plastic and some lead.

I eventually came around to doing something about all this. I gave all my Necromunda terrain (great big box worth) and a gang away to a wargaming chum. I cleared out as much non-wargaming stuff as possible, mostly tools and sand and cement. I sold most of my boxed games (over £300 worth) at a recent show as well as some painted figures that I will probably never use or play with again.

I rotated both tables 90 degrees and lined them up end to end. I now have a maximum table size of 12 foot by 4, but it is now completely clear of clutter. I cut the two 6 x 2 foot additional boards in half lengthways and turned them into a shelving unit which has a 6 x 1 foot footprint but can accommodate 80 Really Useful Boxes of the 4 litre kind or 40 of the 9 litre variety. I have emptied four of the six wheeled bins and placed their contents into the under table storage. My goodness, I do have a lot of unpainted lead, plastic and resin. (That's another project).



The increase of space around the table edges will make more of the higher than 6 feet head space available for my two excessively tall chums. (They keep telling me they are normal).


The end result is a much cleaner and leaner setup and will hopefully allow more enjoyable games to take place. There is still some clutter which is hidden away and all those items in the 'mountain' to deal with, their days are numbered.


What does everyone think?

Just in case anyone thinks I was slacking during this re-organisation which has taken about 2 weeks I have also lifted and re-laid over a dozen concrete slabs on my patio, filled some holes in my garden wall, and laid several kilo's of gravel.

22 comments:

  1. I must admit that you shed is looking even better than it did ... and it sounds as if it will function more efficiently and effectively as well.

    My shed is a lot smaller ... and serves as a storage space for quite a lot of my unused wargames stuff. I hope to begin the process of sorting it out very soon ... but even when I have it will be too small to compare with yours!

    All the best,

    Bob

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    Replies
    1. If I were you Bob I would rip it up and start again or in your case knock it down and build a bigger one.

      Delete
  2. Looks like a very effective usage of the space!

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  3. Oh my ! how tidy it is - puts my game room to shame !

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  4. Looks an excellent man cave

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  5. Another Wargamer in the Shed ! Great set up and totally understand the need for a new layout. I outgrew muy last shed so aded on an extension 4 years ago..if things wortk out this will grow again next year...to 30ft in length

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    Replies
    1. Am sure local regulations will prevent me from doing so.

      Am going to have to live within my means (hut).

      Delete
  6. Great looking games shad, I have just had my Daughter leave home and have eyes on her old room as my wargames den. Just have to work up enough curage to tell my WW (Wargames Widow)
    Peace James

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  7. I still have two daughters at home so no chance for me there besides what can you really do with a small bedroom or two.

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  8. Looks great! If you happen to be travelling across the pond I have a wargame room with similar maneuver room and storage issues........ I did eye the old garage at our place but its just galvanized tin on a frame and once the weather dips below zero its not an attractive place for storage let alone playing games.

    Did I ever mention how much I like the mottled look of your table?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ross

      I cross the pond every year heading for the Sunshine State so have probably been with 36000 feet of your hometown. My good lady likes the warmth.

      Belmont seems to be a real small place according to Google Maps although lots of room for a well insulated and heated hut. My hut is very well insulated, double glazed, frost protected, heated and ventilated. I've never had a condensation or a mould problem inside it.

      I hand painted my tabletop. I used standard household paint, a mid green basecoat with a light stipple of lighter green and a tan colour using a large bristled brush such as those for painting garden walls. I finished it off with a matt acrylic varnish.

      I usually check your Game of the Month blog quite regularly.

      Delete
  9. Ah, the Really Useful Box company. I use their products as well for storing figures. (I also use their big 84 litre boxes for general storage). Can't beat them for price or quality I find.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, RUB's are the way to go.

      The 4 litre variety is ideal for 25-30mm figures unless they are phalangites.

      They are good for 10-15mm figures too.

      The 9 litre ones are good for 28mm figures with pikes or tall standards and also buildings.

      I've just noticed that the 21 litre (as labelled) is smaller than the 18 litre box.

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  10. Looks remarkably like the layout I have in Shedquarters now. I learned from your original blog posting as it looked to me that you would suffer from table clutter. The key thing for me is to keep he playing surface clear for usage!

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  11. Clutter in now very manageable.

    Head clearance for my tall chums is also better.

    I also have a plan to reduce the 'lead mountain' too which will help.

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  12. Good to hear it. On the subject of clearing lead mountains did you read this post of mine: http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-to-finish-wargames-project.html

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    Replies
    1. I did read your blog post.

      I am clearing the 'lead mountain' by painting some of it and only buying things to complete existing collections. I have also been giving collections away, complete or otherwise.

      The next real challenge is sell collections which are financially worth the hassle. I'll be slow and careful on that one.

      I am off to a show tomorrow with nothing on my shopping list.

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    2. Well done sir! No impulse buying, mind you.

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  13. ... and very tidy it looks too, Jim.

    Regards, Chris;

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