Jump to content

Finished my first "real" terrain pieces.


WWHSD

Recommended Posts

I've been mostly putting together papercraft stuff to start getting enough terrain to play a proper game at home. I finally got through painting enough models that I tried my hand at some simple solid terrain pieces. I suspect that I may actually come to enjoy this part of the hobby more than I do model painting (which currently ranks somewhere between "diverting chore" and "necessary evil").



I started out with some fences. I tried a free standing L-shaped fence and a fence on a base. I liked the sturdiness that the base added so I based the L-shaped fence as well. For rules on the fences does "Ht 1, Impassable, Soft Cover" sound about right?
 

agy6KFe.jpg

 

I also made a piece that I was hoping would make a decent piece of severe terrain. I'm not sure how successful it was in portraying ground that would be difficult to move across. In retrospect I should have measured more when I was building it since a 50mm base only fits in 1 of the 3 openings and a 40mm almost rubs the rocks to pass through one of them. I'm thinking that the whole piece is "Ht 0, Severe", with the individual rocks being "Ht 1, Blocking, Hard cover", does that sound about right? 

hKkzWTT.jpg

 

 

The bases are cardboard (since starting Malifaux I seem to have a lot of empty Amazon boxes sitting around in my garage) covered with joint compound that I had laying around after patching some drywall. After the joint compound dried, I brushed on some PVA and sprinkled on a bit of sand to add some texture. I painted on some cheap craft store acrylic paint and then finally covered it with Minwax varnish.

The fences are bamboo skewers and flat craft sticks. The rocks are a byproduct of some experimenting with filling in paper crates with expanding foam insulation spray. There was way more expansion than I had counted. The excess seemed to have nice, natural, rock-like shapes but was much lighter than using an actual rock.   

All of the pieces could probably use a coat of matte spray to knock down the shine from the varnish I used. I probably should have done something to slope the bases a bit so it isn't as abrupt a transition from the mat onto the piece. I think that adding stuff like static grass would make them look nicer but opted away from adding little bits like that to make storing the pieces without damaging them easier.

Comments or suggestions are welcome. 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off to a good start with some useful pieces....Matt varnish couldn't hurt but that's only my opinion - thinned down (with water)  PVA/Elmers glue will dull it if you want to experiment before buying varnish but as your bases are card then don't thin the glue more than 50/50....ultimately go with what works best for you ;).....also if you add clumps of static grass they're surprisingly resistant overall....I made several small movement bases for another game and they have survived the handling plus going in and out of boxes pretty well - think I have had to reattach maybe three clumps over the years

Good luck on your next project 👍

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

looks like a good start. 

Rules wise I might consider making the fences impassable climbable to allow movement over them.

The severe ground can be run as 1 terrain piece, or if you want you can  make the rocks separate.  There isn't really a right or wrong way to define them., and you don't have to define them the same every game, just as long as you and your opponent agree how they are defined each game. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finished a couple of more pieces of terrain.

The bush is made from steel wool what's been spray painted green. 

HckEcev.jpg

 

The tree is a wire frame with duct tape for bark. The branches came out looking okay but I probably should have wrapped the duct tape tighter than I did.

I used some green lichen for the foliage and it was kind of a mess. I tried spraying it with PVA glue but a couple of squirts got the lichen heavy enough that is started drooping an breaking off. I had better luck hitting it with a couple of coats of hair spray while pushing it into place. After the hair spray set I hit it with a misting of PVA and it seems to be pretty solid now. If I ever need to do a bunch of trees I'm going to find a different way to do it. I'm thinking of maybe using some steel wool, hit it with hair spray and dip it in some flocking powder.  

 

G7npTRH.jpg 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Butch said:

After seven years in the hobby, it's the first time I read about someone using duct tape!

:lol:

I guess there will be always a first time!

Some sort of clay probably would looked better but I've pretty much been using what I had laying around in my garage. I had considered using joint compound that I use on the bases but duct tape seemed like it would probably work. I don't hate the results, I'll just have to see how well it holds up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information