Ideas for a swamp-like gaming setup.

[Nayte]

Hey guys,

I recently picked up a Zuzzy mat(Customer service was garbage, but the mat is awesome!) and I'm looking to get some terrain for it. I picked up some Battlefield in a box Rock terrain, a River set, and some tree stumps from Zuzzy.

I feel that I don't have enough terrain, and nothing is really bigger than two inches. At my LGS, we have towers, big buildings, houses, and other large pieces of terrain, but I'm looking to own my own set. I'm looking for some bigger terrain, and wanted some ideas and help from you all. I'd like to keep my budget kind of low(under 80 if possible)

Here are some that I've been looking at:

http://www.gf9.com/Default.aspx?tabid=348&art_id=3027

http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=2811

http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=2949

http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=2950

If anyone has used any of these, or wants to weigh in an opinion that'd be great. Also, I'm willing to make terrain, but I have no idea what I'd be doing.

[Demonn Agram]

all those hills that you mentioned can be easily home made for half the price of just one set. You just have to buy some high density styrofoam (or regular styrofoam if you can't get your hands on the high density one). The difference is that regular styrofoam is made out of small balls compressed into a board (you can see it when you cut the board) while the high density doesn't have that ball-like structure and is therefore easier to shape.

use a knife (or a hot wire cutter if you have it - makes things easier, but is definetely not neccessary) to shape the board into a hill. Once done, put PVA glue all over the surface of the hill. and pour some sand / gravel over it. let it set. Make sure that you cover ALL of the styrofoam with PVA as the sprey (undercoat) will eat the foam. so, after the texture is done, sprey the hill (I suggest black) and then drybrush it grey and brown in places. once the painting is done glue some static grass on it and you'll have your hill(s)...

[WookieeGunner]

I can tell you those huts are much heavier then they look.

If you want to make your own swamps, get some 3mm (1/8 inch) MDF board and cut to shape (this is a bit hard so you might try cutting two pieces out of a cereal box and use white glue to glue them together making sure to put them inbetween two sheets of wax paper and under something heavy while the dry.)

After you have a base, build up the edges (you can use pretty much anything here. A lot of people use foam or some form of air hardening clay) and seal. Paint the bottom of the swamp green ane then fill with model train water (A very common brand is from Woodland Scenics.)

[Omenbringer]

I am looking at all those pieces right now and can say that they are definately nice. I am especially found of the Bestial Huts (which work very well for the Cult of December and Gremlins). These are very durable pieces. I do have mixed feelings about the hills because they are a bit to profiled (I much prefer the Games Workshop Hills for actual use).

[Todd]

Bigger (as in footprint) isn't ideal for Malifaux, and taller isn't something you really get with that style of terrain (woods/swamps). You could make/purchase larger stepped hills. I've seen some interesting swamp boards with lots of stilt based shanties and walkways. Still, 4" is about as high as you really get.

Making terrain is not as cheap as it sounds. You can throw some stuff together with household items, but it won't look as nice or be as durable as those GF9 items.

Here is a list of some of the most basic items you will need:

Tabletop Resin/Water Effects $10-20

Flock/Static Grass $5-10+ (You'll probably want the large containers that Woodland Scenics sells)

Bag of Playground Sand $4

Wood/PVA Glue $4-15 (Go ahead and get a large jug if you're making enough terrain for an entire table)

Polystyrene Insulation Foam Sheet $15-30 (Price varies by region and thickness)

Woodland Scenics Tree Kit $10-15

Air Drying Clay $4+ (I prefer Crayola Model Magic)

Bag of Pine Bark Nuggets $3 (great for making rocky terrain, just look at a piece some time).

Spackle/Joint Compound $5

MDF/Foamcore Sheet $5-10

Paint $? (Really depends on your palette and whether you use craft paints or mixed quarts from the hardware store, but will likely cost more than you expect).

Tools $? (Depends on what you already have, and what methods you decide to use. Kitchen knives are cheap, hot wire cutters/batteries are not. Do you have access to a jigsaw/bandsaw to cut MDF).

Time $?

If you've got some of the materials/tools already, along with either the skills or patience to use them, then go for it. The internet is full of helpful info on the subject. Do a lot of research before starting, you'll learn more that way than you will by reading the advice in this thread. No offense to anyone, but there's just way more to it than will fit in a post. I love making terrain, it's my favorite part of the hobby, and what get's me excited about playing. Recently, I've been looking into starting Infinity mostly because I really want to make the terrain that goes with it.

On the other hand, those gale force nine pieces are nice quality items. You've already sprung for the Zuzzy mat, rocks, stumps, and river, might as well keep going the ready made route. This way the quality/style will be consistent as well.

There are a few issues to think about. Will the swamps clash with the river you bought? This may not even bother you, but it would drive me crazy. If so, you may want to check out the GF9 "ponds" instead. They're pretty much the same thing, only blue (unfortunately you don't get the extra stump bases either).

You'll probably need to spend a little more than $80 since this is a malifaux table. However, this really depends on how much Zuzzy stuff you already purchased. I think that's where the bulk of your terrain should come from. Malifaux really plays better with lots of smaller pieces of terrain. the Zuzzy trees/stumps are perfect, and add the abundance of cover you need for a good game. They are a little on the dead/lifeless side. I would either pick up some GF9 or Woodland Scenics clump foliage/course turf to add some growth/moss to them. WS also make some tall grasses that look good.

Maybe:

$25- 1 box GF9 Ponds/Swamps

$50- 2 boxes GF9 Large Rockey Hill

$4- GF9 Summer 3 Color Clump Foliage Mix

$4- GF9 Green Static Grass

+More Zuzzy trees/stumps to fill out the board. Which did you already purchase, the large or small ones, and how many?

You could scratch build some shacks/shanties and bridges from corrugated card/popsickle sticks. I think these would fit the setting better than the GF9 huts (more December/snow board), and will help you add some elevation and more los blocking.

Good luck, and post some pictures when you've got everything together!

[Nayte]

Here's what I used last night.

The white stumps need to be painted, the mat itself also needs to be painted. The ZUZZY tree stumps are great, but it took 10 weeks after my order to arrive.

Playing on the terrain, I was really lacking big obscuring terrain, and the GW forest terrain was the stores.

I want to paint the blue water to be greenish, more swamplike. I also need to pick up some of those ponds. The brown boards were acting as mud terrain. I thought of making my own terrain, but after playing last night, I feel that I won't be able to produce the quality that GF9 has.

[Omenbringer]

To help with the Obscuring Terrain issue you observed I would recommend picking up a pack of Woodland Scenics Decidous Trees in the 3-5" range. This are fairly inexpensive (two will give you plenty of terrain for all but the most heavily forrested boards) and look decent. Glue them to some hard board (a better option is to glue them to metal washers, and glue magnets to the hardboard. this way you can remove them for play and transportation), sand, paint, flock, a little clump foilage (I prefer using the smaller bits in fall colors for fallen leaves and larger greenish bits for bushes), seal and play. Looks good and requires very little actual work. If you want you can dry brush the tree trunks and the clump foilage to make it look a bit more realistic (dont Prime since it will usually melt).

For mucking up the swamp features (from blue to more swampy) use some GW Seraphim Sepia wash and GW Athonian Camoshade for the green and brown shades then cover with either some gloss medium (windsor and Newton is readily available and cheap) or water effect. To add a more realistic effect you can also swirl some greens and brown paints around on a sheet of paper, then use a hole punch to create some pond lily pads for the edges of the swamp feature. You can also cut some hard bristles from a "street" broom to create some pond reeds around the edges. These things really increase the realism of an already good product.