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Building Malifaux One Table at a Time


Pagan Wolfe

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Thanks guys! The trick with this is I didn't use any white. The colour on the sides is a very light blue/grey called sea spray (or something like that). Pure white is to strong on this scale (unless you are after rapids...but even then I would blend it). The black undercoat is also important as when you stipple the blue areas you cover lightly come up very dark and deep looking.

So far so good, cheap and within the skills/ideas most people could replicate.

Looking around I found huge sheets of 3mm cork for less than $15. I used small tiles that added up to less than one of these. So even without salvage this project wouldn't have cost too much.

I'll update with some game shots ASAP.

Thanks again.

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The table surface is a strange mix of colours as it must suit many different purposes. It is kind of a "not quite anything but a little bit of everything". In one case it is water in a swamp..another the undergrowth in a forest. This project is about one table with boxes of terrain that are easy and cheap to build with dramatic yet fun changes to play style.

Maybe I should do a short post on the table...but I have a game today and tomorrow...

Either way, glad people are getting ideas, that was the...idea ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Part 2 Downtown Malifaux

PROGRESS!

Ok, so the experimental down town buildings I made (see earlier in the post) are good, but need some work. I have been completely sidetracked, however, by the next building in the set...the Theater / Casino cabaret place thingy (very specific). It is such a huge building that I decided to combine a few together :)

So, first...the STAGE.

This is going to be broken into two parts with a front stage, curtains and the back stage, along with back stage access (50mm+ so large set pieces...read models...can fit in here too). While only 40mm bases (and smaller) will be able to fit through/around the curtain to get back stage.

The floor plan

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So, the bare space will be the bar and tables area, perhaps with an entrance foyer. The white area is foam used to elevate the stage supports. I will make the stage climbable terrain, but don't really want steps leading up to it. Honestly, we don't want to encourage the clients from getting up there with the girls. Out the back you can see where I have cut out the steps for the back stage entrance. Really it would be a ramp, but I don't like slopped surfaces in my terrain...

Flooring

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Remember this stuff? I am using this as the flooring. Although thin if you give it enough support to avoid sagging (so small span) it works wonders. However I am cheap and don't want to varnish it and still need a better texture. I want old floor boards...so out came INSTANT COFFEE!

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I lightly wet the wood with a sponge before sprinkling some instant coffee over it. Using a spoon I then shifted and crushed it a little further before blotting (dabbing) the whole lot with damp paper towel (or tissues). I then left this to dry overnight. The next morning I gave it a wipe with a plastic scourer to remove the excess and started on the next part...the boards.

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Black pen, ruler and a little time. Use a ball point because the dried coffee will kill a felt tip. The ball point pen did need constant wiping on a scrap piece of paper to remove coffee build up.

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I like large sheets as it is much easier to work with rather than fiddly individual slats. Just cut to size and glue (with pins in place to hold it all down as the wood does curve and bow when wet).

This is where I am up to. While this is drying I am prepping the walls. These will be balsa wood too with colour printed wall paper patterns glued on. Updates to follow.

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Thanks!

End of day update

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Not glued in yet...but ready to go once I work out the floor...I'm thinking bright and nasty.

Edited by Pagan Wolfe
Update end of day
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Slow night tonight...

I have prepared the stage curtains, these will be cut out and sprayed black on the back.

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Even the side curtains are large enough to hide behind. The idea being that from the casino / audience floor you won't see back stage head on. The side curtains and the main curtain will be at least 40mm apart, just enough to block bigger models but still let most medium to small models through.

The front is roughly done, still a main sign to add and blacking out the interior frames of the windows...but mostly done. This has been built to slide onto the front and can be removed for showy/display purposes.

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When attached it looks something like this...

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With interior lighting..

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And a quick over head to show the over all plan. I still need to finish the outer walls, which will have more of the stone on the lower parts and old style show posters all around.

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Then, after all that is done I need to add the gantry over the curtain for 30mm fights above the stage, a fire exit and a ton of furniture and a wet bar.

Then the rest of down town, including the park, general store and guild office. Don't know what else I need...? A clinic?

Thanks again for looking in!

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So, the curtains are in...just a little tidying up to do once the glue dries and the pins are removed.

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So the gaps ended up being just over 50mm...so everyone can navigate their way through the stage area. You may also be able to make out the two black door frames on either side of the stage. These are going to be the fire exits. They are just over 30mm, so will allow little things to escape the theatre in case of large model invasion.

Then there is the front..with magnetic sign. This makes it easy to transport and also means if it takes a knock it will not snap off or get damaged.

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So, there we have it so far...The Bird Cage, kind of the 'low rent' version of The Star.

Still much to do, but coming along.

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Hoorah! Someone is reading this :) It was like a therapy writing session, the debrief at the end of the night.

Anyway, another slow night, I am very tired and unmotivated at the moment, so it was short bursts between this and replaying bits of Borderlands. Need to get this down town table finished before number 2 arrives :)

Tonight was detailing the outside and fitting the doors, which are removable.

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The inside emergency exit...

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And over all progress, along with some of my daughters artwork in the background :)

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Really just the back wall to black and detail then the furniture (casino tables and a wet bar).

Thanks again for all those looking!

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Love the work (which is great by the way) but LOVE the name of the theatre. I can just picture the following advice being thrown out during a closed rehersal between the producer, a performer and a new unruly mannequin...

You do an eclectic celebration of the dance! You do Fosse, Fosse, Fosse! You do Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Martha Graham! Or Twyla, Twyla, Twyla! Or Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd! Or Madonna, Madonna, Madonna!... but you keep it all inside.
Edited by Omenbringer
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Thanks guys (look at me being busy at work).

I am having a ton of fun with this project.

And a game is definatly on the cards, OSOI...you'll just have to pick a table...I have about 4 going (that are then interchangable to make BAZILLIONS...gawn I need Borderlands 2...)

Need to make an Armand model now...that quote is priceless...

The Bird Cage was also a combination theater, saloon, gambling parlor and brothel that operated from 1881 to 1889 in Tombstone, Arizona during the height of the silver boom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_Cage_Theatre

But with reference to the film it just became so much more...well...Malifaux (now a synonym of 'not quite right') :)

Edited by Pagan Wolfe
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Progress is random at the moment, kind of doing things as I have the time or energy. It is a beautiful day over here, so it was time to get back outside, play with the kids and squeeze in some building in between games.

So the game tables are on the way...

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The small frames will be glued underneath before the legs are stuck on, so not much to do on these. Again, they are just printed images off the net glued onto balsa wood.

On a side note I have all of these textures, posters and templates in word documents (easiest place to tile textures without scaling issues when you print off at work...who always have MSOffice). If you want them flick me a PM with an email address and I will attach them for you.

Outside in the shed I cut and sanded down the edges on two sheets of thin salvaged MDF. Together they are rather large, but as two pieces it gives me some choices about how to make Hyde and Siek Park. I can either place one on the table (or my opponent can)...separately or together it makes things interesting.

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The white foam will be turned into raised garden beds with the space in between becoming cobbled stone paths. Some small trees will be added here and there along with a park bench or two. Garden beds provide soft cover if shooting through them and are also climbable terrain in parts (some parts with plants will be impassable).

With a mix of 30mm, 40mm and 50mm paths it should make it fun to navigate. Damd Peacekeepers will just charge all over the gardens...so beware!

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OR

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OR

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OR

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an so on...

I think that once I have fixed up the store and guild office (A4 size), finish off the theater and get the park(s) done the table should be just about done. Some small / soft terrain like walls and boxes (maybe a dumpster) should then finish it off.

So, only lots more to do...:)

Edited by Pagan Wolfe
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Well, The Bird Cage is 98% done. I just need to make a piano and bar...maybe some magnetized posters, but otherwise it is playable!

The back wall advertising some booze with graffiti, it is after all a back alley!

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Inside

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The Hoff having some fun after getting confused about what his dampening field does...

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The girls put on a show...need to get my beckoners...and some show girls...

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McMourning pulls a shift as a Dealer...

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And all thanks to the fact I made it so the front slides on and off.

Now to get he park done and fix up those other two buildings...

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Busy day...

Spattered and stippled the white foam three different shades of brown while adding sand.

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Glued down the tone textures

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Cut out and started gluing the retaining walls

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Then I got started on the next table...

Part Three - Badlands / Cave

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Rat cork again!

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LAVA! Not sure if it is going to be caves or the badlands...but lets see how it evolves.

This has been laminated (damd thing went all milky white), as I am not only going to glue underneath but add water effects to the top and I didn't want the colours going funky.

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Then I broke up the cork, glued it down and added sand.

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I will use paper and masking tape to cover the lava sheets while painting and then do the water effects with a touch of red ink. I plan to keep the terrain dark...so black/grey with om brown mixed in. I also plan to make some tents and camp fires for this table.

Edited by Pagan Wolfe
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This is going to sound really bad... but who are you? Like, on Westgamer. 'Cause if that is Mass, I need to arrange a game again soon (my Guild should be painted within the next few weeks).

If for no other reason than to look at how you have done your base table and maybe steal the idea...

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Hi Mikey, no...Massaen is a good friend of mine (he introduced me to the game, so good on him) but I am a different entity :)

We (as in Mass, myself and one other Malifool) are more than likely catching up for a game this week, so painted or no PM me if you want to play. I am in Serville Grove.

There I was already to pack it in for bed when I decided to play with this...much of the flock will come off once the glue is dry (it is stacked on at the moment) and I need to work out how to do spiky long leaf plants...but anyway, Hydey Park part 1!

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As for the table it needs some work. I quickly bashed it together while making the kids cubby house out the back and didn't clamp the wood that makes the lip...so the tech-screws pushed it up a little...

So here is how it looks in most photos with strong light...

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But here is what it looks like to the mark one eyeball...

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So an interesting mix of everything and nothing in particular. It is actually my old 40k 6x4 that got water damaged so the last 2 feet were amputated :)

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I want you to know that I blame you for the pile of Balsa Wood in my basement now. :-P Lovely stuff, really appreciated the tutorials on the buildings! Had a question for you about: What size blocks did you use as the center of the buildings? I went looking for blocks, but didn't buy any because I couldn't figure out a good size to use.

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That's it for tonight..taking a break and possibly starting on mu Ortega crew.

Finished the last garden part, I ran out of good trees (these are all salvage from old projects that were salvage from old club stuff...so FREE).

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So, the flock is bought, as is the green stuff used for the shrubs (woodland scenic foliage green and dark green). Less than (at Australian prices, which are ridiculous)$40 for 4 bags and used very, very little. The foam was salvage, the MDF was salvage and the balsa wood leftover from the other project (so very cheap too). All up with glue and paint and bits I have probably spent less than $10 on these two pieces. Even with cheap trees off evilBay you could do this pretty cheap.

Glad people are getting ideas and stealing them, twas the idea!

Can't believe I didn't put measurements up for the western buildings...I shall go back and edit that, but here they are too:

Small block (square base)

Length / width: 7.5 cm (3 inches), Height: 5 cm (2 inches)

Large block (rectangle base)

Length: 15 cm (6 inches), Width: 8cm (3 inches), Height: 5 cm (2 inches)

The conversions to inches are not precise, but very close (out by something like 0.15 inches).

Thanks guys! 1 table down, 1 table almost done and a third well on the way! Next after the badlands? SWAMP! Yup, all of Malifaux...one table at a time.

EDIT 2

RULES: To make these work within the rules at this stage it is intended to run as such...

Each garden bed is it's own piece of terrain, the paths are just there for decoration. The beds themselves are severe terrain and provide soft cover while trees and large shrubs are obscuring.

I will get back with any issues that may arise with such large pieces and how we worked around it. Also keen to hear any issues you may had and ways you worked it out. Input always welcome!

Edited by Pagan Wolfe
Fixed pic link
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