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Author Topic: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...  (Read 21833 times)

Offline CPalmer

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #45 on: May 30, 2018, 09:58:29 AM »
Wow, that looks properly beautiful!   I can see all sorts of daring heroics taking place in such a set up.

"I have wrought my simple plan,
if I give one hour's joy,
to the boy who's half a man,
or the man who's half a boy!"
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Offline LiamFrostfang

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #46 on: May 30, 2018, 10:00:58 AM »
 8) amazing.

Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #47 on: May 30, 2018, 06:36:44 PM »
thanks for the nice comments guys. There's a lot of top and tailing I could do, but I feel it's looking good 'enough' really in terms of my hopes for an atmospheric presentation. Figures do actually stand up on the rug ok believe it or not  lol !

need to get a fair few of 'em painted over the coming week - brush has been on hiatus for quite a while ...
« Last Edit: May 30, 2018, 06:38:34 PM by Bloggard »

Offline jp1885

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #48 on: May 30, 2018, 07:05:12 PM »
That's an amazing set up. Bravo!

Online mikedemana

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #49 on: May 30, 2018, 08:28:14 PM »
Looks fantastic! I agree that your the fur seems to make the pieces set on top of it blend in better than a straight up green flocked board. Love how it looks all put together. Thanks for the inspiration to get over the top and finish my stuff out to begin running games of GA.

Mike Demana
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Offline Knabe

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #50 on: May 31, 2018, 02:15:10 AM »
Extremely nice looking terrain.

Knabe

Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #51 on: June 01, 2018, 08:51:51 AM »
thanks JP, Mike and Knabe for your positive comments, much appreciated.

 a bit of blather about the fur in case of interest to anyone:

I got hold of all sorts of fur and fleece samples, and the stuff I ended up using is short-pile faux fur which I think has a technical 'length' of 14mm.
this seemed the best balance between 'look' and practicality in terms of figures standing on it ok.

although, ymmv: I haven't had a proper game using it yet, and although early signs are that it'll work for me I think there is a degree of 'wanting' it to work required, and players without such an attitude may find it irritating / impractical ... I'll certainly post again about that post a play-session.

I suspect there may be longish-term implications in terms of its durability, although it's pretty well-made stuff, and doesn't shed particularly or easily.
its pile-length makes it quite easy to work with in terms of roughing 'up' or smoothing down, although I've been a little disapointed to discover it does seem to have a 'memory' if left rolled or folded-up for any length of time with little ridges resulting (although you can still work with these, and they're not really visible once you've got everything in place etc).
« Last Edit: June 01, 2018, 08:58:46 AM by Bloggard »

Offline Wyrmalla

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #52 on: June 01, 2018, 03:35:58 PM »
Did you glue the flock down onto the fur, or is it just sitting on top? Spray painting on some textures could work too. I remember seeing someone making muddy areas on their board by turning the fur into a gluey mess so that it was mostly flat, then sprinkling in some sand and painting it brown. Though blending that into the rest of the fur may be difficult.

Some loose stones could help around the rocky areas to add a bit more depth. Or I suppose also work as difficult ground/ bring a bit more colour to all that green. Along with maybe a few more low plants. Its just looking a bit sparse for cover if you're playing archer heavy games - though personally I go overboard with cover on my own boards. :)

It is looking good. Surprisingly so for what you've said was involved. Maybe its just the quality of all the individual elements. It looks easy enough to add bits too as well which helps. Maybe some of those Vietnamese style wood huts you can buy in MDF from 4grounds I believe for covering skirmishes in villages. Or have a mix of huts and brick buildings for representing a more built up trading town where things have gone awry. A piece of rock face with skeletal remains partially excavated from it could be doable, more so as an excuse to make some scaffholding up the rock so models don't have to climb to reach higher levels.


Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #53 on: June 02, 2018, 12:17:23 PM »
thanks for the critique and ideas Wrymalla - some of that was in mind as necessary ('plants' of which I have loads done from when the boards were flocked - see earlier pics /  Jarvis cork scatter of various sizes ready for use etc etc) but where it's 'at' now is good 'enough' for me tbh, and not sure I'll go down those routes to begin with.
have to see how it plays in terms of cover / los - intend to keep ranged attack figs to a minimum for the time being I think. There's some suggestion from write-ups that it's a bit over-powered and I didn't have any bow-equipped figs done for my earlier games so haven't seen how it plays.

the scatter stuff is not fixed - that's the point really: I want things to be as reversible as poss.' to aid flexibility. Thought about the spray paint idea (inspired by Olicana's excellent baize cloth - see his posts in the historical forums), but, again, that would hinder the flexibility of things (quite literally in terms of 'gluing' strands of fibre together). The greeness is broken up adequately atm to my eye.
I have quite a range of Sarissa buildings too now you mention it, but that's not how I see the GA vibe and really my modellings skills are so basic that I want to keep things as simple as poss'.

As mentioned above - I was quite 'down' with things until the trees (which I spent ages drilling and putting metal spikes in the bases of - 2 each!) were added. Not even used all of the trees I prepared... but it seemed to come together when they went on.

Just getting an 'interior' board done - and that really is basic - pics soon.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2018, 07:32:11 AM by Bloggard »

Offline Wyrmalla

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #54 on: June 02, 2018, 03:43:25 PM »
Mordheim had a rule where no more than 1/3rd of models could have ranged weapons. Frostgrave oddly didn't carry that over, probably as you're supposed to have some gentlemanly conduct with the other players (any player bringing 8 archers to their first game isn't going to last long with that group).

Mud huts could work too if you aren't into the wooden ones. The Snake Men need to live in something. A bit like the Argonian homes from The Elder Scrolls Online. Though you already have variety with the water and jungle boards. :)

Are you thinking an ancient temple or caves if you're making an interior board? The Green Stuff World textured rolling pin things have a few stone brick textures which could work for pushing out some old ruins fairly quickly.

Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #55 on: June 02, 2018, 08:11:22 PM »
heh, no, it's nowhere near your standard of doing things Wrymalla - being kind one might say it was minimalist - but actually I rather like it somehow.
pics tomorrow with a bit of luck.

Offline casual tea

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #56 on: June 06, 2018, 05:21:54 AM »
WHOA! I don't usually click on the GA threads (idk why), but I'm glad I did! The fake fur is a great idea. I think you're right that it looks much better than a board that is simply painted and flocked/static grass'd. Those game boards are impressive... Is it a problem to clean up the scattered flock?

Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #57 on: June 07, 2018, 09:01:37 AM »
thanks CT.

am getting a game or two this weekend, so will update as to the fur's practicality in actual play.

the flock is removed using the 'shake it all off after play-time' technique  ;)

even with a 6x4 board there wasn't that much used, and as I don't play very regularly it's not such a big issue.
could try collecting the loose bits, but as the different shades / types would mix together to some degree it might not produce a particularly useful residue (given that I try to sprinkle it on in a variegated manner).

Offline Raz

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #58 on: June 07, 2018, 09:49:39 AM »
Awesome looking table with all the overgrown ruines, bridges and other pieces of scenery. The fur cloth makes all the scenery come together nicely. It really captures the feeling of Ghost Archipelago!

How did you make the more regular looking trees? I see you used aquarium plants for them, what did you use for the treetrunk and branches?

Offline Bloggard

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Re: Sailing to the Ghost Archipelago - Bloggard's log ...
« Reply #59 on: June 07, 2018, 10:24:28 AM »
thanks Raz.

the larger, more deciduous (?) trees are aquarium jobs - they come as you see them in the pics - haven't put anything together. ** suddenly realised the differing sizes may have prompted your question - I cut some of the trees up into smaller ones, if you see what I mean.
they do colour variations (this is ebay), and I have some with white-ish blooms / leaves - but somehow that seems to accentuate the plactic-y appearance of those ones and I'm not going to use them for the time being.
as mentioned above, I was expecting to drybrush the 'wood', and probably the leaves etc too, but all together think they look 'ok' as is.

I have 'made' trees in the past, using plastic trunks, painted, drybrushed etc, draping them with pva-saturated lichen of various colours, and then putting them on a sprackled and landscaped base ... and ... I'm very glad to have found an approach that avoids all that carry-on while still looking decent, must admit. these pics show the 'old' approach:





even there, was trying to keep modelling input to a minimum, but seemed like a lot of work.

foray into AoS which is on hold (indefinite I suspect).
« Last Edit: June 13, 2018, 03:53:21 PM by Bloggard »

 

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