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Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: Alfrik on 10 January 2011, 05:18:44 AM

Title: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Alfrik on 10 January 2011, 05:18:44 AM
With the kick off to our invasion of Venus campaign, I have pushed forward to complete the wide variety and number of bases of each plant type, of plants and "trees" for the Venus terrain. Then a thought hit me to fill in some of the dangers and uses of some of the plants. I selected 11 to have investigated by the Scouting Explorers and they filed their reports for the use of the soon to arrive Expeditionary forces. There are many smaller plants scattered about the 11 selected ones that still remain a mystery to this date, though I am sure many a botanist will make a name for himself there!

http://armoredink.blogspot.com/2011/01/vegitation-of-venus.html

I have tried to avoid using typical trees and bushes that I have used in most every other campaign in order to add some "other worldliness" to the terrain.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Bravo Six on 10 January 2011, 05:26:32 AM
Wow, that's EXCELLENT terrain.   :o Some of it can even be incorporated into a Lost World setting.

-B6
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: rob_the_robgoblin on 10 January 2011, 07:43:26 AM
Alfrik, those are wonderful! Very original, not one reminds me of the normal everyday tree, but they are all very believable.

I love the writing you put alongside too. Very 'informative', stuff like that would really confuse people in my games, which is what I love to do!

Very inspiring.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Ray Rivers on 10 January 2011, 09:46:36 AM
 :-*

Excellent terrain.  Like it a lot.

As I get closer to actually having troops set foot on Venus I have also begun to wonder how to give it a "'nother world" kinda look.

I'm thinking of using some of the concepts from the movie Avatar, but haven't got to the point of actually making anything yet.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Haarken on 10 January 2011, 10:26:35 AM
Fantastic looking terrain, really love the descriptions as well, they add that little bit more character.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: gamer Mac on 10 January 2011, 10:38:15 AM
Really nice stuff :-* :-* :-*
Some great ideas as well.
As chance of a how too?
What material did you use?
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Chairface on 10 January 2011, 01:29:54 PM
Very cool stuff Alfrik. Nicely done.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Dr. The Viking on 10 January 2011, 01:32:34 PM
I love it! Looks exactly like Venus!  :o

I had never thought of using vine ranks, but that is a most brilliant idea.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Alfrik on 10 January 2011, 03:54:41 PM
For Gamer Mac, here are some of my how to's for making the trees;

http://armoredink.blogspot.com/2009/03/venus-jungle-trees.html for the Pith Tree
http://armoredink.blogspot.com/2009/03/venus-pond-scum.html  for the Water Hyacinth, aka Pond Scum after a couple of nasty result encounters
http://armoredink.blogspot.com/2009/03/venus-cone-trees.html  Scale Trees
http://armoredink.blogspot.com/2010/02/jungle-vegetation.html  for several of the smaller plant types, how to cut and hot glue / assemble

after tidying up I estimate that will all types assembled their bases can cover approximately 12+ square feet. I made up this large amount so our varying battle areas can have differing types of plants rather than just putting the same collection out each time.

Materials are plastic plants from JoAnn's and Micheal's craft stores, usually I wait a season when they then heavily discount the last seasons plastic plants up to 70% off so a bundle costs me a couple of dollars typically, though this last year saw a big drop in varietal selections.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: The_Beast on 10 January 2011, 05:47:13 PM
Well done, indeed! Hobby Lobby has most of their plastic plants at 50% off, almost continuously. I'm not so clever as you in the amount of cut-and-paste work, but when I look at a single piece of foliage that can be pulled apart into hundreds of individual plants and bushes, for $8-15USD it makes me happy.

Just look for the one that have 'pop bead' construction, and you can spare the knife.

I've also thought it'd be a good idea if someone bought several different kinds, divided them up into small, assorted batches, and sold them to folk that don't need to a couple dozen tables worth of scenery. ;->=

Doug
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Andym on 10 January 2011, 05:48:57 PM
Fantastic stuff! Very alien looking!
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: gamer Mac on 10 January 2011, 06:00:18 PM
For Gamer Mac, here are some of my how to's for making the trees;
Thanks great stuff :D
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Thunderchicken on 10 January 2011, 07:48:45 PM
Great work Alfrik!  :-* :-*
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Alfrik on 12 January 2011, 01:53:26 AM
So, I'm cleaning up my vegetation bits and pieces into their storage containers, when, DOH! I find a group that I had overlooked. So, preparing bases and mounting them I came up with these walking plants, moving terrain, which should or could cause some concealed troops to, er, loose their cover :)
(http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww1/Alfrik_photos/003-5.jpg)
Lastly are the Walking Trees, which tend to move about all the time, probing the moist Venusian soil for nutrients and or small, slow moving creatures...

And with that, all bits cleared and back to painting figures.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: rob_the_robgoblin on 12 January 2011, 08:16:32 AM
Those are really cool too! I like the idea that they could just move away! You could really intimidate your gamers with something like that!
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Ray Rivers on 12 January 2011, 09:06:31 AM
Moving plants...  :o

That's a fantastic idea... one worth stealing.   :)
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: gamer Mac on 12 January 2011, 10:40:50 AM
Moving plants...  :o

That's a fantastic idea... one worth stealing.   :)
Totally agree. If and when I get to Venus I will steal that idea as well.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: The_Beast on 12 January 2011, 06:56:02 PM
Concerning the walking plants, are the upper sections also available at craft stores? They look more like aquarium plants I've seen.

Excellent for 'unearthly' plants, but, unless you're good at waiting for deep discounts, quite pricey.

Doug
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: Alfrik on 13 January 2011, 12:13:59 AM
All sections of the walking plants are from non aquarium plant parts snipped here and there. I have rarely ever bought an aquarium plastic plant, they run double or triple the cost of "fake" plastic plant bundles. Materials are plastic plants from JoAnn's and Micheal's craft stores, usually I wait a season when they then heavily discount the last seasons plastic plants up to 70% off so a bundle costs me a couple of dollars typically, though this last year saw a big drop in varietal selections. Seems every other month they are put on sale.
Title: Re: Vegetation of Venus
Post by: V on 13 January 2011, 12:31:50 AM
Superb stuff!