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Miniatures Adventure => Post-Apocalyptic Tales => Topic started by: RedGobbo on 19 February 2017, 11:27:32 AM

Title: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: RedGobbo on 19 February 2017, 11:27:32 AM
Few months ago I decided to create my first gaming table dedicated to post-apo skirmish wargames. Browsing this forum I've seen a lot of great tables and scenery ideas. Unfortunatelly a lot o great items like Plasticville sets or even MDF TT Combat buildings are out of my price range. My main goal was to create scenery as cheap as possible. I think I found some quite nice options which are available for literally few USD/Euro.

First site I checked was aliexpress, chinesee website that offers free worldwide shipping for most small items. Shipping takes about 3-4 weeks but as I said it's free.

1. Set of plastic road signs for $1.22 found HERE: https://goo.gl/NB4uW1 (https://goo.gl/NB4uW1)

Imho fits ok for 28 mm, some examples:

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/road%20signs_zpswsrrmbui.jpg)

2. Cheapest watchtower I've ever seen. Great set for this kind of money ($2.29) HERE: https://goo.gl/3OKlH8 (https://goo.gl/3OKlH8). It comes unassembled so you can also use parts for scratchbuilding other scenery. My painting  sucks but I think this tower can be used not only as a watchtower but also as a base to create a windmill or water tower.

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/watchtower_zpsiovewinx.jpg)

3. Tires - again the cheapest option I found. Set of 10 rubber tires on plastic wheels for $1.35 bought HERE: https://goo.gl/BPzJ7s (https://goo.gl/BPzJ7s) They can be easily removed from the wheels and used as a nice addition.

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/tires_zpsfknfgl5s.jpg)

4. Construction vehicles - for $0.85 you will receive random plastic construction vehicle HERE: https://goo.gl/yioRgo (https://goo.gl/yioRgo)  After wheels swap and some weathering it can look like:

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/construction%20vehicle_zpsxd2mskyb.jpg)

5. DIY fence - made of plastic miniatures sprues, fibreglass tape (about $1 for 10 meters), PVC glue and cardboard. Nothing special but quick and easy to build.

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/fence_zpsmc4lak11.jpg)

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/fence%202_zpsxmd9hfe1.jpg)

6. Wodden (plastic) pallets - credits for this find goes to Vanvlak from this forum. Here is a link (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=97360.0) for his thread. Pallets are made by Siku and are available in a bags of 50 psc. You can buy them on Amazon.co.uk (https://goo.gl/VqJwrd) for less than 11 GBP or check you local vendors. I bought this set for about $8 with free domestic shipping.

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/kermit497/pallets_zpscbhn8jba.jpg)

UPDATE: Member of TNT FB group sent me a link to another thread in this forum with even cheaper way to make some decent wodden pallets - HERE (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=54815.0).

Feel free to add your ideas for cheap PA scenery.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Vampifan on 19 February 2017, 12:04:30 PM
A very inspirational post, RedGobbo. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: horridperson on 19 February 2017, 02:22:13 PM
Great looking stuff!  The signs and bobcat look mighty fine!  I hadn't considered using fibre tape for fencing.  It isn't quite as pretty as metal mache mesh but mounting it would be much easier and inexpensive.  The square pattern would be perfect for riot barricades and rigid fencing while the mesh emulates chain link best.  Your stuff looks as good as it does not for the constituent parts but the effort you put into your pieces.   
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: joshuaslater on 19 February 2017, 02:44:02 PM
Great post!
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 19 February 2017, 02:49:36 PM
Very good.

Nice reuse of the metal Tallarn figures and the gas masks are good.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: dinohunterpoa on 20 February 2017, 01:04:23 AM

Great scenery ideas, and very nice miniatures, CONGRATULATIONS!

And thank you very much for sharing! ;)
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: RedGobbo on 20 February 2017, 12:41:04 PM
Thanks guys, I am very glad you like it. Now my main focus is on painting miniatures but I hope to continue this thread with new low budget ideas in the future. And as I said feel free to add some of your ideas.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: James Holloway on 22 February 2017, 01:20:16 PM
Great ideas there! I have those same pallets and get a lot of use out of them.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Jimmyg on 25 February 2017, 01:54:14 PM
(http://) picked up at local pound store will dirty it up a bit, but works well with ttcomvats skips
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: dinohunterpoa on 25 February 2017, 04:06:16 PM
picked up at local pound store will dirty it up a bit, but works well with ttcomvats skips

Very nice find!

IMHO one of the biggest thrills of post apoc gaming is to raid and loot search dollar stores looking for stuff to be turned into vehicles and scenery! :D
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 25 February 2017, 04:06:21 PM
In the UK QD and Wilkinson's (Wilko) have ranges of die cast vehicles f various scales.

Both have stocked a JCB branded "Site Truck".
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGHxs34JnOY/TbWiF5nQ-NI/AAAAAAAAABM/vqty9B-iTIE/s1600/jcbtruck.png)

Copplestone/Artisan KKBB guards in berets for scale.

Admittedly not as cheap as pound shops.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Jimmyg on 25 February 2017, 10:03:15 PM
(http://) another pound shop find. This is one of a set of 3 police cars, made from plastic. Am still working on the other 2 for my Project Z scenery. At a little over 30p each that's a real bargain.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: RedGobbo on 26 February 2017, 08:42:04 AM
(http://) picked up at local pound store will dirty it up a bit, but works well with ttcomvats skips

This truck looks really nice, what's the brand? Unfortunatelly we don't have "pound stores", thrift stores etc or very few of them. It must be a great source for cheap wargames scenery.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Jimmyg on 26 February 2017, 08:56:20 AM
Red, unfortunately as with most type of these stores brand isn't that important and pound stores tend to not restock once they run out.
They are a great source of scenery, if you think outside the box.
Sorry I wasn't more of a help.
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Jimmyg on 05 March 2017, 11:17:04 AM
(http://) pound shop helicopter
Title: Re: Few ideas for cheap post-apo terrain / scenery (28 mm)
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 05 March 2017, 02:10:53 PM
Very good.