Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Captain Blood on August 10, 2009, 12:04:18 AM
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Hmmm. So we have a little lead adventurers' meet lined up in a couple of months time, and stung by the news that...
1. Wargames Illustrated may be along to take some pictures...
2. Jimbibbly - miniature terrain guru of note - is bringing his stunning Samurai game along...
3. Malamute's Tex-Mex town is looking more stupendously spectacular by the week...
...I decided that my F&IW terrain (see http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=10102.0) is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH and will no longer cut the mustard in such exalted company.
Added to this...
4. A friend of mine saw a four-pack of 50cm x 120cm x 5cm pink styrofoam slabs in B&Q for 20 quid, and bought them for me. What a lovely chap... :)
So I am going to use three of the slabs to create a new, purpose built F&IW tabletop for BLAM.
Three slabs will give me an area 150cm x 120cm (that's about 5 feet x 4 feet in old money - just right for a large skirmish game)
Right, so here we go.
Sorry, the pictures are just snaps, so a bit blurry in places - but you get the idea...
Step one. Think about the game area, and draw a rough plan which I'm then going to scale up onto the boards themselves...
Issues:
1. I have four Grand Manner 'Americas' log buildings I want to use - so the terrain will need to be designed around them...
2. I also have lots of individually based trees, which I'd like to re-use. So I'm going to need to leave some flattish areas for them to stand on... The whole thing can't be too undulating...
3. I'm going to include a river - obviously - but I need to arrange it so that each river section enters and leaves its board at the same point along the edge, so that - theoretically - I can put the boards together in different combinations... ::)
So, here's the plan...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/untitled.jpg~original)
And here are the boards, the plan, and the four buildings...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1278.jpg~original)
And now here's the plan transferred onto the boards with a Posterman marker.
You can see where I've started to sand out the river bed and trackways on the first board using a Dremel minitool.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1282.jpg~original)
I'm going to make the three boards one at a time, get each board to the primed stage, and then paint and do the scenics on the three of them all at the same time - which'll be in about 2 months time at this rate!
Right - onto board one in earnest then... I'm going to include a small gorge for the river to run through at one point - which will probably have a single fallen log bridging the chasm, for the helpless heroines to flee across from the savage huron...
The basic superstructure of this natural marvel is cork bark and blue foam...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1291.jpg~original)
Next, I've added the other lumps of high ground - yes I know they look clunky - but fear not, all will be neatly sloping and blended-in on the finished product.
I've also added the first field with fences created from matchsticks and coffee stirrers :)
All glued into position at this stage, because I don't want to be trying to shove sharpened matchsticks through the crust of my filler and sand / grit / PVA hard surface...
You can see where part of the river bank is going to have high banks... I've stuck on some small pieces of balsa which follow the curve of the river. These will provide the structure to do this...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1295.jpg~original)
And here you can see how the riverbank is built up... Nice smooth muddy banks, filler applied with an old knife. And then what will be turf spilling over...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1300.jpg~original)
And finally - once I managed to get the right bloody glue for the styrofoam and the stuff finally went off - I got on with 'icing' the whole thing using ready-mixed B&Q filler - lovely smooth, sticky stuff this :-*
Mind you, believe it or not, I've just used an entire 1.5kg tub on just one board...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1303.jpg~original)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1304.jpg~original)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1305.jpg~original)
And that's it for now...
If the filler has fully hardened by tomorrow evening, I shall get the first layer of sand / grit / PVA surfacing over the top, add rocks and so on, and will be able to see rather better how it's going to look... It always looks crap at this stage. You have to be able to visualise the end product you're aiming for...
Unfortunately, I'm then off on hols until the end of August, so nothing more will get done until early September.
But my plan is to have the whole lot finished by the end of September.
Quite do-able I think ;)
Will keep you posted :)
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I am sorry to be a moron, here, Cap'n...but what does F&IW mean? The terrain is impressive as hell on its own, mind you...
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Mere Private here but F&IW = French and Indian Wars
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Looks to be quite the project. I am looking forward to future progress.
It's stuff like this that makes me wish I had dedicated space for making nice tables. Envy I have. :)
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Serious case of table/space envy here, too. My landlady is an understanding sort, but taking over the laundry room with giant sheets of foam insulation would be a bit much even for her... lol
The old 'inadequate' table looked great, but this looks to be totally spectacular!
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Still load of work to do, I can imagine, but it already look promising.
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More table envy here as well.
About the only place I have to store large items is on the top of my head. :`
Great start there, Capt'n, looking forward to further progress.
BTW... you boys are really going full tilt for BLAM. Good Show!
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Very good start. :-*
I will be looking forward to seeing it finished?
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So the race is on to produce the best looking table for BLAM..... ;)
Its looking great so far, I like all the individual details like the fencing etc. :-*
Can't wait to see it in the flesh.
Right now I am going to have to think about terrain boards for my project.... ::)
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So the race is on to produce the best looking table for BLAM..... ;)
Yes, and it's all your fault ;)
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Yes, and it's all your fault ;)
lol lol
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Can I play :-* :-* :-*
This is going to be really nice :D
Can't wait to see it in the flesh!
cheers
James
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Cool, show us more!!!
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You once stated that you are a competetive man, Richard. I say you are right! Wonderful project and knowing your other work it is bound to look astonishing.
Are you going to make it woodland or cultivated land? Perhaps a lot of tree stumps?
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You once stated that you are a competetive man, Richard. I say you are right! Wonderful project and knowing your other work it is bound to look astonishing.
Are you going to make it woodland or cultivated land? Perhaps a lot of tree stumps?
Cultivated in the middle, rough round the outsides - a bit like me :D
I think I'm going to go with a few treestumps Peder. All ideas gratefully received. Keep 'em coming...
I am toying with the idea of forgoing my standard trees and inserting a load of new trees, because I think this is going to be a damn flash layout (he said modestly) and I think it may deserve new trees which look like they actually grow from the ground - including the hillsides. Which is a bit tricky with standalone trees...
I have now applied the first layer of Blood's patent gloop to board 1, and added a lot of loose stonework. I shall aim to post pics this evening. Then I'm off on hols for three weeks, so no more until beginning of September :(
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Then I'm off on hols for three weeks, so no more until beginning of September :(
Three week holiday :o
Lucky B****R. Have fun! :)
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Here is board 1 with the pva / sand / paint mix liberally applied over the top of the plaster and styrofoam superstructure.
Then liberally spinkled with grits / aquarium gravel (in electric blue - those poor fishes!) in various sizes in strategic places to represent rock falls, the occasional cairn, scree slopes and so on.
Cultivated field and cart tracks roughly suggested. Set of rough and ready stone slab steps up the rear of the big mound. Much more detailing to add - cut log piles etc. And a few tree stumps :)
The river looks odd in the pics because I'd just PVA'd it to seal the bare sanded styrofoam before priming it. You can't tell the banks from the river surface right now - but you will when it's finished ;)
Still always looks crap at this stage - but you can start to see the shape of it a bit better now.
Next instalment - in about three weeks time.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1311.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1312.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1315.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1317.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1309.jpg)
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I was just going to post "Did you just add a celtic weave to the edge of your gaming board, you bastard! ?!" before I realized that it was the extravagant decoration of your patio furniture.
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I was just going to post "Did you just add a celtic weave to the edge of your gaming board, you bastard! ?!" before I realized that it was the extravagant decoration of your patio furniture.
lol lol lol
That's looking great :-* :-* :-*
Are you going to use some sort of liquid water for the river (sounds daft I know ;) )
cheers
James
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Yes, Woodland Scenics 'Realistic Water'. Not brilliant but works well enough. It's what I used for my previous river sections shown below...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/layout5.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/layout3.jpg)
I notice they now have a 'new formula' out - but I still have half a bottle of the old stuff left, and at £14 a pop, I think I'll use what I have :)
What do you use, James?
The table's from Marrakesh by the way ;)
Those Berbers and their celtic knotwork ::)
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Yet another wonderful looking table :-* :-* (The Marrakesh one looks nice aswell ;) )
I use 'Deluxe Materials Scenic Water' and it turns out like this
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk138/jimbibbly/DSCF1478.jpg)
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk138/jimbibbly/DSCF1480.jpg)
The only problem being, as with most products of this type, that it collects in any corners just like resin (you can just about make it out on the second photo)
Enjoy your holiday :D
cheers
James
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All the boards (and I suppose the table as well lol) look stunning. :-* :-*
I am really enjoying this thread Captain.
Keep up the good work. I will look forward to seeing the finished article.
Enjoy your Hols.
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great stuff!
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oh boy this will be great
excellent stuff
dodge
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So cool! :-* I'm very curious how it turns out in the end. All the best for your project!
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Fabulous! Will be keeping an eye on this one.
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It's all looking awesome. Yours too, jimbibbly :-*.
Nice blue stones.
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Strong work Captain Blood! Your terrain and painted miniatures are always inspiring! :D :D
Have you found a good source for nicely detailed tree stumps yet?
Darkoath
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Right then, where was I?
Oh yes...
Tree stumps - well, I'm trying this. Bits of twig stuck into the foam and milliput built up to make roots... What do you reckon?
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1414.jpg)
I'm also going to add a few bits and pieces of built-in detail like this log pile, made from.. well, twigs again really... :)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1411.jpg)
I'm now ready to give section one a thorough primer coat of Halfords matt black car spray...
And here's the finished base section ready for painting and scenic decoration...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1426.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1421.jpg)
Here's a shot up the gorge (ooer missus)...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1422.jpg)
And here's what the primed tree stumps look like...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1424.jpg)
Onto section two...
Stage one - sand out the river, trackways etc...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1409.jpg)
Stage Two - same procedure as before really (stop me if you're getting bored). Add foam offcuts to make basic hill shapes... Start adding more fields with matchstick and coffee stirrer fencing...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1418.jpg)
Stage Three - once the glue has dried, add tree stumps and other mini-features, then 'ice' the hills, river banks, pond edge, traffic island, etc with ready mixed plaster....
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1433.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1432.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1431.jpg)
And that's as far as I've got today.
That's section one construction finished and section two well underway.
Next steps will be to apply texture and stone / rock detail to section two before priming it black. Then onto section three.
Alas, you have to do all this boring construction stuff before you can get to the interesting, artistic bit involving about 50 quid's worth of Woodland Scenics finest product... And that's before I even start thinking about the trees! :)
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Cracking stuff mate :-* :-* :-*
I think the tree stump works very well, perhaps you could model an axe buried into one of them :)
I really hope you were wearing mask for all that spraying lol
Can't wait to see the next step.
cheers
James
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Great, those tree stumps look excellent. :)
Can't wait to see this in the flesh, its only 7 weeks to go :o
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Ooookeeee...
I've textured board 2 using a wet mix of PVA, sand and paint, then added some 'features', then primed the whole thing...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1442.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1449.jpg)
Here's a close up of the pond.
And there's a mini palisade thing to defend the road into the settlement.
By the way, it looks a bit strange because there are several bare, flat areas - that's where the buildings are going to go. And trees of course. Lots of trees.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1445.jpg)
The bridge over the river. This is a basic matchstick and coffee stirrer construction.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1440.jpg)
A section of broken walling around the back of one of the houses.
I'm guessing the area fought over in the F&IW was a mainly timber fence environment - but Heck, I figured there are rocky outcrops in the landscape, so why wouldn't those colonial types have brought drystone wall building skills across to the New World?
The wall is literally built from aquarium gravel with lots of PVA slapped on it. Slightly fiddly but the effect is better than plastic or resin cast wall...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1441.jpg)
More fields...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1455.jpg)
Boards one and two together... The join is rather obvious at the moment. It won't be once the landscaping and 'greening' goes on.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1459.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1463.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1465.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1466.jpg)
And now onto board three - rivers and trackways sanded out, main lumps of hill and rockface added... :)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1473.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1469.jpg)
More soon...
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Most impressive! I´d like to do some shoot outs between these corrals...
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A chap really could fall out with you, you know... It all makes my board look very dull.
Top work Captain, I hope I get a chance to play on it this year. :)
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Bluntly very good :-*
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Itsll coming together nicely :)
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One thing - what's the triangular shape in a corner of the third board going to be?
Ah, well the stockade / fortlet is going in that corner - hence the ditch and rampart.
I was toying with the idea of building a small ravelin in front of it - but decided it's looking a bit cramped already in that corner, so there isn't really room to do it justice.
Might need to add a fourth board with some decent earthwork fortifications instead ;)
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And then you could add a fifth board that has a plateu with a waterfall included and then a sixth board that includes the shores of one of the great lakes and then a seventh board.....
lol
Looking very good :-* Oh, to have a garage to work in :'(
cheers
James
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And then you could add a fifth board that has a plateu with a waterfall included and then a sixth board that includes the shores of one of the great lakes and then a seventh board.....
...and a nth board where British soldiers embarks for North America. :)
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Oh, to have a garage to work in :'(
Now James, you're not asking us to believe that you don't have a beautifully equipped studio-workshop to produce those exquisite miniature masterpieces of yours? ;)
Anyway, here's another minor update: the third board is now iced - sorry, contoured.
There goes another 1Kg tub of B+Q's finest ready mixed filler...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1476.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1478.jpg)
And a close-up on how the outer defences for the stockade are developing...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1477.jpg)
Next step will be to apply the texturing and detailed rockwork to this third board, titivate the river surface (add shingle banks for the ford and so on), add a catwalk over the defensive ditch, then prime...
Then onto painting all three boards together. For the basic groundwork I'm planning to use a spraygun to see what effects I can get. Should be interesting :)
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:-* :-* :-*
Thanks for the WIP reports. Full of interesting ideas and tips.
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Now James, you're not asking us to believe that you don't have a beautifully equipped studio-workshop to produce those exquisite miniature masterpieces of yours?
'Fraid so old bean, and what a good idea for a thread, everyone who's got a workspace to post a photo of it :)
I like the third board but I would've thought the palisade would be a bit more regular (haven't done much research in this area so please correct me if I'm wrong :) )
cheers
James
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We're gonna need a bigger room :o
Awesome stuff indeed Captn. ;D I can't believe how quickly the last couple of boards seem to have come together.
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I like the third board but I would've thought the palisade would be a bit more regular (haven't done much research in this area so please correct me if I'm wrong :) )
No, you're not wrong. The stockade / blockhouse itself (Grand Manner) has a nice neat palisade. I just fancied something a bit more 'thrown together' looking for the outer defensive works. Pure capricious taste, that's all. ;)
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No, you're not wrong. The stockade / blockhouse itself (Grand Manner) has a nice neat palisade. I just fancied something a bit more 'thrown together' looking for the outer defensive works. Pure capricious taste, that's all. ;)
Nothing wrong with that :D
cheers
James
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The board construction is finished.
A couple of pics of the 'terraforming' of board three (otherwise known as slapping on the sludge and scattering of various sizes of gravel)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1486.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1489.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1490.jpg)
Subsequently board three primed matt black with a spraycan from Halfords car accessory store.
And then the three boards together to provide a gaming area 5' x 4' (1500mm x 1200mm)...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1495.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1505.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1494.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1503.jpg)
So to date, we've gone from this...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1282.jpg)
To this...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1496.jpg)
But still a ways to go ;)
Tomorrow - the spraygun and compressor come out to play and painting begins in earnest... 8)
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I so enjoy watching this board progress. So awesome. Judging from your other works I can only imagine how incredible it will turn out in the end. It also is awesome - in all it's black glory. :)
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Great stuff Captain and that poly is good isnt it I stupidly put it on hardboard last year and dont thik it actually needs it
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Yep, Its a thing of beauty alright. ;D
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I am sooooo jealous... This looks so good.
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Excellent!
I'm empressed seeing it finished. :-*
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Great stuff Captain
Looking forward to seeing it painted
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Stunning stuff Capt B and about the size of my kitchen! So looking forward to moving to a bigger house and being able to indulge in projects such as this.
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Ah, thanks chaps. Your encouragement inspires me to further efforts! :)
This morning I sprayed the whole caboodle with an earthy brown, and gradually lightened this with small additions of cream colour paint to the mix, so that, believe it or not, I overlaid 6 coats.
The end result is a bit hard to see from the pics, but I like it - it's a lot more subtle than good old drybrushing, gives a nice even finish, and a realistically dusty look.
Obviously, if it was going to be desert, that'd be the job pretty much done!
As it is, I now need to repaint all the detail - cliffs, fences, logs, stumps, walls, river, trackways etc - then get to work greening the whole thing up and deciding where the hell I'm going to insert all the trees that will miraculously transform the scene from a post-apocalyptic dustbowl to a verdant North American forest... ::)
Hmmm...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1536.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1539.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1541.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1542.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1535.jpg)
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Damn impressive, good sir! :-* it!
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I second Cianty - impressive is the word!
It's also great to see the 'in progress' pics and watch the boards grow - it's particularly nice to see that even the most impressive board goes through that 'looks like lots of stuff stuck together' stage, before detailing and painting starts to make all the elements come to life.
Excellent - what a board it's going to be to play on!
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My god sir, this just keeps getting better and better :-* :-* :-*
cheers
James
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Looking quite impressive Captain Blood! And I like the tree stumps! Can wait to see this painted up and with some trees! :D
Darkoath
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Thank you gentlemen. :)
Here is stage 2 completed - the basic terrain is now fully painted.
Thought it was worth showing before moving onto stage 3 - which entails covering pretty much the whole sodding thing with grass! ::)
Ah well, I'll know there's lovely groundwork underneath ;)
Then it's onto trees, reeds, crops, undergrowth and shrubbery...
And finally the trees and buildings.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1568.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1569.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1571.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1583.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1581.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1566.jpg)
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Looking more impressive with every new addition. ;D
I can't wait to see it in the flesh. The prize for best looking game is going to be hotly contested me thinks ::)
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Wonderful :-* :-* I really like the river colour.
Now then, the question is... Which season are you going for ???
cheers
James
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Now then, the question is... Which season are you going for ???
lol lol
Well I thought autumn (sorry, Fall) in the New World might be a bit of a cliche, so I think I'm just going to go for greenish trees ;)
What crops to plant does raise interesting dilemmas though. Cabbages and straw? Wheat and spring grass. Can't really be done all at the same time, can it? (I shall try not to lose sleep over it... :))
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Is it possible to re-arrange the order of the boards?
Kinda looks like it. But I'm easily fooled. o_o
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Looking so awesome already! Make me want to get on with my own stuff...
I look forward to seeing some vegetation! :)
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superb lookin board!!!
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lol lol
Well I thought autumn (sorry, Fall) in the New World might be a bit of a cliche, so I think I'm just going to go for greenish trees ;)
What crops to plant does raise interesting dilemmas though. Cabbages and straw? Wheat and spring grass. Can't really be done all at the same time, can it? (I shall try not to lose sleep over it... :))
If you don't have some "American" corn (maize) how will the settlers (and raiding Indians) get their moonshine?
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I love following a terrain project from inception to finished board. I can't wait to see how this one looks.
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Egad, but this has my mind whirring with all manner of depraved scenery possibilities. Unfortunately I've yet to progress onto modular terrain boards( :'(), but exposure to such blasphemous images provides plenty of food for thought... I shall certainly look forward to seeing it fully clad (as it were) in due course.
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Corn (maize or blé d’Inde) would indeed be a good choice for a North American field. ::)
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Is it possible to re-arrange the order of the boards?
Yes Ray - I cunningly planned the river entry and exit points so that boards 1 and 3 can go either way round or indeed together, and the middle board could slot in either side ;)
Calimero, as a Canadian, I'll take your word on the maize. But cabbages are a lot easier to portray in 28mm :)
I'm not a fan of the 'cut-up pieces of plastic doormat' approach to cereal fields.
I shall think on it...
Cheers
Richard
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How the crops have just been planted ;)
cheers
James
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Great stuff Richard
A real inspiration.
Make me want to re-do my own, old scabby, terrain boards.
I have always baulked at building permanent hills on the boards as I always thought it limited their use and made storage harder. But seeing yours has made me rethink. It looks a hundred times better with the inbuilt hills.
Also being a butterfly and flirting between different types of game has also put me off building a dedicated board for one subject. I should really make my mind up and stick to one subject.
How much do you recon it will cost you to build the boards? Must be a couple of hundred quid?
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I put together a mock-up with bristles and it seems ok though I need to refine the construction technique and find some thing that looks like corn. I can take a photo if you're interested.
I would be interested, thanks :)
Bristles sound more promising than those pesky plastic doormats...
I have always baulked at building permanent hills on the boards as I always thought it limited their use and made storage harder. But seeing yours has made me rethink. It looks a hundred times better with the inbuilt hills.
Also being a butterfly and flirting between different types of game has also put me off building a dedicated board for one subject. I should really make my mind up and stick to one subject.
How much do you recon it will cost you to build the boards? Must be a couple of hundred quid?
Gosh no, Colin. Nowhere near that.
To get the boards to the current state has cost less than £40 GBP.
4 pack of pink styrofoam sheets - B&Q - £20. I'm only using three boards - so more than enough material in the fourth board to cut it up for the hills (although I've only used a bit of it, as I had some old offcuts of blue styrofoam from a previous terrain project).
2 x 1KG tubs of filler also from B&Q - about £4.
Cork bark for cliff bits, I had some already, but I guess to buy a bag of pieces - about a fiver?
Wood glue for sticking the foam - I had some, but say a couple of quid for a small bottle?
Texturing 'compound' = any old sand, any old splosh of matt emulsion, and PVA. Cost: pence, although I did have to splash out on a new 1L bottle of craft PVA - 99p ;)
Two tall spraycans of matt black paint (Halfords) - £5.99 each.
Matchsticks - 1000 in a bag, 99p, craft store.
Coffee stirrers - free. Help yourself to a fistful next time you're in Starbucks.
Twigs for making logs and stumps - free, from the garden.
Gravel - sifted out of the sand, or used bits and pieces I already had sitting round.
Paint - I used paint I had - I guess a few pence worth? Emulsion thinned and sprayed on mainly. Spraying reduces the amount of paint you need to use by about 75%. Obviously you do need an airgun and a compressor though.
Total:
Foam 20.00
Cork 5.00
Filler 4.00
Primer 12.00
Wood glue 2.00
PVA 1.00
Matchsticks 1.00
Total £45.00 - but like I say, I didn't have to buy the cork, wood glue and so on...
However, now we come to the expensive bit, since I've bought about 25 pounds worth of assorted Woodland Scenics scatter materials and 'scenic cement' (which I suspect is probably just thinned PVA, but we'll see).
I'm also going to use probably half a bottle of 'Realistic Water' on the river - and that's £12 - £18 a bottle depending on where you buy it from.
So in total, to get the boards to a finished state - sans trees - probably around £85.
However, I've also ordered a couple of bulk packs of Woodland Scenics trees, because I want trees that appear to sprout from the ground, rather than wobble about on their bases.
So that's another £45. Yes, it's a lot of money and I could have made my own - but making 50 or so trees would have been a lot of time I probably don't have over the next few weeks.
By the way, although the simple wooden fences do perhaps give it a slightly North American look, I've tried to keep the terrain sufficiently generic that I can use it for other theatres apart from F&IW... Change the buildings, trees and accessories and it'll have quite a different look...
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I put together a mock-up with bristles and it seems ok though I need to refine the construction technique and find some thing that looks like corn. I can take a photo if you're interested.
Try twist-ties tied together with the ends sticking out like the leaves and a bit of putty for the ears of corn. It looks good if you do it right. I don't have any pictures to show you though. Handed mine off to a friend some time ago.
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I suppose small sections of fake chrismas three branches would also work? just shape the tips to look more like leaves (instead of the straight cutoffs) and paint. Add corn here and there with putty. Never tried it, but have been thinking about ways to do it and this is what I came up with.
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Inspirational stuff :-* :-* :-*
When you mention the plastic doormats, do you mean the type used on the old Touching History website and in the books?
I've seen rubberbacked doormats bristled doormats used which look quite effective. These were cut into sections so the troops moved through the field much like Silent Invader:mentioned.
The is one of my 15mm fields:
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/LeadBear/BAB%20Games/2StoreyHouse.jpg)
Troops moving through the field:
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/LeadBear/BAB%20Games/Throughthewheat.jpg)
author=white knight link=topic=12619.msg153580#msg153580 date=1253261320]
I suppose small sections of fake chrismas three branches would also work? just shape the tips to look more like leaves (instead of the straight cutoffs) and paint. Add corn here and there with putty. Never tried it, but have been thinking about ways to do it and this is what I came up with.
This is how I made my 15mm Cornfield although I didn't add the corn. Certainly not the best looking corn but reasonably quick and easy to make and so far everybody recognised what it is :D
Sorry to steal your thread Captain.
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No worries Barry - not stolen at all. All contributions welcome :)
Those bristle doormat fields of yours look pretty good.
Yes, it's the plastic boot-scraper doormat fields beloved of the Touching History chap that I dislike.
They don't look like crops - they look like bits of cut-up plastic boot-scraper mat! ;)
Hmmm. Maybe I'll try bristles (or maybe I'll stick to cabbages)
(That's a very nice looking house by the way :))
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Today I applied greenery.
First fix - random spreads of Woodland Scenics blended turf with a few other bits and pieces of static grass and flock added into the mix.
Second fix - various other Woodland Scenics scatter materials to create scrub / furzy patches. Most of the trees will sit in these scrubby patches.
All greenery scattered on brushed-on neat PVA, then 'misted over' (heavily) with Woodland Scenics 'scenic cement' from a spraygun. It does indeed dry convincingly matt and seems to seal the 'product' more or less in place... Not cheap, but does what it says on the tin. I'm a convert.
I've actually 'greened' all three boards - except for the fields - but for now, here are some pics of board 1.
The next stage will be extra gratuitous titivation - grass tufts, reed beds, perhaps a few bushes, etc etc.
Then deciding on the placement of trees.
And finally - adding 'water' to the river and pond...
Meanwhile - a few shots.
It still looks rather bare without the trees and buildings, but you start to get the idea...
The view from the bluffs
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1632.jpg)
A field of unidentified fledgling plants...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1630.jpg)
Detail of a scree slope
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1631.jpg)
Other flank of the big hill - not quite the Heights of Abraham, but the same idea... Unscaleable. Famous last words...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1634.jpg)
Logging activity continues...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1635.jpg)
Board one...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1639.jpg)
:)
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Abso-friggin-lutely outstanding!
:o :o :-* :-*
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This is more than awesome - It's breath-taking! Soooo great!
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Bloomin' brilliant! Looks great, Cap. Can't wait to see the finished product.
-Doc
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How a little flock can transform a bord. Terrain making of the highest order.
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Stunning mate, totally stunning :-* :-* :-*
cheers
James
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Board looks great. :-* :-*
flock has worked very well. Not as green as I was expecting but then I have never seen this bit of the USA so I don't know what I am talking about. :D
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Right, can you hurry up and finish these and then come over to my place and make a start on mine, we only have 5 weeks left... ;)
Superb stuff Richard. ;D
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outstandingly brilliant,
now if I could replicate this a little with some individual scenery pieces. Can't have bespoke boards, not enough room.
excellent boards :-*
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Great stuff. Really looking forward to seeing these in the flesh. :)
And stealing all your ideas for next time I make a board.
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Looking absolutely spectacular. Without a doubt some of the best terrain boards I've seen in awhile. Can't wait fot the finished product so I can steal some ideas lol
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Thanks all :)
You are more than welcome to steal ideas, that's why we're here ;)
Not as green as I was expecting but then I have never seen this bit of the USA so I don't know what I am talking about. :D
No, I've never been there either Colin, so I'm just guessing. But I think you're right, I'm going to add a bit more grass. Also, once the trees are in, think the whole thing will look a lot more green and a bit less heath-like...
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That looks fantastic Cap'n, one of these days I'll have to have a go at this terrain lark :-*
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Having several environmental biologist aquaintants, I have been toldd roughly the following:
"Only two genera of Lumbricid earthworms are indigenous to North America while introduced genera have spread to areas where earthworms did not formerly exist, especially in the north where forest development relies on a large amount of undecayed leaf matter. When worms decompose that leaf layer, the ecology may shift making the habitat unsurvivable for certain species of trees, ferns and wildflowers."
In other words the ballast the pilgrim brought in their ships there were Old World earth worms which totally changes the large northern forest.
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:o I've just had to instruct the valet to fetch a new pair of undergarments and a mop pronto. Bit undignified, but couldn't be helped under the circs. I'm not sure that viewing the finished article will be especially wise viz the old bowel/bladder flaccidity either, but when that post arrives I don't know that I possess the willpower to restrain myself. Spiffing with a capital 's', old man.
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The end is almost in sight... ;D
Here are the three boards together - now grassed and furzed...
Apologies to Silent Invader and other cereal conspirators - but I wimped out on the cornfield.
It's trampled straw instead...
The third field will be a small orchard.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1645.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1646.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1656.jpg)
A view along the as yet still un-wet river...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1662.jpg)
I've also started applying a few small lichen bushes and some strategically positioned grass tufts...
I think they add to it. The only slight problem is that I could spend another couple of days just gluing on individual tufts like this!
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1658.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1657.jpg)
The guard barricade on the road into the settlement. I do like that tuft :)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1661.jpg)
Here's a birds eye view of the whole thing...
The boards aren't quite aligned against the wall, but you get the lie of the land...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1664.jpg)
Not too far off the original plan...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/untitled.jpg)
... although it has been embellished a bit as I've gone along ::)
I've now moved onto trees...
I have 40 Woodland Scenics decidious trees - 2" - 5" - value pack, 'ready to use'...
Hmmm - in quite which universe these would be ready to use, I'm not sure.
You'd have to be a pretty undiscerning railway modeller to use these straight from the box, with their shiny plastic trunks and motheaten foliage.
Also, because the basic armature is two-dimensional, they look flat as a pancake until you bend them around.
So - quite a lot of bending later, plus gluing on a lot of extra foliage to plug the gaps, plus some remedial drybrushing of the trunks - I now have a small forest ready to go.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1666.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1667.jpg)
With a 28mm figure, these trees ought to appear approximately 3m - 6m high. I'll probably get a few taller ones as well...
I buzzed off the feeble plastic nub moulded on the bottom of each tree, drilled out each trunk, and super-glued a steel spike in place - thus:
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1669.jpg)
This inserts straight into the foam terrain, wherever you like where there's a bit of ground cover to conceal the base. Like this:
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1674.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1672.jpg)
And can be repositioned as and when necessary, and with no holes visible to the nekkid eye.
Tonight, I made the first pour of 'Realistic Water' - we'll see what it looks like after 24 hours.
I'm expecting it to need 2 or 3 applications to get the desired finish.
Then it's add trees and buildings, and job done :)
The next pictures will be of the finished project. Probably in a week or so...
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What an incredible project. Great work!
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Brilliant work :-* :-* :-*
Thanks for the inspiration.
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That's a really good looking wargames table :-* ... even without the blé d'Inde ;)
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That's a very impressive board, and I like the 'spiked' trees - an excellent idea to file away for that possibly-mythical future where I build terrain boards myself!
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By all that's holy...where are we going to be able to play on that board at?
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Richard, you shall get a citation for Practical, Effective Yet Stunning Achievements in the field of board making. It is fantastic to see everything come together so (seemingly) effortlessly. Knowing you consider your dedicated storage and hobby area being limited it is even more impressive.
I am gushing, I know, but think I will have to make this a How to... , just for its inspirational value.
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So beautiful!
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The tufts of grass and small bushes really bring it to life and add a little more of the "3rd-dimension" to it. As ever it's the attention to small details that turns a very good board into a superb one.
The tree idea is a very practical and ingenious solution to the placement of trees on a portable terrain. Can't wait to see it with the water finished.
Fantastic job, Cap'n!
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Not much I can add to what has already been said. :o :o
Absolutely stunning board. :-* :-* :-*
The thread should be put as a sticky in the "how to" section.
Inspirational stuff.
Really looking forward to seeing this in the flesh.
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Cracking stuff Cap`n. I love your trees I have 30 waiting to go plus some I bought from Phil already made.
How did you manage to bulk out the foliage as my first look gave the impression they wouldnt take that much scatter stuff.
Have you a secret or was it merely put on in layers?
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Well done indeed! At first I thought the boards weren't green enough myself, but on reflection I think they look alright considering this is on the frontier and presumably recently deforested. On my grandparents' farm in SW PA the forest floors were absolutely bare except for rocks, dead leaves, and pine needles.
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:o :o :o :o it is fantastic must see it in real !!!
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oh yes thats fantastic, excellent
how much did those trees set you back? if you don't mind me asking
oh and where did ye get them :D
dodge
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Thanks all.
I'm quite looking forward to getting the thing finished myself now! ;)
How did you manage to bulk out the foliage as my first look gave the impression they wouldnt take that much scatter stuff.
Luckily I already had a couple of packs of 'clump foliage' in the right colours in the cupboard, so I just tore it up and super-glued pieces on where there were obvious gaps :)
how much did those trees set you back? if you don't mind me asking
oh and where did ye get them :D
They come from model railway suppliers - you can buy them online. Look for Woodland Scenics 'value packs' of deciduous trees - you get different quantities depending on the size of the trees. About £20 GBP per pack. That's a pack of small and a pack of medium I'm using - so about 40 quid's worth. So round about a pound a pop. Not cheap, but no more expensive than the ubiquitous K+M style bottle brush trees, and (I think) a bit better looking...
I'm going to add a few taller ones as well, but too many tall trees tend to get in the way of moving figures around... ;)
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That is fantastic Richard. :o :-* 8)
I know what I'm going to be ogling at BLAM. (No Malamute, not the barmaids. ;) )
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Thanks all.
I'm quite looking forward to getting the thing finished myself now! ;)
Luckily I already had a couple of packs of 'clump foliage' in the right colours in the cupboard, so I just tore it up and super-glued pieces on where there were obvious gaps :)
They come from model railway suppliers - you can buy them online. Look for Woodland Scenics 'value packs' of deciduous trees - you get different quantities depending on the size of the trees. About £20 GBP per pack. That's a pack of small and a pack of medium I'm using - so about 40 quid's worth. So round about a pound a pop. Not cheap, but no more expensive than the ubiquitous K+M style bottle brush trees, and (I think) a bit better looking...
I'm going to add a few taller ones as well, but too many tall trees tend to get in the way of moving figures around... ;)
I picked some up along with the foliage and for 30 trees and the leafy stuff it came to about £45
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That is fantastic Richard. :o :-* 8)
I know what I'm going to be ogling at BLAM. (No Malamute, not the barmaids. ;) )
Each to his own ;)
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I know what I'm going to be ogling at BLAM. (No Malamute, not just the barmaids. ;) )
Fixed your post. ;)
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Amazing board! Absolutely beautiful. I've always shied away from moulded and 'permanent' boards before, but this is great, and makes me realize that with a bit of planning that a moulded board can still be as versatile as a modular one - but much cooler looking!
Great work!
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Sits back in awe o_o
Splendid!
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That's an absolutely stunning board! WOW! Watching the progress has been great. I'm sure all the players/onlookers will be drooling over it... you should figure out how to trap the drool and you'd have a running river too! ;)
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That is absolutely stunning. Well done. Great detail. My concern, if it was mine...will the tree spikes eventually tear up the styrofoam boards? If the do, that would be a horrific shame. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a fantastic project!!
Regards,
Hitman
8)
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splendid, awesome, unbelievable
but I guess You know that Yourself
I love to see the idea of the spiked repositionable trees, since I got a lot of moaning about the destruction of the board when I suggested this myself to others
you should make them really pointy
I wouldn't worry about holes
should the surface get a little bit worn out, I suggest drilling tiny holes and glueing fitting brass tubes into the scenery - when properly covered, only the small hole is visible and you can insert the spike without any damage (or other spiked items apart from trees: flying pose pins, road signs, lanterns, telegraph posts - whatever is tall and has a small base and thus tends to fall over during gaming)
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Thanks for the positive comments chaps :)
The second layer of Realistic Water is curing - looking good but will probably need a third application.
The trees are all ready to be inserted, including a few big boys...
I love to see the idea of the spiked repositionable trees, since I got a lot of moaning about the destruction of the board when I suggested this myself to others
If I was going to jab each tree in roughly the same place hundreds of times, yes, it might get worn out. But I don't expect the usage to be that heavy. In the unlikely event that any area does become too 'holey' I will simply start using a slightly different area - and can easily make good the surface of the 'holed' area with filler and texture compound.
You'd have to make an awful lot of pin-sized holes before seriously affecting the basic structural integrity of a sodding great chunk of high-density styrofoam. ;)
I've always shied away from moulded and 'permanent' boards before...
Me too ::)
I finally decided that the aesthetic effect is so far superior to flat boards with laid on terrain elements, that it had to be tried at least...
Yes, storage is going to be a bit of an issue, as clearly the hills and undulations mean the three boards are not going to lay flat on each other.
On the plus side, they have turned out incredibly light, they feel pretty durable, and they require virtually no set up at all - apart from plugging in the trees...
I figure I'll store them face down on a shelf (so they don't gather dust on the surface) one on top of the other, using styrofoam offcuts as chocks to separate the boards and level them out for storage...
At first I thought the boards weren't green enough myself, but on reflection I think they look alright considering this is on the frontier and presumably recently deforested.
Thanks Aaron. I value your reassurance as a North American that it doesn't look too wildly off the mark. :)
As I say, once you see it with all the trees in situ, I think it will all look a lot more verdant.
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The pictures are very nice indeed!
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for storage I could offer an idea:
you have three pieces of the same size
choose the 2 with the lowest profile
the most touchy of the two is your base
measure the elevation above ground of both, add together and add some security space
now cut styrofoam pillars of that height
and arrange them around the lower board
build a sturdy cardboard frame the size of a board, height of both boards + security space
glue the pillars on the inside of the frame to the positions most flat and suitable for both boards
turn the second one upside down and insert into the frame
both boards will be kept apart by the pillars
place the third board on top (oh, forgot - make the frame a little bit higher so that it keeps the third board in place and its elevation protected)
you can even tie them together with elastic binding and transport them without any danger
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I think you should take a bow Captain, your effort is impressively impressive
thank you, well done
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yes, can we have sound emoticons please?
applause, applause!!!
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It is an absolutely fantastic work !
I especially like the river and the rocks and cliffs...they look just like in reality.
Thanks for showing it to us.
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Thanks :)
There will be a short delay in posting pics of the finished landscape as my Realistic Water ran out and I'm waiting for fresh supplies to arrive in the mail ;)
Everything else is now pretty much done however. Phew.
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Once again speechless....can't wait to see the water now.
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Oooookeeeee.... Finito!
It took 5 applications of Realistic Water to get close to the finish I wanted.
What can I say? It's not perfect, but having considered several other options, I decided to stick to the devil I knew. At least it just pours on straight from the bottle with no mixing, it doesn't emit noxious vapours, and it's water-soluble.
Overall, I'm 90% satisfied with the outcome.
Apart from the water, I've now inserted a load of trees, and added the buildings from Grand Manner. They're very nice buildings, but the bases are distinctly on the chunky side which is a bit annoying.
I've sanded them down in places added some shrubbery, but they're hard to disguise, so I shall just have to ignore them...
On the whole, I've decided I prefer buildings without sodding great bases moulded onto them >:(
As this board will first see action in anger at the British Lead Adventurer's Meeting in 3 weeks time, I think it only fair to keep the figures off it until a game is actually played.
No doubt pics will be taken... :)
But I did pop a few Woodland Indians on for one final shot - just to show how the figures scale in with the landscape... ;)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1684.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1687.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1688.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1685.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1690.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1692.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1693.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1691.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1698.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1697.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1699.jpg)
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:o :-*
Not going to bother saying anything I hate you and yet, I want to have your babies
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sir, I applaud you.
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I want to have your babies
Each to his own. Me, I'd rather have his terrain and painted figures. ;)
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Fan-bloody-tastic that mate, you should be very proud of it :D :D
Three weeks eh ??? (chomping at the bit already :D )
cheers
James
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simply splendido
I will go hide and cry... :'(
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Outstanding! :-*
Really looking forward to BLAM. :D
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Stunning work! :-* :-* :-*
Thanks also for the WIP reports. It is greatly appreciated.
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Simply outstanding. The water is superb. If I was wearing a hat I would doth it to thee. :o
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that stuff is fantastic ! can´t wait to game on the tabel .
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:-*
Now that is a real gem!
Well done... spectacular.
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WTF, Richard, show some mercy on us poor dabblers.why don't you. >:( ;)
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Fantastic table!
How I wish to have a game table like that...
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I'll add my voice to the chorus of accolades Cap'n. That is an outstanding board and your attention to detail is amazing.
Anyone would be thrilled, nay ecstatic to have a game on it (even if the game was just checkers.) lol
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Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!
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Thank you all very much.
Your encouragement kept me going :)
There's no doubt about it, if you're gonna take on a project like this, you have to keep a WIP thread - it means THERE'S NO TURNING BACK!!! o_o
I hate you and yet, I want to have your babies
Paul, that's almost the best offer I've had all year ;)
lol
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That is a fantastic table!!
You know, Cap'n Blood, those pirate sailing ships aren't very good for leaving you space for stowage.
If you'd like, sir, I have more than ample stowage room here with me. I'd be glad to take care of it for yeh.
No charge at all...
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Richard,
WOW.
Once again, this is an unbelievably nice table! I have followed this thread from the beginning with great interest and gained lots of interesting new ideas!
The choice of colours, attention to detail and the composition as a whole make this a true work of art. I just wish I could be playing on this table...
Thanks for sharing the magic!
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Richard, if you (and other posters) don't mind I'd like to tidy this thread up, lock it and and move it to How to... If it is possible I will make a copy of it and retain one with comments.
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go ahead, I think noone can imagine a better and more comprehensive tutorial for scenery than this one
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Outstanding work Richard :-* :-* :-*
In the pictures its looks like real landscape photographs :o
You are kidding us on, this isn’t a Wargames board this is a diorama.
Looking forward to seeing this in the flesh.
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splendid work all around! :-*
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it is amazing.... your trees are wonderfull (like all the other stuff you did XD)
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Once again, thanks all for the great feedback.
You inspire me to make more! lol
Richard, if you (and other posters) don't mind I'd like to tidy this thread up, lock it and and move it to How to... If it is possible I will make a copy of it and retain one with comments.
Peder, that's fine with me.
Perhaps you could give it a few days though, as I've pointed people here from a couple of other sites to see the WIP thread, and if the URL changes, it may throw people ;)
The choice of colours, attention to detail and the composition as a whole make this a true work of art. I just wish I could be playing on this table...
Thanks very much Karsten :)
I obviously lack the necessary Teutonic efficiency for true attention to detail - I look to you and Admiral Benbow for that ;)
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You are a true craftsman. Great stuff.
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Gorgeous!
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Richard, before this thread is going to get the well deserved sticky let me just say:
This is a hell of a terrain board!!!
:-* :o :-*
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Richard, before this thread is going to get the well deserved sticky let me just say:
This is a hell of a terrain board!!!
:-* :o :-*
Thank you Michael. I'm honoured you think so, because you set the standard to aspire to.
When I manage to pull off a project as perfect as your gold mine, I'll be a happy man.
:)
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Meh. It's alright.
::)
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Congratulations Richard, that's an excepetionally nice layout.
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Great Scott! That is a damn fine looking terrain board. If I am ever attacked with a shrink ray and the effects turn out to be impossible to reverse, I will want a kingdom such as that to rule over.
Ryan
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AAAAARRRRRRRRRHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I have only one word: "Outstanding!" :o :o :o :o :o
Congrats and thanks for sharing
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Beautiful work. One of the best terrain boards I've ever seen + I learned a lot watching this come together. Your documentation of the process is fantastic.
I've added a link to this thread on my blog. I hope you don't mind.
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I've added a link to this thread on my blog. I hope you don't mind.
Not at all. I'm glad you like it. Thanks :)
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Not at all. I'm glad you like it. Thanks :)
Thanks, CB.
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Damn!!! I have been watching this board progress and now that its finished - WOW! Truly an inspiration . My hats off to you sir!
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I am fascinated to know how you transport and store such beautiful boards? I have boxes of scenery but the drive to the club to a show and then the quick breakdown at the end takes a dramatic toll. I am now using faux fur as a base rather than boards because it is so much more robust, and there are no gaps. But my biggest problem is trees. I use Woodland Scenics fixed to Cds as bases and after about 18 months they are really falling apart! I have just got some more robust tress, but obviously they do not look so good.
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I'll come back to you on the transport issue once I've transported them to our British Lead Adventurers Meeting this weekend!
I have sprayed the Woodland Scenic trees with an awful lot of scenic cement, so they're pretty solid, but obviously any type of miniature tree covered in flock type stuff is prone to deterioration over time. I wouldn't be happy about the Woodland Scenic trees individually based or in small CD-based clumps, in a box, all knocking against each other in transit. But the joy of the 'spiked' approach, is that you plant all your trees in your terrain boards (or in a spare slab of styrene for transport) and they are inherently stable. They cannot move around or rub up against each other causing foliage to fall off...
Obviously, the downside is that you need a big enough car to move the boards intact. Public transport would be right out ;)
That's the theory anyway. I'll let you know next week if it worked. :)
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I just wanted to say that this work is fab and could quite easily inspire me to take up a new hobby of scene building.
I found this thread by following links from your WW1 trench scene on another site, which I found originally by researching ingredients for mud. I found myself late at night with a stressed daughter who needed to create a trench scene for her homework (typically due the next day). Your post enabled us to raid the DIY cupboard and knock together quite an impressive mudfest.
Thanks!
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I just wanted to say that this work is fab and could quite easily inspire me to take up a new hobby of scene building.
I think you should! ;)
It's quite therapeutic.
Your post enabled us to raid the DIY cupboard and knock together quite an impressive mudfest.
Thanks!
Excellent - glad I could help :)
Hope the homework got a good mark!
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Damn that turned out nicely.
Ryan
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lovely work made all the better by the lovely dressing of the scene, its the little touches like the washed up tree branch on a beach that I love and for me is the real joy of terrain making.
Bravo!!
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Thanks :)
I totally agree, Jules - the devil (and the fun) is in the detail ;)
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Cultivated in the middle, rough round the outsides - a bit like me :D
I think I'm going to go with a few treestumps Peder. All ideas gratefully received. Keep 'em coming...
I am toying with the idea of forgoing my standard trees and inserting a load of new trees, because I think this is going to be a damn flash layout (he said modestly) and I think it may deserve new trees which look like they actually grow from the ground - including the hillsides. Which is a bit tricky with standalone trees...
I have now applied the first layer of Blood's patent gloop to board 1, and added a lot of loose stonework. I shall aim to post pics this evening. Then I'm off on hols for three weeks, so no more until beginning of September :(
Captain,
I realise that this is an old thread but do you think you could give me some idea of what colours you used re: emulsion etc please?
It would be a great help as you have managed to get a very natural feel overall.
Darrell.
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Hmmm. I think it was a Crown colour in their 'velvet' range. I'll see if I can find the tin...
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Hmmm. I think it was a Crown colour in their 'velvet' range. I'll see if I can find the tin...
Sorry for the hassle but that would be helpful :)
Probably not what you need on a Sunday morning :?
Darrell.
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Capt, just FANTASTIC!
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Fantastic Project - Well Done :o
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Thanks chaps.
Can't believe I did this almost 5 years ago! These boards have seen a fair amount of usage since, for all sorts of things :)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/6/577_12_06_10_4_25_09_3.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/7/577_04_11_10_8_48_17_1.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/4/577_24_12_09_11_10_33_4.JPG)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_2144_zpsa9af38c6.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/IMG_1814.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/9/577_02_10_11_1_28_54_1.JPG)
Hmmm. I think it was a Crown colour in their 'velvet' range. I'll see if I can find the tin...
Here you go Darrell.
The colour is 'Tempting' in the Crown Indulgence range...
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/decorating/interior-emulsion-paint/crown-fashion-for-walls-tempting---indulgence-matt-emulsion-paint---25l-569376
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I've read through all of this now, bloody fantastic work!
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Here you go Darrell.
The colour is 'Tempting' in the Crown Indulgence range...
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/decorating/interior-emulsion-paint/crown-fashion-for-walls-tempting---indulgence-matt-emulsion-paint---25l-569376
Thank you very much Richard! above and beyond the call of duty! 8) 8) 8)
Darrell.
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IMpressive. :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
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Great work, mon capitan. Always a pleasure to see your work. I think youtube should take a view at the black hussar SYW-Fange. Small, but nice.
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:-*Great work as always Richard.
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I just read through all 13 pages and what an education! Thank you!
One question 7 years later. How have they held up? And a second - how did you end up storing them?
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Haha! Back from the dead :D
Yes, they've held up brilliantly and I'm still using them.
Luckily, I have a purpose built wargames loft above the garage, so I just store them on their sides on the floor, laid around the walls of the room. Others I keep on shelves downstairs in the garage itself. They do take up a fair bit of space, but they're worth it ;)
Interestingly, I'm about to embark on WW2 western desert layout, and I'm humming and ha-ing over whether to use foam boards, MDF, or - shock horror - a homemade mat using decorator's caulk over fabric. I mean it's desert right? Pretty featureless, apart from the occasional track, oasis and patch of scrub... but how to do the sand dunes...? ::)
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Cigar Box Battle Mat with foam off cuts under it for sand dunes.
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Captain Blood - thanks for the reply!
Re: desert board - I wonder if you need to actually build up the dunes a little so that they look like the real thing (which having read many of your posts I'm sure you do!)
Actual dunes are not just bumps on flat terrain but they have contours and edges and interesting bits...
(http://cache4.asset-cache.net/gc/96169697-sand-dune-of-the-erg-chebbi-sahara-desert-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=jq%2BmXxHMXYP8YyWwohs46WbACiPrXbyaemot%2BXgNwVgKCzkyiOpXhqafssRoDcWDozH09hNclv1dcQFDgrcJUw%3D%3D)