Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Mad Guru on January 20, 2016, 03:22:37 AM
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Needed to replace a very European/N. American looking bridge I was using as a placeholder in the terrain set-up for a scenario recreating the British retreat from Kabul in December of 1841-'42, so built my own more appropriate replacement out of blue foam, with some Model RR stone and brick trim to help with the finishing touches. If you'd like to see a ton more WIP pics of the build, please visit my blog at the LINK below, and thanks in advance for your time should you choose to do so:
http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/01/building-bridge-to-kabul.html
The layout used two different bridges over the Kabul River, as well as two over the much narrower Canal. I already have one gorgeous bridge, built for me by Chris The Model Maker, so though I knew I could not build something to rival Chris's work, my humble ambition for this second bridge was that it not look completely out of place on the same table as his. Not quite sure but I'd like to think I pulled that off.
Here are some pics:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pWvpwVouSJs/Vp32lZYnvkI/AAAAAAAAOqs/kNP9XWowWmM/s1600/IMG_5044.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zfma-9cYke0/Vp32qgiVOPI/AAAAAAAAOsY/46OHiTTXebI/s1600/IMG_5058.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dTWGFiEIdas/Vp32uA0WICI/AAAAAAAAOtU/pFxRlQcrFqY/s1600/IMG_5066.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--TcVn5sqPHM/Vp33Cx3FobI/AAAAAAAAO0A/L0eO_0aXcOs/s1600/IMG_5138.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YtpL2ziMqFM/Vp33J1L7lfI/AAAAAAAAO2M/Fm7e6I3CDvc/s1600/IMG_5157.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ruIK-P_zbz4/Vp33OHWwHaI/AAAAAAAAO3s/9lGTbF0Q0XA/s1600/IMG_5169.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Me2-bbK_Dvw/Vp33zSo-AHI/AAAAAAAAPCc/ItBescwr7ZQ/s1600/IMG_5263.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhZY0rluiao/Vp33zo_CppI/AAAAAAAAPCk/VCfIo6vbvq4/s1600/IMG_5264.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2pcXhxCmcrs/Vp33thUeBoI/AAAAAAAAPAo/8JxuOS7Q-EM/s1600/IMG_5246.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0fDLjy1i6ik/Vp34CVP-HVI/AAAAAAAAPHA/z8bpv5lKygo/s1600/IMG_5301.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uzsdm_fuzA/Vp34FfU9yrI/AAAAAAAAPIE/u0wk1KULHQ0/s1600/IMG_5310.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--MXmKeMtLjg/Vp33yXEOjSI/AAAAAAAAPCI/hp2a7aVB8Kw/s1600/IMG_5260.JPG)
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That works well 8)
cheers
James
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Excellent work as per MG- very effective, good looking and game friendly piece :-* :-* :-*
Will hop over to your blog for more details ASAP.
Darrell.
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Thanks, James, and thank you, Darrell!
Feeling pretty good about the bridge above, I decided to build a more appropriate replacement for one of the two gateways I've been using for my Kabul city walls. The old one was a European Medieval gate, so really didn't look the part. This new one, while simpler, will fit far better in the Afghan setting.
As with the bridge, I built the gateway with blue and white styrofoam (though at much faster speed, taking just one night!) and am now in the midst of covering it with spackle. When that dries I'll paint it to blend in with my pre-existing set of city walls and towers. It's a very simple piece, as you can see here:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c188uL_xD7M/VqBpjAR7WgI/AAAAAAAAPMg/bKOAW6B0cp8/s1600/IMG_5376.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gg_4ZBhzTDY/VqBpgpYGRKI/AAAAAAAAPMQ/IPvvi1JpTRk/s1600/IMG_5374.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yOzyU-0o1k/VqBpiJL9bGI/AAAAAAAAPMY/2kUa9rf0X04/s1600/IMG_5373.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hLfLfLwJEfc/VqBpj8thkvI/AAAAAAAAPMo/ceINCuyZgas/s1600/IMG_5381.JPG)
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Nice work on both!
LB
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HOW WONDERFUL WONDERFUL! :o
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More terrain building par excellence MG :-* :-* :-*
Darrell.
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Fine work!
Both are worth fighting over 8)
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That's a VERY FINE bridge, Ethan !!
And the MadGuru Gate is coming along splendidly.
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Thanks very much, Chick, that means a lot coming from you!
UPDATE:
Finished texturing and painting the gate for the walls around Kabul. Nothing fancy but it fits much better with the pre-existing city walls than the Medieval European gate I had pressed into service as a placeholder...
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mud0bFFaIrA/Vqfo9AMrYMI/AAAAAAAAPOA/Md9Q3VtltiM/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iPN3FxiCRvI/VqfPBuXjlCI/AAAAAAAAPNY/uBSgl7cYP4M/s1600/IMG_5575.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fLrhL_-bCtM/Vqfo2gctOGI/AAAAAAAAPNw/Ua61im5bopA/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kHLYLHGqL-I/VqfO9jNXdwI/AAAAAAAAPNQ/Va7YBBwDVE4/s1600/IMG_5594.JPG)
Hoping to play this scenario for the first time ever this coming Saturday, using Second Afghan War troops to fill in for First Afghan War ones. Also haven't "Winterized" the layout yet, but hopefully all that will come in time.
If you want to see a few more pics, please feel free to visit my blog at:
http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/01/kabul-gate-completed.html (http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/01/kabul-gate-completed.html)
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I like those a lot, inspirational !
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Very well done.
Fits in well with your walls.
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Thanks very much for the kind comments, dhtandco and Marine0846!
This past Saturday we played the scenario for the very first time, 6 players* in total, 3 vs. 3, with me doubling up as GM and commanding the Afghan reserves behind the walls of Kabul.
(*Amongst them LAF's own Arundel, AKA: the "Other Daryl"!)
A lot of fun was had by all, but some shortcomings were discovered in the balance of forces, as is sometimes the case with the first play-test of a more complicated colonial scenario. Sadly the game was also cut short, after about 4 hrs, when several of the players had to head back home from LA to San Diego, a 2+ to 3 hour drive, depending on traffic.
Still, a very good time was had by all, and despite coming up short, the Anglo-Indians managed to protect their 4 Baggage Train units from suffering any casualties at all, which was a bit of a triumph in and of itself, even though none of their troops managed to reach the safety of the Bala Hissar fortress.
In the aftermath of the game the collected players came up with a bunch of great ideas for slight adjustments to the scenario, which I'm confident will strike a more equal balance and allow the British a much better chance at success, while retaining the, "flavor," of the setting and the somewhat desperate circumstances for the British side.
For this I must sincerely thank my fellow gamers, who came up with most of the ideas for improvements and made the entire day a purely positive experience, despite the shortcomings of my scenario design!
You can read more details at my blog, where I've posted a little more than 100 pics of the game. If you do choose to visit, thanks in advance for your time!
The high point for the British was probably the dashing performance of their 2 Bengal Cavalry units. The Brits split their army in half and sent each half down a different road to the two gates of Kabul, both led by a unit of Bengal Cavalry.
Along the way, both units swept multiple Afghan Tribal Inf. and Cav. units out of their path, mostly by causing their opponents to fail "Stand And Fight" morale checks and route away before any contact was made.
The closest the Brits got to their objective was when one of the already bloodied Bengal Cavalry units charged for the Western (Kohistan) Gate, but the Afghan defenders opened fire from the ramparts, leaving only a single Sowar in the saddle, who then turned and raced back down the road to rejoin his more slowly advancing comrades.
I'm really looking forward to running this game again, hopefully before too much time passes.
Until then, here's a LINK to my blog post:
http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/02/bala-hissar-or-bust-aar.html (http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/02/bala-hissar-or-bust-aar.html)
...and some pics of the game:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tz00He-xkt8/VrKdUDQRyUI/AAAAAAAAPXo/S8C4YkK0uqk/s1600/IMG_5673.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9rCAiDer3kY/VrKdU3CjLhI/AAAAAAAAPXs/0a_TSCQ_toU/s1600/IMG_5677.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VkSuG2nRs2M/VrKFnweosII/AAAAAAAAPVw/umQ_u4HzMdE/s1600/IMG_5679.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSctWyKAhgs/VrKAEfPy0gI/AAAAAAAAPPI/f4D3eaRqYLM/s1600/IMG_5686.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LvVLuapQnQg/VrKAFrPFcKI/AAAAAAAAPPQ/3ESAMiwTXbQ/s1600/IMG_5688.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_quZZNUSmIo/VrKAFL7KkmI/AAAAAAAAPPM/-Byrqj1cRGE/s1600/IMG_5687.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9RKg-7KBIdw/VrKAKVuubwI/AAAAAAAAPPo/YpjlleZvFzA/s1600/IMG_5694.jpg)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iW8oGwbX74k/VrKAPuL-uGI/AAAAAAAAPQA/3DHrbYX02ms/s1600/IMG_5700.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WOOSIufs2O0/VrKARsIbdDI/AAAAAAAAPQI/sPD-jK42Wl8/s1600/IMG_5702.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ccjs7V-NhRo/VrKAVoYXZAI/AAAAAAAAPQg/ndwg2GFyjUY/s1600/IMG_5708.jpg)
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(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H071mWWcXdI/VrKcA29fSeI/AAAAAAAAPXM/rEAld-mbEx0/s1600/IMG_5841.JPG)
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Splendid set up :-* :-*
Love the dust trails lol
cheers
James
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Great looking game :-* Wish I could have played!!
LB
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:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
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Wonderful stuff MG :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Darrell.
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Thanks for the positive comments, guys!
@Jimbibbly: I agree! I've found those "Dust Clouds" to be a great visual shorthand for marking units which have MOVED during a game turn, and of course are incredibly simple to create with just cotton or other wadding/stuffing and some tan or brown spray-paint.
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Once again fantastic stuff
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Very nice terrain! :-*
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Thanks for the kind words, dhtandco and Admiral Benbow!
I've been a bit busy trying to replace the mealie-bag wall with a more accurate representation of the earthwork walls of the British Cantonment outside Kabul. First I thought I could find something to buy off the shelf... but I was wrong, so I started building something instead, for better or worse. Three weeks later I'm about halfway done, and put up a post about the build so far on my blog. If interested please visit by clicking here, and thanks in advance for your time if you do so: http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/03/halfway-to-kabul-cantonment-c1840.html (http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/03/halfway-to-kabul-cantonment-c1840.html)
Meanwhile, here's a few pics of the still ongoing (who knows for how long!!!) process...
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eanf1pEHMHo/VuJdVsRIN7I/AAAAAAAAP6g/uDZFtfXlwps71w1IOPY1rll8Mecx84Afg/s1600/IMG_6176.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwSQvL9L8OI/VuJdZFE0koI/AAAAAAAAP64/pgrLSER97Xoxh0qjSYDIlUC7ElmuPvVyQ/s1600/IMG_6198.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi0gY6qxDP8/VuJddt2nSPI/AAAAAAAAP7Q/1UtV94Whsy40Zy3o7-USLwzwFBKQBLiwA/s1600/IMG_6218.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6EknlEoaaA/VuJdgOeElFI/AAAAAAAAP7o/6UHmO_db5Tkk3nyUXR7ex-8Bm1p2uoAhQ/s1600/IMG_6224.jpg)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L891ZkQRPi8/VuJdrrpvw8I/AAAAAAAAP8w/sgNVtRrpOpI6dq-FOkfKdLhBX5bjrRgzg/s1600/IMG_6289.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LMXPhlMxcdc/VuJdi_uhFiI/AAAAAAAAP8A/kUZN7lgjXNo35LbVNafzfhqdZW0oxEMPQ/s1600/IMG_6247.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Crgy0aZXbfM/VuJdjPGFhlI/AAAAAAAAP8E/Jd9cQDsPUiUpOf-zMYnX5Vx5ECzQxQ_5w/s1600/IMG_6249.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nl_7qzZ2zJ0/VuJeBVG57eI/AAAAAAAAP_I/7xCajLF_MyAeQMyXDBND5aVepAu5yPSBw/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zMYyAt6VSDQ/VuJeKNjK_dI/AAAAAAAAQAI/w0fjV4yaRdAEb2KL-s8Z3joUT5ojpm8Mw/s1600/IMG_6671.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xt1b6d62gvU/VuJe98nqSpI/AAAAAAAAQEs/gXLzjsswnEk5cVXhAqfwvrEjaHP1V576Q/s1600/IMG_6980.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-702j38GHBTw/VuJfGna6TJI/AAAAAAAAQFs/Ue5yi4GoIyM8wQYMWYsx-34sdncy9h1Aw/s1600/IMG_7039.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3UlNkJgm1mY/VuJfQVty3qI/AAAAAAAAQGg/4MqKs6jwadIUgUch1nv__FoVNtk9YgV6g/s1600/IMG_7124.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdpbvguwYeo/VuJfSW6-EQI/AAAAAAAAQGw/uzF2GTJiczobZNzpiEqD4qMOUbHeWBq_w/s1600/IMG_7139.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HGljpiTf8MY/VuJfVO7NemI/AAAAAAAAQHQ/mel7kHtHRFc6IT-dmd5RSLo8vABrLIYBQ/s1600/IMG_7164.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft0vTjPnxj0/VuJfXltGzhI/AAAAAAAAQHk/HyzBxSxyu-wOkHI_Op78oXMikg14E_u6Q/s1600/IMG_7172.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAFoUbkYBpQ/VuJfcZBGFhI/AAAAAAAAQH8/gpYFB_XYxhcIVryqtjD-r1RIx9gAZPQEA/s1600/IMG_7182.JPG)
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Looking very good so far :)
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Great stuff MG 8) 8) 8)
Looking forward to seeing the finished article as I'm going to produce something similar for the Indian Mutiny.
Darrell.
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First off, THANKS, Malamute, and THANK YOU, Darrell, for your kind words.
And second, well... better late than never, I am finally back with the finished product for my 1841 British Kabul Cantonment, for use in my First Afghan War, Christmas 1841 "What-If?" scenario, in which -- rather than accepting an Afghan offer of "Safe Conduct" and withdrawing 90 miles to the border of British India -- the Anglo-Indian army attempts to fight their way from their fortified camp to the Bala Hissar fortress, less than 2 miles away, which at the time was still occupied by their ally, Shah Sujah.
It took a while, and I hit a few bumps along the way, but I think the Cantonment turned out pretty well. Best of all now I can try and reconvene the players for a second shot at my "Bala Hissar or Bust!" scenario, this time using a more appropriate British fortified camp instead of pressing into service some mealie bag walls.
The layout of my table for this scenario only fits 3/4 of the fortified camp, so that's all I built -- but it's been suggested to me that I really should built the additional pieces needed to complete the encampment. I agree that would make the terrain pieces more useful for a wider variety of future games, so I may go back and add another pair of corner bastions, and a second gate and pair of flanking guard posts... but for now, I'm happy to be done with what I needed.
I have yet to post my usual ton-and-a-half of WIP pics, but at some point I'll get around to that. For now, I put up a couple of dozen views of the finished article. If you're interested, please click on the link below to visit my blog, and thanks in advance for your time if you do so...
http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/04/kabul-cantonment-c1840-completed-finally.html (http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2016/04/kabul-cantonment-c1840-completed-finally.html)
Finally, here are some teaser pics of the finished article...
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kclII-aQEnk/Vx6n2yWqZ0I/AAAAAAAAQKg/IPPnCv05OVUnasRCIJVkjkabM6nZPJNMwCLcB/s1600/IMG_9426.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZA83jDLtWM/Vx6n6dMy1PI/AAAAAAAAQK4/t9zp6NNLqJ47MzlKIa6SzlWidPgCOHOnwCLcB/s1600/IMG_9451.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5nZwk3XXvLM/Vx6n3u2g7LI/AAAAAAAAQKo/nP4WYqLU_z0vuqOoP50wvNk3ehLkvuszwCLcB/s1600/IMG_9444.jpg)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nz5FVFXmIuA/Vx6n6o1wezI/AAAAAAAAQK8/ozwwE1Kgee4ZJFVnhs8yEFScS_KzeV9fwCLcB/s1600/IMG_9484.jpg)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x3bNBr8G-_k/Vx6oFNp8voI/AAAAAAAAQMA/gLfkWHNl7KoQBcV_v5xi0Wa1jsImbzyFgCLcB/s1600/IMG_9502.jpg)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvlYRIFkk1w/Vx6n94IJisI/AAAAAAAAQLM/DRrLKZRWp3EHqVe2_Y_i6Ari2F4b1fZjgCLcB/s1600/IMG_9489.jpg)
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That does the job nicely 8) 8)
cheers
James
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Very nice :-* :-*
LB
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:o Fantastic stuff, very inspirational. What do you use for your roads?
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Rather late to the commentary but I must agree, generally splendid work. Though with that new gate I'm afraid you've created a bit of a problem for yourself. Finished, you say? Sir! That gate does look good. So good, that now you must go back and redo all the other walls to match since the crenellations just don't work now. You just have to do it, really. Truly.
What, who says I've got a sadistic streak? Who, me? Shirley, you can't be serious.
:D
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Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments!
@Commander Carnage: the roads were homemade with DAP acrylic latex caulk. Probably one of the most cost-efficicent terrain projects possible. I started out using brown color caulk, but quickly switched to white, so I could base-coat it with the exact same shade of brown color that I base-coat my terrain boards and figure bases with.
@FifteensAway: HAH!!! Perhaps you are a touch sadistic, but it's nothing I didn't struggle with on my own during the course of this build.
I did a lot of research on the design and appearance of the actual cantonment, and among the few certain details I was able to ascertain were the low height of the earthwork walls and the fact that their design -- somewhat inexplicably -- did NOT include crenelations of any kind, nor were stakes or abatis incorporated into the earthworks at any point (unfortunately for me, as some stakes would have looked cool!) -- though a "shallow moat" was dug in front of them.
Overall, the Kabul Cantonments went down in history as one of, if not the single weakest defensive position ever built and occupied by the British military.
During the course of my research I posted a specific question re: the gate over on the Victorian Wars Forum, but unfortunately did not gain any new information... so in the end I patterned the gateway on images of a few other mid-19th Century fortified camps. After the fact I realized I probably did make the gateway too tall, driven by wanting it to be tall enough for elephants and camels with troops on their backs to be able to enter. Later I realized there was a much easier solution that would have allowed entry by beasts of even greater height: simply leaving off the crossbeam at the top, above the doors. On the other hand, I do think the crossbeam gives the gate a more substantial feel.
If I ever get around to completing a 4th side of the Cantonment for use in different scenarios, it will require building 2 more corner bastions, 2 more guard posts, and a second gate to be placed directly opposite this one, same as in the real cantonments. Whether or not I give it a similar crossbeam above the doors, I will probably make the doors themselves a bit lower.
The ultimate version of this layout will involve me building a new terrain board with the shallow moat dug into it along the outline of where the Cantonments are placed. After I manage to get my c.1840 Anglo-Indian figures painted, based and terrained, maybe I'll get around to that... or maybe not. Then I would have to choose whether to finish it to match all my other boards... or make it a special "WINTER" board, since the scenario I'd be building it for takes place during a snow-covered Winter. Could I successfully blend in one specially finished "Winter" board with a bunch of my regular Afghan boards, by just sprinkling Woodland Scenics Soft Flake Snow on top? Maybe... or maybe not.
Ah, well -- it's more fun for me to ponder the answers to such questions than some other things!