Newbie to the hobby with some questions

[Sir_Theo]

There is an eBay seller called small_terrain who makes some nice roads and rivers and other stuff. I've bought some 28mm stuff in the past but I believe they do 15mm stuff too.

If you aren't happy with your bocage attempts then the Flames of War stuff is pretty good. Premade.terrain is a bit if a cheat but not all of us are patient enough to make good homemade terrain!

Loads of great mdf stuff available nowadays but if you fancy going resin for buildings the  Hovels make some very good very affordable stuff.

[acctingman1969]

WOW

So much to digest. Thank you all for your suggestions.

I like the idea of starting small. I'm think I'm having more fun making terrain than I will be gaming! It's very relaxing.

I'll be reading over everyone's comments again.

Thanks again....I look forward to everyone's tips and soaking up all you have to share!

To Lowtardog.....I live in the states

[tin shed gamer]

Then try Crescent root.they've a very useful range of premade and painted 15mm and 28mm mdf buildings ,plus trees and hedgerow sets.if your budget allows and my memory serves' they do an all in 15mm hamlet/village set including gaming mat for around $250.They do of course do individual buildings for both Europe and the middle east.
Postage costs make them a little exotic for this side of the pond.But there worth a look just for inspiration if nothing else.
Model railway buildings offer quite a cheap alternative to buildings designed just for gamers,especially in the states where there's such a large market for railway modelling.
As for a starting point why not choose your favorite pc game and build a table similar to the gamescape as games often have physical models as starting points.Theres no reason you cant do it in reverse.
But the best advice I could give would be to plan and build to fit your existing storage solutions,as its a dammed sight easier to build to fit a box you own than to find a box big enough to fit what you've built.(I'd be lying if i didn't say I constantly fail to follow my own advice infact I've three pieces of scenery still gathering dust on the side in my workshop that I've not got storage solutions for)
Mark.

[acctingman1969]

Ok

My first attempt at making tree bases.

Using plasticard as a base with Durham's Wood Putty (this stuff is awesome).

Painted the base green, watered down PVA then static grass.

It's....OK, but any suggestions how to make the base look better?

Maybe sand/pva brushed on then painted then flocked?

[Norm]

I try to have my figure bases and terrain bases roughly share a common basing theme - so for my basing I mix a bit of black acrylic paint into my basing paste (modellers paste or wall filler) to get the white out of it, then once applied and dry, dry brush a light colour to highlight texture. This is just so if any base shows through the subsequent flocking, it look consistent and respectable..

Then PVA and sprinkle with any small rock or ballast, then sprinkles any course sand and then grasses and flock into any PVA still showing. Finally I ad a few blobs of PVA on top of everything and put in a FEW tall grasses.

I don't over-grass WWII infantry as you will want to see them in towns, but grass them enough that they will fit against my other terrain pieces.

For my tree bases I also drag a few strands of hot glue from the tree trunk bottom outwards, that when dry can be painted as tree roots.

[MartinR]

I think bases generally look better with some texture on, I just use builders sand which is pretty coarse and brown already so it doesn't need painting.

I base my terrain items the same as my figures, builders sand plus clumps of static grass. It seems to tie them all together.

[Gunner Dunbar]

Yeah a bit of sand, painted or unpainted, then flock, maybe a few strategically placed rocks.

[z1pp132002]

Browse around my blog you might find some useful tips.
I know it sounds like shameless promoting of a blog but that is what it  is there fore, to help others as so many  other people's  blogs have helped me.

http://gregswargamingblog.blogspot.co.za/?m=1

Cheers

[acctingman1969]

Thanks again gents.
Super helpful!!

[Polkovnik]

Paper Normandy buildings from Battlelands on Wargames Vault:









I printed them onto sticker paper and stuck them to foamboard.

More here:

http://toofatlardies.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=691

[katie]

I base things using;

http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-wood-filler-500g/174530_BQ.prd

Dries to a close match to VJ Sand Brown / Americana Brown Sable (the latter is what I paint other bases).

It avoids needing any colour mixing at all then.

[lou passejaire]

wood filler is one of the best choice for basing indeed , easy to model,  just 2 or 3 dry brush with acrylics and it's done

[vodkafan]

My advice would be to buy loads of bits and pieces but ensure you can't field any form of balanced force.....half paint them then change periods and repeat until your house is full.

(Don't see why I should be the only one  )

Haha this has been my approach  for most of my wargaming "career". Thanks that made me laugh.