Stargrave: Quarantine 37 terrain question

[nozza_uk]

I received "Stargrave: Quarantine 37" as a Christmas gift, which was a bit surprising since I don’t actually play "Stargrave". Flipping through the book, the scenarios look interesting at first glance. However, they seem to have the same issue that led me to step away from "Frostgrave" and its variants—the need for very specific terrain setups for individual scenarios. 

For example, one scenario specifies: 
"Place two train tracks running straight across the table, parallel to the player edges. Tracks should be about 2” wide. These tracks should be 8” apart, and each 4” from the line running through the centre of the table. Thus there should be an 8” platform running the length of the middle of the table."* 

Another states: 
"Place a wrecked carriage in one corner of the table."* 

I’d really like to try these scenarios, but the detailed terrain requirements feel like a hurdle. How have others dealt with this? Are there any good workarounds or alternative approaches?

[Pattus Magnus]

I would also be very interested in hearing about how others have managed this, I face the same issue.

I haven’t done anything yet to make scenario-specific terrain, but the principle I have come up with is to “keep it simple”. So for the tracks, it could be enough to set up a single rail along each line (for a monorail), or a strip of coloured tape for a mag-lev (showing pedestrians where the buried repulsor plates are). The platform can be as simple as a rectangle of painted foam core with some panels drawn on.

A crashed carriage could be trickier, but I have been thinking about modifying some paper craft to make something inexpensive and simple that would still look okay. Dave Graffam sci-fi structures on Wargame Vault might work (simple boxes) with windows cut out, or glued on to a narrower box building.

Just ideas, but that’s what I’ve been pondering.

[Pattus Magnus]

Just an example, the structures in this set look almost like subway carriages already: https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/209320

A little modification and part of the needed terrain could be covered.

[Pattus Magnus]

Actually, add a door on each side and a couple windows and this could be a mag-lev carriage: https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/115255

And it’s free!

For a few dollars, the full cargo pod set includes some pre-made bits and a bunch of additional textures that could help turn a pod into a carriage.

https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/115052

[hubbabubba]

It's odd perhaps, but that's one of the things I've most enjoyed about stargrave, rangers of shadow deep and to an extent 5 parsecs; these games give me the impetus to built and paint terrain I might not have considered without them.

I think that how demanding you are about creating the scenario specific terrain is totally up to you.

You can do an awful lot with 'counts as', paper cut outs, boxes and house hold junk. If it's something you're only ever going to use the once, don't get hung up on it being perfectly represented on the table.

[snitcythedog]

I enjoy building the terrain, however when I do make scenario specific terrain, I do it in a way that is generic enough to use in other settings.  If I am not inclined to build it, I just alter the scenario to fit my collection.  Neither game is dogmatic like some gaming systems.

[Burgundavia]

I'll often swap out terrain as needed, finding something that works for a greater variety of uses but matched the intent of the original thing

[armchairgeneral]

Just got the Stargrave rules after a friend persuaded me to give them a try. Supposed to be a lot of fun?

So interesting to hear about the terrain. I have lots of terrain for ancients to WW2 but no sci-fi stuff. Hopefully it can be adapted.

[Burgundavia]

Just got the Stargrave rules after a friend persuaded me to give them a try. Supposed to be a lot of fun?

So interesting to hear about the terrain. I have lots of terrain for ancients to WW2 but no sci-fi stuff. Hopefully it can be adapted.

I ran a game of Rogue Stars with my fantasy terrain and a random mishmash of things. We called it an abandoned theme park

[nozza_uk]

Just got the Stargrave rules after a friend persuaded me to give them a try. Supposed to be a lot of fun?

So interesting to hear about the terrain. I have lots of terrain for ancients to WW2 but no sci-fi stuff. Hopefully it can be adapted.

If it helps, Sarissa do a pack of terrain specifically designed for four of the Stargrave scenarios.
https://sarissa-precision.com/collections/sci-fi/products/stargrave-scenario-essentials-bundle?variant=42905716850906

[armchairgeneral]

If it helps, Sarissa do a pack of terrain specifically designed for four of the Stargrave scenarios.
https://sarissa-precision.com/collections/sci-fi/products/stargrave-scenario-essentials-bundle?variant=42905716850906

Thanks. We will see how we get on with the game.