Tents- Construction of a Gautrian War Camp

[Jevenkah]

Folks on the Fantasy Adventures Board have asked how we make our tents. They are quite inexpensive to make, with most of the materials being small bits of wood and paper and larger bits of glue and paint. As requested, I'll start with the triangular tents used in the Gautrian camps.

The tent frames are constructed out of oak scrap wood carved into log shapes where they are visible at the roofline. Balsa wood could be used (and would have been much easier to carve) but would probably need extra pieces to brace the frame.

The tent material is paper dipped in a solution of one part water to 2 to 3 parts white glue. We used heavy packing paper crinkled and folded over the frame while wet. The triangle sides are cut to just touch the ground.

The paper for the long sides of the tents is folded under and glued back on itself.

Some pieces of masking tape were used on the inside to hold the paper in place.

The glue mixture is a huge mess and should make the paper fragile and easy to tear.

Once the tent material had a pleasing drape, it was left to dry and harden. Lastly, a black wash and some brown paint finished the piece. The final tents are both light and sturdy, perfect for most any terrain.

Questions, comments, and critiques welcomed. More terrain building fun on the website: http://swordandsorceryrpg.com/workshop/

Jevenkah

[Machinegunkelly]

Thank you Jevenkah. They seem easy enough to make. Time to go "shopping" for some material...

And a question. (I am struggeling to find the words and sentence building so I hope you understand my question).

It looks to me that the "front" beams are built in the same "line" up to the "roof" beam. Then you glue the cross on afterwards. Rather than just having two "front" beams glued to each other in a cross and then adding a "roof" beam. Is this correct?

[Jevenkah]

I think I understand what you're asking, but please ask again if I'm not answering your question!

Let's call the "front" the "triangle side" since that's the shape it makes looking straight at. The two beams that form the sides of the "triangle" have notches cut into them to make them fit flush and still extend above the roof line in the crossed shape. Then the roof beam is set on top.

That's a good question and something I'll go back and fix in the how-to. Thanks!

Jevenkah

[Machinegunkelly]

Thanks, that was indeed what I was asking.