Cliffs in games?

[WuZhuiQiu]

Hi, at a local thrift shop, I found some pieces that would make decent cliff faces, ones that are roughly 6" high and 18" wide. I might build some narrow escarpments on top, and use them to line a table edge, but how useful would they be in gaming?

Although the Incas had ambushed Conquistadors in canyons, and the film Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale reveals other, similar possibilities, how else might cliffs feature in a game? Even at some less-than-vertical slope, figures can't easily be placed partway up without ledges. Is that the whole point - impassable obstacles which must be surmounted elsewhere, e.g. up ravines?

[Charlie_]

Well, just having them to line one table edge and make it 'impassable' is worth doing! So models can't leave or enter the table from that edge. That it looks great will be a bonus. And you can also have some models on the top to act as 'snipers'.

Sounds fun. Go for it!

[Cubs]

I would say that in gaming terms they are impassable, unless you build in a little winding pathway. You could have a fun 'defend the pass' type thing going on.

[tima113]

This link to the Maj General's site archive has some good ideas for scenarios using the limiting effect of mountains/cliffs. I've not tried these yet, but they look like great fun.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060620104537/http://zeitcom.com/majgen/24mtsc.html

[WuZhuiQiu]

Thanks, all!

Here's another question - while holding the pieces at various angles, to seek a more "figure-friendly" slope, it looked odd and it occurred to me that few cliffs that I recall were other than close to vertical.

In terms of physical geomorphology, why is that? Do gravity and erosion simply work such that there tends to be a vertical cliff, with sloping scree at the base? Do non-vertical slopes get covered with vegetation, hiding their steepness?

[Cubs]

The first thing that occurs is that cliffs are formed by the ground sheering away straight down. This could be because of a fault line running through the rock, or erosion at the base which means it can't support the weight above, excessive amounts of water seeping in which make it too heavy to stay where it is ... etc.. It's basically gravity sending its bill to the high ground in dramatic fashion. The ground is more likely to sheer away at the steep angle, because that is the way gravity is acting on it. With a gentle angle, it will probably stay where it is. Then of course, you have the issue of soil not being able to cling to a vertical surface so well as a flatter one, thus supporting fewer plants with their roots to bind the soil in place, etc ..