Need Opinion on Darkest Africa Terrain Table Concept

[Smokeyrone]

OK, My Mary said we can dedicate this 3×4 living room table to permanent DA play.  (it expands to 4×6)

  Great big area for major engagements, can put native village, slaver stronghold etc there.

  But:  I see DA playing as a lot of "Dungeoncrawl, with shrubbery instead of walls", especially for my rules, TSATF: Darkest Africa.

So:  I have these great 16" x 42" styroafoam boards, that dont warp and hold permanent groundwork great. 

    Im thinking, 4 or so boards, modularly set up with a trail surrounded by vegetation, a dungeonmaze with shrubbery.   Play each board, then switch in a new one when they get to edge.    4 boards is over 16 feet of path, with rivers, elevated terrain, clearings, crossroads, etc.    Then, they get to big table and big spaces.

Ill post pic of first board concept, when I dry off.

Do you get my drift here?  And, is it good or crazy or just stupid?  Opinions please.  show me downsides. Before I make 16 feet of boards, using up a heck ofa lotof my treesand foilage.

[Plynkes]

Sounds like a fine plan to me, though I would be the last person to ask about such things, if you have any sense. But if you do build them, please do post us some pics after.   

[Smokeyrone]

Sounds like a fine plan to me, though I would be the last person to ask about such things, if you have any sense. But if you do build them, please do post us some pics after.   

Wait, Plynkes is like "Great, go for it!"?

  Thats how me missus replied when I said I had to pick up the snake and look at his eyes closely to see if it was really a Pygmy Rattler.   (It was    )

Normally, I defer to Plynkes in all matters.  So im gonna do it.  But I still want yalls opinions and suggestions.


See, in our TSATF DA games, its a lot of narrow paths, ambushes, wildlife encounters, etc.  units are 8-10 figs.    So linear seems the way to go until you get to the big village, town or other objective

[Noverre Man]

Boards 16" square plus some at 16 x 8" would give greater flexibility on set ups, yet still fit on available table sizes.
Try as an idea
Regards Douglas

[JBaumal]

Smokey, I love the concept. You can do tiles with woods, rivers, hills, Vills, etc. We can do a running game and switch out tiles or do a massive table. Moreno has a 32’ x 6 ‘ table in game room. Maybe we could play a game there as well as Recon or HurriCon. We can host here at our SMG clubhouse in Fort Lauderdale up to 16’ brother!!!!

[FifteensAway]

Well, the 16" x 42" raw pieces only provide two 16" by 16" pieces and one 8" by 16" piece.  So, depends on how many of those raw pieces you have.  That's the start.  Then what will be the base below these - even if they don't warp they will 'chip' and break (from the photo looks like bead styrofoam?). 

Use the foam to create any below ground terrain you want like a sunken road or a stream or river - with a thin base (I recommend underlayment, have the Big Box cut it to size if you like).  Make everything else modular to sit on top of the other pieces, hills, woods, etc.  Gives much greater diversity of options - and allows the trees to be used in other ways.  Just match the ground cover across all pieces.  This has been my approach.

Here is a photo of my terrain using just such an approach, though with a canvas base and plywood hills:

[Smokeyrone]

Well, the 16" x 42" raw pieces only provide two 16" by 16" pieces and one 8" by 16" piece.  So, depends on how many of those raw pieces you have.  That's the start.  Then what will be the base below these - even if they don't warp they will 'chip' and break (from the photo looks like bead styrofoam?). 

Use the foam to create any below ground terrain you want like a sunken road or a stream or river - with a thin base (I recommend underlayment, have the Big Box cut it to size if you like).  Make everything else modular to sit on top of the other pieces, hills, woods, etc.  Gives much greater diversity of options - and allows the trees to be used in other ways.  Just match the ground cover across all pieces.  This has been my approach.

Here is a photo of my terrain using just such an approach, though with a canvas base and plywood hills:

Thanks.  This beaded foam is really good.   Some desert panels I made 10 years ago are 100% intact.  anyways,with a layer of latex paint, sand, another paint layer, then groundwork, its tough and chip resistant.

The idea is to game one or two panels at a time, layed on table.  then replace panel as units run off panels, until they make the trip, and end up on the big table for the objective.

problem, its gonna take a massive amount of jungle flora, even to line a path on a 16" wide panel.  Im talking lots of trees, and pillows full of polyfibre.

Mary had an idear:  Do path and groundwork,but add on my regular jungle foilage bases, thus temporary, and then Ican move big tree bases to next board?

[juergen c. olk]

Love it.

[syrinx0]

I like your last idea better.  Using mobile trees and foliage seems like a more efficient plan.  Easier to store and reuse too.

[Smokeyrone]

I like your last idea better.  Using mobile trees and foliage seems like a more efficient plan.  Easier to store and reuse too.

Yep!  so, earth terrain, with paths, elevation, rivers, etc on each board, and I just place foilage bases on as needed!

[JBaumal]

Brilliant, carry on, make it so sir!