Faber&Calopide's Ambitious Mordheim Project - UPDATE! 13-03-2012

[Faber]

Hello gentlemen,
I want to share my new project: a 120x120cm Mordheim Gameboard and (for start) 2 warbands (Possessed and Undead). First of all, nothing of this would be possible without the precious help of my fellow Vincenzo ("say hello to the LAFers Vincenzo" "hello ") who decided to use a spare room in his house as a laboratory/game room and to build with me the City of the Damned. After that I want to say thanks to Sangennaru and Midismirnoff: they gave me useful advices and links.

By the way...to the topic.
We have seen a lot of Mordheim projects in the web and after a long lurkin time we decided to try something "new". Lot of people like to add a canal to their ruined town but, for what I know, nobody tried to build a "lagoon town" with lots of canals linking many little islands.
Something like Venice



or Amsterdam



SO, we drawn this map:



We have: 4 wood panels 60x60cm and 2 bluefoam panels 120x60x6cm. The idea is to glue the numbered blue foam islands on the wood panels. So, first, we drawn the same map on the blue foam and cut the canals away.
That's the result (not yet glued obviously)







Next job: shape wit sandpaper and texturing the embankment (hope this is the right english word) using pencil and ruler.
That's a first try



That's all. To be continued!  
Comments and criticism really welcome (we are noobies in the tricky art of terrain building!  )

Faber

[zizi666]

Cool project.

I am intrigued by the photo with the shoes though.
I've got an incoming visual of an unstable tower of tables and chairs where you sit on top to take the pic 

As for the brickwork. very nice. One tip you probably know already : if you want to give it an aged look : push some individual bricks inwards.
old brickwork isn't so smooth.

[Faber]

Thank zizi
I have to dissappoint you about the pic with my shoes: we are very lucky because the room has a small loft area, perfect for photograph the board!   
Thanks for the brick tip too: I will follow the advice for sure. This was just an attempr to see if I can achieve a decent result...

[Galland]

This looks really good, I will follow this with great interest! There are some cool Mordheim projects on http://boringmordheimforum.forumieren.com/ as well. Mordheim to the people!

[Faber]

Aaaand...some minis for the possessed:

1 - Malagash, mutant

2 - Unknown, magister




and togheter


you can find more here:  http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=28467.0
c&c welcome!

[midismirnoff]

Hi Faber,
as I said, the project looks promising, and I hope you'll keep posting. The magister turned out a bit dark, but the internal light source is starting to work. Keep it up!

[Faber]

This looks really good, I will follow this with great interest! There are some cool Mordheim projects on http://boringmordheimforum.forumieren.com/ as well. Mordheim to the people!

very nice forum indeed. Lurked down there too 
In my opinion Mordheim is one of the most beautiful game ever. Top fantasy background. Love it 
Maybe it needs to be extended in various new missions... I think that's easy to create something funny in a weird fantasy ruined town...

[Sangennaru]

wow faber!!!! what a lovely start!!! if you go on like this it will be ready soon!

[Faber]

@Midismirnoff: finally I realized that ILS works well only on dark models...to be the first attempt I'm pretty happy Anyway, the magister is ok (dark as it has to be) IMO, the pic is a little dark.

@Sangennaru: I hope to update it soon, but college exams will stop me soon  My summer will be a nightmare... 
by the way, I'll try to work on it every monday so I hope to give this thread a little update weekly...

[thejammedgatling]

I think this will be a VERY ambitious project given the decorative nature of the buildings lining the canals in Venice or Amsterdam, I was in Venice last year and it blew me away. A couple of points to consider maybe:

Create some generic decorative features such as corbels, doorways and windows and make moulds...casting is the way to go for such a huge project. Because these are quite small it should not cost you too much in silicone or fast cast resin.

Secondly the nature of canal cities is that there is not much flat space...everything is vertical and connected with little alleyways etc. Great but impractical for wargames..especially when most houses are 4 storeys plus. So perhaps some 'pull away' facades or perhaps some ruins to intersperse  between the main tall buildings?

Anyway, a great idea. I remember seeing someone doing something similar with an Amsterdam canal-scape (though not for wargaming). Maybe someone on here can remember?

Good luck

[Hammers]

A canal system... What an inspiring idea.

[Faber]

@thejammedgatling: thanks mate, precious advice I love Venezia, I have been there dozens of times (Venice is near to my parent house: about two hour by car). Something unique of Venice is the shape of the building: they go vertical and facades are often united for two or more buildings. like this:

and yes, we have absolutely to create some mould for windows, door and decoration. I think I will ask to the marvellous Sangennaru.

@hammer: thanks mate!  

[Galland]

Very nice pictures... and now I have a really good reason to go to Italy!

[midismirnoff]

Hey, Faber, consider doing "full" buildings, I mean, not "hollow/playable" inside. Not all of them, but at least some. This would cut down times and let you focus on the "playable/hollow" ones. I've always liked the look of the "closed for plague" city, like a house with bars on the windows and door, and maybe some menacing warning written on it. This could explain why most/all the buildings are closed. I hope I'll play on your board soon!

[Faber]

eheh Midismirnoff! It will takes a lot of time and work but for sure you will be invited in Bologna as soon as possible! 
About "closed for plague" town: you read my mind. The name of the campaign would probably be DANSE MACABRE or TOTENTANZ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_Macabre)



Would like to create some new scenario with zombie infestation...
The main problem about non playable buildings is that it means a little space to play. Canals and non playable buildings could be a killing combo for the playability of the gameboard... but for sure I will do some full buildings to create atmosphere