Based on the above photos I have started a pilot project on how to make the riverbanks of the CRotA gameboard. With a baseboard measuring 200 by 300 cms I reckon I will need a few. If I make the in lengths of 50 cm I will need 12 pieces.
The plan is to make them a proper impenetrable mess, thus framing the game board like an arena open at both ends. I have been sort of apprehensive about the whole things as trees and forests are not easy to make, IMO. But head first, here I go:
I've decided to keep the banks fairly narrow, partly to save myself some work and material but also because not much game play will be taking place on the banks. The pieces will therefore be 50 cm long and 10 cms wide at the ends. The ends will be uniformly so to make them fit each other. I am going to use 6mm MDF but since I did not have any at home this 'pilot piece' is plywood of the same thickness.
The riverside side has been cut to create curved shapes formed by the river current. The bank was sanded down to create a slope down towards the river.
I drilled holes into the board and plugged twigs of dried elder tree into them. These will be the trunks of taller jungle trees which will give the vertical lines of the jungle outline.
Using the vertical trunks I woven a plenitude of whatever sprawling twigs I've been able to secure around the neighborhood. Ideally this would be branches and roots of heather, blueberry, or juniper since they ing a certain flexibility even when dry. I have used this a lot before but while readily available all over the rest of Sweden they are in short supply here on Gotland. I've had to do with all sort of things I've come across on strolls. The twigs have been fastened in places with brown florist wire.
The hand in the picture is that of my Director of Quality Control; Fivers, Son of Hammers, who, using his lime green Soux-indian crash test dummy 'Stealthy Wind' ("Smygande Fisen") has assured that the construct holds to his rigorous play testing standards. Mr Fivers is a great supporter of this project, even more so than Bezzo.
I got this spray gun from Clas Ohlsson quite cheaply (about €20)...
which I've put to use to achieve this:
The paint is Alcro wall paint of a shade called 'Asfalt'. I realized to my delight that these pots can be mixed and bought in 'trial' quantities which really suit my needs and wallet. Half a liter cost about €5 and the range of shades if endless. The most matte they have is pearl matte which suit me find since we are going for a muddy rain forest. The whole piece is sprayed uniformly with 'Asfalt' which is sort of a dark green umber colour.
A second lighter pass with the spray gun of another, lighter ready mixed wall paint colour called 'Troll' (somewhere between olive and light mud brown). It is important to not cover all of the darker layer but keep it to the vegetation and the rivers edge. Finally, using my air brush, not the spray gun, I applied a light dusting of tan gray (Vallejo Air 'Hemp' and 'Barley' mix) to the trees and outer branches only. The pieces came out looking like this.
Finally I bound and hotglued various plastic plants to the piece. This bits have been collected during the last six months and I have a big carrying bag of mixed items.
Putting a few other gaming items in place it looks like this.
Acceptable result I think but I think I will try a few more things.
First I will put a back drop of contoured painted cardboard behind the river bank pieces. I think this will make the jungle look deeper, more impenetrable and darker. Also, I think it will make the board look more like a fenced off arena.
Second I will try to collect better twigs for under vegetation next time I go to the mainland. Making twelve pieces I need a good supply of the right stuff to minimize work. Looking at the inspirational photos I realize I want the undergrowth to look even denser.
Third I will experiment a bit with placement and composition of the plastic plants. I think there's room for improvement there.