help creating a setting for LotOW

[jet]

I would like to create some terrain to turn a 4x4 playing surface into a western setting to play LotOW (which I haven't bought yet).  I could make some boards that are desert-wastelandish for a spaghetti western theme.  However, I already have the standard green game mat and LOTS (40 or 50) various size coniferous trees.  So the questions in no particular order:

1. What kind of a setting could I create on the green mat using the trees?

2. In either a green or wasteland setting, what buildings could I make to set the tone of the game. I don't really want to make the standard cliche old west town right now (barbar, saloon, sheriff's office) running down on main street. I would like to make three or four buildings that support the same theme.  I thought maybe a rancher's house with an outbuilding or two? Maybe the entrances to a couple of mine shafts and a supply shack or two?  Would there be such things as one-night stop-overs with just a combined saloon/inn/stable and a general store?  Maybe just a train station building? I think making some tracks would be fun and not too hard? What have others done?

3. Based on your experience playing LotOW, how much terrain is needed for an effective game? I don't mean for mood or atmosphere, but just to make the game function at an optimal level.

4. Are there any standard train tracks made for model train hobbyists that would be the right scale for 28mm models?

Thanks for any and all input,
JET

[Snate56]

I did a trading post located at a spring. I created the outpost which had a small general store and a bar, a small barn, a pond with a stream, and, of course, the outhouse. Works well for passers-by, cattle drives, etc.

You could also do a "red light district", two or three bordellos, 'rooming houses', a couple saloons, and that's about it. These areas were located up to a mile away from the official town, and tended to placate the more prudish residents. Also kept troublemakers out of the sheriff's hair, too!

See if you can't get a copy of Knuckledusters' Cowtown Creator.
http://www.knuckleduster.com/index.html
...under books...

SteveN

[Tom Reed]

There were way stations to support the stagecoaches and mail riders. A typical one would consist of the propietors house, a bunkhouse, barn, outbuildings, and a corral.

[Snate56]

Yeah, Trains, too.
A lone (tiny) station house, small one bedroom house out back for the station master, and a water tower, which is the point of the stop to begin with.
Oh, yeah, and the outhouse. 

SteveN

[Cory]

While most of thee western US is dry, the grass is still geen a couple of months out of the year, more so along the rivers andstreams where you'll find most settlements, so the green mat should work fine, as will the trees.  If you want to add to the western field paint some lichen brown and drybrush the top with a sage green color for sage brush.

As has been pointed out many towns were rarely more than just a bar and some outbuildings. Some are still that way. For that matter a bunch of tents made from folded paper can be used to make a quick boomtown.

Some suggestions

Homestead/Ranch/Stage stop
 Log or adobe cabin with sod or canvas roof, polebarn, corral, shed, outhouse, barn, root cellar, bunkhouse, well or spring house. When laying these out, space may have been plenty but no one wants to hike all over to do a days chores.

Mine
Entrance, either cave like or with a headframe. Cabins for sleeping, tool shed, dirt cellar for explosives, out house, tool shed. Blacksmith on larger operations. Large piles of rock (spills), either junk or awaiting smelting.

Work Camp
Tents for sleeping and tools. Cabin, sometimes on skids, for blacksmith. Stacks of timber in a logging camp, ties in a rail building camp, stone for a quarry.

Ferry
Similar to homestead, often just a cabin for the ferry operator and a bar/saloon.


If you're in the US the choice for railroad tracks is A) S scale, a little small at 1/64 and somewhat rare, B) O scale at 1/48 which is more common but often comes with a 3rd rail down the center of the track, or a toy scale from the box stores. A fourth option is to buy just the rail and lay it yourself on ties (sleepers) made from popcicle sticks.

The best option though is to go with HO scale track as it is readily available and can be used to represent the 3' narrow guage lines which were so common in the west. The ties will be a little small, but it is unlikelyanyone will notice. For more info google On30 guage model railroading.

[Citizen Sade]

1. What kind of a setting could I create on the green mat using the trees?

Might be worth looking into the Red River Rebellion and the North-West Rebellion. Cree, Metis, Mounties ... what more could you ask for?

[jet]

Thanks for all the ideas gents.  Does anyone know of any sites that might have old photos of one horse towns, settlers, mining outfits, actual train stops, etc..?

Thanks again,
JET

[Overlord]

This may be of some help:  http://www.oldtucson.com/Film_Office/Photos/photos.htm

[jet]

This may be of some help:  http://www.oldtucson.com/Film_Office/Photos/photos.htm

Those pics are fantastic! Exactly what I'm looking for!

[archangel1]

I had compiled a list of various sites showing Western buildings and other stuff (vehicles, etc) for a friend a couple of weeks back.  Maybe you can use some of them, too.  Unfortunately, some of the pictures don't get any bigger but they may still give you some ideas.
 
http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/
 
http://www.hbo.com/deadwood/behind/sets_and_costumes/setTour/
 
http://www.melodyranchstudio.com/
 
http://www.deadwood.org/PhotoVideoGallery/
 
http://wagon-wheel.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

[DarkWingDuck]

FYI,

Most mountain towns (in particular on the West slopes) are actually pretty green. Clouds hit the mountains and dump their moisture on West slopes (Durango gets almost twice as much water as Denver). So if you're looking for a green setting ...

Another thought, is railways ran work "camps" along the railways in regions where track maintenance was required (Mountain Passes and the like). Driving to Breckenridge last spring I stopped by one. It consisted of a Post Office and a couple of bunk houses (and some old railroad tracks ... didn't even have a proper station). They maintained the snow sheds (think of a very long barn like structure that the trains ran through in areas of high drift) on the route from Denver to Breckenridge.

[Cory]

Those are some interesting sites Archangel. The town of Glendale on the first one is where my mother-in-law went to grade school in a one room school house, the last building in town that was still in use.