Starting up wargaming from scratch: what essential terrain?

[mrtn]

...about the CD marshes I seem to recall an article about making those somewhere, maybe it was in a GW book.

I posted this tutorial three years ago.

[vodkafan]

I posted this tutorial three years ago.

Thanks mrtn, the article I saw had little rocks and shrubs incorporated. I like yours, but I have a thing about not liking things perfectly circular so i probably won't use CDs for mine.

[FramFramson]

A river is an interesting question because a lot of it depends on what games you play. For some rules sets a river will add a lot to tactical options and gameplay, but in others they do nothing at all.

I still have no river myself, but in part this is because I've been hemming and hawing forever over whether I will keep my terrain mat or eventually move to a terrain board system so I can have actual contoured terrain (even if I do, I need to do more buildings first as those are much more important). I don't want to build it twice! Since we mainly play Pulp Alley (small board skirmish), the ponds and tarns I have have been more than enough to add water to our games, no river needed.

[mrtn]

Thanks mrtn, the article I saw had little rocks and shrubs incorporated. I like yours, but I have a thing about not liking things perfectly circular so i probably won't use CDs for mine.

I'm sure you could use most of the tutorial on an oblong base. Or just take what you want from it, it's not as if I invented anything extraordinary. Sharing tips is fun, but it's not as if I expect anyone to make something looking exactly like mine. In fact, that would be kinda weird.

[vodkafan]

Massive change of direction:
At least in the beginning, I have decided to do my rivers using the method as used by Nevermore here:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=93299.0

I will do it even cheaper than Nevermore has, by simply painting one side of my base blue rather than using textured vinyl. The other side will be painted desert sand.
The only problem I can see is when I don't want a raised bank on one side, for instance a flooded marshy area, but I am sure I can find ways around this.

[jamesmanto]

A bag of lichen is terrifically useful

Lay it out in rows for hedges along fields and roads (fields are cut up door mats roads are strips of fabric)

Use it to line rivers for bankside brush (my rivers are clear plastic painted blue on the underside)

Put it among trees for undergrowth in woods

It just helps tie things together

[Elbows]

James brings up a good point.  I think the main "starter" I'd go with is the cloth/table the game will be presented on.  At the moment I'm a die-hard fan of the recent wave of printed "mousepad" mats, but you'd do just as well with felt with some scattered bits and spray paint etc.  I use lichen to make all of my trees.

http://myminiaturemischief.blogspot.com/2014/06/drakes-branch-gets-some-new-terrain.html

^A post where you can see the trees.  The simple woodland scenics armatures with lichen tossed on top (mounted to mdf bases as well). The lichen isn't even glued on, just stuffed into the spiky parts of the armature.  This means I can fix trees, make them "dead" in an instant or swap colour lichen if I need/want.  Super simple and effective.

[jamesmanto]

Hey that's brilliant!
I've often thought about getting some fall trees or leafless for winter

Just need a bag of fall coloured lichen and armatures!

[vodkafan]

OK the saga continues. Just wasted 2 hours of my precious hobby time trying to source a 4 x 4 ft board.  4 x 4 shall be the size; and the size shall be 4 x 4. Thou shall not suffer to exist a 2 x 5 or a 1 x 7.
I thought it would be an easy matter to get a single piece of MDF cut to size, as the simplest option.
I don't have a car so had to walk out of town to the nearest Wickes and Homebase stores.  My Homebase don't do the wood and stuff in large pieces any more: and Wickes had 8 x 4 sheets but they don't do cutting any more.
Also could not find 9mm thick cork tiles; only flimsy 3mm thin ones, ludicrously expensive.

[Elbows]

Welcome to modern life.  Oddly with everything we have available...it's never what you need. I struggle with the same thing on occasion. 

[Eric the Shed]

Can I suggest that you get two 4x2 boards...easier to store and cut

Recommend you use min of 9mm thick or even better 12mm

B&Q do a cutting service

[vodkafan]

Can I suggest that you get two 4x2 boards...easier to store and cut

Recommend you use min of 9mm thick or even better 12mm

B&Q do a cutting service

No B&Q in my town unfortunately. I don't have a car to get to the next town.
Yep was going to go with 12mm thick .
 Wickes did have 4 x 2 boards ready cut. The problems I can foresee if my baseboard is in two pieces is that if placed side by side on top of the table (which is 2ft 6 by 3 ft 6)  I have in my bedsit,  they will constantly be in danger of getting knocked off during a game. I would need some way of fastening the two firmly together.  A one piece baseboard is the easiest option. Storage is not a problem I can stuff it behind the wardrobe.

[fred]

I went with 4 x 4'x2' boards using 9mm MDF.

The 9mm is fine, and is a fair bit lighter. Do be aware of the weight and size of a 4'x4'x 12mm piece of MDF. As well as storage space you need to factor in getting it in to place.

If you place the join of the two boards in the middle of the 3'6" length then you should be fine. If it seems a bit prone to moving them some gaffer tape is a good quick method of joining

[sukhe_bator]

Alternatively, you could stiffen the narrow sides with strips of something else... I find gaffer tape and MDF don't go that well.
A) get two 4' lengths of timber edging/picture frame moulding and clamp it in place with small G clamps at the ends.
B) use two 4' lengths of the plastic cable trunking/ducting/channel used for cabling/edging like the links. There should be one of approx the right width available (I'd take a tape to Wickes and recce to see if there's one that'll do)
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Mini-Trunking-White-25x16mmx2m/p/109644
http://www.screwfix.com/p/white-u-pvc-channels-1000-x-14mm-3-pack/4390h#product_additional_details_container
simply slide the U shape over the board edges when you need to fit them together (don't forget to leave a slight border if you are using texture/flock) - simples!

[sukhe_bator]

If you have space problems then some of the old model railway baseboard solutions might be for you.
You could try using paste/decorating tables. You can get them for around £10 to £15 apiece. They are lightweight softwood frames with hardboard tops and foldable legs. They even have carrying handles on the sides. They are usually discounted as being too long and narrow but there's nothing to stop you modifying them
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4831787.htm

There are several options;-
a) You could use them as is.
b) As is but with the legs removed if you have a suitable table surface to put them on (add battens at each end to allow for the depth of the central hinges so it'll sit flat).
c) You could turn them upside down, remove the legs that way you could create pre-made framed trays into which you can fit styrofoam terrain boards. You might find the hinges get in the way though and want to remove them. You could always replace them with piano hinge on one of the long sides so it folds the other way.
d) If you get 2 paste tables you could join the four sections together either with dowel pegs/coach bolts/clamps or even piano hinges on the long sides and have multiple fold-open protected terrain boards...