My Battlelore “table” (pics)

[grubman]

I know people get the impression when I’m not talking about something online that I’m not into it anymore.  Well, a few months back I started painting my Battleloard set and was documenting most of it online.  I mentioned battle reports and building a table, but, never documented any of it.  Well, I was off today and figured I’d take a few pictures and update people on what I’ve been doing with Battlelore.

(original thread: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8197.0 )

First, about my campaign.  My good friend Steve and I have been trying to get together once a week (although life, holidays, and family often change that…as they always do).  We socialize, talk about politics and games, drink lots of coffee, and cap off each visit with a game of Battlelore.

We are playing through the battles in the main box set as a campaign.  Each battle won grants a bonus VP to the total.  All other victory points are totaled.  He who wins the battle may not win the war!  We have 3 battles to go, and it has been up and down…but Steve has been generally out-general-ing me and is still ahead.

Here are the campaign results so far:

Steve and Dave’s Battlelore campaign

Battle #1
Winner:  French (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  French 5, English 3

Battle #2
Winner:  English (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  English 6, French 2

Battle #3
Winner:  French (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  French 7, English 3

Battle #4
Winner:  English (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  English 7, French 2 (Do Goblins count?)

Battle #5
Winner:  French (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  French 7, English 3

Battle #6
Winner:  French (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  French 7, English 1 (Stupid Spider!)

Battle #7
Winner:  English (+1 Victory Point, added in)
Victory Points:  English 6, French 1 (a terrible blow to the leader!)

Campaign Total:  English 29, French 31



So, now that that is out of the way I’d like to show you the new and improved table I’ve been working on.  I went with 3 inch hexes because I wanted enough room to make some descent terrain, but, not be so big that it is a pain to play on and transport.

I have more pictures of the making of the table, but I think people might be bored with that type of stuff (but if anyone wants more information just let me know), so I’ll just show you how it’s coming along.  I’m sort of pecking at it slowly, and still have a lot of terrain to build, but I have the foundation finished (it was actually a bit more time consuming than it looks).

If you look closely at the table edges you can sort of see the war council on both sides looking over the battle.  I’m working  on a base for them, card holders for the edge of the table, and some matching dice towers…but these things take time, and I’m taking it casually.

[Geudens]

You did a great job!

Rudi

[dodge]

A great job on the table and figures,

Is battlelore generally a board game?

Looks quite interesting

dodge

[Ruarigh]

That looks really good and makes me want to play Battlelore. Well done. How did you mark out all the hexes? By hand? Or did you have a template to work with?

Cheers,
Ruarigh

[Poliorketes]

Great idea and a beautiful result!

[grubman]

A great job on the table and figures,

Is battlelore generally a board game?

Looks quite interesting

It's really a board game...but it has pretty much replaced mini games for me for several reasons.  Originally I liked the idea of this game becasue it takes up little space, but I actually fell in love with it becasue I found it to be much more tactical in play than any "real" wargame I played (although there is also a bit more luck involved too, when it comes to cards and dice).  It takes lees time to set up and play, and packs all the punch of a full scale mini game IMHO.

Of course, the mini gamer in me HAD to paint up the figures and make the terrain...otherwise it just wouldnt get the treatment it deserves.

If there was one game I would recomend to any fantasy gamer, be it a role player, a board gamer, or a miniature gamer, it would be Battlelore.  MHO of course.

That looks really good and makes me want to play Battlelore. Well done. How did you mark out all the hexes? By hand? Or did you have a template to work with?

Cheers,
Ruarigh

Ask and ....

The table

I started out with those tiles I got from Fleet Farm for $.71 cents a piece and cut them down to the right size with a sharp utility knife (although I did screw up my measurements somehow and made them ½ inch too short.  On border is only 1 ½” while the other is 2”…oh well, I’m not perfect, and it’s hard to notice ). 

Then I bordered the edges with tape for durability.  I drew 3” vertical lines to use as my guide, and then choose to go with a Hex template.  Not as accurate as doing a million mathematical figures, but a lot faster.

I then painted the lines.  Word to the wise, don’t use a water soluble ink to draw the lines like I did! Arg!  Thank God I used a color like Green, but I did have to double paint everything to cover the bleed.

After that I used a mixture of sand and paint to paint each hex individually, then flocked them individually with a homebrew mix of burnt earth flock and multi-colored static grass for the color I wanted.

Painted up the border and this step was done.  There were shortcuts I could have taken, but, I think the end result was worth the extra time and patience.








Hills

I simply used my template to trace the hex shape onto the left over Styrofoam I cut off (1/2 inch thick), used a foam cutter to cut them out at an angle.  Painted them, and flocked them the same as the board.






River

I really wanted these to be a bit more 3-D than they turned out, but they are functional enough.  I used the template to draw the hexes out on 3” strips of balsa wood (I think balsa wood is overrated, I didn’t like working with it at all.  These were $3 a strip, and I had to get 3 of them).  After measuring and marking the entrance and exiting points of the rivers, I drew them with a pencil, then cut them out with some wood carving tools.  Painted them up , using sand for the shoreline and them flocked them, same as the table.

[grubman]

Sort of a "finishing touch" to the table.  I realized I would need a place for Victory Points, since I didn't have the game board anymore. 

Since the table takes up a lot more space on the play surface, I decided to combine a few things that would save space, and hopefully look cool, and be portable as well.  I came up with this idea for a combination card holder/VP holder/ and a place for the War Council (without that big card in the way). 

I decided to step away from simply copying the way the game board looks, and create a unique look.  It looks better in "person", and I really like the way things came out...and now I don't have to worry about the card holder tipping over on me every time I laugh (does anyone else have that problem?  I laugh on the card holder and the air blows it over at least 2 or 3 times a game session.).

[dodge]

Thats a really neat table and very good card holder and vp markers.

I like it  a lot must be lots of fun to game on.

Thanks for sharing it.

dodge

[Mad Carew Snr]

Wow great job. I don't know Battlelore but it looks good.

[grubman]

Wow great job. I don't know Battlelore but it looks good.

It's worth getting to know IMHO

It's a wonderfully light cross of Board, War, and Miniature games.  It has enough to satisfy all those desires and hobbies when you don't have as much time, storage space, and patience as you used to.  The miniatures are also awful cheap and plentiful and will keep you painting for some time.

[Mad Carew Snr]

I looked at a few web-sites. Seems to have quite a following.
Thanks for sharing.

[Argonor]

I got the basic game in the mail Monday morning. Read throught the rules Monday evening and this morning and afternoon on my way to and from work.

I have a plan in my head about making a 'tile-frame table' out of 10 mm 10 cm across tiles I have an abundance off. I even have 5 mm tiles that can be used for waterways (you glue on the banks cut out of other 5 mm tiles).

Not right now, though... maybe never, but it's a nice plan 

[Galman]

Great job on making the table!  Looks fantastic.

[grubman]

Great job on making the table!  Looks fantastic.

Thanks.

I've had a few games on it now, and it really ads a lot to the feel of the game.  I honestly like the play and mechanics better than any "real" miniatures game I've played.  With the 3D table it now has the same feel and look (IMHO).  I'm a really happy gamer when it comes to this one.  Best time and money I've spent in decades.

[Argonor]

I played my first (solo) game today, and I'm completely taken by the game.

The English just managed to obtain a 4-3 victory at Agincourt, as the King's Retinue made a bold move and annihilated a French  blue inf. unit for the last VP. Before that, the English archers all but obliterated the french knights, leaving them decimated to be cut down by the infantry.

I'll be going for Call to Arms and Epic Battlelore next month.