No Mess Basing

So we've all had to base our minis.  The easiest is slopping some glue on the base and dunking it in a tub of our favorite basing material.  But what about the excess?  Usually, you'll end up with this:

Even if you use a tub or box that is big enough to fit your mini, you'll still have to empty it back into the original container.  And its usually smaller than the other containers.  So what can you do without making a mess?

Try using one of these.  I picked this up from Michaels in the jewelry section.  Its for rhinestones and other materials that you don't want to get all over the place.  Perfect for basing material.  

Just base your mini like you'd normally would.  Put it in the tray and shake off the excess.  Remove the plug at the end and just pour it into your container.

It just that easy.  And it costs less than $5!

Objective Markers

As in all games of 40K, objectives a big part of the game.  We've been using either dice or small markers for them, but now I have some dedicated markers to use.

Mix 1 Imperial Pilot from the Battle of Macragge set and the life pod from the objective set = Objective #1

Objective #3 is the standard pile of Imperial crates.

Objective #4:  A wounded Imperial Officer with vital information being hunted by the forces of Chaos

I'm still working on markers #2, 5, and 6 using the objective market set from GW.  These will look a lot better than using dice as markers.

Radar Bunker

Its been a while since I've posted anything because its been a while since I've completed anything.  I have a lot of projects that are in the works, but with limited time to work on them, they've been kinda sitting around waiting.

Until now!  I'm starting to get some things finished and this is one of them.  A radar bunker.

Its up on E-bay which means I'll have to make more of them.  I'll also have to make more terrain as well.

Gutshot town - Foundation

     So the foundation for our old west town has been laid (still looking for a name though).  The buildings have been laid out and now its on to the building of the walls and upper levels.  This should be fun.

How to make a board game

If you've always wanted to make a board just like your favorite board game for your table top games,  you'll want to see this!

Know Your 40K Terrain - The Basics

As a scenery builder, I strive to make terrain that looks awesome on the battlefield but is also playable.  In a new series, I will talk about what terrain specifically is and how it affects the game.

Now we've all seen different types of terrain on tables, stores, and tournaments.  But do you really know how it works and what it should be?  That's what this series is about.

Before we delve into the different types of terrain and what they do (yes, rocks and trees do things), lets start with the basics:  Setting up Terrain.

There are two ways terrain can be placed.  The first is through "narrative terrain".  Basically, the board is made to look as much like a real battlefield as possible.  You'll mostly see this at the tournaments.  When you arrive, the boards are already set up with terrain and usually can't be moved or re-arranged.  This is supposed to be a fair board that does not give either side an advantage over the terrain itself.  The other form of "narrative terrain" is where it may give a huge advantage/disadvantage to one side.  This would be your bunker assault boards, where one side starts in no-mans land while the other is hunkered down in trench systems and bunkers.

A Mechwarrior table from "Necromundicon".

The second (and most common) way is the "alternating terrain".  First, you have to determine the "Terrain Density Limit".  This means how many pieces can go into each 2' X 2' area of a game board by rolling a D3 for each section.  So for an 4' X 8' board, there will be a maximum of three pieces for one section which comes out to 24 pieces of terrain.  This also means that all of the terrain will fit into one quarter of the entire board if it were bunched together.  Any more and the battlefield will be too crowded.

From "Bell of Lost Souls".  Full article here: http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2011/06/40k-editorial-proper-terrain-setup.html

Now each piece of terrain is a different size, so that may present some problems.  Does a building equal a small piece of debris?  Not really.  So each "piece" of terrain should be a substantial element (building, forest, or ruin) or a cluster of up to three smaller pieces of terrain (such as battlefield debris).  The terrain should also be placed 3" away from other terrain.

City Fight: A new addition.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bow- legged ants,

For this weeks little tutorial, I will show you how to recycle your kids old toys (or new if you just want to be mean).  This does require some imagination and simple tools but can get you some cool looking and functional wargames terrain. 

So on to the show.

Sci-Fi Hangars How-To (Part 2)

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

Time now for the second part of the series, albeit a short one, detailing.

Another Mordheim piece

Had this one sitting around for awhile but finally was able to finish it.  I'm trying to build all the buildings you can find in the exploration section of the rulebook.  This would count as the well that you can send someone to search (as long as you don't drink the water).

Mordheim three-way

I was able to play a multi-player game of Mordheim thanks to my sister-in-law and her boyfriend.  Even though I got slaughtered (again) it was still great fun.  Next time I'll try to put together a battle report.  For now, enjoy the pics.

Enjoy!

Sci-Fi Hangers How-To (Part 1)

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

So I finally have some workspace to start up my scenery building again.  For my first project, its something easy that anyone can do in a couple of evenings.

On to the Sci-Fi Hangers:
The hangers are styrofoam packing inserts that I found somewhere.  Usually a piece of trash will have the right look for terrain if you look at it the right way.

First, measure the base boards for the hangers.  I use 1/8th MDF for all my bases since its light, doesn't warp as much when wet with glue, and you can cut it with a utility knife. (See "Making Terrain" for more.)  Place the building on top of the base and measure 1 1/2 inches from each side.  This gets you the proper dimensions for the base.  Figure 1/2" that will be cut off and an inch for the models to stand on.  Once you have the measurements, you can cut the base out.

All your base belong to us!

The base may look a little ragged at this point.  This is will be straightened out in the next step.  Take your utility knife and start to cut or shave the edges down to a 45 degree angle (it doesn't have to be exact).  You'll know you're doing it right when the edge comes to a crisp point.  SAFETY POINT: Always cut away from you!


Still a little rough but almost there.

 Now that you have the shape you want, sand it down with a medium grit sandpaper (100 grit is fine) to get the rough edges off.  This will also round the corners so it won't be too square.  I usually round all my bases except for the ones used for city terrain.  The square bases automatically become curbs.  The round base blends better into the battleboard.  The slope also makes it easier for models to stand on without falling over.


The finished base.

Now that the base is smoothed down, place the building on top to check for fit.  You can make any adjustments in trimming if needed.


Yep, it fits.

In the next session, I'll show you how to detail the hangers and attach them to the bases.  Believe it or not, they're construction is already half way done.  I'm actually building two of them at the same time.



Making terrain

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

Today we will talk about how to build scenery from the ground up.  This works for all types of scenery: be it a forest or buildings.  I'll go over the different types of materials and what is best.  So lets get to it.

MDF

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming panels by applying high temperature and pressure.  MDF is denser than plywood.

MDF does not have wood grain, making it more uniform than natural woods which makes it relatively easy to cut.  This is probably the best material to use since it is very durable, easy to cut, does not warp when wet (except when saturated), and is relatively inexpensive.  I use a 1/8” thick board for all my terrain bases.  A 3’ X 6’ sheet usually runs about $5.

Pros:  Hardly warps, easy to shape with a razor blade.  Accepts wood/white glue.
Cons:  Power tools to cut (bandsaw, jigsaw; you could cut it with a sharp carpet knife but it takes a long time to cut through.)



Chipwood





Pros:  Hardly warps (if at all).
Cons:  Crumbles and splinters when cut.  Need saw or power tools to cut.  If the edges become wet, they will swell like a sponge.



Plywood



 Plywood is a common building material used in houses to furniture.  It is made from intersecting layers of tin wooden sheets. 

Pros:  Good for baseboards.  More solid than MDF.
Cons:  Expensive.  Need power tools to cut.  Warps if not braced. 



Hardboard



Hardboard is similar to chipboard, only much tougher.  

Pros:  Thinner sheets can be cut with a sharp knife.  Similar to MDF.
Cons:  Warps if not braced.  Edges act like chipboard.  Not as durable.



Softwood



Soft Wood is used more for bracing baseboards to stop them from warping.  Alone, it is not very durable and usually costs more than plywood.



Pros:  Easy to work with.
Cons:  Only useful for bracing baseboards.

Cardboard

Cardboard comes in either corrugated or a single piece.  Some use this as a baseboard, don’t use it this way!  Your scenery will look like crap!  It is not durable as a base, warps easily, and is easily damaged if not protected.  Only use cardboard for building up the base or to represent materials such as corrugated iron.



CD's

CD Bases can be inexpensive or even free.  AOL sends them out for free.  They are very durable and will last a lifetime when used as a base.  The only drawback is their size.  Since they cannot be modified, you are stuck with one size.

Pros:  Easy to procure.  Bonds with most materials.
Cons:  Limited by size.



So there you have.  I personally use 1/8” MDF for all of my terrain.  I’ve only had one piece warp on me and that’s because I left it out in the rain.  Having built terrain for GW stores, I can tell you from experience that MDF and CD bases have the longest play life of all the materials.  Only use plywood if your scenery is bigger than 4’X4’ (yes I have built terrain that big) as you need its strength, just be aware of the weight factor.

Chipboard is similar to plywood but is made out of tiny chips of wood, compressed together in sheets.  The wood is sold in various thicknesses and usually come in full 4’x8’ sheets; almost the same price of plywood.

Two New Buildings for Mordheim

Just finished two new buildings for my games of Mordheim.

First is the bridge house.  A small wooden bridge connects one large house with a smaller, destroyed house.

The ladders were made from wood skewers, then dipped in a wood stain.
The next building is the Inn.

Didn't notice it when I built it, but the building is leaning.  This was a mistake that actually made it look more like a ruin.

I found using just ladders to connect the upper floors boring.  To make it different, I made a couple of bed sheets out of tissue dipped in white glue.  I imagined the unlucky occupant on the third floor had no way to get down after the building partially collapsed.  The only way to get down was to tie two bed sheets together and lash it to the bed to escape.  The bed is from a Lego castle set, primed, painted, and with another bed spread made the same as the other sheets.  The gold accents are hand painted.
I'll be adding some tutorials on how I make my buildings at a later time.

Tip of the Month

When looking for materials to use, discarded items are an easy one.  But sometimes, you need that certain look or have a particular theme in mind.  The best place to look is the fish department at the pet store.  You can get some really cool items for really cheap.

I needed some weathered pillars for some desert themed terrain.  Pow!  Three pillars for less than $3, stick on a base, and paint and you're done.

For a display board for GW's Tomb Kings, I found this little gem.  Cost me less than $2.00 and fit right in with the theme.  Only used one since I would make the other statue destroyed, which carries over the theme of a buried ancient army.

There are other places to get some cool terrain.  Yard sales, discount stores, and other places.

Found this well for making missions the kids do for school.  Add a little foamboard, sand, and paint, you get a great piece for a medieval town.

Till next time,  TTFN!

Tip of the Month

Every month, I'll give an easy tip for you fellow scenery builders.  This may be something that everyone knows or something completely new (remember, there are still a lot of beginners out there).

This month is about glue.  "That's an easy one", you say?  Most people use the old standby: white glue.  But there are other alternatives out there.  Lets have a look, shall we.



WHITE GLUE

This is the most common glue.  Every school kid uses it for all their craft stuff, so why not us?  White glue is good:  its easy to apply, dries clear, and gives a good bond on any porous surface.  It also is easy to dilute with water for bigger applications.
The drawback:  its a bit runny and takes a while to dry completely.  If the surface is dry, the inner layers may still be wet, so wait at least 24 hours for a complete cure, especially on thick applications.  If there are dribbles on your surface, it will not accept paint.



SUPER GLUE

Super glue/crazy glue/Cyanoacrylate.  Whatever you call it, this glue is good for keeping non-porous items together.  Works on plastic, resin, and body parts.  Can be sanded down like resin if there is too much on the surface.  Accepts paint very well. 
Cons:  Only good for spot applications.  A small building is fine; an entire model city with skyscrapers and the price can become excessive.  Does not work well on wood or paper based products as the liquid from the glue is absorbed into the material.


PLASTIC CEMENT



Just like the name says, its good for plastic.  It works by melting the plastic on both pieces and re-solidifies creating a strong bond.  But won't work on any other surface, including resin (it may work on some resins, but does not give a strong bond).  Easy to use but don't use too much.  A little goes a long way.  Just put a little bit on one piece and on the other piece.  Press together for about 20 seconds.  Will cure in about four hours with a very strong bond.  As with with white glue, any dribbles on the surface will not accept paint so you have to file or sand it off before hand.



WOOD/CARPENTER'S GLUE

This is almost like white glue, but used primarily for wood (as the name implies).  Easy to use as its thicker than white glue but dries in less time.  This is the best to used with foam board, balsa wood (or any type of wood), sand, foam, and just about anything else (except plastics).  This is the main type of glue that I use and prefer.  Gives a strong bond with foam board, won't warp any wood that you are using, and can be diluted with water for larger applications.  I usually use this when basing my game boards.  Just water down, use a big brush to spread, add sand, let dry.  That's it.
The drawback:  like white glue, it does not accept paint well (primers work on it) and does not dry clear.

There are other glues out there that I may not have covered: tacky glue, spray adhesives, hot glue, etc.  These are useful but I have found them to be limited in usage when building scenery.  Many of the above glues will last (even extended) for a long time so it doesn't hit your wallet too hard.

As you can see, I prefer using wood glue in most of my scenery builds for the walls, basing, and filling gaps as well.