[40k][poll] Cityfight buildings and other Terrain
Glowing Walrus Master
in there. My next lot of terrain I'm doing is expanding my building
collection and I have a few questions.
1) What do you build your buildings out of?
foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, balsa?
I mostly use foam but have used all the above.
2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
What proportions eg 50% corners
Mostly full buildings but I think I need to make more corners and just
frontages.
3) What's your tallest building?
Any special construction problems, eg had to use a dowling frame?
Tallest normal building is level 3. about 12" tall
I also have a level 8 tower built around a very solid cardboard tube.
4) What do you use to finish them?
PVA then spray, spray only, paint or ink mixed PVA, PVA sand mix?
PVA mixed with paint and some water.
Have also done one (a temple) with PVA and paper.
5) What do you build hills out of?
Mostly foam. A few of layered cardboard.
6) What do you use to finish them?
PVA sand mix. Sometimes with ink as well. Usually takes about 3 layers to
cover as much as I like.
7) What do you use for trees?
A few GW stupid trees, but mostly chopped up fake christmas trees and weird
seed pods I've found.
8) Do you have a standard 'world' eg jungle, ice, ashwastes, green lawn,
deathworld, nid world?
Ashwastes cityworld with pine trees.
Weird looking trees for deathworld
9) Anything else intresting to mention?
Not really
Blackheart
<cheez...@yahoo4spam.com> wrote:
>I've seen a few cityfight batreps recently so obviously people are playing
>in there. My next lot of terrain I'm doing is expanding my building
>collection and I have a few questions.
>
>1) What do you build your buildings out of?
>foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, balsa?
>
>I mostly use foam but have used all the above.
>
the ones at the local club are primarily foam (blueboard) a few are
made from foam core board...
>
>2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
>What proportions eg 50% corners
>
>Mostly full buildings but I think I need to make more corners and just
>frontages.
>
985 of the local clubs are full buildings with rubbled sections...
>3) What's your tallest building?
>Any special construction problems, eg had to use a dowling frame?
>
>Tallest normal building is level 3. about 12" tall
>I also have a level 8 tower built around a very solid cardboard tube.
>
local club has 2 over 12" tall buildings (our twin towers)
they're a bit tight to move guys around in...
>4) What do you use to finish them?
>PVA then spray, spray only, paint or ink mixed PVA, PVA sand mix?
>
>PVA mixed with paint and some water.
>Have also done one (a temple) with PVA and paper.
>
not entirely sure because I didn't make them.. but they've got
somekind of texture paint on them...
>
>5) What do you build hills out of?
>
>Mostly foam. A few of layered cardboard.
>
foam only
>6) What do you use to finish them?
>
>PVA sand mix. Sometimes with ink as well. Usually takes about 3 layers to
>cover as much as I like.
>
the few i have are finished with model train board grass flocking..
doesn't look very good.. they're prolly going into the trash...
>7) What do you use for trees?
>
>A few GW stupid trees, but mostly chopped up fake christmas trees and weird
>seed pods I've found.
>
mostly GW jungle trees... a few of their pine trees.. gotta go to the
model train shop and get some decent ones...
>8) Do you have a standard 'world' eg jungle, ice, ashwastes, green lawn,
>deathworld, nid world?
>
>Ashwastes cityworld with pine trees.
>Weird looking trees for deathworld
>
right now my table at my apartment is green lawn with enough terrain
to do a cityfight on it if we ignore the green spots...
>9) Anything else intresting to mention?
>
>Not really
i should be doing homework for my Object Oriented Design class...
Myrmidon
cheez...@yahoo4spam.com, Glowing Walrus Master shouted out the
following words of wit...
> I've seen a few cityfight batreps recently so obviously people are playing
> in there. My next lot of terrain I'm doing is expanding my building
> collection and I have a few questions.
>
> 1) What do you build your buildings out of?
> foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, balsa?
I use a combination of things. When I find an interestingly shaped piece
of Styrofoam packaging material, I'll use that by modifying it with my hot
wire cutter as needed. If I'm setting out to create ruined buildings - I
use 1/2 inch thick styrofoam for the walls and I cut slots into it and use
foamcore board (the approx 1/4 inch thick stuff) as the floor with
supports, etc as needed.
> 2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
> What proportions eg 50% corners
I tend to make mostly 2 and 3 walled corners/sections as it's a major pain
in the but to move minis around in full building short of doing each level
as it's own block or section which is a lot more time consuming. By doing
the 2 or 3 walled sections, one can place multiple parts together to
create the illusion of a complete building - use small walk ways of balsa,
foamcore board, plastic card, or tongue depressor/pop-sickle sticks to
connect the upper levels as needed.
> 3) What's your tallest building?
> Any special construction problems, eg had to use a dowling frame?
I'm doing some 3 and 4 story buildings. So far I haven't had any major
internal structure problems - I make some internal (vertical) walls - just
like the typical internal walls with doors, etc out of foamcore board that
act as supports for the floors above. I've also used pop-sickle sticks
glued into the walls and to the underside of my foamcore floors to
increase support while making it look like the jagged ends of the sticks
were the broken ends of support beams sticking out.
> 4) What do you use to finish them?
> PVA then spray, spray only, paint or ink mixed PVA, PVA sand mix?
Before painting I coat my terrain with Gesso - it's an acrylic
artists material used (oddly enough) for coating various surfaces before
painting on them. Gesso is basically acrylic paint without the colored
pigment added. It usually comes in a light tan or off white color, and is
sold in big buckets from good online art supply retailers (a bucket can be
expensive, but hell - if you keep the bucket closed and well sealed when
not in use, one bucket will last you YEARS). I simply wear rubber kitchen
gloves and use a sponge to apply the gesso. Once I've covered my foam
parts with a coat or two of gesso and its dried, I then spray paint it in
a medium to dark grey, which when dried is followed by a moderate wash of
thinned black acrylic paint. I then paint with a medium bluish grey (I
use a color called 'settlers grey') and work my way up to lighter shades
of grey. As for sealing the pieces - I generally don't. The acrylic
paint and gesso should be fine as a sealer as long as the foam itself
doesn't see rough treatment.
>
> 5) What do you build hills out of?
Thick (usually a variety of 1 and 2 inch thick) styrofoam cut with a
hot wire tool.
> 6) What do you use to finish them?
Again, as above on the ruins, I cover with gesso and then spray
paint and paint as desired. Personally, I generally do NOT texture my
hills as I find it a pain in the butt to move minis across a textured
surface, and since I play 40K, my troops are not moved on movement trays.
> 7) What do you use for trees?
I use woodland scenics stuff. I love their plastic (bendable)
trunks with flocking. As for gluing the flock/foliage to the trunks, I
use the adhesive meant for gluing veneer onto kitchen counter tops. It
comes in larger pint sized cans. Lay down old news paper or plastic to
cover your work area (this adhesive will NOT come off things if you spill
it.) Place your flock/foliage in a large old plastic butter tub, or open
tray. Open the adhesive, bend your trunks to the desired shape, and then
dunk one into the adhesive bucket followed by a roll in the foliage. Set
it aside and let it dry while you do the rest. I usually carefully place
mine on the stands so they dry up-right. Once the adhesive is dry, and
the trees are on their bases you want to seal these so that they don't
keep shedding the soft foliage. The best way I've found to do this is to
take a spray bottle (like you'd use to mist plants with water) and the put
in some white/Elmers/PVA glue (though carpenters wood glue that's water
soluble works well too) and moderately hot (not boiling!) water into the
bottle. I've found that 1/3 glue to 2/3 water works well. Mix the
solution completely, and then spray it onto the tree foliage. The PVA
will soak into the foliage. You may well need to do several coats to
thoroughly protect the trees. Let each coat completely dry before doing
the next one. Once you're done with the PVA spraying - the tree foliage
should be sturdy and well protected without have an odd glossy look to the
foliage.
As for the bases, woodland scenics base's tend to be a bit small and
have a tendency to tip over as they're meant to be glued to a rail road
table for static display usually. I glue mine to wider pieces of plastic
card (because plastic card doesn't warp like balsa wood can when you paint
it) either as individual trees or in small groups. I use textured green
acrylic paint followed by a splotchy dark green wash, and lighter green
dry brushing. I then add stones, weeds, and static grass or other details
as desired. I've been pleased with the results so far and other folks
thought they looked better than 90% of the stuff you typically see as
Gaming store terrain.
http://www.woodlandscenics.com/
>
> 8) Do you have a standard 'world' eg jungle, ice, ashwastes, green lawn,
> deathworld, nid world?
>
My gaming table is a pair of boards with various shades and patches
of green. The type of world depends more on the type of terrain I set up
on it, and the way my minis are based. Though I don't have any ash
wastes, or frozen ice planet terrain, I could easily lay brownish or white
cloth down on the table for either of those, but since my minis are based
in green with static grass and other details, it wouldn't look all that
good. Since I've got hills, trenches, defensive terrain, ruins, full
intact structures, plants, and tyranid terrain, the world I create is more
a matter of choice of terrain - lots of jungle trees, a few ruins, and few
open areas - it's a jungle world. Clumps of trees, a medium amount of
hills, maybe some river or pond terrain, and no structures, it's rolling
hill country. Trench sections, ruins, razor wire, mine fields, and lots
of craters - it's a front line battlefield. Lots of dense ruins and
intact structures, statues, craters, wrecked vehicles and few / no trees
or hills, and you've got yourself a city fight. See what I mean? Since
most of the gaming tables I've seen / gamed on were done in some sort of
green color scheme, I've done my minis bases and table to match.
>
> 9) Anything else intresting to mention?
Yeah, if you can find a tool called a 'Dextor Cutter' or 'Artists Matt
Cutter' - you can do some cool stuff. These are the tool artists and
picture frame shops use to cut the beveled edges (45 degree angle cuts) in
foamcore and matt board used to frame paintings and prints. With a bit of
practice you can make nice 90 degree corners that join together and look
great, as well as beveled edges for things like monument bases, etc. I've
made bunkers out of foamcore board without having to put strips on the
ends where the foam middle shows (like GW does in it's online 40K terrain
bunker) as well as making bunker windows with beveled edges, etc. (Sadly
I don't have access to a decent digital camera or I'd show you what I'm
talking about).
Hope that helps,
Myrmidon
--
#1582. I think they call it Warhammer "40K" because that is how
much you are going to have to make per year in order to play.
- Eric Noland
# 1082. Pound for pound I can buy cocaine cheaper than
raise a Warhammer army
- Roy Cox
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/gwprice/
****
RGMW FAQ: http://www.rgmw.org
Or...
Marshall Dragoo
> In article <3e46fdcc$0$31038$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au>,
> cheez...@yahoo4spam.com, Glowing Walrus Master shouted out the
> following words of wit...
> > I've seen a few cityfight batreps recently so obviously people are playing
> > in there. My next lot of terrain I'm doing is expanding my building
> > collection and I have a few questions.
> >
> > 1) What do you build your buildings out of?
> > foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, balsa?
>
> I use a combination of things. When I find an interestingly shaped piece
> of Styrofoam packaging material, I'll use that by modifying it with my hot
> wire cutter as needed. If I'm setting out to create ruined buildings - I
> use 1/2 inch thick styrofoam for the walls and I cut slots into it and use
> foamcore board (the approx 1/4 inch thick stuff) as the floor with
> supports, etc as needed.
>
the base, or if you want something more expensive, MDF board.
> > 2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
> > What proportions eg 50% corners
>
> I tend to make mostly 2 and 3 walled corners/sections as it's a major pain
> in the but to move minis around in full building short of doing each level
> as it's own block or section which is a lot more time consuming. By doing
> the 2 or 3 walled sections, one can place multiple parts together to
> create the illusion of a complete building - use small walk ways of balsa,
> foamcore board, plastic card, or tongue depressor/pop-sickle sticks to
> connect the upper levels as needed.
>
Corners, or 2 and 3 walled sections.
>
> > 3) What's your tallest building?
> > Any special construction problems, eg had to use a dowling frame?
>
> I'm doing some 3 and 4 story buildings. So far I haven't had any major
> internal structure problems - I make some internal (vertical) walls - just
> like the typical internal walls with doors, etc out of foamcore board that
> act as supports for the floors above. I've also used pop-sickle sticks
> glued into the walls and to the underside of my foamcore floors to
> increase support while making it look like the jagged ends of the sticks
> were the broken ends of support beams sticking out.
>
I have a 12" someone else made, as well as an 8" inch one.
> > 4) What do you use to finish them?
> > PVA then spray, spray only, paint or ink mixed PVA, PVA sand mix?
>
> Before painting I coat my terrain with Gesso - it's an acrylic
> artists material used (oddly enough) for coating various surfaces before
> painting on them. Gesso is basically acrylic paint without the colored
> pigment added. It usually comes in a light tan or off white color, and is
> sold in big buckets from good online art supply retailers (a bucket can be
> expensive, but hell - if you keep the bucket closed and well sealed when
> not in use, one bucket will last you YEARS). I simply wear rubber kitchen
> gloves and use a sponge to apply the gesso. Once I've covered my foam
> parts with a coat or two of gesso and its dried, I then spray paint it in
> a medium to dark grey, which when dried is followed by a moderate wash of
> thinned black acrylic paint. I then paint with a medium bluish grey (I
> use a color called 'settlers grey') and work my way up to lighter shades
> of grey. As for sealing the pieces - I generally don't. The acrylic
> paint and gesso should be fine as a sealer as long as the foam itself
> doesn't see rough treatment.
>
One great place to get Gesso: HOBBY LOBBY! In the States, that is. The
Euros/Aussies, well, I don't know where they get their stuff for that.
Spray adhesive for the sand/rocks/grass, matte sealer(craft stuff
works fine for sealing).
> >
> > 5) What do you build hills out of?
>
> Thick (usually a variety of 1 and 2 inch thick) styrofoam cut with a
> hot wire tool.
>
Same here.
> > 6) What do you use to finish them?
>
> Again, as above on the ruins, I cover with gesso and then spray
> paint and paint as desired. Personally, I generally do NOT texture my
> hills as I find it a pain in the butt to move minis across a textured
> surface, and since I play 40K, my troops are not moved on movement trays.
>
You can paint the unfinished foam, or coat it with Flex Paste(Woodland
Scenics). Gesso would work to, I think.
> > 7) What do you use for trees?
<snip good comments by Myr>
> http://www.woodlandscenics.com/
>
Trees, well I have some GW ones I got at a sale from a store giving 30
percent off GW terrain. I also use model railroad tress already made
up. I don't care for the trees you have to glue, but Myr's tip may be
a good one. Foamboard is what I use for base material.
> >
> > 8) Do you have a standard 'world' eg jungle, ice, ashwastes, green lawn,
> > deathworld, nid world?
Desert was one of the easiest terrain projects I've ever done, and
cheapest, as I got most of the scenery already given to me, or had it.
I used '
real rocks' and they worked great. Sand, spray adhesive, Apple barrel
nutmeg brown, RP Tan for the drybrush color. I still have some hills I
have to finish up. I'm waiting for a strech of good weather to do
that. Woodlands scenics makes some 'dead trees' or you can use their
plastic ones with the stuff you glue on. For mesas, I have some toner
cartridge containers I got from a friend of mine where his wife works
at. Turn'em upside down, glue in some rocks/sand, paint up, seal. I
added some of WS's Burnt Grass for static grass to match the color on
my terrian. I took an old blanket from home for the mat, and there you
have it!
We have alot of other terrain at the shop I play at, and it's mostly
mine.
Marshall Dragoo
RGMW regular
Myrmidon
m_dr...@hotmail.com, Marshall Dragoo shouted out the following words of
wit...
<mass snippage>
> You can paint the unfinished foam, or coat it with Flex Paste(Woodland
> Scenics). Gesso would work to, I think.
>
Just so you know, Gesso is a polymer acrylic base used to protect
canvas and paper from the ravages of oil paint over time. Over extended
periods of time the oils in oil based paint will attack and weaken/disolve
the fibers of canvas or paper. To prevent this, artist of old used to use
a glue or sizing made from boiling rabit skins to coat the canvas surface
and protect it from the paint. Unfortunately, mold and certain types of
insects love to attack both the organic sizing, and certain types of oil
paints thus making it extremely difficult to preserve very old oil
paintings on cloth canvas over long periods of time. (The chemistry of the
oil paint, light exposure, varnish and other things could also shorten the
life span of a painting.) Well, thanks to modern science, it's now a lot
easier to preserve paintings on paper or canvas. Modern gesso is a great
ground layer and works just fine on styrofoam too. I coat all my foam
terrain with gesso and once completely protected, I can use spray paint
and other solvent based paints without destroying the foam. I'd be
willing to bet that WS's 'Flex Paste' is nothing more than a thick gesso.
Timo Nevalainen
> foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, >balsa?
Cardboard. I have plenty of it so made them that way. Not that sturdy though
and if I could find alternative material from local shop's I would make new
ones.
> 2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
> What proportions eg 50% corners
Ruined corner's and few full building(though even they are ruined mostly
from some side so models can be moved without needing to have detachable
wall).
> 3) What's your tallest building?
Roughly 8" tall.
> 7) What do you use for trees?
Own made which looks like crap but cost practically zero.
J. Nowlin
>> foam offcuts, foam board, cardboard, plastic card, mdf, >balsa?
Whatever I can get. Packaging styrofoam, foam board, cardboard, balsa if I can
find it.
> 2) Do you build full buildings or corners, fronts?
Ruined Corners and full ruined buildings.
>
>> 3) What's your tallest building?
About 8"
>> 7) What do you use for trees?
Either storebought trees, or pipe cleaners wrapped together to form rough tree
shapes, and then adding deermoss as foliage.
~J.
The Fat Man in Black
"The world would be so much nicer if people only used guns on themselves."