I need to put together a game table. I know, everyone needs to put together a game table. I already have two 2'X4' sections built. The plan is to make 1 more of these, and two 1'X4' sections. These will fit together into a 4'X8' frame. I will be able to set up different configurations (6'X4' "standard" table, 4' square Kill-Team or CP table (Hi Tim! ) or even a 4'X8' mega-game table. More on these construction plans and notes later.

I have some buildings in the works (a few inspired by mattj!) and I have some modular terrain pieces finished. I had originally planned on doing an entire modular table (all terrain on 1' square tiles to be fit together on a bare table). With the cover changes in 5th edition, I don't want to be so limited. So I am going to re-do some of the terrain pieces (I have started on the woods tiles, qv http://www.ageofstrife.com/modules.php? ... pic&t=1570) and have gotten a start on a large hill/outlook. So enough talk, right? Here is a shot of the hill bases. If you think it looks similar to the GW terrain piece, thank you! That's the look I was going for. One note, all the images are thumbnails, click to enlarge

When painted up (no grass added as yet) it forms a nice low hill as a stand alone piece of terrain;

Here are a trio of Death Dealers wandering around (out of coherency ) looking for targets.

Now we add a rock outcropping for a little flavor, to block LOS, and to give a clear LOS and shot over lower terrain.

And here the marines are looking over this piece of real estate to see if they have any interest in it. The 'stepped' area will be difficult and the shear walls impassable.

Which would explain why the genestealers are gathered around the step area looking for a way to get on to a tasty meal (cruncy on the outside, moist and delicious on the inside!)

Looks pretty impassable from this side too!

Of course, one hill does not a bastion or fortress make, so another is needed (obviously WIP)

Side by side they form up into a nice 'mesa', possible sniper site or objective.

By placing them edge to edge, I have a nice "end point" for a table. Would definitely be a focal point of a battle, high ground being very desirable.

Or they could be placed like this, creating a narrow valley or chokepoint on a larger battlefield.

All of this sh...er...stuff is created here in my new hobby/model area.

My workbench is a little small, but I try to make the best use of the space I have!


Thank you to Spack for pointing me in the right direction to post the thumbnail images and to mattj for inspiration! I will continue to update this log to show progress, and to keep my but...er...self! motivated! C&C most welcome!

Looking good! What are the white/gre(a)y rocks made from you are sticking to the pink foam?

What's the table surface going to look like? Is it going to be the same as the hill(s)? Hill looks a little barren right now and could benefit from some patches of flock/static grass/clump foliage etc to add interest and realism whilst breaking up the brown.

Work area looks cool - somewhere to escape to

Luckily, one of those delicious tasting marines has a flamer so it might be the stealers which become the main course at the chapter bbq this evening...

All very pretty, I can't decide whether to drool more over the rocky bottleneck (exceptionally pretty) or the fact you have a table that doesn't have to be folded away after every use

Did you tidy that workbench for the photo???

It doesnt look hobby messy

conscriptboris

1st pic of hill. That's not a hill. That hill is toast surely?

conscriptboris wrote:Did you tidy that workbench for the photo???

Why is everyone so much tidier than me???

When using polystyrene, I have caused two summer blizzards.

Like the rocks, they rocks baby!

conscriptboris wrote:Did you tidy that workbench for the photo???

It doesnt look hobby messy

Indeed. I'm a bit suspicious myself!

Good stuff! Terrain aside I like the tyranid colour scheme.

the hill looks great mate - cant wait to see more of your terrain.

im lucky in that my games table can be kept up permanently, although the downside is that it doubles as my worktable, so i have to clear off all the terrain when i want to make something.

i like all your super-organised boxes and compartments. my games room isnt quite there yet - the big stuff is organised, but a lot of the smaller stuff it is just scattered randomly on shelves under the table. im also ammassing a heap of stuff to use for terrain (plastic packaging, boxes, etc), and im not exactly sure where to keep it all... (yes, i know the idea is to actualy use it )

anyway - keep up the great work!

~ Tim

Wow Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll try to answer some of the questions.

mattjgilbert wrote:Looking good! What are the white/gre(a)y rocks made from you are sticking to the pink foam?

They are cast from hydrocal into a rock mold I found in a hobby store some time ago. Here's the mold; (BTW, I remember the gre(a)y discussion )

mattjgilbert wrote:What's the table surface going to look like? Is it going to be the same as the hill(s)? Hill looks a little barren right now and could benefit from some patches of flock/static grass/clump foliage etc to add interest and realism whilst breaking up the brown

The table will be covered the same color and texture, and a lot of flock and grass will be used. To keep the cost down, I make my own flock out of sawdust and paint. The static grass however

killmaimburn wrote:All very pretty, I can't decide whether to drool more over the rocky bottleneck (exceptionally pretty) or the fact you have a table that doesn't have to be folded away after every use

Thanks! Glad you like the bottleneck, should be completed in a few days. The plan is that one side of the table sections will be game terrain, the other just plain mdf that my son can build his geotrack empire on (between daddy's games!)

conscriptboris wrote:Did you tidy that workbench for the photo??? It doesnt look hobby messy conscriptboris

Well, I cleaned it up a little bit to make room for the "models" but I usually keep it that clean. I share the space with my brother in law and his kittens (he is staying with us for a time) and whatever I don't clean up at night, his kittens take care of overnight!

ruffian4 wrote:1st pic of hill. That's not a hill. That hill is toast surely?

Not the hill, just the defenders!

ruffian4 wrote:Why is everyone so much tidier than me??? When using polystyrene, I have caused two summer blizzards. Like the rocks, they rocks baby!

I do most of the rough work (the poly cutting and sanding) in the garage workshop. Helps keep the model area cleaner. Glad you like the rocks!

Angelwing wrote:Good stuff! Terrain aside I like the tyranid colour scheme.

Thanks! It's the 3rd or 4th scheme I tried. I am a living testament to the usefulness of 'simple green' as a paint stripping agent!

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:the hill looks great mate - cant wait to see more of your terrain.

Cheers! Next project will be to complete my ruins.

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:i like all your super-organised boxes and compartments.

My wife gets a lot of the credit for that! She saw a bunch of plastic shoe boxes at a dollar store and thought I could use them to store my stuff. She was right and they worked out great. One good thing about having a small work area, it forces you to be organized and neat! But I made this paint bottle rack myself out of a leftover melamite panel and some pieces of plexiglass that I had laying around.

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:keep up the great work! ~ Tim

I'll do my best! Thanks again for all the replies! Will post some updates in a few days.

Bit of an update. Got a little more done today than I thought I would. Here is the second "rock house". Still need some rock chips and sand to be added, I figured I would let the glue dry overnight before I got the grey (gray?) base coat on the rocks.

This is the only access point to the top. Obviously 'difficult terrain' is an understatement!

This would be your view to the top coming up to try and take this position.

I originally got the rock mold to make a nice base for guys like this. I know that in 5th you don't want models to be too high because of TLOS, but he'll get a 4+ cover save from his retinue. He still needs to be finished up, I don't know yet what color to do his sycthing talons.

He's just taunting you from up there! But he does make a pretty target!

timewizard wrote:He's just taunting you from up there! But he does make a pretty target!

Oh no. Horror flashback.

Norsemantyr's guard getting pooed on by my eldar...the game is all but over and the ruffian is getting a bit blase and nonchalant...

The mighty jain zar (on her last wound) marches triumphantly onto a rocky outcrop and surveys the scene of splendid carnage.
So much did she enjoy this visceral vista, she forgot to move in the assault phase (she forgot, not me ) and was subsequently shot dead by a guardsman with a torch.

I like this rockage.

Have you thought of making some hollow circular sections? With rock facings on both the in and outside?
These would form (perhaps meteoric) craters.

They could be in sections, like 3/4 + 1/4 circles, 1/2 and 1/2 or whatever you like, with gaps between the sections (erosion) to allow entry/exit/units to pass through.

Some part craters could be placed against table edges, for "off table" sections.
I do like terrain that can "frame" the table.

Hmmm, I quite like that.

Edit. To save storage space, they could all be different sizes to be stored one inside the other, like stacking chairs in crater form!!!

Maybe there could be signs of small scale prospecting?
A few shafts sunk into the craters in search of metioric metals (there's warpstone in them thar craters ), rickety a frames supporting unlikely looking lift mechanisms/small shanty come prospector town/spoilheaps etc.

timewizard wrote:

Quick, one of your models is making a run for it and hiding in your paint rack!

Very nice work there.

He even tried lining the paints up in colour order!

Pretty rainbows

I really like the rocks. Stop putting ideas onto my heap of ideas!

mattjgilbert wrote:He even tried lining the paints up in colour order!

Pretty rainbows

My paint box looks a bit like too - arranged in colour groups, and groups arranged in rainbow order, with black at the end and white at the start, then inks and washes seperated at the end of the box.

Mine are roughly in groups but those groups themselves are not in any real order. Only I know where the colours are - other people have a nightmare finding them. Of course if the kids ever "re-arrange/improve" the order, I'm stuffed too...

timewizard wrote: He still needs to be finished up, I don't know yet what color to do his sycthing talons.

Should be the same colour as his rending claws and toe claws