Tactical Command
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Modular City
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=24587		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Mattman [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Modular City
Over the last year or so I have gradually been building up my terrain collection with the intent being to make a modular city that will fully cover a 6x4 board. Everything will be based on 150mm squares, with a few larger 300mm squares for specific items of interest.

Now the thing I am pondering is how wide to make the streets. The two options I am considering are 1) having the streets the same width as the building bases (150mm) or 2) having the streets half the width of a building base (75mm). To aid me in my decisions making I whipped up some mock layouts in Visio to see how they compare.

Firstly the wider streets:

Image

The black circles are 60mm diameter and represent a typical titan base to show some scale. With the wider streets there are obviously more lines of fire and more room for manoeuvre. Titans have enough room to pass each other, and there is space for tanks to spread out. From a game play point of view this is most probably a fairer option. Modelling wise I have most of what I need to make this, just need to put it all together and paint it.

Then the thinner streets:

Image

Obviously there is a lot more cover available and tanks would have less room to manoeuvre. The streets are also only wide enough for a single titan, so they can't pass each other. From a game play point of view this sort of layout is likely to favour infantry, artillery and close combat, but I think it is more aesthetically pleasing as streets tend to be significantly smaller than city blocks and seeing titans striding past buildings just seems like a cool thing. From a modelling perspective I will need to locate/make some more buildings for this lay out.

In the long run the buildings will be be based the same whatever, it is just how I make the streets that will change. And obviously I can start with the first until I get more for the second, if I need to.

So I am asking the forum, if you were to turn up for a game which a balanced army (you didn't know you would be playing on such a board) would you rather play on the first or second board?

Matt
Author:  The Bissler [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
I'd definitely prefer the first. Did you see my recent city battle? You'll see that my buildings were relatively well spaced out by comparison to even your more spacious layout. I found at times during my own battle that it was tricky getting vehicles into positions where they could fire and artillery did rule the game. If you went for your second layout I think that vehicles would become almost an irrelevance and the battle might come down to who has the infantry with the best CAF... On the plus side, it would be nice to get some Titan close combat! I don't think I've actually had any of that since the days of Adeptus Titanicus!

Out of interest, are you planning on some civic spaces (ie town squares, parks) in your city? That might help open it out a bit...

I'm sure whatever you decide it will look magnificent! Please share some pics once the system begins to take shape!

Cheers!
Author:  Mattman [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
I was thinking of a few flatter areas, like you say, squares and such. A couple of the larger areas would also have smaller buildings.
I like the idea of titans throwing each other into buildings ala Godzilla, with plenty of cover it makes CC more likely.

My current building count for this is 30 of the old AT polystyrene ones :)
Author:  Tiny-Tim [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
As a blind game I'd say the first board, but if I knew that we were doing a city fight then definately the second. Although I'd want house rules for converting building into ruins and charging my titans through lighter weight buildings :D
Author:  Mattman [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
Tiny-Tim wrote:
As a blind game I'd say the first board, but if I knew that we were doing a city fight then definately the second. Although I'd want house rules for converting building into ruins and charging my titans through lighter weight buildings :D


Well destroying buildings is a significant part of NetEpic ;D
May have to develop some advanced titan on titan rules to play in my city ::)

Matt
Author:  Simulated Knave [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
Tiny-Tim's thoughts make so much sense, I can only endorse them.
Author:  Borka [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
If you're not happy with the more spacious layout, then perhaps combining the two. You could have like two broad main streets crossing each other and the rest being the smaller kind. I'd also echo the others, a few squares and/or parks would open up the terrain.

Cheers
Author:  Mattman [ Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
A combination of the two is most probably what I am going to end up doing.

For those who are interested, this is what I have to build the city.

Image

That is 33 Adeptus Titanicus buildings, 1 large, 2 small and a ruined Forge World building, 6 sprues of Epic ruins and the Kibri 6818 church. Plus I have a few sets of 40k city fight stuff to allow some grimdarking of the layout.

;D ;D

Matt
Author:  Nitpick [ Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
That is... a lot of houses. A lot as in very very many! Looking forward to this one.
Author:  Lead-Space [ Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
I think you dont need all of those buildings and want to sent them to me!
Author:  Dogtrooper [ Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
Mmm. 1st to play on, 2nd to look at. A combo of the both makes sence.

I have 10 or 12 of the old AT buildings and thought I had alot. looking forward to the mock up.

How are you going to mark the roads.
Author:  Markconz [ Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
First layout best for gaming I think. :)
Author:  The Bissler [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
DT asked how you were going to mark the roads; I'd be interested to know this as well. I bought a load of black card and used a tippex pen and a ruler... The scale was way out but I thought they looked ok. Look forward to seeing how your project progresses!

PS Don't envy you painting all of those buildings! The windows nearly drove me mad on the ones I have!
Author:  MrGonzo [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 11:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
Oberhofen-Goppingen FTW! :)
Author:  Mattman [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Modular City
I am not sure of the details of how this is all going to go together yet, but as I said the building sections will be based on 150mm squares and the larger ones on 300mm sq. The road sections will be 75mm wide and in multiples of 150mm length. This will mean I can make the smaller streets as in image 2 or butt two against each other to make the wider streets as in image 1.
What ever basing material I use, the roads will be slightly thinner than the building bases. I plan on topping the roads with finegrade sandpaper to give a tarmac look.
As for painting road markings, I am tempted to forgo any sort of markings so that any road section can be used anywhere and I won't find myself being restricted by junction markings and the like. In terms of priorities it is way down the list, will see when things get done and maybe after a few games.

@ Bissler

Yeah, I am not sure how detailed I will go when it come to painting the buildings. The windows may just get left.

My main concern at the moment is finding the right basing material as I obviously want something thin, lightweight and something that won't warp. Obviously there are the cheap options like card, foamboard or mdf, but they are the types of material that would warp. I have spoken to Fenris about getting some aeroply or styrene cut to size, likely to be a little expensive, but might warp less. I am also thinking about trying some acrylic or perspex, especially as there is a company just down the road from me who can cut sections to size. Think it will be a bit of trial and error to find the right thing to work with.

As much as I want the layout to look aesthetically pleasing, I suspect all the building bases are going to be full squares with sharp corners. Obvioulsy this means all the corners on the roads will be sharp, but it would make everything alot easier to make compared to getting a curve put onto each corner.

Matt
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