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Author:

_stu_ [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:47 pm ]

Post subject:

Modular Urban Terrain

After receiving some fortifications from Psypher, we realised just how barren our gaming table was. I've been meaning to expand our collection of scenery for as long as we have been playing epic this time round (about a year or so), but never really had the space before moving into our new house. Having a dedicated hobby area, and a conservatory big enough to setup a 6*4 comfortably means we now have the chance to do things properly! (I say we, I'll be doing most of the building and painting whilst the missus supervises!)

Using primarily 2mm plasticard, I've gone with 8" square sections initially, with a 1" border - which gives a default road width of 2" in the urban areas themselves. I've pencillled in some 8"X1" and 8"x2" strips to allow us to widen certain roads and allow the larger titans in to the city. All of the buildings are going to be based on a 1" square grid and range in size from 1" square towers up to the full 6" square allowed per tile. Vertically we're going for approx 1" per standard floor so building height will range between 1" and 4". I have a few ideas for larger multi-tile features, but these will have to wait till I can pick up some a3 plasticard. In amongst this there will also be some urban canal/river sections and a combination of light/heavy bridges.

I'm still toying with how to go about detailing things, but the plan will be to make up some template panels in inch square multiples for building detail and cast these up in bulk once Im happy with the structure and the style.

I've put the first four sections together so far, and am fairly happy with the results.

Another plus of the 8x8 with a 'free' inch on all of the edges is that I'll be able to put together a storage rack something a little like this....

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Will hopefully make some quick progress once I pick up some more materials

Cheers

Stu

Attachments:

city_complex_blocks_01-04.jpg [ 79.15 KiB | Viewed 5462 times ]

Author:	jimmyzimms [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:49 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
I like!

Author:	ForgottenLore [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
1" per floor? That is pretty tall for epic, isn't it? About 25' per floor. I was planning to go with 1/2" floors myself. Other than that, can't wait to see what you come up with.

Author:	+psypher+ [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Looking good so far. I'll be watching this with interest. Keep up the good work

Author:	spawn [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:10 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Hi _stu_ I really like how you are planning this. I think it's going to look great. I think the height of the floor levels really depends on what you plan to do with them. If you want to be able to place models in the buildings, an Inch is probably good. That way you'll be able to pick up and place models. If you want it more realistic, 1/2 inch will look better. I think the floor levels on the gothic ruins are slightly less then 2 cm (18 mm or so). Going to check when I get home tonight. edit: I've checked and it's 20 mm.

Author:	RexHavoc [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Looking good so far. the storage rack is a great idea.

Author:	_stu_ [ Wed Jan 22, 2014 2:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Thanks for the feedback so far guys I'm hoping to make a couple more sections before the weekend as I've promised my brother a couple of intro games to epic. He's an ardent 40k and fantasy player - funny as I think it was my 2nd ed epic armies that set him on the path to become a 40k treadhead - my original guard was 20k plus of armour, his current 40k guard must be in excess of 30 tanks including super heavies. Also on the list is to make up the first few masters for the building facias. I have an idea in my head of how I want these to work, but I'll probably draw them up in illustrator tonight to work out the spacings and such of various details. With regards the height of each "floor", I think that may have been a poor choice of word on my part. Each building is made up of one or more inch high sections, maybe section is a better word. So far I have 1", 2" and 3" high buildings on the boards and a sketch for a 4" factory block. When it comes to detailing the outer faces, it may end up that each section has one or two rows of windows - hab blocks would probably be two where as admech or administration buildings may have more gothic style arches that are more like a full section high. When it comes to the ruined buildings, my aim is to use the clean resin fascias and rough them up to be recast as ruins. Then I can add some interior detail either using the one floor per section spacing or two, depending on the outer style. It's making sense in my head, so thats a start. will post pics of my scribbles later on tonight hopefully. I'm also starting to thing about texturing the section surfaces as well. 2 main trains of thought I have at the mo are either: - key the surface using fine sandpaper, and use pva + varying grades of sand - key the surface and use plasticote textured paint, which is more expensive but will give me a standard base color(or two) to work from. other ideas have included textured paint, polyfilla, gw rough coat spray or textured plasticard. Would appreciate feedback from anyone that has tried the above (in hindsight maybe 2mm mdf may have been a better sheet to use for the bases?) Cheers Stu

Author:	_stu_ [ Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Played a couple of intro games with my bro yesterday, so was able to test out the size of the sections. I've got eight so far, before running out of plasticard, but the size and shape seemed to work well. Talking while we were playing yesterday we scribbled some ideas down for more sections, with rough sizes and details of how they interlinked so I'm gonna get me some more materials this week Anyway, so..... Attachment: IMG_2011.jpg [ 184.92 KiB \| Viewed 5262 times ] Attachment: IMG_2019.jpg [ 116.5 KiB \| Viewed 5262 times ] Attachment: IMG_2042.jpg [ 159.96 KiB \| Viewed 5262 times ] Attachment: IMG_2044.jpg [ 239.7 KiB \| Viewed 5262 times ]

Author:	Selim Wormrider [ Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Wow nice idea you know it never occurred to me to glue buildings to a modular panel, then just rotate panels till you like were it is, place panel and repeat till there all down and your happy with the layout. or as terrain layout each player takes turns placing a panel as like in the Armageddon tournament terrain placement rules. Oh and I like what you did with you SM era foam buildings love the damaged look. totally stealing that idea

Author:	_stu_ [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Thanks guys. I quite liked the idea of pick-rotate-place. It worked quite well at the weekend playing with my bro-in-law. We left a 4" gap between sections this time to see how my plan for roads would affect play. It ended out working really well (for him) after I strode my imperator right into the city centre laying waste to his ork clans. Only to come undone (and fall over) after being hit by a chain-shot from his great gargant! thankfully it didnt land on anything. A small update on the section I'm currently detailing. The plan is to use this one as a test bed to work out a general style and methods, then make up a master copy and cast multiple panels. I'm working on a water refinement / processing plant that spans the river as it covers a few different elements that I need to work out. Attachment: File comment: Refinery Panelling IMG_20140311_210230_small.jpg [ 22.55 KiB \| Viewed 5078 times ] Its been a busy few weeks so I haven't had much time for hobby (other than a game or two) ....as Lis and I have our first little one on the way! 12 week scan was a week or so ago, and I'm happy to say that both mum and baby are doing well. We're due in or around the 2nd week in September, which is typically when both of our teams have major projects coming to an end. I'm probably going to take a month off or thereabouts, so will hopefully get 'some' painting and modelling time in - even if its at silly o clock in the AM. She's already taken to describing it as 'her little princeps'

Author:

_stu_ [ Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:10 pm ]

Post subject:

Re: Modular Urban Terrain

Finally getting some hobby time in (and a chance to use the airbrush in the house now I've got my booth setup and working

Almost finished my test section, a processing plant that spans the river/sludge canal

Attachments:

File comment: Almost there?

plant_progress.jpg [ 96.42 KiB | Viewed 4972 times ]

Author:	Alf O'Mega [ Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Nice! I'd say you passed that test!

Author:	Dwarf Supreme [ Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Very nice terrain!

Author:	primarch [ Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:05 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Hi! So many great terrain projects being shown lately! Keep it up sir! Primarch

Author:	mordoten [ Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:38 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Modular Urban Terrain
Awesomesauce!!!

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