Terrain for Campaign

Terrain for Campaign

Tau Expeditions™

In October 2012 Devereux’s Volunteers will host a resumption of Warhammer 40K gaming.  My army of choice is Tau, for the greater fun. Seven armies have selected assignments for the mini campaign we have dubbed Expeditions™ for our autumn ‘diversion’.

A bit of Tau terrain and buildings seemed a good idea. Most of our games are held at the game shops in our area. These locations offer an abundance of terrain goodness, mass quantities actually.  Expeditions™ will be held at Devereux manor, which offers a nice games room, however, not much 40K ‘space opera’ terrain.

 1. Stage One Tau Pylon

I was advised to make plenty of Tau ruins. Well, to begin Expeditions™ on a grand positive footing I have made several drawings for structures for bombardment. In this way I am a civil engineer playing host to mechanical engineers, you know, the ones who devise a method of job security for civil engineers—destruction!

2. Primed Tau Pylon

The remarque of a Tau Keep floats in the background. I sometimes work in the studio without an outline or drawing. Making the drawings is so much fun. The next Tau structure is a larger ‘strong point’ . The drawing can be seen in the background.  I try to see how close to plan I can create. The assemblage method is just as much fun, just a bit different approach, just as energizing for me.

3. Tai Pylon Base Coat

The shapes are evocative of commonly known Tau ones. One Tau shape is the saucer.  As the maker I want to infuse the motif of sails and masts in order to infuse some visual interest in the Tau structures, reminiscent of primitive ships and ancestral voyagers on expeditions of discovery or even conquest.

This pylon was completed as an assemblage or a group of shapes brought together and all the unnecessary bits removed so only the essential remains.

Extra bits include communication assets, weapons pods. The finishing touches with decals, markings and a finished paint / seal job.

I like a bunch of terrain. We will use a 122cm x 244cm (4’x8’) table so off to the toy shop to produce more terrain.

Basic Bill of Materials Used

• Sugar Pine
• Western Red Cedar
• Styrene plastic bits
• Tau Decals
• Glues–wood, CA, hot

If you have suggestions for the terrain build send them along in the comments section.

Evangeline–Steampunk Pistol Finale

Small Bolter Finale

I must say this has been an enjoyable build. Specifications were easy, I made some changes as requested, and a restrained use of materials seemed to make the whole flow together nicely.

Many people give special names to firearms, this is no exception; I understand this build will be christened Evangeline*. Perhaps I shall also make a Gabriel™, with apologies to the poet Mr. Longfellow.

Evangeline™ before crating

As the maker I like the composition and build process. I seek balanced components and  simplicity of line in the structure. I tend to add a little surprise as in color or shape or ornamentation. Sometimes I learn more about the build once it has left the toy shop. It is not bitter for me when this happens. It keeps the piece alive in my imagination.

Reference to Evangeline

Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangeline

Terrain

August 27, 2012

“If anything is obvious about hobbies; when they are done well, the rewards are greater.” Maxx I. Muss

Terrain

Terrain is the sum total of the entire game table minus the figures. If the terrain is a flat game table mat or cover so be it, if it is something more all the better.

What is the distinction between cluttered terrain and rich terrain? So often the terrain is an afterthought. The terrain should fit the game. I think a setting ought to fit a story. A drama is in each turn, like so many chapters, unfolding as the conflict continues until there is some resolution; the outcome takes place within some setting. I like a rich setting to fit the mortal struggle on the game table.

Recently I became more aware of one of the fine distinctions of Wargaming aesthetics one finds on the gaming table. For one I enjoy a richly, and rightly, fully terrained game table. The best game table may not lend itself to a WIN!  with the minis but it makes the outcome sweeter than on some miserably sparse playing surface. Ah, the first fine distinction; give me a rich terrain.

I want to contend for Haganau through their gardens and among their chicken coops when I command the men of the 101^st in 1945. My point is designed terrain is giving the flavor of the era without going overboard.

Craters are good additions to terrain, flavorful

Next is a logical follow-on:  the terrain features should be well-designed. Likewise, the parts are best when consistent with the universe in which the game takes place. In an historical game situation when the table is even close to being plausible the effort is well appreciated. Balance is quite necessary; remembering less is often the best course of action because clutter and cluster is just out.

Painted trench, barbed wire enough for well done terrain

How does one achieve a good design. First, avoid crowding a lot of ‘material’ onto the board,what I call the ‘Easter Basket’ effect, the act of ramming a lot of things into a tight space and hoping a nice ribbon will make your excuses. In short, planning, preparation, and presentation are key points. It is a hobby, of course, we all have different degrees of skill or ability as Maxx I. Muss pointed out once, “if anything is obvious about hobbies when they are done well, the rewards are greater.” I add only do your best and challenge yourself to do better, the rewards for such are greater indeed.

Back to Avoiding the ‘Easter Basket’ effect; let me ponder this. Perhaps it is enough for now to type: first — plan, then — prepare, and on game day present the terrain. The proof of the terrain is in the gaming. No amount of ribbon tying is going to save a poor presentation of a ill-considered plan.

Soon

• Making a Good Full Plan

• Plan to Actual

• Presentation Day

A Steampunk Armatage™

Something New Everyday

Here is a gander at a last-minute commission for an upcoming regional Steampunk Fair over the Labor Day Weekend.

Scrabbage

The idea of scrabbage is making a construction that I call a workment or Armatage™ in this case.  As the maker I am the Armaturge©.

Scrabbage is insightful scrounging, purposeful rummaging, and artful collecting, with a somewhat organized storing of parts for later use. It has to be organized and useful or else it is merely junk. My way makes all the clutter and mayhem into Junque and I do intend the capitalization.

“This is a bits and parts construction after all. Just slap something together. It will be fine.” Sorry lass, that is not the way I scrabbage something.

Armatage

Armatage, n. a construction or a fanciful but non-functioning weapon. The process and construction is Armaturgy.

Armaturge

Armaturge is a portmanteau of “arms” as in weapons and the noun thaumaturge from Greek wonder thaumato-  plus,  -ourgos working, from ergon work. One who makes miracle weapons from junk. How pretentious!

 

Painting Fixture for Slota Base Minis

We all need the little extra little help now and again. When I typed ‘little’ I meant 15mm and 28mm little.

If you need the dimensions add a comment.

Slota Base Painting Fixture Generalized Drawing

Some producers provide little ‘tabs’ somewhere on the mini, mainly at the bottom of the mini, at the at the feet usually. These bases are commonly known as ‘Slota Base’ type minis. They have the tab at the bottom sometimes with the name of the mini and the producer’s name too. That tab is ideal to clip into a vice or to make a ‘handle’ with an alligator clip. Vices are bulky alligator clips are too narrow, but both work in a pinch. Please file the pun somewhere…other than file 13.

Each mini has a ‘tab’ that fits into the slot.

For painting purposes I like a wider more secure grip on the mini slota base tab so I make painting fixtures that are good and secure like a vice and portable like an alligator clip. The bolts, nuts, and washers are all very small — usually what I have scrounged from dis-assembly projects. To pop a pilot hole in the wood, the most popular drill bit sizes are 3mm and 1/8 inch when I make the painting fixtures.

Benefits 3 and 4 are the painting fixture is made to be lightweight (pine or cedar) and with the base they will stand flat on their own. I can pick up the fixture with the clamped mini, paint, set down the whole fixture and pick up another mini while the paint dries on the first.

A little help, very welcome.

The Small Game Board Project 2012

Several years ago I made the game table with cabinets, drawers, and wheels. We mainly used felt or factory made game mats on which to place the terrain pieces. We  pitted Greek vs. Greek, Saxon vs. Viking, Naval and Aerial combat, to infinity and beyond.

With an active Terrier in the family an errant die was a lost die. Naughty!

                   Just Painting the Game Board Bases

 

The Game Board is 122cm x 122cm (48 in. x 48 in.). It fits nicely atop the Game Table. Rolls nicely so we can catch a game while playing. This design and philosophy is for a Wargame to be entertainment and that with close chums.

The plan is to make a 3 x 3 matrix of 30cm x 30cm Game Board Bases. The terrain will go on top of these. It will give us maximum flexibility when we want to change the terrain.

Those dimensions will give us a place to roll dice, hoard books and the accoutrement of gaming. The aim is to eliminate escaping dice and never again shout, “man overboard!”

The Game board is framed. I have framed them with 2cm x 3cm strips of wood that works out to approximate .75 in. x 1.25 in. The luan is just less than 2mm thick.

How all the pieces fit together

 

Here I present the Game Board. See the simple joint frame and the luan.

It is clear this Game Board Base has not been painted yet.

Note the Ruins sit on a base.That is three (3) parts:

1. Game Board–framed part

2. Game Board Base- 30cm x 30cm plywood

3. Ruin is on its own base — primed black

The buildings and terrain will be mounted on their own base all coordinated in similar color / shade. This will work out well for skirmish type games for which this project is intended.

 Adjustable Gamer level view

 

These ruins are in their primed stage. Eventually they will blend in with the larger Game Board Bases.

This size board travels well but that is a rare occurrence.

When completed the Game Board will do yeoman duty at my home when friends come to visit.

Raygun Build—Mock-Up

A good soak in SuperClean™ degreaser and general great cleanser insures the inner Raygun chassis will be ready for the inner works installation.

                                     Clean and ready for components

I do not know what is moving me forward on the Raygun build. I really want to see what the bits n’ bobs will look like when they all come together. The deadline is six weeks out. Plenty of lead time– I just step over to Raygun Central and poke and prod for a few minutes whilst the paint dried on a paint challenge.

I have employed a little Blue Tack and some Painters’ Tape to try out ad hoc design in real time, no drawing this time, which is my usual tack when I build a project.  I have not used the Dremel ™ yet because I intend to work with what material as is.

                                                      A Tape n’ Tack Mock-Up

I have thought a little about a name for the Raygun. It is not part of the challenge but every project has a name or a title. Same should hold true for this build, besides, I am getting tired of just calling this build a Raygun.

What is a good name for the Raygun?  Suggestions welcome!

Raygun Build Part II

To begin a project requires planning, imagination, and time. Often I do a trial fit and if I like the outcome then the project is finished in short order. What I make depends on what I have on hand. I usually just scrounge the parts.

Here is what I found when I opened my find. Yay!

All of these build activities are in the toy shop where I can find anything I want or have not finished; it just takes a little time.

During summer my projects come in order of emphasis:   a little behind work (Ech!), just after sports (Score!), and a long way behind relationships (Cheers!). I shall endeavor to move this Raygun build along in a timely fashion. The deadline is for late October.

For this build picking the parts takes the place of an initial drawing. I use what I have on hand. This is the sculptural aspect. It is great that the parts have threaded ends or existing holes for easy assembly. The divine is in the details to wit, the parts.

The box of bits includes a flashlight (torch) lens, several couplers, a cut crystal jewel, a pump bulb, two shell casings; a battery powered light, a small key, tape roll thingy, etc. Remember the inner parts of my Raygun may also yield some interesting tidbits once they are thoroughly cleaned. The housing has a lot of space to accommodate some LED’s or other secret gizmos.

How I understand the term ‘Steampunk’

In regards to a personal definition of Steampunk I get the reference of ‘power’ as steam. Then add ‘punk’ to a noun as descriptor, (I thought adjectives did that job) and lo, a new genre is formed. Crimeny-Ned!

I interpret ‘punk’ as ‘imaginative trend-bending’ of historical artifacts as ‘powerfully projected alternative renditions of everyday items with a patina of the Victorian ethos’. One of the shared interests is making that stuff consistent in the world of imagination with a 19^th century swagger.  I enjoy the idea that the limits of historical influence are undone or at least mixed with the present.

Can you tell what I might combine on this build?

Raygun Build

Part I

Scrap Punk: I make personal disasters.

The Ridiculous Diversion part of Wargaming involves the influence of other people on me. Victorian Sci-Fi and Steampunk are both truly outside my orbit. That is until something comes along that piques my interest. I have a certain magnetic attraction and wonder at the reuse of parts from one thing to make another thing, a transformation of sorts, as in reuse from refuse.

      “What can it become?” is my favorite question.

Moding or modifying is another term that I use interchangeably with scratch building or kit bashing both older phrases.  The fourth term in constant use with DiY’ers is altered as in ‘altered books’, ‘altered boxes’, and ‘altered toys’. Altering, bashing, scratch building, homebrew, moding and punking (even pimping) convey the idea of making something from various left-over bits and parts. It is not called kit-bashing for nothing, hence, the need to keep a lot of parts on hand.

There is a sculptural aspect to making decisive additions to the template material (as in the picture above) and putting the pieces together in 3-D. It is a collage of bits in the round.

A few of my associates needed a new term for making things from scrap and so I invented Spiking. Graphic artists to artful MiG and TiG welders took the term and ran with it. My phrase for this upcoming challenge shall be:  Scrap Punk.

All the world’s a dust bin,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their bits and their parts,
And one man in his time plays with many toys. . .

My next in-between projects diversion will be a Victorian Sci-Fi / Steampunk Raygun Construction Challenge. I have just the place to begin, in my toy shop where I deconstruct to re-construct, all very post-modernist (Po-Mo). I began bashing kits before Po-Mo was cult.

I say, the games afoot…

I make custom disasters.

Scrap Punk is my own term, and a Steampunk Raygun is closer to reality. Please accept the oxymoron.