3D Hex terrain WIP

[Goundry]

So like so many of us out there i like the simplicity of map sheets but the look of table top terrain, and i finaly though well so it ill build my self a 3D game board.

Only, ive had the bits for ages and something else was al ways more important you know the drill.

So any way with the "completion" of my first bit ive decided to start up a thread that ill add to as i build the bits, whish will hopefully keep me going untill i have enough for a full table



this is the first finished peice



3D prinited power generator that will eventualy find its way onto one of the industrial boards


warehouse that like the power generator will end up on an industrial hex plate



finaly the base plates and hex template that the guys at game craft minatures custom cut for me.

if any one else has allready done something like that im definately open to hints tips and ideas! im especialy intresetd in ideas for denoting light and heavy woods with out havine to stencil the words onto the terrain

[john blackwell]

I like the idea of making oversized tiles that tessellate.  You get lots of possibilities for how you wish to shape your terrain.  I also like the stencil.  Putting shrubs (a rock pile or tree stump or something) helps delineate the hexes without drawing hexes everywhere.  It's one of the drawbacks of hexed terrain that I live with.

Question: did you plan on adding grass or flocking to the open green surface?  It looks kinda flat which doesn't seem consistent with the look of the stones, trees, and shrubs.  Just my thoughts.

Keep at it.  I'm looking forward to seeing more tiles as you finish them.  It's going to be a great game board.

JB

[Goundry]

I had been planning to add grass but some one at the local gaming club has been complaining recently about it rubbing off and leaving bald patches on his 40K terrain so im abit udecided, but the more i think about it the more i think i will

[Kret69]

You could add the custom-cut grass mat from Heki or similar if You want to avoid such balding. However, if properly flocked (how about professional flocking from car-tuning workshop?), these will not wear out so fast unless You often touch the surface.

[Saatch]

Looks great and I can't wait to see more of it.

I'd third the flocking idea. And I'd use a couple different colors of flock too, some browner and yellower and greener. It'll help sell the illusion of more rolling texture.

[Shichiro]

Can you tell me where you got the warehouse and what scale it is?

[Goundry]

Well guy you've sold me on the grass, I just need to head to the local model shop, and I think your right about the different colours.

As for the ware house it's from Gamecraft miniatures with additional detail added with plastic arid

[Kommando]

Do you have a model file for that 3d printed power generator?

[Goundry]

Yup what format do you want it in?

[Dave Talley]

great start, once flocked, just spray with clear coat of your choice, eliminates shedding

now you might have to do a second flock and spray if anything was thinly covered, the spray will eat some of the flock since its just foam

[tty146]

Great Pics. I have build an extensive set of terrain using heroscape tiles. I am going to have to order some of the hex templates you have from Gamecraft. A few tips on terrain.

1) Static grass. Use a 50% wood glue, 50% water mix to adhere the static grass to your base. Once it has dried spray it over with hairspray as a protective finish. It will keep the static grass from coming off.

2) For trees I purchased a bulk bag of fender washers. Use masking tape to cover up the holes. Then spray paint them brown. Then apply either a light green flock (light woods) or a dark green flock (heavy woods.) Buy some pre-made pine trees try ebay ( http://www.ebay.ca/itm/50pc-Model-Pine-Tree-Scale-Train-RR-Scenery-Layout-N-Z-NEW-/331508827448?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2f774538 ). Buy some rare earth magnets and glue them to the base of the trunk of each tree. Voila modular forests where you can move the trees on the base to make room for the mini. I usually put two trees on a heavy wood base and one tree on a light woods base. Looks really good when you have a few hexes next to each other. You can also purchase mdf hexes from game craft and then buy some furnace vent material cut it up and glue it to the hex bases.

3) Water tiles. Get a dark blue paint for deep water (lvl 2) and light blue for shallow water. Do your template as usual and then just hand paint the hexes as you see fit. If you have a standard exit/entrance point on each piece you can link up each water feature to create a modular river/lake system.

4) Roads - Have game craft cut hexes for you and then just paint the roads on the hex and apply flock to edges that are not road as with the the forest tiles.

[nc_tracker]

look like at good start can't wait to see more

[Luriael]

Looking good so far! Love the simplicity, efficiency of it.

Far from me the idea of hi-jacking your thread, but I do believe it is relevant. For 3D tree terrain, what do you guys suggest? Obviously if we go 1.25 hex size you won't be able to get minis into hexes with trees but is 1.5 enough or should we go with 2 inches? This summer I want to start building my own maps and I want to go full 3D and would hate to have to use colored hexes instead of crowding them with trees.

[worktroll]

Stick trees on three of the hex points. Short trees for light woods, higher trees for heavy woods. And use a different colour (paint or flock) on the hexes themselves, because you can get a light woods hex surrounded by heavy woods, and vice versa, so colouring the hex prevents arguments.



It's a little abstract, but I trust you can see a number of FedSuns 'Mechs cowering behind the bushes at the approach of the Sword of Light ;)

Now I was using 1.25" hexes on a home-made foamboard map. I had plans to go back & flock the hexes, but never got there. The hex-corner approach, with thin trunks, does let you fit a mini on a standard base into the hex, without too much difficulty (sprawling quads excepted).

If anyone was thinking about using 1.5" or even 2" hexes, this would work even better, and accomodate even the Tarantula or Stalking Spider.