War Maintenance

I had planned on finishing two gaming projects before jumping into a new game.  Well, that didn't happen; I've jumped into two new games. I did make some progress recently on figure storage and DBA terrain. I also acquired some material that might work for Warmachine and Bolt Action terrain pieces.  We shall see.

Terrain & Storage Projects

I'm working on DBA roads and rivers, based on Jeff Franz's terrain design.  I have finally carved up the pieces from chipboard, and I've acquired wood filler for the texture and clear nail polish for the water. Will post photos when the pieces are finished some day.

I've also decided to mount sheet magnet on the bottom of figure bases for my 15mm armies.  Lacking access to a US-style Home Depot here in Seoul, I asked a Korean friend about sources for thin steel sheets and "extruded" foam.  I hit a home run on the steel, purchasing more than I will need for about $7.

I'm skeptical about finding extruded foam insulation here; I have only seen a form of beaded foam used as insulation material.  When I described what I was seeking, my Korean colleague had some scrap foam material used for gym floors or play areas.   He wasn't sure what I meant by extruded foam.

I'm going to experiment with the green pieces for creating terrain.  I'm a little concerned that it will flex too much, and any wood filler or other ground cover might crack.  The set of 2'x2' black pieces could be used to create a 4'x4' battle board for Warmachine if affixed to plywood.  I bet that other gamers have experimented with the material, so I'm going to search the web before wasting too much time.  Will post the results later.

Warmachine Test Run

We were too busy having fun to take any pictures, but Ryan and I played a test game of Warmachine, pitting a 19 point Khador force against a 16 point Convergence force.  We played for an hour, learning the rules as we go, before running out of time.  We are still in the midst of painting and basing, so it was a messy looking game.  However, the rules are relatively easy to learn, and I'm sure it will play much faster when we have the basics memorized.  

One aspect of the game that we both like is the damage system for the "Warjacks," which are steam-powered, large robots.  The model's statistics card depicts a damage grid.  When you take damage, you roll a d6 to determine what part of the model is hit.  When damage accumulates in one area, your mobility or weapons may be crippled. The Warjacks can also take a lot of punishment.  

Your "General" is a Warcaster, which commands the other units and is able to cast spells.  Ryan's Khador faction has an ice theme, and his Warcaster used an "Icy Gaze" feat (a once per game capability) to freeze my heavy Warjack.  It was getting pounded into the dust when time ran out.

Upgrading from Felt Squares

I have finally started working on terrain and camps for DBA.  When I first bought a few DBA armies, I expected to be 100 percent ready to play with terrain features much sooner.  However, my Hellenistic Morph project has consumed my time.  I used some of my daughter's "Sculpey" clay to create these trees and one of the camp features.

Clay Trees


In a model railroading project many years ago, I created trees using floral wire armatures covered in latex caulk.  I created armatures out of wire, covering it with Brown Sculpey clay.  After I was finished with this annoying step, my daughter pointed out that there was no need to use the wire.  Sculpey, once baked, is quite durable.

 

 I mounted the trees on masonite base material, painted with a variety of acrylic brown paints for shading, and used model landscape material for the foliage.  These trees are quite easy to make.

Camps

For my first two camps, I decided to go with some basic designs that would work for multiple armies, creating a tent scene and a rock wall.

The rock wall also involved Sculpey, gray clay this time around.  I created the wall out of the clay, glued it to the base, and pressed rocks into it before baking.  I finished up with a simple ink wash.

Here's a shot with a Spear element defending the camp.

The tent scene took a bit more work, but it was also an easy project.  I built the tent frame out of floral wire and super-glued canvas to it.  I coated the canvas in diluted white glue and painted the tent a gray color.

Peltasts (Aux) are defending the camp.

I've also made some "rough" terrain pieces and hills, so I will be able to upgrade from the felt squares look soon.

Regards from Maryland,
Dave