For those of you who are trying to recreate published scenarios (such as my Enduring Valor or Undying Courage regimental-level JR3 scenarios), but do not have the money to invest in hundreds of dollars of fencing or hills, or buildings, here are a few tips from my very early college days at Miami of Ohio when I had only painted figures and nothing more to game with...
Here are a few tips for the beginner who does not have enough terrain...
1. If you do not have enough fence models for the EV or UC scenarios (many of which require up to 30 - 50 feet of fencing), then simply call the farmlands as broken terrain. Another idea is to lay pieces of string or yarn where the fences are supposed to be. In most rules, the fences don't really make a diference. However, they are crtical to JR3 as they provide cover, imprede movement, serve as a rallying point for aborted charges, and assist in morale checks.
2. Streams can be simply pieces of blue felt cut into shape. Or, Doug Rogers has published in the HMGS-GL "Herald" (back issue available on MagWeb.com) some tips on making good looking streams out of common household aluminum foil.
3. For hills, I use cast-off pices of 2" extruded polystyrene (EPS) blueboard from a local construction site. The workers have given me plenty. Carve this into shape for rolling hills or steeper hills by stacking pieces. Finish them with greenish brown paint, flocked with Woodland Scenics fine turf. For larger layouts with complex ridges and elevations, take a larger sheet of EPS and carve it into the proper terrain contours before finishing it. This takes work, but is inexpensive if you merely paint it when completed (unless you flock it and detail it).
4. Houses can be the most expensive part of any layout, particularly if you invest in finely detailed pre-painted structures. There are many other options, ranging from a piece of black felt cut in to a small square to represent a building or the use of wooden blocks (they look better if you paint them to more look like a house). THe next level up is to buy cheap plaster houses at a dollar store (such as the ones used for home decoration at Christmas time) and repaint them if necessary. Sometimes used model railroad buildings can be found at an inexpensive price. Scour eBay and Bartertown - there are at times deals on actual wargaming houses at far below retail prices.
5. Roads can be simple strips of tan masking tape laid out over your terrain base. Coloring in ruts using a dull magic marker or Sharpie adds a little more variety to the table. I use strips of flexible plastic that I have painted with WalMart medium brown paint. I then sprinkle on a blend of spices and fine Woodland scenic tan turf, allowing everything to dry overnight. I finish the roads with a Sharpie, then overspray or overpaint the road section with a dilute varnish made of 1 part Elmer's glue and 10 parts water, allowing it again to dry. This seals on the flocking and kills any remaining odor from the spice.
6. As a terrain base, I like the above-mentioned EPS board if you have the time. A piece of green felt, green carpet, or an old blanket often work well (check out your local Army-Navy store for old olive drab Army blankets - they are often flexible and will work quite well as a base. Some folks will place books or sculpted EPS or Syrofoam "hills" under the blanket for more natural-looking rises and hills. GeoHex and others sell pre-flocked table coverings, but these will set you back $30-$40 depending upon dealer.
7. For trees, nails affixed through a flexible plastic base plate will work well. Finish them with with clumps of sponges (from a dollar store) dipped in glue or paint and then flocked. Add small touches like rocks and brush. With a little practice, imagination, and some craftsmanship, you can have a good-looking layout for just a few dollars, and be able to recreate Gettysburg or Antietam on your tabletop.
Johnny Reb Gaming Society
www.geocities.com/scottmingus/JRGS
Back to Table of Contents -- ACW Newsletter # 10
Back to ACW Newsletter List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 2004 by Marc Shefelton.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com