Wargamers who attend the HMGS Convention circuit are seeing a delightful trend; the ever improving quality of tabletop scenery. For those who want to keep pace, there is no need to re-invent the wheel. Model railroaders have covered the topic and their techniques are described in a series of books interest. How to Build Realistic Model Tailroad Scenery (2nd edition) by Dave Frary is a goldmine of ideas and techniques applicable to wargaming. Chapters address such topics as materials; modeling rock and rubble; trees, stumps and reeds; and perhaps most useful, modeling water. This is a comprehensive 'how- to' guide with fine color photos and step - by - step instructions. It lists for $15.95. How to Build Dioramas by Steperd Paine ($11.95) contains very useful information on weathering techniques for structures and how to sculpt the terrain ground effects. It also offers a good introduction to figure painting technique emphasizing shading and highlighting. Kitbashing HO Model Railroad Structures by Art Curren ($8,95) is a 'how-to' guide about customizing (kitbashing in railroad lingo) structures using inexpensive HO scale buildings. available from Kalmbach Publishing Company (21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O.Box 1612, Waukesha, WI, 53187). Three books should be of particular. For the past 15 years, I have been keenly interested in realistic wargaming terrain. Until now, most of what I have learned has come from trial and error (with far too much of the latter) and word of mouth instructions offered at wargaming shows. There is no need for you, dear reader, to so suffer. These publications contain much of the collected wisdom of the model railroad community. They will guide you to good scenic results and provide the opportunity to create truly dazzling wargaming terrain. More Reviews Bicorne Miniatures 25mm Napoleonic and ACW Eagle Miniatures 25mm 7YW, Napoleonic, and ACW Wargames Foundry 25mm War of 1812 Wargames Foundry 25mm French Napoleonics Frontier 15mm Napoleonics Thistle and Rose 15mm Sassanid Persians Combat Miniatures 20mm WWII Battle Honors 15mm Napoleonics Wargames Foundry 20mm WWII Partisans Platoon 20 20mm WWII Soviet Naval Troops Essex 15mm Seven Years War Thoroughbred Figures 1/72 Scale US WWII Vehicles Vac-U-Cast 1/76 Scale WWII Wargame Accessories Signifer 15mm Franco-Prussian War Flags How-To Books Building Terrain Terrain Specialties Terrain Pieces GHQ 1/285th WWII and Modern Soviet Equipment Pass of the North 25mm Mexican Peasants Panzerschiffe 1/2400 Sino-Japanese War of 1894 Warfare in the Age of Reason 18th C. Miniature Rules Rebel Yell ACW Rules Forlorn Hope ECW Rules Chariot Warfare Army Lists ofr 3000 BC to 343 BC Review Rebuttal: Grande Bataille, Grande Victoire Wargaming in History Romans, Goths and Huns Iron Duke and Rally Once More Computer Assited Wargame Rules The Barrett Scale for Reviews Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #58 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by The Courier Publishing Company. 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