Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I am starting to come up with a few concepts for terrain and I was wondering what others have built?

A custom monorail. I don't have a camera so no pictures unfortunately, but it was built out of carboard. I used (don't know if you know this, those yoghurts which you drink?), containers as pillars, after spraying them with textured paint.

Also built two small bunkers out of polysterene packing for a chess clock...

Guttering works well as building material - designed to fit together, easy to cut and placed upside down with a little bit of textured paint works well as imperial - esque buildings.

If you want some ideas have a look at Bristol Vanguard / Cut & Thrust - they have some utterly amazing tables!

Themed tables are best, so go with all one design rather than a bit of everything.

I am working on a desert/wasteland board as well as an industrial/plant one. Sticking a wood or a green hill in the middle of these would spoil the effect. LOS blocking on at least some terrain is recommended.

Check out this tutorial, it's really good for making fences and palisades out of sprue:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/329231.page

It's a real winner if you don't feel like paying for terrain bitz.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
In addition to that, I second ruminator's advice. The greatest combo is having different (kustom-built) pieces of themed terrain that you can always just re-arrange in different ways, so preferably small ones.

If you're just starting out making terrain, keep the individual pieces small, and stay away from multi-story urban, which is a nightmare. Open plain with many tall pieces is the best, IMHO.

I have built a rusty water tank from the apoc book..

I'm going to have to disagree with ruminator. Our games store has many tables, none of which have attached terrain. I find that you get more variety if all your terrain is removable, so you can get a wider range of setups. Try making a variety of pieces and see what you enjoy. Craters, hills, and little wooded pieces are all easy. If you want to make wild west style forts, then you can get pointy wooden sticks for two bucks to the hundred at your local grocery store. (Bamboo skewers.) When I started making terrain, I just kept my eyes out for bits and bobs that could easily be turned into terrain. I have a box full of little hinge things that are going to be perfect blast shields when I'm done with them. Yard sales are good sources for all kinds of crap that makes good terrain.

Just make sure your terrain is interactive. Terrain has several effects. It can block or hinder both line of sight and movement, it can be something models can go in, on, around, or through, and it can have specific in game effects such as ruins or difficult terrain. If it's only serving one function, ask yourself if it's worth it.

Well, I was under the impression that ruminator's terrain was also removable

Anyway, Jimsolo is right, you do absolutely want (re)movable terrain... I'd even stay away from things like rivers and stuff, but I guess small rises are good...

Depends on your meta, and how often you play.

Modular for me - it's good to move things around. Key is the theme!

After being inspired by Armies on Parade I am going to experiment with some fixed terrain on modular boards, with the other boards being plain for the moveable terrain. It allows me to both build something more elaborate and have flexibility. best of both worlds ...

I use modular terrain.

ALL of my terrain is based to go on a flat table.
It is all arranged into sets.

My urban/industrial set.
My ice world set.
My agri-world set.
My desert world set.

My boards (2) are painted in desert colours on one side/urban on the other, and Green fields/blue-white ice on the second one.

I also have a 10' long modular river (12" sections) with bends, fords and bridges.

I made pillboxes out of electronics packaging foam and mounted them on hardboard.

I made hardboard area terrain areas kind of peanut shaped, somewhat irregular. Then, I used a circular cutting attachment to cut out circular bits that would be my modular area terrain. This way, if a tank moves into it, I can remove the piece and I'll know where it's supposed to go when it's to be replaced. These bits include palm trees and sandbag bunkers made out of crayola magic clay.