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.

Hey guys, I have a few questions about terrain. having never been to any form of tournament and having only really ever played against my brother I dont really know where the majority of people stand on what often becomes a game changing decision! "How much terrain, what type of terrain and where?"

I know in the rulebook it has guidelines for placing terrain but im currently constructing a new gaming board that will have permanently placed terrain.... so where do people stand on these issues....

1. How much line of sight blocking terrain shpuld be used and where should it be placed?

2. How much area terrain should be used and where should it he placed?

3. How much other terrain should be used?

I much prefer my battle field to make sense which is why I hate alternating terrain placement as you always end up with the most random collection of terrain and it looks silly... ruins the cinematic feel for me...

Juggalo17 wrote:


1. How much line of sight blocking terrain shpuld be used and where should it be placed?

2. How much area terrain should be used and where should it he placed?

3. How much other terrain should be used?

1) Three relatively large LOS blockers in the middle. One on the mid-far left, one on the mid-far right, one dead centre. This provides great LOS blocking opportunities, whilst allowing good lanes of cross-board firing arcs. (Assuming the sides are the short table edge).

2) Some, scattered. I'd suggest a couple on either side of the board - at the long table edges. Try to be symmetrical for fair play.

3) Depends on the size of the board. I'd suggest no more than two pieces per 2x2 square.

I think Selym's got some good general guidelines, although I'm not a huge fan of tables with entirely fixed terrain. Even on an extensively-modeled custom terrain board, having some open sections and modular pieces which can be shifted around really adds variety to the play experience.

I concur that a good amount of terrain is probably around 2 "pieces" (where a piece is either one item in the 6"x8" to 10"x12" size range, or 3-4 smaller items, like a low wall or pile of rocks; random small things which add some difficult terrain and cover to the table) per 2x2 section of the table. And you need 1-3 largish LOS-blocking pieces somewhere around the middle of the table. Things big enough to at least hide a couple of Rhinos or a Daemon Prince, maybe big enough to hide a Land Raider. You need stuff that will break up the table into lanes of fire and allow the possibility of advancing at least partway across the table hidden, if your opponent doesn't spread out to get shots around the side.