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Well, I've never posted anything on here.. but I've recently been inspired once again to actually make a semi-decent gaming tabletop for my friends and I to play in our weekly games of 40k!
This is a heavy duty work in progress, but I think it goes without saying..

At any rate, we wanted something a little more than just a flat table, so I did a few votes, on what type of 'world', some features.. etc..

And we came up with an Ice world, with some ice rivers of sorts.. I'll be the first to admit I got perhaps too ambitious with the wire foam cutter, and made the 'rivers' too wide.. but it works. We generally make up themes or scenarios each week to explain why what is happening, or special and unique circmstances.. As I made this a while back and didn't have the foresight to save the production pictures I'll briefly detail what was at least used..

I wanted to begin with a table that'd be easy to store as we play in my basement nerd lair, and it needs to be multi purposed (if we play cards or something on the table, don't want to have to play on a warhammer table!) So I opted to make it into 3 segments of 4' x 2', totalling up into a modest 6' x 4' table.

I began with thin wood sheets (pre-fabricated into 4' x 2' sheets)

I took 1" thick foam insulation (when I bought it, it came in 8' x 2' long segments.. in hind sight, asking someone at the store to use their saw to cut the material would have provided a more visually appealing edge on some parts.. but whatever.. first table, next time..different)

I drew on the outlines for the lake and rivers, and went to town using a hot foam cutter on it.. (if your ever considering using one of these, please please please, do it outside.. everyone knows this stuff is toxic.. I was outside on a nice windy day, blowing it away from me, and I had a massive headache after.. next time I work on the material, I'll be springing for a charcoal filter respirator..)

I used sub-floor glue to attach the cut slabs onto the wood, and then used caulking to outline it all on the wood and smoothing it out, and making it messy in other parts for texture..

Then it was a liberal layer of white glue on top, and covering it in sand for texture on the top layer..

And then painting!

Simple white house paint to get a good sturdy coat on top, (also doubles up as making it a little more durable) then 3 different blues in the water, with white brushed over for a phase one of the icy/snow effect..

Which gets us to this stage:



Due to time constraints, and being a novice at the whole table/terrain thing, the table is alot more utilitarian, than pretty.. I mean obviously I'm content with it, or I wouldn't show it off for comments and criticism, however, it's certainly not done.. for the immediate future (next few weeks) yes, for now I am to working on some terrain, to make it that much better..

So without adieu, insert.. busted/crashed Eldar ship!



I took a buddies old wave serpent, and made it smashed into the side of a hill
And did a humble attempt to make it look like (part) of the pilot shot out.. haha!

As of today I've been working on just your garden variety of hills to decorate the table with (give some more cover) and I unearthed a long forgotten bag of old trees I got at Michael's around x-mas, which really fit in nicely now!

Here is where I am currently..




Future Plans/Goals?:
Get some water effects stuff, and fill in all the streams! Ideally I'd LOVE to fill them in completely and have frozen marines/eldar/etc in the icy drink, but I'm not sure what I could use to fill in that much real estate (perhaps any people who pass by this could make a suggestion) but otherwise a layer of the water effects to make it icier (is that a word?) looking..

More, bigger, terrain! - Possibly add multiple tiers to the battlefield, with big hills and bridges, etc.. my fear is it makes it more necromunda, than 40k..



Anyways, for those who braved this out thanks for showing some interest, let me know what you think!

Thanks!

Bobbo

Off to a good start there

Re: water - you might find something useful here http://www.terragenesis.co.uk/

http://www.terragenesis.co.uk/infopages/page374.html - using this as a basis, and building up the "thickness" of water effects in layers then finish with an icy/frosty coating in places perhaps ?

And here's a pic of the hills all textured and painted, right before everyone showed up to have a game on it..

(Great game!)