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Alright, so here's the premise of it all. So as I've mentioned on here occasionally, I'm blessed to have 2 stores near me to play 40k at. Both have tables, and I play regularly at both. One of the stores, however, decided that they want to appeal more to people by upgrading their old tables (they're not in terrible shape, but have seen a lot of play). The problem, however, is that they don't have room to work on a new table without getting rid of their old tables. Through the owner's genius, they got rid of 2 of the 4 tables instead of just 1 at a time, and tables do take some time to build. The problem is the two tables he left are A) a bunker table that clearly favors one side to the other. We like it, but it usually requires special scenarios instead of just whatever pick up games. The other table is pretty much planet bowling ball, we usually place a lot of terrain on it but... sigh.... the owner is redoing a lot of his terrain and got rid of most of the bigger stuff. In a few weeks or so he says he'll have it all done, but for now I'm definitely playing at the other store. I have no clue why he didn't do it more gradually, and the way he procrastinates on everything I know it'll be a lot longer than he claims.

Here's the other big problem. For the most part they get along, outside of some business competition obviously, and they do gossip about what goes on at the other store, but they're never upset if you play at the other place. Unfortunately, there are a handful of people that swear by one store or the other and refuse to visit the other. It's usually semi-valid reasons, like not liking someone at the other store enough that they just go to one or the other instead of both. I won't judge.

So one of my friends that only goes to previously mentioned store wants to get a game in pretty badly, like not wait a few months to get one in. Now here's the issue; he plays tau, I'm playing my new guard, and we have nothing to block LoS and we have very minimal ruins to use. Not having terrain usually results in a bad time, especially with tau, although from what I understand if I run a tank list I could do decently too. I just don't want a "point at this model and see if it dies" game with zero movement.

What are my choices here? Try to convince him to play at the other store, which is very unlikely (he's very stubborn). Try to somehow convince the other store to let me borrow some of the massive amounts of spare terrain they have (which competitors would never do)? Build up some quick cardboard ruins over the next week, just basic stuff sprayed gray (which the store owner will think looks too crappy to go on his tables, and he'll think I'm trying to make him look bad because he's crazy like that)? Say I want to wait until we have an actual table to play on? The worst part is that he is a player that doesn't understand that for a good game you need to block some LoS and have some ruins spread around, he's totally fine with planet bowling ball. I absolutely hate playing planet bowling ball, as it makes for the most boring games in existence.

Or I can just pretend that I'm dead for a few months and avoid all contact with that store, have someone else check to see when he actually finishes some of his stuff up. Which honestly sounds like the easiest solution.

Either buy some tall 40k buildings (Shrine of the Aquila was good for this) or use cardboard proxies.
Honestly, try and explain to either the Tau or the store manager that you wouldn't be enjoying a game without LOS blockers, and if he can't deal with having proxies on his table, don't play.

The cardboard cutouts don't have to be permanent, only whilst your playing there. If it bothers him that much, he'll prioritise getting some tall buildings for you, or he just won't have you playing.

If you're dead set on playing, a few ideas stick in my mind:

1 - Make/Buy some of your own terrain that can be easily transported, assemble it, and do quick paint job and deploy when needed to even out the board. Downside is the hassle of transportation of it

2 - Adjust your list to take more deep strikers, outflankers, etc. Ally in Marines/Elysians/something else, use Valkyries, get a Hades drill, etc etc. Something that'll make him wary of some nasties that could appear suddenly among his lines

3 - Hunt out and play some alternative scenarios, hunt down old mission books, look at the Imperial Armour series - something that'll make each game play differently and forces both of you not to just line up and die

Not trying to be snide or anything, but have you tried talking to your opponent and tell him you want to use a lot of terrain prior to the game?

I mean, he shouldn't care. He plays Tau.

1) Help your store out by purchasing proper terrain and helping out - It takes a community to support a local club or store, and in warhammer the tables and terrain are it's lifeblood. Contact this owner a ask if there are anyways to help out at all with preparing new terrain and if not make your own personal stockpile. Nobody should have to play on a bowling ball.
(hint - if you have a second army why not bring the vehicles and cotton wool to show LOS blocking terrain to immitate the carnage of an ongoing tank war)

2) Bluntly state that one of the most enjoyable aspects of 40k is movement, positioning and maintaining fire lanes and suggest that they help with the previous step and you will not be comfortable playing without LOS blocking terrain. Simply suggest that your current store has no terrain whilst the other store does (put the ball in his court - help make terrain/ play in other store/ don't have a game)

3) Take out a sizable life insurance plan and fake your own death thus avoiding the situation entirely

look at printed terrain, I keep a few buildings in my gaming bag, it is just cardstock with buildings and such printed on them, plus some various cargo containers things large enough to obscure a tank and not see any infantry model behind. it looks better than spray painted cardboard and folds flat do minimal effect on size and weight constraints to a gaming bag system

Talk to the gaming partner, simple as that. That is always what it boils down to.

That being said, another idea for terrain is simply using footprints (IE: a flat piece of cardboard cut to a shape) and saying it blocks LOS if one color, is hindering and grants a normal cover save if it's between the units, etc.

Edit:
Also, if he is the one wanting the game, you can always say "terrain or no".

Talking would also be my preferred option, otherwise house rule that the bunker table always grants a cover save even against Tau shooting. I know you said its unbalanced, but isn't Tau vs IG too? Allowing a cover save until the new tables are done should not be too big of a sacrifice for your friend.

I would just talk to the tau player, but for fast good looking terrian go down to your local crafts store and see if they sell train model stuff. Look for a a pack of trees, they sell for like 10-20$ for like 2-3 trees. They should look more then good enough and provied atleast some line blocking terrian.
For big rocks go look around for packing styrofoam or go buy some, attack it with a large knife and shape it into some thing that looks like a rock formation, once thats done spray paint it black. Once dry give it a dry brush with some gray cheap paint. If you have any grass tuff people use on models bases glue it on any flat areas. That there should give some good enough looking but cheap terrian. But it might just be easier to talk to said tau player.

Since you're asking for advice here's mine.

Build up some of your own terrain and play a game at your place. You don't need to always play at a store.

Another option is to put markers on the field that represent shields where LoS can't be drawn through. It's less invasive if the manager doesn't want cardboard interim terrain options but achieves the same end.

There is THIRD way.

https://youtu.be/seUDDFahvGg

I would get a gaming mat, some sand and brown spray pva glue and a load of polystyrene rammed together with cocktail sticks.

Once hand snapped into shapes and cocktail stuck together use 50/50 pva glue water sand on top, let it dry, then gun it with brown spray. Then Chinese (sorry but they are almost always from.China!) Big brush dry brush from a hardware store and destroy a couple.of pots of paint dry brushing the lot.

For extra mileage you can stick the polystyrene hills you made on plastic and file the lip down to make a nice base. But I wouldn't bother if it stays at home. Result? 2 days work, $100 down, one card board box of stuff to tuck under the bed ready for anything for all time^^

TLDR; Make a desert battlefield. Use it at home. It'll cost $100 you can take it anywhrre

Torus wrote:1) Help your store out by purchasing proper terrain and helping out - It takes a community to support a local club or store, and in warhammer the tables and terrain are it's lifeblood. Contact this owner a ask if there are anyways to help out at all with preparing new terrain and if not make your own personal stockpile. Nobody should have to play on a bowling ball.

That's why I'm upset with the store owner, a lot of that old terrain was stuff people had made for the store, a lot of it was great other than needing some paint touch ups. But from what I understand he just got rid of anything that "looked old".

SpookyRuben wrote:Since you're asking for advice here's mine.

Build up some of your own terrain and play a game at your place. You don't need to always play at a store.

I've wanted to do this for awhile but really have nowhere to put a big enough table at my current place.

ChazSexington wrote:Not trying to be snide or anything, but have you tried talking to your opponent and tell him you want to use a lot of terrain prior to the game?

I mean, he shouldn't care. He plays Tau.

I have, and he just gave me this dumb look like "wait, why does the table need terrain?"

1) Buy two 6' x 3' folding tables from Walmart for like $80 max
2) Get/make your own terrain and invite your buddies over
3) ????
4) Profit.