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So I'm thinking of getting a gaming board soon, one of the GW ones but from an online store so that I can get some terrain with it, but the main thing is that I want it to match the bases of my CSM army(when I get around to doing the bases). To do this I would need to sand most of the base for the same texture My questions are as follows:

Would having the board covered in sand make models alot more unstable? I don't really want my models falling over more than they should.

Also would it be better to spray the board black then sand with another coat of black or just sand then black? I would be using the spray I use for my CSM so it would be quicker. Just adding on the drybrush colours may be a nightmare lol.

EDIT 2: Also the board will be themed around my CSM army so I'm wanting to make like a pool of blood among the skull pools, any ideas how I would do that?

Any other hints/tips you could share would be appreciated

EDIT: Oh and don't say I should build my own board, I just dont have the time for it lol.

 johnscott10 wrote:
Would having the board covered in sand make models alot more unstable? I don't really want my models falling over more than they should.

Generally, no. When texturing with sand, the grains are fine enough and present in sufficient quantity to give multiple points of contact with the bottom of a base, wherever you place it. So long as you use somewhat fine sand instead of something like gravel, it'll be fine.

Also would it be better to spray the board black then sand with another coat of black or just sand then black? I would be using the spray I use for my CSM so it would be quicker. Just adding on the drybrush colours may be a nightmare lol.

No reason to paint under the sand, just to paint over it. That said, PVA doesn't tend to grip bare styrene all that well. You may want to hit the boards with a decent primer, first, to give a strong base with sufficient tooth for subsequent paints and glues. If your chosen spray is up to the task, use it. If not, I'd recommend a better primer. A lot of people mix their texturing grit directly with latex/emulsion/house paint, which acts as both adhesive and basecoat. That would be even faster than gluing the sand down and spray painting it, as well as guaranteeing thorough coverage. Primer>paint+grit>drybrushing would be my suggested route, but spray painting glued sand is a perfectly viable option.

Also the board will be themed around my CSM army so I'm wanting to make like a pool of blood among the skull pools, any ideas how I would do that?

Pourable water effects (most clear 2-part resins will work, whether marketed for modeling or not) can be colored during mixing. If filling deeper sections where multiple pours are required, you can also paint/ink between the layers. You'll likely want to use at least some paint, as ink alone lacks opacity and red water =/= blood.