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Made in au
Fresh-Faced New User




Besides look gorgeous what do you feel makes a good terrain piece, or set?

Personally I love moving parts and intricate details. Doors, turrets, turbines etc. I also like highly modular terrain, something that I can really mix and match and change to my own desires, which is why I personally am not too found of the default GW terrain sets.
   
Made in ie
Calculating Commissar




Frostgrave

Something that's practical for moving models about - so lots of ledges.

I had the RoBB for a while, but got rid of it when half of my models toppled/slid on the hills. They looked good, but were totally useless for anything that wasn't multibased.
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Herzlos wrote:
Something that's practical for moving models about - so lots of ledges.

Exactly what I was going to say!

And what makes a poor one, is slopes that tempt you to put your models on them... only to have them fall down later
   
Made in au
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Versteckt in den Schatten deines Geistes.

Anything I build.


Industrial Insanity - My Terrain Blog
"GW really needs to understand 'Less is more' when it comes to AoS." - Wha-Mu-077

 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

I like terrain pieces that all go together to make a theme. Ruind City OR Jungles OR Desert OR Drive in Theater. Not mixed up silliness! "Why are there cacti in a tropical zone? This makes no sense!"

No wobbly models! My soldiers aren't drunk, dammit.

Well, maybe private Dave. But he has to man the plasma.


DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in ca
Deathwing Terminator with Assault Cannon






Stability - ledges as mentioned, but also not wobbly on its own.

Accessible - able to move models in and out without having to remove roofs or use tweezers. Also good to be able to visually see the models occupying it from across the table.

Space - needs to be wide enough to fit three Imperial Guard heavy weapons teams.
   
Made in de
Dogged Kum






As the others have said, great terrain combines practicality with immersiveness/beauty/realism.
Cohesive looks are very important.

One of my all time favorite terrain sets is this one: Lost in Paradiso

Currently playing: Infinity, SW Legion 
   
Made in us
Hellish Haemonculus






Boskydell, IL

Interactivity: There are multiple ways to interact with terrain. It can obscure models. It can hide them completely. It can be climbed on, in, or through, and may suggest terrain effects by its design. The more of these aspects a terrain piece has, the better.

Usability: Gorgeous pieces of terrain covered with piles of rubble are useless. If there's so much stuff on the standing surface areas that models can't stand up straight, you're sacrificing performance for appearance. That's great for display terrain, but a disservice for game terrain.

Appearance: Good looking terrain makes for a better table, which makes for a better game.

Welcome to the Freakshow!

(Leadership-shenanigans for Eldar of all types.) 
   
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Stubborn Temple Guard






The Platformer/Hexagon System from Pegasus games (I think) was pretty swell.

While ruins and destroyed stuff is cool, I like a clean floor for moving and placing models. I don't want rubble and small piles of crap on the ground.

But I also want most of my terrain in 6mm for Battletech.

27th Member of D.O.O.M.F.A.R.T.
Resident Battletech Guru. 
   
Made in us
Using Object Source Lighting





Portland

In order:
something that's the right size/shape to properly influence the game (not too big or small)

something you can put models on (or, if you can't, something where you shouldn't be trying)

something that's immersive/otherwise aesthetic


My painted armies (40k, WM/H, Malifaux, Infinity...) 
   
Made in au
Fresh-Faced New User




Wow so many things I didn't even think of!

Something I want to try is terrain that can develop with the game. For example walls that can be blown up, or buildings with moving elevators and tram ways. What about being able to blow up a walkway, splitting your units off.
   
Made in lt
Longtime Dakkanaut






Yeah, something, that's at the same time usable (you can actually put your toy soldiers inside) and looks good (full of various details).

   
Made in nl
Longtime Dakkanaut






1. It has to look good, and fit into the theme of the battle. -> no cardboard boxes or soda cans etc.
2. I do not want to get hurt by it. So pls no real knives, razor wire or sharp spikes on top so pls gw stop building ruins with "decorative" sharp spikes on top.
3. It has to be sturdy. So please no GW leaved forests who fall apart if you try to move it.
3. It has to be easy in use. Wobbly model syndrom inducing terain is kinda bad, as are terrain features that make it almost impossible to reach your models such as the underside of the skyshield landingpad.
4. It has to provide something interesting to the game. Just being a large block of Impassable terrain probably isn't that interesting.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/01/31 10:40:43


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Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Depends. I don't think there's a single answer.

For someone who plays MC heavy Nids (sounds like a bizarre hip-hop ensemble. Probably isn't), then quite dense foliage is nice, as it gives you cover save, without restricting where your big guys can go.

For someone who plays a transport heavy force, self same dense foliage is a pain, as you run a continual risk of immobilising your transports, leaving your infantry to leg it as best they can.

You also have to think in 3D. The GW forests, whilst irritating flimsy with the leaves glued on, do provide a horizontal zone of cover - so it's possible the Wraithknight won't be able to draw LoS through the foliage, saving a unit hiding in the woods it's not so tender attentions.

If you're doing a cityscape, consider the biggest tank you want to field first - it's going to need areas it can comfortably fit down, without being reduced to a single, predictable pathway. Then also consider infantry - how high do you want it to go? How interconnected should you make walkways between buildings, if at all (infantry love those, as even Dreadnoughts can't fit!

   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

Bletzkarn wrote:
For example walls that can be blown up, or buildings with moving elevators and tram ways. What about being able to blow up a walkway, splitting your units off.


Look up the rules for Zone Mortalis. There are rules in there for destroying walls, objectives and lots of other fun things.

If a unit is split up, you need to have rules for how to proceed. Units, plural, getting split sounds interesting.

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Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Steelcity

Correctly scaled to fit models is the most important thing. If you can't use the terrain to play on then it's functionally worthless.

Looking good is the next important thing.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/01/31 15:56:29


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Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

 Mattlov wrote:
The Platformer/Hexagon System from Pegasus games (I think) was pretty swell.



Pegasus was one company with the license, yes. Airfix, IMEX, Urban Mammoth and Conflix also released versions of it over the years. It's originally Russian, I believe (technolog). The platformer (and refinery) sets were one range, the "Hexagon" stuff another, there was also a range that the "power station" came from and there were also some "techno-castle" ruins as well. I've had most of the brandings on the boxes.

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Made in ca
Grumpy Longbeard





Canada

You should be able to tell what kind of terrain it is without being told. Hills should look like hills, even if heavily themed.
Especially for impassible, no one should be inclined to try if models don't go there. I models do go there, make sure that they fit and are stable.

The more durable the better. Same goes for modular.

For sets of terrain, a similar style or theme. I also like sets that are a bit skewed, i.e. have a bit more of some types and less of others, to make games on it feel different to games with other terrain sets.
Having the old 2 hiils, 2 forests, a building and some walls is boring, even if they look different.

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Made in us
Stubborn Temple Guard






I think the Miniature Building Authority does terrain right, if a bit expensively.

The buildings are modularly assembled or destroyed. The 6mm stuff is amazing, because a whole building breaks apart and becomes two destroyed buildings.

27th Member of D.O.O.M.F.A.R.T.
Resident Battletech Guru. 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






 Kirasu wrote:
Correctly scaled to fit models is the most important thing. If you can't use the terrain to play on then it's functionally worthless.

Looking good is the next important thing.


Sadly this is where 3rd Party Kits can fall down.

The Hex system mentioned just above was a bit too wee to pass for 40k - but for other games it is pretty sweet!

   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






1. must be easily used in game and not create any questions about how to interact with it.

2. look cool if possible.
   
Made in us
Consigned to the Grim Darkness





USA

Herzlos wrote:
Something that's practical for moving models about - so lots of ledges.

This. Also ruins need to have flat floors for minis to rest on, or flat roofs if no floors.

The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
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Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






Los Angeles

 Mattlov wrote:


But I also want most of my terrain in 6mm for Battletech.


Saw a guy on Facebook using Monopoly houses and hotels as terrain for 6mm. He even posed an unseen Shadowhawk model next to the buildings and they looked surprisingly good! You'd have to paint all of the real details (windows, etc.) but with some effort they seem to turn out nicely. Never thought about poaching buildings from Monopoly but in hindsight it seems obvious.

   
Made in nl
Aspirant Tech-Adept






I'd go with practicality and atmosphere. Might think that atmosphere is the most important thing for me.

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Made in ca
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 treslibras wrote:
As the others have said, great terrain combines practicality with immersiveness/beauty/realism.
Cohesive looks are very important.

One of my all time favorite terrain sets is this one: Lost in Paradiso


Wow that is one very fething awesome looking terrain set.
   
Made in us
Blood Angel Neophyte Undergoing Surgeries




Orem, UT

 FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:
 treslibras wrote:
As the others have said, great terrain combines practicality with immersiveness/beauty/realism.
Cohesive looks are very important.

One of my all time favorite terrain sets is this one: Lost in Paradiso


Wow that is one very fething awesome looking terrain set.


As bloated as Infinity is with special rules (it easily rivals 40k to me), there is no denying that a properly done Infinity table looks better than just about anything for 40k besides Forge World's display tables.


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Stubborn Temple Guard






 DarkTraveler777 wrote:
 Mattlov wrote:


But I also want most of my terrain in 6mm for Battletech.


Saw a guy on Facebook using Monopoly houses and hotels as terrain for 6mm. He even posed an unseen Shadowhawk model next to the buildings and they looked surprisingly good! You'd have to paint all of the real details (windows, etc.) but with some effort they seem to turn out nicely. Never thought about poaching buildings from Monopoly but in hindsight it seems obvious.



I had also never thought of this. I'm sure I can find some spare Monopoly sets somewhere.

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Resident Battletech Guru. 
   
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Sinewy Scourge




Boulder, Colorado

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