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Post by hardlec on Sept 6, 2016 22:30:32 GMT
There are some terrain features I'd be very interested in seeing, and others I am not too wild about.
Walls and trenches I am not too enthusiastic about. There are lots of similar products already out there.
What I'd like to see:
Silicone based (flexible) roads, 4" wide aka 2 tanks wide or one tripod base wide.
Silicone based (Flexible) streams and rivers. Streams about 2 inches wide, and rivers about 6 inches wide. The narrower streams are obstacles, while the wider rivers are "highways" for gunboats.
With a little fiddling, the 6-inch rivers could become a "landing beach," wide enough to accommodate either the Martians crossing the Mississippi or the Humans crossing back across the Mississippi, or another, nameless river destined to run purple with Martian Icor.
Note that river terrain creates a need for gunboats.
Edison Wires
Hedgehog type barricades big enough to obstruct Tripods and small enough to obstruct drones.
Example: I could purchase a blue tarp and cover it with clear silicone. I could create jigs to cut out pieces that would fit together. And I'd have enough rivers to last a lifetime. Or, IC could do the same and have a product they could sell to dozens or hundreds.
Economy of scale would serve to make it cost effective to purchase roads and/or rivers.
Hedgehogs are not hard to make, but I would need dozens to make a tabletop look good. I would need to make prototypes and try to cast them. I can cast the odd copy of a part I lost, but production casting is out of my league. (I've made hedgehogs out of toothpicks and such. They look like doo-doo.)
On the other hand, A little foam core and my handy straightedge and cutter, and I have all the walls I need in an hour. Trenches take only a bit longer.
I apologize in advance if I sound snarky, but please, guys, not another set of resin walls.
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Post by farkongnome on Sept 7, 2016 11:05:38 GMT
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 7, 2016 11:20:14 GMT
Currently there are several companies making streams and rivers, as well as silicone roads, etc.
JR Miniatures and BTC (battlefield terrain concepts listed battlefieldterrain.com) are two that I've bought successfully in the past with good results.
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Post by loyalist on Sept 7, 2016 12:53:00 GMT
Unfortunately JR Miniatures stopped production more than a year ago - I haven't heard that anyone bought their moulds and resumed production. There was a fellow in the UK making excellent terrain in 15 and 28mm, included flexible paved and dirt roads, swamps and ponds, regular hedges and bocage; after I'd received a couple of large orders he went out of business.
I'm glad the Command tower is being produced but wish it could be bought without the bunker as I have several I could mount it on already. I'd like to see Mk IV Patton and Monitor turrets sold separately for use on bunkers.
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 7, 2016 13:06:09 GMT
I found a provider at a convention for the JR Miniatures, but, I suspect that his stock is limited to what he had. The BTC fellow on the other hand had a 'Tiny Terrain' line from England that is ongoing production. I had another firm that was carrying JR stock, I'll have to find the listing. Sad, I liked the JR stuff, particularly their unusual Amazon line and Acid river stuff. Was thinking of doing a scenario of search and destroy a green sludge generator the Martians had sit up to chock and clog river ways to prevent naval forces using them. A kinda green gel with properties somewhat like the Wicker stuff. Ah well.
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Post by farkongnome on Sept 7, 2016 13:19:10 GMT
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Post by terrance on Sept 7, 2016 17:13:38 GMT
I use the roads and rivers from Wizard Kraft; wizardkraft.net/Terrain/. The terrain is great. Rivers up to 8 inches wide, and beaches for invasions. Dirt roads only up to 4 inches wide, but they have cobblestone roads too. Also swamps and ponds. This is a little pricy, but it is hand made, so no two pieces are exactly alike. |
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Post by hardlec on Sept 8, 2016 3:19:46 GMT
My #1 problem with the options listed above is cost. I don't have $100 for a single feature like roads or rivers. I can do a lot more with ten bucks than make a single foot-long road or river.
The FoW hedgehogs are very pricey. Making them out of scraps is great, if you have the right scraps. I will have to mass produce my own.
I have yet to see manufactured terrain that is anything like cost effective. I have to think that a big part of why companies that make terrain come and go so fast is because their products are too expensive.
This seems odd, because historical, fantasy or Sci Fi, and in all scales, all miniatures games need terrain.
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 8, 2016 11:09:08 GMT
Hmm, you've pointed out a good business model for the miniature community. If someone would do an all terrain company (maybe Tiny Terrain is it), with reasonable prices, they'd capture the market. This is why I actively support Scott with his Paper Terrain products. He has a good mix of 'rivers/streams, roads, and buildings along with railroad tracks and rolling stock. Fortifications, AQ specific items, even troops if you're so inclined (at least the small packs of those Napoleonics for $25). Construction paper and other companies making things like trees (Fat Dragon) round out things nicely. All rubber cemented (or more permanently) to a styrofoam 'board' making up several sections and you have a easy 4 x 6' table to play on with good looking terrain at affordable prices. I agree much of the industry is way overpriced for what they do. A look at prices of paint bears that out painfully - so much for a 2 oz. bottle compared to much lower prices at the hardware store for much more paint - the price per oz. is ridiculous. They sell to a 'captive' audience and get away with it. Gads enough of the rant already - sorry, it is a pet peeve of mine as well.
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Post by loyalist on Sept 8, 2016 13:07:56 GMT
For terrain I buy small bottles of acrylic paint at a local fabric store, or the same type at a Michael's art supply store (a US chain). Far far cheaper than the Vallejo or GW paints that I use for figures, and just as durable. You get more than 3 times the volume for a lower price.
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Post by hardlec on Sept 8, 2016 15:02:24 GMT
I buy luiquitex professional artists paint for figs, but for terrain I use Apple Barrel or Folk Art.
Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabric & Craft and Michaels all have Apps with coupons, usually 40% off one item.
Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace ed. al. mix colors rather than stocking them. They can match anything you can bring in. You can buy paint buy the quart which is sometimes what I need for big projects, like entire tabletops.
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 10, 2016 10:26:21 GMT
Yeapers we think so much alike at times. I too use the variety of stuff you mention. At Lowe's they sometime have jars that weren't picked up or were mixed wrong for a $1.00 apiece! I've got some nice flesh tones, "British" green, and other colors sitting on my workbench just waiting to be used. For less than 8 bucks, I've got enough of those various colors to do miniatures for months. Liquidtex is an excellent paint source  |
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 11, 2016 11:44:22 GMT
I've been in contact with BTC and need to correct that Tiny Terrain is actually a USA firm! They also have Timecast, which is British - both make silicone terrain. I've poked around on the BTC site - the site is still under construction. I'm sure we'll see more and someone will probably pickup JRs as well - too good to be without.
battlefieldterrain.com
Note that he also carries the CigarBox line of mats.
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Post by Quendil on Sept 15, 2016 6:55:09 GMT
I have bought some of Fat Franks roads from ebay in the UK and they are very good
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 15, 2016 13:03:07 GMT
Fat Frank?? got an address??
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