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View Full Version : 40k terrain, tables, basing models?



biffster666
09-22-2013, 05:02 PM
This was a discussion that came up on another 40k forum I haunt (shameless plug for 40kforums.com) in regards to terrain specifically, but it covered tables also.

Regarding terrain, I got the impression most people don't like the GW kits because of 'looks' (all the terrain looks the same!) and $$. The first thing I've always told people about 40k if they show an interest is that if $$ is a 'concern' then you're going to be 'concerned' when it comes to all things 40k so you should 'concern' yourself with something else entirely. Back in the day it was kewl making our own terrain, but now that I'm older with less free time I love being able to buy the kits and go to town! I also don't think that the kits 'look the same'. When I get home the beginning of Oct. I'll post some pictures of the terrain we've built using the various kits.

Regarding tables, it almost always came down to space being an issue. If space wasn't an issue who wouldn't want a table (8x4 or 6x4) at their house? Cost was mentioned, but not nearly as much of a factor as with terrain.

When it comes to basing your figures, building your own terrain, or a table I suggest you visit a hobby store that specializes in trains. You'll save a ton of money.

Anywho, I'm curious...

Do you use the GW terrain kits, only make your own terrain, both? Do you buy the GW base kits? Do you have a table at home, only play at the local shop, both?

sangrail777
09-22-2013, 07:16 PM
Gw terrain kits all the way, along with the realms of battle board sets. Nobody complains when they play at my house, lots of terrain to choose from.

lobster-overlord
09-22-2013, 07:32 PM
I've been the terrain guy for my friends, and it's been a mix of everything. Paper-cardstock buildings, GW ruins and cities of death kits, boxes of toys and converted/kitbasked monstrosities. I've loved the GW kits, but I also like being able to build weird stuff out of those and others.

It's actually been cheaper to build the table itself, than some of the terrain. For the longest time, I had a full 4x8 in my office (large room in back of house) but since I've had a family, I've had to rely on just being able to find tables at the places we play that we can just pull my terrain out on.

John M>

Chaoschrist
09-22-2013, 09:09 PM
A mix of both GW kits & some custom scenery does it for me. But I guess there's a preference thing to what kind of table (planet/setting) you wish to play on. The table I'm still having to complete (but it's playable as a surface) is a simple grassland and most of my scenery fits that. Overgrown Dragon teeth, overgrown rusty tanks, forests. At some point I might do an overgrown manufactorum though.

If I were to do a urban setting for my cityfight gaming, I'd probably invest in more GW kits cause I like those buildings and style. I've always liked the rich cityscapes GW presents in their pictures.

So with that it depends on what theme I want to run what route I'm going. And since I'm trying to save up some cash right now, I'm clearly looking at more money saving themes (hence I end up with a grassland). Well, that, and the fact that I have a few other gaming systems which might profit from grassland rather than urban sci-fi setting (Warmachine being one).

It really depends on where I play... I can play at home, but I only have one friend in my area (and I don't know a lot of people from my city into 40k; or any wargaming for that matter), so he can come over for a game. But I often go to a "local" store (25 miles or so from where I live) and they have a decent amount of players and "enough" tables to play and have small tournaments. They have enough scenery to use, and that's mostly GW kits, other gaming company kits and some scenery made on the cheap with cans and pipes.

So answer is both in terms of "do you buy GW kits or make it yourself?" and "do you game home or at stores/clubs?"

Paulo187
09-23-2013, 09:58 AM
My position is that one should have a variety of terrain. Felt mats from JoAnn's fabrics are cheap and can be draped on any size dining room table or 8'x4' table and look great. I have a green felt mat for battles on plains and jungles, a beige felt mat for desert, and one of those rubber Zuzzy urban grey mats for city fights. That way you have some variety.

I use the GW builidings almost exclusively for the urban battles. I use some cardstock Mordheim buildings on the grass or sand mat for little villages. When I do a jungle game I use a mix of aquarium plants and the GW palm trees on flocked cardboard bases.

I also use plenty of the items from "Battlefield in a Box", particularly the river pieces and lagoons. Bodies of water add so much personality to any kind of table. Rivers and canals are a criminally underused bits of terrain and should really see more play.

gensu11
09-23-2013, 03:36 PM
As far as tables, I started with an 8'x4', and have additional table tops in the garage for apocalypse. Terrain wise, I am all over the place, but that includes a heavy dose of GW buildings. Terrain includes GW buildings, amera plastics buildings, homemade hills and buildings out of foam, Pegasus building kits, Home Accent junk from hobby lobby, streets made from vinyl floor tiles, terrain boards from mdf with texture paints and woodland scenic grass mats. The biggest thing for me is that, being in the military, I have to move every 2-4 years, so everything has to be modular and be able to be packed up with some confidence that it won't be destroyed in the next move. My tables are all built to disassemble quickly, and most of my buildings that are taller than 12' tall are magnetized or pinned so that the upper levels can be taken off for storage

Cadian122
09-23-2013, 08:25 PM
I use both, I have an 8'x4' ROB, (plus another 2'x2' section I'm building up for AoP), a bunch of 40K terrain, Wall of Martyrs, Cityfight terrain, etc... But I also have a 6'x4' collapsible board I can use as well, and custom built terrain. I'm having a massive (3-4 day) Apocalypse game over a bank holiday weekend in January, and I'll be using a scratch-built 16'x8' (I think) board (although it is from the base boards for my 00 Gauge Train set), with the ROB boards being additional tables. As I don't have the terrain to do a proper coverage on the main board, I'll be making a bunch of Scratch Built Terrain for it, mostly based around lumps of Foam with Cardboard detailing - its main task is to block LOS, and make the players deploy smartly, and introduce a tactical element to the game.

I'll post the House Rules, and the actual layout on here later...

biffster666
09-23-2013, 10:58 PM
It would definitely be kewl if GW put out more 'nature' terrain. I've got a few of the forests and hills that they put out (bummed they only have the one hill now) and I also use a couple of the WFB terrain pieces. The Chaos terrain piece with the big skulls and spikey stone pillars is a great piece of terrain for 40k even though it's a WFB piece, same with the forest. I also dig the crashed Aquilla Lander, mine is painted up as a Crimson Fist one. I also dig the battlefield terrain piece with the wrecked Rhino, it's painted up as a Blood Angel Rhino. It's a great spot for an objective or to place Scouts/Rangers/Pathfinders in/around. I have the 'Battlefield in a box' rivers and ponds/lagoons, they're great and I agree that 'water' terrain is a rare site at my local shop. I'm the terrain/tables guy for our group as well, most of the guys/gals have families now and that instantly makes space an issue, heh heh. One of the extra rooms at my place has got two 6' shelves that are 18" deep full of different types of terrain. We don't use the method described in the 40k rule book for placing terrain, we always go with a themed table. Cityscape, military complex, ice world, desert, plains, river valley, you name it we can set it up. We've started to build a themed table that's going to be part of The Fang, it's shaping up nicely. I'll take some pictures of what we've put together so far once I'm back in CA. Thanks for the info folks, you've given me even more ideas for tables/terrain!