Friday 19 July 2013

Armies on Parade board, your help needed

This is a live request, I've interupted my usual schedule for a bit of advice. The original intention of my Armies on Parade board was to do a plain 2'x2'. Giving me the experiene of laying down some foam and then covering it in what I thought would be a good coating - PVA, flock and my vermillion art acylic. I was then going to use Red Oxide Primer to add some additional tones and then go about adding even more effects.

However, I cut my 2'x2' from a sheet of 5mm MDF [8 mins spent on this already Warhammer 39,999]


And I also have these sheets of 1" thick peach foam. Unfortunately the foam was originally 2" thick and my brother kindly split it but the resulting rough side, which would be the top surface, would require a bit of finishing to be in a state I would be happy with. Additionally there isn't a piece that would cover the board in one go so I'd need to add sections here and there. Quite frankly my current passion has shifted elsewhere and I just want to get this done and finished so I can move onto the other things and then crack on with the Dark Angels, I owe them.


So my new idea is to just go with the flat MDF and perhaps use that hill shape for a hill in the corner, I think I'd be comfortable just smoothing off the hill. Although I'm conditioned to think this board will be too thin, you expect at least an inch on these things but at least it will be lightweight and easy to transport - the figures are the key element for me, not really the board.

My issue is this doesn't fit with the original intent, it doesn't give me the skills should I wish to create my own Battle Board, although I've been considering just throwing the towel in on that and going for a GW Realm of Battle board as it could fit with Liam, Ben and Otty's. However I don't play at home, the eldest is no longer interested and can I justify £150+ on something that will get little use? Whereas if I made my own for around £30 plus time I can easily come to terms with that.

So what do you suggest I do?
  1. Cut my losses and get it done so I can move onto the cool stuff.
  2. Stick to my principals and put the appropriate amount of effort I planned to learn the skills just in case I make my own board.

8 comments:

  1. Will the board be used more than this once? If you are wanting to make your own table going forward I would persevere. If you make this 2x2 section you can always make more in future to make a whole table if you so desired.

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    1. I think the only reason it'll be used more than once is for another Armies on Parade. I'd planned that if I was to make a table it would be in three 2'x4', better to rest on my table. Admittedly less versatile but my boards would be flat anyway.

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  2. Another alternative is to get either fantasy modular movement trays and use the bottom tray parts as floor tile sections or get some "granny grate" from the art or fabric store for a metal look. These both are pretty cheap and lend themselves to flat boards

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    1. Thanks Psybilliah, I'm hoping to make it as an extension of Ferron Proxima so it has to be Red Planet based. That's not to say I could add some battlefield debris as you suggest though.

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  3. Maybe not the look you were planning, but for some reason looking at that irregular shaped piece made me think it would be cool if you cut the others to wrap around it so you have 4-6 big pieces creating fissures running through the board. Makes me think of the latter stages of a bug invasion where the world itself has become broken.

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    1. Thanks Evan, if I get it done quick then perhaps the Capillary Towers I have planned could be done in time and achieve the same latter stages impression you're suggesting. I think otI've I was to go down that route completely I'd have to do loads of cracks and tendril vines coming out.

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  4. When it comes to hobby work I say go with what inspires you. If this is not fun or interesting now you can come back later.
    I personally have a dozen or so projects that can languish for a year or two before I get back to them due to work space, time or inspiration.

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    1. Cheers Turiya, I think I do just need to box it off. If the board is done then I needn't worry, I have everything to enter and if I have time to add more of the fun stuff then that's just the icing on the cake.

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