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Subject: 2.0
Introduction |
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This guide will
help inexperienced modelers to start building terrain and
scenery. The hints and tips included here were culled
from books, magazines, across the Internet and the
experiences of many terrain builders on
rec.games.miniatures.*
I previously intended to post this
FAQ regularly but response was virtually non-existant, so
it will now be posted only when there are major changes.
Please feel free to suggest changes and additional data. |
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Note:
TBD = To Be Developed (not finished
yet.)
GW = Games Workshop |
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2.1 What is
"Terrain / Scenery"? |
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Technically,
"terrain" means a tract of land, while
"scenery" means accesories used to make a stage
appear real. I tend to use the words in this FAQ as if
they mean the same thing. |
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2.2 Why
build scenery? |
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If you operate
model trains you'll know why - scenery makes your trains
look much more realistic. The same is true of scale
models and miniatures wargamming. I play wargames
produced by Games Workshop who provides printed cardboard
and plastic scenery in their boxed games (Necromunda is
the best to date with its multistorey card and plastic
bulkhead structures.) They also produce supplements
including scenery. GW says that the denser the terrain
the better the game and suggest covering at least half of
the playing surface.
In miniatures wargamming, scenery
not only makes the game look better but it also serves a
real purpose - it breaks up line-of-sight (LOS) and
fields-of-fire. This prevents powerful or long range
weapons from dominating the game. It also evens the odds
when armies are unbalanced. |
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2.3 General
Advice |
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My best advice is
creativity. This is not a "clever" comment, but
a suggestion to look at everyday things from a different
viewpoint. It is amazing what you can do with a couple of
drops of creativity...
Keep in mind the purpose of your
scenery. Always keep a couple of your figures around to
check you can get them into your buildings or between the
trees in your woods.
Unless you're an experienced
modelmaker I recommend starting small. Build up your
experience and scenery collection before you put a lot of
effort into your masterpiece. |
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2.4 Getting
Started |
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- Decide what
type of terrain you're going to build
- Decide on
your environment
- Get your
supplies and tools. Nothing will stop a project
faster than running out of materials
- Start
building
- Add finishing
touches
- Play!
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