[ntaw]

Hello fellow Heretics! :drinks:

Took a break from building and painting models to work on a table idea for Shadow War or smaller games of 40k (maybe even Zone Mortalis if you just play the table without terrain). I figure, if you want a ton of levels to play at why not start with a level built into the board itself? Going for a long dried out sewage treatment plant or something of that ilk. If nothing else, sludgy water channels all over a city. Once I get this all done I can set out working on the pieces of terrain that take it vertical; the plan is to have at least four levels above the main table level (six levels for models!). This is my rough sketching of the tiles themselves as well as some of the details I plan to do ("F" tiles are entirely raised up 2" to allow for larger buildings).

I got on a sketching roll and did a few 3x3 tables thinking more about Zone Mortalis, one has been shaded to indicate playable area (grey).

Today I was able to get all the MDF I need for the tiles, which means I can start production pretty much as soon as I can throw some more time at it. Really stoked to get this rolling; I might not be able to play a 2k match of 40k fully painted but Shadow War? Oh I got that model count covered :laugh:

More to follow, any questions or comments are more than welcome! As much as I've drawn until it's all glued in place there's room for anything to happen.

 

[ntaw]

Some ideas for buildings, the large one is much more a general idea of size than the others. For the core structures of the thin tower and the double-stack I'm planning on using empty cans (classic) and foamcore panels like the main flooring for the walkways.

These are my original rough drawings of 3x3 table combinations. Red squares are buildings and blue lines are walkways between them at varying heights. The walkways will be similar to the bridges, I'd like to be able to make them up to 16" long but we'll see what supports models when I start doing sub assembly (essentially, eons from now when the board and buildings are done).

I originally thought I would be doing the cutting myself, but some young and helpful lad at Rona set me up pretty huge. I got this stack of 1/2" MDF cut into 1' squares for a whopping $3.39 after hunting for some scrap.

Special shout-out goes to the person that cut a 4" strip off the long side of a 8'x4' sheet. That's a win! :laugh: I've already measured and penciled out some of the tiles.

Added bonus: I found something I can use for mesh at the dollar store. I love that they advertise plastic mesh as being rust proof :scratchhead:

Going to try and find time to cut all my foam into the requisite bits needed for this project this week. Woo! :grin:

 

[thebuilder]

I will be following this keenly!

 

[ntaw]

On scrounging my storage locker I got a couple 2'x2' squares of 2" foam available for this. We'll see if that's enough when I start cutting things up :scratchhead: I think I may have to grab a bit more, but I may have just found a buyer for one of my older tables (4x4 trench table) so that will pretty much seal the deal on supplies (and space...oh, space) for this project and maybe even get some fresh plastic!

All mdf tiles have been pencil marked for foam to be glued down. Minor progress, but progress nonetheless k:

 

[ntaw]

Well, I didn't have enough 2" foam to get everything cut today, but I got a crap ton accomplished regardless. I have all of the 4" and most of the 2" cuts done, but not the 12" squares. I'll do my best to get some gluing done and pics up by the end of the week.

Cutting foam with a band saw is the best ever, by the way. Doing these blocks with a knife or wire cutter would have been waaaaay more work.

 

[ntaw]

The stack on the left is good to go, stuff on the right needs to go back for some more cutting. I got the requisite foam for the fully raised up tiles as well so back to the workshop I go if I get some spare time.

My very professional gluing station out on the balcony:

Finally, the seven tiles I was able to finish yesterday:

Nine more to go, hopefully the weather clears up over the weekend and I can get those finished. Until then I'll just have to kill my spare time by perusing the Shadow War rulebook I just got :biggrin:

 

[Brother Dextus]

Looks like a pretty epic project!

 

[ntaw]

Looks like a pretty epic project!

It's a bit of an undertaking, that's for sure :laugh:

 

[ntaw]

Got the 'room' tiles cut yesterday, figured I'd start with clean edges despite wanting to fill in the corners for a battle-damaged/eroded look. Sadly it won't be warm enough to glue outside until Sunday. Stupid weather! :ireful2:

 

[ntaw]

All sixteen pieces, glued and ready for foamcore:

 

[ntaw]

I've put foamcore on the bottom of all the tiles and have started adding mesh to the tops. Been pinning away as I can manage the time to pull a couple tiles out.

I also have (I think) sufficient 2" cuts for trench walls and have started doing only the straightest of cuts for the finishing pieces on the tops. Thinking I'll be shoving a finishing nail through strategic points in the foamcore tops to hold them in place while the glue dries and for rivets in the long run of things when I get the mesh done.

Yes, I could do the edges and the trim together and save a step. Figured I'd save the frustration of trying to hold the previously rolled plastic mesh in place while getting it all square and pretty. 10/16 tiles meshed so far.

 

[Old Man78]

Impressive start, I'll be keeping an eye on this. I also like your use of diy materials

 

[ntaw]

Impressive start, I'll be keeping an eye on this. I also like your use of diy materials

Thanks pal! This project has really been done on a shoe-string budget but it can quickly get pretty expensive. I happened to get a lot of the stuff I needed for this project for almost free from job sites and off cuts, as well I have a healthy supply of tools from my background in home renovations/carpentry that have helped out a ton along the way.

In lieu of that, this project has currently cost me ~$40 where it would have been probably closer to $150-200 had I bought everything new for the first time. Things like a caulking gun for styrofoam adhesive, putty knives and spackle/filler, sand/moss/texture adding elements in general, and access to power tools (bandsaw saved the day on all that foam cutting) are things that get used again and again but I already had it all from my previous dealings.

As for the project's progress, everything looks good for me being done the mesh and onto more foamcore in the next day or two.

EDIT: Or I could get to it today.

 

[Spoticus]

I look forward to seeing the continued progress on this. Very impressive!

 

[ntaw]

I look forward to seeing the continued progress on this. Very impressive!

Thanks pal! Just for that here's what the B tiles look like with the top pinned down:

I'll have a couple hours to throw at it again tomorrow, looking to get at least four more tiles 'topped'. I'm actually really stoked to get through these broad stroke details and down to the nitty gritty additions that will make this board look way cooler.

 

[ntaw]

Holy fucking Emperor I am buying a table saw with delicate little blades for foamcore. This ruler and knife (I am using a bigger and better knife than before, way more appropriate blades) thing is far too time consuming.

8/16 tiles topped, if I can get the other 8 done by the end of the week I'll consider myself on schedule....whatever that means. I just wanna get to the fun details already! :ireful2:

 

[Brother Dextus]

This looks bloody good!
I cant quite picture how it will look finished, but certainly looking forward to what you come up with.

 

[ntaw]

This looks bloody good!
I cant quite picture how it will look finished, but certainly looking forward to what you come up with.

Thanks! :drinks: Let's see if I can describe my vision a little bit here...

The tops (main floor) will look pretty much as they are, though I will be adding manholes here and there once I get to that stage. The trench/canals will have popsicle stick 'straps' every few inches that run across the bottom and up the walls; the unfinished top of foamcore wall and cut popsicle stick will be covered by a foamcore topper about the same size as the strips present (the walls sit flush with the bits I just nailed down). Added bonus, this will mean anyone being shot at from across a trench will likely be partially obscured as those edges will be 1/4" up from the mesh floor. There will also be the occasional drainage pipe coming into the trench/canals, and plenty of grime everywhere (sand and moss mixed into the PVA). There's also a three tile 'pool' area that will have two raised drain sections at the join between tiles, one of which busted out with a ladder or something nifty like that.

I'll try and get through to some of those details soon so that this thing can really start to take shape! k:

 

[ntaw]

FINALLY DONE. If I ever do something like this again I will do it better and take less than half the time I have here (which was a god damned stupid amount of time spent :laugh.

A selection of tiles with the tops attached:

Some of the connections look a little borky right now, that will neaten up a bit once I get more done.

Here's the fully raised tile's look:

Credit goes where it's due, that Tuborg (and several of its friends) helped me get through cutting almost an entire 20x30" sheet of foamcore into 3/16" strips for this step.

Into the canals!

 

[ntaw]

Did all the canal walls today. Going a little cross-eyed from cutting foamcore...getting close to done though!