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A Space Marine Biker from my son George's collection eyes up
some mysterious aliens beyond the perimeter fence |
For Christmas I got a copy of GW's rather excellent
How To Make Wargames Terrain. I've never really made my own terrain before (except for a few 10mm trees) so I thought I would have a stab at something straightforward before I commenced building a Minas Tirith or similar. Wire mesh fences it was then. The guide has a good photo of a fence made from aluminium mesh and foamboard. Here's how I got on following their instructions.
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Card & Foamboard bases
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First step was to cut out bases. I used strips 15cm x 3cm. The book says you can use card, which I did, but I ended up with a small amount of warpage. Next time I think I would use wood just to be sure. The foamboard is the 5mm stuff which I think is the standard size you can get from any art shop.
I removed the thin card strip from one side of the foamboard (this was easily done by sliding a sharp knife between the foam and the card). This was then used as the top side.
I stuck the foamboard to the card with PVA glue (this is when the warping happens - I was able to gently bend it back into shape when dry). I tapered the ends to more easily make corners when setting up a game.
Now, a craft knife was used to carve the foam into something resembling a rough sloping bank of earth.
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| Carved base |
It was now time to add some fence posts. For these I used some of the girder shape plastic strip that is available from most model shops. This was the most expensive part of the fencing - I ended up using 2 strips that cost about 90p each making just 4 fence bases. When the fence posts were cut - I pushed them into the foam and then used super glue to fix them in position.
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| Posts in position |
I now painted the posts a steel colour (using the Foundry metal paint triad) and washed them using Devlan Mud. It is compulsory in wargaming to use Devlan Mud in all painting projects. The foam base was then coated in PVA glue with sand and other scenic rock stuff sprinkled on.
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| Bases ready for painting |
I painted the bases using a formula from an article in an old
Battlegames article. This involves a coat of chocolate brown, a wetbrush layer of Vallejo Orange Brown, a drybrush of Vallejo medium flesh and finally a drybrush of Vallejo Buff. And a little bit of Devlan Mud on the rocks. Naturally.
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| Painted Bases |
Now to add the wire mesh. For this I used some mesh that I had rescued from an old kitchen sieve. I'm not sure where you would buy mesh separately but sieves are easily available from pound shops or places like Wilkos (or for the foolhardy they can be stolen from the kitchen).
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| Rescued from the kitchen (with permission!) |
I cut the mesh into strips and distressed it a bit using pliers so that it looks like a battered piece of fencing before glueing it to the posts. Now a handy tip for idiots. If you use super glue and hold the mesh in place against your post then the glue will seep through the holes in the mesh and handily attach your finger to the mesh and fence post. This it not a theory. I can vouch for it.
Once the glue has set I drybrushed the fencing and posts with some dark brown and orange brown to create a dirty rusty effect and that was just about it....
I added a small sign to one of the fences using a bit of plasticard and an old transfer from the bits box and now I know that my little plastic men will feel totally protected against any alien incursions...
