This Years Terrain Project -- The Crater

[Phaze]

I had this game board I used for my Necron Army many years ago. I recently broke it out and wondered what I could do to modify it for Robotech.

Once I removed the pieces that were 40K related, I was left with a flat board with 5 small craters (Rough Terrain). I need something that would block LOS. A moon base would be cool, but frankly I could not get it done in time for the Open House. So I decided to make a much larger crater with a high jutting rim and an area internal that minis could still be placed. I sat done and sketched it out, and while doing this realized that if I made it in pieces, it would be easier to move (it would be 2 1/2 foot wide), I could make the crater larger by spreading it out, or just use it as hills by placing the pieces around and not in a circle.

So out come the razor blades, hot wire cutter, spray adhesive, and a pile of scrap foam from my city build last year.

Here is the start:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150419_220926.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/FB_IMG_1429499969267.jpg

I had a thin piece of plywood laying around so I sketched the pieces out on the plywood and used my scroll saw to cut it out. Then I glued the crater to it as a sturdy base.

[Phaze]

Tonight, I finished trimming out the pieces, I added cracks, smoothed out the edges with sandpaper to help hide the fact its made from foam.

In the first image it still rough:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150420_234938.jpg

Now it is sanded smooth for a older rock appearance and less foam board...

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_000414.jpg

I used a technique to hid the gaps between pieces on another terrain piece I made for a Pathfinder RPG I was running. I loved how it turned out so I will be using the same technique here.

This is how I did it. First I aged the foam board slightly by spraying it with spray paint. This melts the board and gives it an uneven texture, further hiding the fact that it is made of foam board. Next, I use a thin mixture of PVA glue and water and soaked Toilet Paper with it to create a flimsy paper Mache out of it and used this to fill the cracks. I let it dry for two days, then painted it, and dry-brushed it using several lighter colors.

I added the bridge I made from Hirst Arts molds and cleaned up the area with stone ballast and pva glue. Here was the result:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_000513.jpg

Up close you can see the gaps filled:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_000529.jpg

I will be using this technique on the crater. It will be cool!

[Phaze]

So I spray painted the foam board and base with several paints... First a Black. My objective is to have the spray paint melt the foam just enough to break up the blockiness (not a real word but you know what I mean). Then I coated it with a textured paint I had left over from another project, in this case a gritty texture.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_200349.jpg

Then i mix a thin mixture of PVA Glue and water (3 or 4 to 1, water to glue). I take the toilet paper, shred it, and drop it in the cup to completely soak it. After a few minutes, I take out the TP and start filling the cracks of the boards.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_200938.jpg

Here is the first piece finished. It will take several days to dry.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150421_204209.jpg

Got to be done by the Open House... got lots to do.

[Phaze]

Its Dry! Now to lather on some 50% mixture of PVA glue and water along the edges and sprinkle a mixture of sand, coarse sand, and small stones:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150507_195019.jpg

After that dry's another day, we paint it all black. Then we give it a heavy dry brush of dark gray.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150509_213138.jpg

Then one more lighter dry brush of light gray. And finally a touch of white VERY Dry brush on the tops of the stones:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150509_214512.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150509_215008.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/Jakovaltrade/Terrain%20Test%20Robotech/20150509_215334.jpg

Ready for the Games!