Those who have following this blog for some time will know that I have not been totally happy with the original game board, it just looked too 'snooker table' like, I had no issue with the hex markings, but the bare green of the board really bothered me. So bit the bullet. Over the last week I have been gradually dabbing, sticking, drybrushing and generally enjoying myself with the board stood up againt the wall like a large canvas! At one point I almost tore the damn cloth out of the frame as I thought I had completey ruined it ..... but slowly it seems to be coming together, I'm quite pleased with it so far. I still need a bit here and there, and then to do all the hill sections to match, but it's close to what I had hoped to achieve, bearing in mind that I had to 'dodge' every single hex point dot on the board .... I think I covered only 2. I really did not want to go through the hex marking again so I had to work this way and it explains the short brush strokes you see.
So now I'm happy again with the 95mm hexes! The units dont appear so far apart now for some reason. And the board can be carried downstairs if I want to play in the dining room. Its a bit heavy as I used 10mm Ply I had in the garage, to be honest its much heavier than it could have been if I'd used lighter wood. Still it's managable. I still plan to make the smaller more portable version using glued on graphics, but my printer seems to have packed up, right after I replaced the cartidges for this job.
Few pictures below, please be brutaly honest, what do you think? Too patchy? Quilt like? Any suggestions welcome. I'll do the hilles tomorrow as I'm itching to play another Commands & Colors game on the table, Vassal is good, but just not the same as playing with model soldiers.
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| Vistula lancers on patrol in Spain. |
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| As it was - the 'snooker table' version. |
That really is a terrific result - looks great. Maybe a few longer blotches mixed in would break it up even more - really good, though. Astonishing how much more natural that looks, and the terrain pieces sit well with it.
ReplyDeleteMind you, that's ruined the snooker, hasn't it?
Cheers - Tony
I kind of like the plain green one but I'm just 'Old School' at heart. You've done a good job and it's definitely got more character now.
ReplyDeleteMASSIVE improvement Lee... I love it!
ReplyDeleteBRAVO!
ReplyDeleteWhen you take the photos from a distance will be the time you really enjoy having done all that paint action.
The bowling green was very old school, had you done your minis bases in the same style it would not have mattered. It was the 'mix' of textured bases and plain green that was making your eye twitch and urged you to do something about it. Certainly changing the table cloth is faster and easier than re-basing.
For the painting ... almost any approach would work. For keeping your hex dots I would have suggested getting those little sticker circles (like children get for work done in class) and put them over the dots, then you could just go wild with your brush strokes as the stickers would be covering the painted dots.
Well done!
I think you've done a great job. Like camoflage, its all about breaking it up. Not only does the vegetation, soil etc vary in life, there is also the play of light and shadowd as sunlight hits all the tiny hollows and rises too small to notice other wise.
ReplyDeleteThe bases fit better as well as Murdock has already mentioned. They look right at home now.
The yellow grids dots are virtually indistinguishable amongst all the other colour yet are there when you look closely. Hopefully they will be easy enough to see during play.
Well done.
Hi Lee, I think you've got that just right. As Ross says, the units look like they fit in properly now. Let's see a battle now for the final verdict!
ReplyDeleteIan
Hi Lee,
ReplyDeleteFantastic job.
You should be well satisfied with your results.
Regards,
John
Excellent looking table. I liked the 'snooker one' but must confess it now looks far better.
ReplyDeleteNo else's opinion should matter except your own - it's your table - my personal opinion is that it now looks very good!
ReplyDeleteOne word. Outstanding.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the feedback, I'm on the right track now for sure. I'll try to stop moaning about my board and get on with some wargaming now. I have finished all the hill hexes so I'm ready at last.
ReplyDeleteMurdock, that is a very good idea.... I wish I'd thought of that earlier!
Battle coming up next!
Cheers all,
Lee.
Lee, wonderful work. You've really outdone yourself. I wish I had the skill to emulate you.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I've nominated you for a Liebster. Read all about it here.
http://joyandforgetfulness.blogspot.ie/2012/11/leibster-awards.html
Your results are fantastic. I have been using a Command Mat from I got from Hotz, but this inspires me to make one of my own. Nicely done
ReplyDelete