What size 10mm hills?

[NeilCFord]

Seizing as I seem to have caught the scenic bug and I'm sure even my meagre abilities are up to making some hills to go under a terrain cloth, I'm after some advice as to size and materials. I know I could use books or bundled up rags, but having something in the terrain box might be a little more practical in the long run.

So, where should I start?

- Neil.

[fred.]

I use some blue insulation foam, cut into various sizes of ovals. Its about 8-10mm thick, and I've made various sizes of ovals that can be stacked on top of each other, which when covered with a cloth seem to work as hills.  I also have some bigger bits of fairly high density white polystyrene to help with bigger areas of high ground.

I find that most wargames hills are too low, and tend to cover too small an area. Height is important, it lets cavalry hide behind them. 

Being able to raise up large areas is good, as this mimics real terrain a lot more than isolated hills.

[Subedai]

I use polystyrene tiles (yes, I saw the practical wargaming use for them -before they came unfashionable and quite dangerous when heat is added to the equation- and kept a carrier bag full of whole tiles and bits of tiles), plus other bits of polystyrene packaging. PVA'd to thin MDF bases with chamfered edges and covered with masking tape, then PVA/sand and painted. More info on my blog here:

http://thewordsofsubedai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/latest-terrain-projects.html

[FierceKitty]

Mine are plywood. Simple and practical. If they were made to a realistic vertical figure scale, the hlouse wouldn't be big enough to contain them.

[NeilCFord]

Fiercekitty - What thickness of plywood?

Everyone - what average size do you go for?

And thanks all for the advice so far, appreciated.

- Neil.

[FierceKitty]

About 8 mm. They're frankly conventional rather than realistic.

[NeilCFord]

About 8 mm. They're frankly conventional rather than realistic.

Thanks. That gives me something to start with. A couple of bits of 8mm something will tell me if they give me a look I lik. I can then work from there.

- Neil.

[FierceKitty]

What works for me might not be to your taste. Check out some of my posts - there are numerous photographs showing my terrain.
I'm influenced by the consideration that elements need to stand firmly on or in features.

[Subedai]

Fiercekitty - What thickness of plywood?

Everyone - what average size do you go for?

And thanks all for the advice so far, appreciated.

- Neil.

For height, using 3mm MDF plus at least two possible more levels you are looking at a minimum of 30mm and upwards from there. For footprint, it depends on the size of your playing area, mine is 5 x 4 and my hills are anything from 8" to 12" round...approximately because some are roundish but others are definitely more of an ovoid shape.

[Leman]

This strikes me of having an element of 'how long is a piece of string?' about it.

[NeilCFord]

This strikes me of having an element of 'how long is a piece of string?' about it.

More a case of dipping in to the perceived wisdom and getting some starting points. I now have some ideas of thickness of material to use and a good starting size to work from. Development can now proceed with much less trial and error.

- Neil.

[fred.]

... and my hills are anything from 8" to 12" round...approximately because some are roundish but others are definitely more of an ovoid shape.

I'd say mine are typically of this sort of size too.

Big enough to make a difference to the game, not so big that they take up half the table. Although sometimes I do build a plateau at one end.

With layer hills I put a fleece throw over the hills, then put the gaming mat over the top o this, this tends to smooth out steps a bit more, and help the gaming mat lie flat.

[Rob]

Hi Neil,

I use B&Q cork floor tiles. They are very cheap and you can cut them to shape with a large pair of scissors. The advantage I have found over other materials is weight and durability. They are bendy so do not break easily and because of the cheapness and lightness you can have as many as you like.

I paint them on one side with a very thin wash of green. If used as hills they are green side up and you can layer one on top of another in a contour like system to represent various heights. I use them also reversed to represent perimeters of built up areas and woods.

You can see them in use in these old posts:

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,6728.0.html
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,3924.0.html

Cheers, Rob

[Last Hussar]

What are people's views on the Featherstone-esque 'stepped hills'?

Upside- easy to make - figures stand on them without slipping over - obvious LoS is blocked
Downside - Looks like bits of wood on top of each other and has steps.

[Leman]

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