Kallistra

[cameronian]

Not really specific to the 19th century (not at all actually) but I value the opinions of your good selves - so. I'm considering going completely over to Kallistra hexes for my terrain boards with concomitant changes to the rules we're using. Does anyone have personal experience of the product and/or any good photos of terrain boards constructed using Kallistra hexes. Obviously there will need to be a fair bit of modding to get the right look, villages, towns, streams not as wide as the Iser (!) but I'm increasingly drawn to the idea. Comments please.

[jimduncanuk]

Not really specific to the 19th century (not at all actually) but I value the opinions of your good selves - so. I'm considering going completely over to Kallistra hexes for my terrain boards with concomitant changes to the rules we're using. Does anyone have personal experience of the product and/or any good photos of terrain boards constructed using Kallistra hexes. Obviously there will need to be a fair bit of modding to get the right look, villages, towns, streams not as wide as the Iser (!) but I'm increasingly drawn to the idea. Comments please.

Some views here:



http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/hexon-ii.html

http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/hexon-ii-continued.html

http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/hexon-ii-part-trois.html

[fsn]

Oooooh! I keep looking at Kallistra. I like the way you can stack them and get them stashed away.

I worked out how much it would cost me and was a bit shocked.

I think you should go for it and let me know how you get on.  

[petercooman]

I only use the water boards, but they are very easy to put away and lay out again. They can go back in the box you buy them in:

[FierceKitty]

I like their figures, though they're on the big side and loom a bit if mixed with smaller ranges; but in irregular units that's rather a plus, I think.

[Ithoriel]

I like their figures, though they're on the big side and loom a bit if mixed with smaller ranges; but in irregular units that's rather a plus, I think.

... and your opinion on the topic of the OP is?

I've only used the hex system as a player in two games. Despite the fact that neither game used the hex grid there still seemed to be a tendency to align with the hex sides. I thought it looked good but the hex pattern was a distraction. That effect may well wear off in time though.

I ever win the lottery this is definitely on my "to buy" list and is on my "mad money" list in any case.

[FierceKitty]

Much as yours on the subject of distraction. I can accept a certain degree of abstraction on my gaming table (like using 6mm scale buildings), but hexes go too far for me. But let me not, Cassius, hinder your desires....

[Norm]

My website and blog have quite a collection of images,

Here is a starter page.

LINK - http://commanders.simdif.com/painting-table.html

[Ithoriel]

My website and blog have quite a collection of images,

Norm, you are NOT helping me resist the temptation to buy enough to cover a 1800mm x 1200mm table - those look very good!

Very quick tot up of what I'd want tops £250

I need to sell something .... kidney ... first born ... soul

[Last Hussar]

Are you changing the rules because you are going to hexes, or you want to use hex based rules?

[cameronian]

The former. Thank you all for the comments

[fred.]

One of my gaming mates has a lot of Hexon tiles. Which we often play on, but we have never played any hex based rules.

Building hills with Hexon is quite hard work, trying to get all the right slopes for the outer edges, so that they join up smoothly. Also the hills are not very high or steep. Each tile is less than the height of a based 10mm figure, and the slope pieces are a full hex across so give a very gentle slope. So you end up with hills covering a very large area that are pretty low so don't block line of sight very well.

A double height hill slope hex would be good - but you would end up using loads of tiles to get the internal structure of the hill.

But you can build fairly large raised areas.

Personally I'd rather use layered foam sheets under a terrain cloth for hills.

[mart678]

I have shed loads of Kalistra terrain boards I bought all mine unflocked I then painted them and flocked them myself the hexes are hardly noticeable also I have on the reverse built Fields roads and rivers into the boards

[Norm]

Fred, I found that getting a box of blue Hexon terrain for naval battles, served the double purpose of providing the packing needed for the deeper slope tiles.

[fred.]

Fred, I found that getting a box of blue Hexon terrain for naval battles, served the double purpose of providing the packing needed for the deeper slope tiles.

A cunning idea.

on the reverse built Fields roads and rivers into the boards

This is a very good idea. I was surprised that Kallistra's rivers sit in the boards, when dropping them into the depth of the board would look so much better.