We've got a really useful release for you next with a load of handy shapes for making roads and rivers! These are available in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, with straights, curves, junctions and more in widths from 20mm up to 75mm.
Despite these being simple MDF shapes, the possibilities are almost endless. A quick coat of grey and some white lines gives you a road, a coat of brown and some static grass gives a country lane, and painting them blue/green/brown makes for an easy river (depending on your view of water colours...) You could even paint both sides and flip them over depending on what you need for each game.
(https://www.pendraken.co.uk/user/news/RoadsRivers.jpg)
And the best bit is the value for money. These are priced very competitively so you could build a full 6ft river or road for less than £5 if you wanted!
And to show what can be done with these, our friend Dave Docherty took some of the test pieces and used them for a 15mm winter table he's been building. We've included some images below but you can see the full process on his blog here: https://onemanhisbrushes.blogspot.com/2025/02/terrain-stream-for-winter-table.html
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2NHCRwQVSyOo40kRhG4Ezf_nrf8mzDRboqbccmu1NQ_RSP_vsyBLaNfArkBDlgPuPqmK1qm9iSjg8Oo-yJQG4VCyMm6VbhFQoEtLR9SFYD0QRkmqxHMsTIQ5uV_sNUzvhj4bCTiC3nreNdMh2O_nf-32Uo4om5pEDrCxagLMMBx9QunHgggwVnlyBuc/s4032/IMG_3532.jpeg)
Roads and Rivers - https://www.pendraken.co.uk/roads-rivers
Roads
ROA-ST-20 Straight section, 20x150mm £0.30
ROA-ST-25 Straight section, 25x200mm £0.50
ROA-ST-30 Straight section, 30x250mm £0.75
ROA-ST-40 Straight section, 40x300mm £1.25
ROA-ST-50 Straight section, 50x300mm £1.75
ROA-ST-75 Straight section, 75x300mm £2.50
ROA-45-20 45° curve, 20mm width £0.30
ROA-45-25 45° curve, 25mm width £0.50
ROA-45-30 45° curve, 30mm width £0.75
ROA-45-40 45° curve, 40mm width £1.25
ROA-45-50 45° curve, 50mm width £1.75
ROA-45-75 45° curve, 75mm width £2.50
ROA-90-20 90° corner, 20mm width £0.30
ROA-90-25 90° corner, 25mm width £0.50
ROA-90-30 90° corner, 30mm width £0.75
ROA-90-40 90° corner, 40mm width £1.25
ROA-90-50 90° corner, 50mm width £1.75
ROA-90-75 90° corner, 75mm width £2.50
ROA-TJ-20 T-junction, 20x150mm £0.30
ROA-TJ-25 T-junction, 25x200mm £0.50
ROA-TJ-30 T-junction, 30x250mm £0.75
ROA-TJ-40 T-junction, 40x300mm £1.25
ROA-TJ-50 T-junction, 50x300mm £1.75
ROA-TJ-75 T-junction, 75x300mm £2.50
ROA-XR-20 Crossroad, 20x150mm £0.30
ROA-XR-25 Crossroad, 25x200mm £0.50
ROA-XR-30 Crossroad, 30x250mm £0.75
ROA-XR-40 Crossroad, 40x300mm £1.25
ROA-XR-50 Crossroad, 50x300mm £1.75
ROA-XR-75 Crossroad, 75x300mm £2.50
ROA-YJ-20 Y-junction, 20x150mm £0.30
ROA-YJ-25 Y-junction, 25x200mm £0.50
ROA-YJ-30 Y-junction, 30x250mm £0.75
ROA-YJ-40 Y-junction, 40x300mm £1.25
ROA-YJ-50 Y-junction, 50x300mm £1.75
ROA-YJ-75 Y-junction, 75x300mm £2.50
Rivers
RIV-ST-20 Straight section, 20x150mm £0.30
RIV-ST-25 Straight section, 25x200mm £0.50
RIV-ST-30 Straight section, 30x250mm £0.75
RIV-ST-40 Straight section, 40x300mm £1.25
RIV-ST-50 Straight section, 50x300mm £1.75
RIV-ST-75 Straight section, 75x300mm £2.50
RIV-45-20 45° curve, 20mm width £0.30
RIV-45-25 45° curve, 25mm width £0.50
RIV-45-30 45° curve, 30mm width £0.75
RIV-45-40 45° curve, 40mm width £1.25
RIV-45-50 45° curve, 50mm width £1.75
RIV-45-75 45° curve, 75mm width £2.50
RIV-90-20 90° corner, 20mm width £0.30
RIV-90-25 90° corner, 25mm width £0.50
RIV-90-30 90° corner, 30mm width £0.75
RIV-90-40 90° corner, 40mm width £1.25
RIV-90-50 90° corner, 50mm width £1.75
RIV-90-75 90° corner, 75mm width £2.50
RIV-YJ-20 Y-junction, 20x150mm £0.30
RIV-YJ-25 Y-junction, 25x200mm £0.50
RIV-YJ-30 Y-junction, 30x250mm £0.75
RIV-YJ-40 Y-junction, 40x300mm £1.25
RIV-YJ-50 Y-junction, 50x300mm £1.75
RIV-YJ-75 Y-junction, 75x300mm £2.50
RIV-WD-20 Widening section, 20-25x150mm £0.30
RIV-WD-25 Widening section, 25-30x200mm £0.50
RIV-WD-30 Widening section, 30-40x250mm £0.75
RIV-WD-40 Widening section, 40-50x300mm £1.25
RIV-WD-50 Widening section, 50-75x300mm £1.75
RIV-WD-75 Widening section, 75-100x300mm £2.50
RIV-SP-20 Straight with pool, 20-40x150mm £0.30
RIV-SP-25 Straight with pool, 25-50x200mm £0.50
RIV-SP-30 Straight with pool, 30-60x250mm £0.75
RIV-SP-40 Straight with pool, 40-80x300mm £1.25
RIV-SP-50 Straight with pool, 50-100x300mm £1.75
RIV-SP-75 Straight with pool, 75-150x300mm £2.50
Cool idea
I'm pretty sorted for roads, but those river sections will be very useful :) !
Yes, the river sections could be useful (and there is no reason the roads, can't be used as straighter river sections).
Damn, I can't decide what width to get!
You've got my attention.
One other idea (knowing how terrible I would be at painting road markings).
Would it be possible to etch the road markings, as a painting guide.
Any laser etching is obviously darker, an outline to guide the "league of clumsy painters" * might be a major selling point.
* The first rule of League of Clumsy Painters: Never reveal your membership of LCP. ;-)
QuoteDamn, I can't decide what width to get!
Just over twice as wide as a vehicle...
I was only wondering the other day how I could model a small river for my current project
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 24 February 2025, 06:53:32 PMJust over twice as wide as a vehicle...
10mm Napoleonic, 6mm modern or 28mm 7TV?
I've been making my own tracks and roads out of sandpaper glued onto mounting board, have found 4cm wide roads are suitable for 10mm and 15mm and just about getawayable with for 20mm and as token gestures for 28mm games. As our 28mm games are 19th century, the latter isn't too much of a problem, and certainly not worth the extra effort of making wider roads(unless we ended up playing only 28mm games)
It's a thought, but for Napoleonic, Sunjester and I have been using Blucher 'Grand Scale' With my basing 4cm is a stand width of 1000 men, so a little big... :'( ;D
WW2 is 10mm, and a 1:1 ground/figure scale for my own rules, so 4cm would be 6 meters; A little wide (6m or 20 feet to the ancients among you). Ok for a modern town small road, and probably doable. Tempted to get the rivers as I assume they will be a bit wiggly - better for country lanes.
Ooo - While I think of it - Leon, have you thought about doing 'reduction join bits' (technical term) so you can join different widths together? They wouldn't need to be very long, just enough to join, say, 40 to 30 widths.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 25 February 2025, 01:29:44 PMOoo - While I think of it - Leon, have you thought about doing 'reduction join bits' (technical term) so you can join different widths together? They wouldn't need to be very long, just enough to join, say, 40 to 30 widths.
Now that's a good idea, especially for the rivers.
Of course it's a good idea, I had it! :D
Quote from: Last Hussar on 25 February 2025, 01:29:44 PMOoo - While I think of it - Leon, have you thought about doing 'reduction join bits' (technical term) so you can join different widths together? They wouldn't need to be very long, just enough to join, say, 40 to 30 widths.
Quote from: sultanbev on 25 February 2025, 01:38:36 PMNow that's a good idea, especially for the rivers.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 25 February 2025, 02:15:26 PMOf course it's a good idea, I had it! :D
I'm afraid we beat you to it! The good thing about a Widening section is, if you turn it around it becomes a 'reduction join' instead... ;)
RIV-WD-20 Widening section, 20-25x150mm £0.30
RIV-WD-25 Widening section, 25-30x200mm £0.50
RIV-WD-30 Widening section, 30-40x250mm £0.75
RIV-WD-40 Widening section, 40-50x300mm £1.25
RIV-WD-50 Widening section, 50-75x300mm £1.75
RIV-WD-75 Widening section, 75-100x300mm £2.50
See if this was GW, they'd list both.
Under different prices...
Quote from: Last Hussar on 25 February 2025, 04:04:39 PMSee if this was GW, they'd list both.
Under different prices...
Now there's an idea...! :D
It's got to be against trading laws
I bet you not! They only make a law if it's been a problem, and I'm not sure what 'parallelograms of mdf' would be swept up in!
Side note - if you read about a 'stupid law' its quite probable there has been a problem in the past, based on 'socially acceptable' at the time, and Parliament (or national equivalent) has had to go 'Really, you need to be told this?' For instance, there is a reason why the US has laws about posting children in the Federal Mail...
Crazy thought, but what about doing the rivers in 32mm*, include a cruciform piece, and some roughly oblong "pools" and marketing them as a cave system to dovetail with The Dungeon... :-\
* and/or full width of the dungeon pieces...
Quote from: O Dinas Powys on 26 February 2025, 09:55:28 AMCrazy thought, but what about doing the rivers in 32mm*, include a cruciform piece, and some roughly oblong "pools" and marketing them as a cave system to dovetail with The Dungeon... :-\
* and/or full width of the dungeon pieces...
Alternatively, just some widening pieces from 32mm to 30mm and 40mm, but definitely the pool/cave and crossroads bits!
Quote from: O Dinas Powys on 26 February 2025, 09:57:44 AMAlternatively, just some widening pieces from 32mm to 30mm and 40mm, but definitely the pool/cave and crossroads bits!
And I know that the 30-32mm difference is probably hardly worth the effort, but I was in the middle of having "a 'good' idea", so didn't stop to let common sense get in the way of my typing...
When you say 'Seal', with what? Is it watered down pva?
Quote from: Last Hussar on 24 February 2025, 06:48:02 PMDamn, I can't decide what width to get!
What frontage are your bases?
For rivers, I would go wider unless you want them looking like a tiny stream or ditch.
Quote from: Orcs on 26 February 2025, 04:52:56 PMFor rivers, I would go wider unless you want them looking like a tiny stream or ditch.
Amazing how many of those there are though.
Good point, I'm now thinking of getting some of the 20mm ones as well as the 40 or 50mm ones, to give me ditch type 'river' as well as a river type river.
I've just ordered some 30mm ones, that will be very useful for streams-cum-small rivers, as I have a load of 50mm ones that I made many years ago. Looking forward to getting them and laying them out to see how they look with my other terrain. Oh and a bridge ordered too :).
Quote from: Last Hussar on 26 February 2025, 03:43:47 PMWhen you say 'Seal', with what? Is it watered down pva?
Yep, anything like that and I'd probably score both sides as well before applying. It just stops one side having more moisture/contraction pulling it in one direction and warping them.
What do people think* - get the 'Rivers' and do them as country roads, rather than the straight 'road' roads?
*Yes, I know that implies members of this esteemed organ 'Think'...
Quote from: Orcs on 26 February 2025, 04:52:56 PMWhat frontage are your bases?
Depends...
Little Wooden Men are 8mm(ish) on 40 x 20mm bases. WW2 are 10mm on 30mm square. ECW are 25mm on ?25mm frontage. Other WW2 are individually based 20mm.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 27 February 2025, 10:02:16 AMget the 'Rivers' and do them as country roads, rather than the straight 'road' roads?
Oh yes, had that thought already, as some of my hand made card tracks that I've used for decades are irregular edged in a similar way.
Or make 'em dual purpose, paint a river on one side, earth brown-ish colour on t'other side for tracks.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 27 February 2025, 10:05:39 AMDepends...
Little Wooden Men are 8mm(ish) on 40 x 20mm bases. WW2 are 10mm on 30mm square. ECW are 25mm on ?25mm frontage. Other WW2 are individually based 20mm.
In that case I would do the following
Roads 30mm wide.
This fits WW2 and ECW
Little wooden men are more abstract so straddling the road at 40mm will not look strange.
Rivers.
I would start off with 30mm wide as well. this equates to a 18 foot stream in 10mm or a 32 foot river with Wooden men. that is assuming you do not paint the banks on
You can then paint one side as river and the other as road.
Alternatively go with 40mm wide and you can then paint a 5mm Bank on the river side if you wish.
If you then wish to expand just buy some of the widening pieces and whatever size you wish to expand to.
Another useful use, Wadis and gullies.
That's another two different price points for the same products. :d =O
If you get 75mm wide rivers, and twice as many 20mm wide rivers, and glue them onto the edges of the 75mm wide rivers = instant wadi/gully ??
Similarly, take 75mm roads and place/glue 50mm roads on top = instant railway embankment for 15-20mm games; 50mm and 30 or 25mm wide for 10mm games (my N guage rail track is 17mm wide).
And so on.
Now, there's an idea.
QuoteIf you get 75mm wide rivers, and twice as many 20mm wide rivers, and glue them onto the edges of the 75mm wide rivers = instant wadi/gully ??
I'm struggling to picture this. Do you mean 4x as many 20mm ones, so that you get the height?
Or do you mean that you are gluing the 20mm ones on the top of the 75mm one, but towards the edge?
I think I was reading 'onto the edges' as abutting the edge of the 75mm piece so you end up with a 20+75+20 wide piece of terrain.
So either works, depends how big a terrain piece you want.
These are some very flexible pieces.
I'd assumed the 20mm pieces were glued on top of the 75mm, at the edges to give an impression of depth.
QuoteI'm struggling to picture this. Do you mean 4x as many 20mm ones, so that you get the height?
Sorry, I meant two 10mm or 20mm wide pieces for every 75mm wide piece, glue them at the edges like so:
(https://i.postimg.cc/zXy0dfCN/mdf-wadi.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qzdsq4DD)
In an ideal world the outside edges would be chamfered so the sides are not vertical, but for a quick and easy set of wadis it would do.
Ta - that makes it clear!