28 April 2023

Can't See the Woods (Part One)

 No really, these are tree bases, but there are no trees. War is  hell for the arboreal world as well apparently.

In my last post I mentioned I would be working on these mdf bases I picked up on Etsy, and "Winterising" them so they'll match my Winter gaming set-up.

Assembly was very simple - they came in two main pieces that were very simple to match up and wood glue together. The hole cut-outs had the round wooden discs included so I stuck them aside in my hobby drawer as one never knows when one might need something like that.

White glue was applied liberally  all over then sand from a local beach to give a nice texture. Sprayed brown once dry, dry brushed with a couple successfully lighter brown highlights and then I sat and pondered if I should add a bit of grass here and there. I decided "no", the trees in such a cold area sucked up any food that weeds or grass might have required so nothing else is able to grow on these things!

Snow about the edges is a mix of white glue and Woodland Scenics Snow Flock applied in two layers to give more depth and now they are sat ready for a quick spray of matt varnish to set everything. 

Pikachu presides over this parade of bases. I'll be  kicking the little yellow rat back into his Pokeball in good time, he eats all my cheese.

Now tell me this wasn't an exciting post!? 

I get it, "more minis, less.... non-minis Dai - yawn". 

Can't promise my next post will show off any painted miniatures as I have lots more terrain stuff to get on with. But I'll try. 

Stay safe out there - Dai


24 comments:

  1. Great progress on the tree bases Dai, they look very effective, and make me feel cold, so job well done. Like your thinking on the grasses as well, makes a lot of sense to me.

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    1. Thank Dave! Am thinking of perhaps adding some leave scatter here and there after a suggestion by my friend Densmol, but then these will be tied solely to Deciduous trees and so will look strange if I placed Conifers there. More to think on I feel.

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  2. I thought this was an excellent post, Dai. But there again I'm heavily into WW2 Winter Warfare currently, and have done the same thing as you - only for some 10mm snow-covered woods.

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    1. Thanks Simon! Am thoroughly enjoying your current blogging theme so keep those tanks coming!

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  3. Nice work Dai. Our mate Mark at 1866 and all That did something similar for WWI games, I recall.

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    1. Appreciate that Keith - I'll have to go take a gander at his blog, maybe what he's done might spruce up my own own bases?

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  4. Any progress is good progress! I'm curious about snow on bases, I've never been able to get it properly done, so you are a hero to me!

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    1. Thanks Suber! Couldn't agree more. Snow is indeed tricky to get "right" or believable. Still don't think I've gotten it quite right, but they'll do for gaming.

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  5. Good looking bases, looking forward to more fencing, something I haven't got enough of for my Russian terrain!
    Best Iain

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    1. Hopefully have pics of finished fences later this week! Thanks Iain!

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  6. I happen to think that terrain is VERY interesting. Actually more than miniatures. Nice job so far on the bases. I imagine you’re gonna do some ever green type trees covered in snow? 😀

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    1. You are a different sort, but that's why we are pals.
      I have deciduous trees based and winterized already - evergreens are in the queue!

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  7. Nice work on the bases, Dai! I've seen those MDF bases on Etsy and might pick up a few at some point as it's just easier than making my own from chipboard.

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  8. So you put either torn up stumps or lovely winter trees (deciduous or conifers) in your bases ? That's kool

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    1. Exactly - Stumps are on the list of terrain stuff to get made up, but yeah, I have regular trees already. Think I'll pop a pic in my next post of how they look.

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  9. This was an exciting post. How you worked Pikachu into the mix is a marvel.

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    1. Ha! It was just a case of right place, right photo op really.

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  10. Nicely done we all need more terrain 👍

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    1. Thanks Matt - couldn't agree more!

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  11. Terrain is the third player, so it needs to bring a great army!

    Small posts are certainly easier to write too, so keep them coming.

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    1. David, your take on this is both exciting and very much on point!

      Thusly more terrain posts will be incoming!

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