Trench table ideas

[macgowan]

Here's a plan I have for making a 4x8" trench table, suitable for playing two games side-by-side at my FLGS. I plan on using two sheets of 1" foam sandwiched together with liquid nails so the trenches will be easier to cut out.



One will have a hill in the middle, while the other will have a valley/depression. Pink line separates the two tables, trenches are black, the little circles represent muddy craters, red line is P1 deployment, and blue line is P2 deployment for scenarios.

Movable terrain for each table:
traverse for jacks to walk over - 3 per side
8" sections of barbed wire - 4 per side
4" sandbag walls - 3 per side
8" shelled-out forest - 3 per table

I'm looking for input as to any game play problems you might foresee. I'd also like to know your ideas for movable terrain, especially obstructions.

Thanks!

[Aníron]

Your picture doesn't show.

Will the table be playable as one large battle as well?

[Almightyfoon]

Yeah it looks like the file isn't shared properly. Are the shelled out forests going to count as regular forests or just rough terrain?

[macgowan]

Sorry, first time posting a pic. The plan is to have it utilized as either two 4x4 tables (running a string down the middle to divide it) or as one giant table for WM or 40K games.

The inspiration for the forest comes from photos and paintings of WWI no man's land:

The trees will be closer together on a base to represent area terrain. Players could decide to rule them as regular forests (my preference) or just call them cover and use true LoS.
To allow for large base movement/placement, I'll probably have to do something like several clumps of three or so trees on an area base.
The nice part is the "model" trees are readily available in my backyard. Anybody know a good tutorial for broken up, shelled-out earth?

[PG_Mr. Golden Deal]

Having fixed player deployment zones is a problem to me, since a player gets to choose which side to set up on if they win the dice off.

[Mastervalrik]

This would be a very cool board

[Bonesaw]

I am working on a trench table too. I made mine a mirror image on each side because I did`nt want to put all that work into something just to hear complaints about one side having advantages over the other, blah, blah, blah. I`ll start a thread with a WIP pic.

This table looks like a good one. It takes a lot of time but trench tables are a lot of fun to play on. Good luck on the project.

[macgowan]

You could always switch table sides for deployment. That would put P1 just behind his trenches, and P2 just ahead of his.
I have a couple friends playtesting on it, hopefully I'll be able to start work next week.
Some of my ideas so far:

Trench: Provides cover. Models completely within may forfeit Action to Duck and Cover: gain Cover and treat your base size as one size smaller for purposes of LoS (30mm models are treated as .75" tall).

Craters: rough terrain. Models within the crater (not completely within) may forfeit action to Duck &Cover. Models charging through a crater count it as clear unless their base is completely within the crater.
(These will be less than 1" deep. I wanted craters to be a movement hindrance, but still let models try and get a charge through. I also didn't want them to give cover unless you hunker down in them).

Sandbags: Concealment, linear obstacle, Duck & Cover.

Barbed wire (change these to 8 sections of 4" wire): living models can't move through, does not block LoS. Destroyed if a Jack moves over it, if hit by the center hole of any Blast, or if a model within 1" forfeits his Action to remove a 4" section.

Forest: Normal forest.


Does anybody have the IKRPG World Guide with the art of the original colossals duking it out? I tried a google search but only came up with the new Colossals. I'd like to have some rusted out chunks of old-school giants for obstructions.

[macgowan]

So this is happening!
We textured the board using lighter fluid and fire, with a heat gun on the more subtle texturing. This is the part where I'm supposed to tell you to never, ever burn your foam. You will probably drown in your own blood as your lungs rupture violently, so make sure to wear a fancy respirator like the one I'm pretending to have used.

Anyway, I found a plastic sheet of moon craters at Hobby Lobby, combined with some mold release that was on clearance. It's my first experience with hydrocal, and they turned out better than I had hoped. I sealed them with watered down 1:1 PVA glue. I'll attach them with construction adhesive caulk and resculpt around the gaps with wall plaster.




My back yard was kind enough to provide me with twigs to use as a shelled-out forest. Made from said twigs, liquid nails, roofing nails, and 1" washers. I'll sculpt the bases to match the terrain, I promise.


These sections of the board will be attached to another 1" foam board below using liquid nails and bamboo toothpicks. I used Dow 1"x4x8 extruded polystyrene, which cut a lot easier and more cleanly than Owens-Corning pink stuff. Plus it didn't have score cuts all over the place, which are very annoying to cover up. I just used a boxcutter (as seen in the crater pic). I ended up making the trenches almost 3" wide to accommodate two ranks. The trenches will eventually be timbered with wooden craft sticks. I plan to have about 1/2" tall parapet/sandbag wall on top, so there will be a 1:wide wooden step on the front side of the trench, with trench boards running along the bottom.
If anybody has a great idea to easily/cheaply stain a couple thousand craft sticks, I'd appreciate the advice!


Finally here's a shot of the whole board, minus the other side of the square trenches. I'm very excited about the project, especially since most of the craters and scenery have tested gravity-friendly to models. Going on vacation for a week, so I'll post again after I make more progress.

[Bubbles]

Looks sexy man.

[Chickenlips]

Wow, looking good. Can't wait to see the finished product..

[PG_jackolas]

Looking awesome!!

Coffee has worked to stain wood cheaply for me

[DoktorVivi]

Oh that is excellent. I love the texture that burning the foam created. Really interested to see more.

[KavinCross]

I am working on a bunch of boards for my LGS as well. 2-4X6s and 4-4X4s with 2X4 extenders for the 4X4s so they can become 4X6.
The craters did turn out very well. Nicely done.
Did the lighter fluid burn trick cause the bowing in the foam on the last picture?

[macgowan]

@PG_jackolas: Thanks for the coffe tip, it worked great! The yellow/brown tint will be a nice contrast to the mud I plan to splatter everywhere.

@KavinCross: Yes, the burning caused some pretty severe bowing. I wasn't too worried, since I planned to glue it to another board anyway. Had I not cut out the trenches, I'd probably have a serious problem straightening it out. The center piece is currently being glued to the base, weighted down by six full comic boxes. If that doesn't do the job, I don't know what will.

Note: When the construction adhesive says it will melt polystyrene... believe it! I may have to go back to PVA for the long edges.

[KavinCross]

The sheet plywood materials I was forced to use does not want to lay flat either. There is little I can do about it as it has to do with the adhesives that make up the plywood's panel layers. Nothing I can do about them.

Your foam should behave as long as the glue is good. I have used foam glues by Woodland Scenics. Avoid em, waste of money, weak sauce. Anita's Tacky glue seems to be the best for foam. Its like any other PVA but its more plasticy when dries and flexiblewhich gives it strength.

Are you going to wait till you flatten it before attaching the craters? Could get more books to weigh it down while the glue dries that way.

[Defenstrator]

You seem to be off to a good start. Looking forward to seeing it painted up.

[redmanphill]

Nice craters there! I have been thinking about how to make some nice small ones for myself. Generally they are tough to make in a realistic manner and yet remain playable.

[macgowan]

Threw the first coat of paint on, textured with sawdust. I plan to reinforce the defender side with concrete and steel structures of some kind.

[denyasis]

Beautiful table!

@ KavinCross and Macgowen - A little late to the party, but, In reference to your respective boards bowing, there's an old carpentry trick, that might help you.

On the back end of the board (the back being where the edges are bowing "down" and the center is "up"), rip a cut perpendicular to the bow that is around half the thickness of your board deep. When you flip the board up-right (the cut is down now), it'll create a spot for the board to flex while you secure it, allowing you to secure it flat.

Just make sure A), don't cut too deep or right through your board and B) make sure you have support for your board as the area around the cut won't be as sound structurally. Your typical cross members work fine, you just don't want the board "floating", that's all.

Hope that helps!