Michaels 25mm WFB Stuff...

[Eric]

Well nothing is quite to scale in wargaming. I think a small boat/raft would still be really nice. You could (now the resin/varnish is sorted) cut down the mud banks a bit and have the boat mostly out of the water so it doesn't look to cross the entire river in one go! Suitably angling it and having it build only really for two would probably do it!

 

[Michael Stockin]

Well nothing is quite to scale in wargaming. I think a small boat/raft would still be really nice. You could (now the resin/varnish is sorted) cut down the mud banks a bit and have the boat mostly out of the water so it doesn't look to cross the entire river in one go! Suitably angling it and having it build only really for two would probably do it!

I will have to ponder. I am trying with this to make it WYSIWYG. On the plus side I did also want to build a wooden bridge.

 

[Michael Stockin]

Plus wooden bridges can be held, fought on, sabotaged, blown up, set on fire. Scenarios aplenty.

 

[Knight Girl]

With weeping and with laughter still is the story told,
How well Horatius kept the bridge in the brave days of old.

 

[Michael Stockin]

Cool. Had to look that up. Interesting.

 

[Fighelm]

Plus wooden bridges can be held, fought on, sabotaged, blown up, set on fire. Scenarios aplenty.

Or a Pontoon = both a punt/boat and a (floating) bridge. Just thought I'd throw that into the mix (pic off internet, yank punt). Maybe a total irrelevence! 😂

 

[orkwrangler]

I did also want to build a wooden bridge.

You should build a bridge.

 

[Michael Stockin]

You should build a bridge.

That sounds like a film quote?

 

[Knight Girl]

Lieutenant John Chard: The first time? You think I could stand this butcher's yard more than once?
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: I didn't know.
Lieutenant John Chard: I came up here to build a bridge.

"Zulu" 1964 film

 

[Michael Stockin]

That was it. Mud pies and all that.

 

[orkwrangler]

That sounds like a film quote?

I was being literal. I think it would fit best for the board and open up all the scenarios you mentioned. And you want to build one.

 

[Michael Stockin]

I was being literal. I think it would fit best for the board and open up all the scenarios you mentioned. And you want to build one.

Truth.

 

[Fencig]

very interesting, but useful since my current project calls for a river. I have never heard of "wet-wipe dabbing"? do you wait until it is half cured?

I have seen people on you tube do one of 3 things.

1) pour epoxy, let it cure flat, then grind with a dremel and rotary file. This is obviously very messy, and you need a good mask to protect your lungs. You also need to come back and hit the whole thing with Gloss clear to get rid of the cloudy grinding results= no thanks
2) pour epoxy flat, then cover with a hobby specific water effect that is thicker and kind of poke and prod it into the amount of ripples you want. This is worth trying, i think my water-fall effect is this stuff and it looks convincing. Might need a bigger bottle
3) pour epoxy flat and cover with Modge-podge (PVA stuff sold here in US), then use a blow dryer on low heat to blow waves and ripples into the glue, which dries clear. Not sure about this one, sounds sketchy to be blow drying around fragile, finished metal models.

I almost never do tests, buy my project calls for a number of mounted horsemen . Models that took a hella lot of of time to paint (and weren't cheap to buy) charging thru the river with splash effects. So i can't gamble this time around , but i would be happy to get the results Michael got. My river will be more of a clear stream though, i want the rocks, river gravels etc. to be fully visible.

 

[Michael Stockin]

So the Vallejo Still water is not an epoxy as I understand the term.
It is an air curing liquid of some sort. No mixing or anything.
Let it drip out of the nozzle. It feels like a paint?

I poured maybe 1 to 1.5mm and after about 90 minutes it had gone from liquid to thick gloop.
At this stage it pretty much holds its shape once manipulated.
(Temperature Dependent I Guess.)
Wet Wipes, or what I actually used, Moist Toilet Roll, sort of dab the now tacky water into ripples.

If you want something deep.
I would use still water and let it cure/dry flat. Don't touch it.
Once properly properly dry, add varnish or gloss Mod Podge in a thin layer to get the ripples.
As per no. 2. I used GW ardcoat in the end as it seems less flowy than Mod Podge and thus easier to work into ripples.

There is no heat reaction and it is sort of rubbery when cured.

 

[orkwrangler]

Vallejo Still water is not an epoxy as I understand the term

According to a brief search of their resellers Vallejo Still Water is a water based polyurethane.

 

[Brother Meredith]

I wanted to avoid a ford, not sure why, however the above is now a thing?

You could have a wooden bridge for foot traffic and ford for livestock and carts?

GM could determine how swollen the river is which determines whether can be crossed on foot?

 

[willlucv]

Hi @Michael Stockin

I've been steadily working my way through this thread from the beginning. Top quality work and very inspiring. I don't have an actual games table or any scenery because we're trying to move house at the moment but yours looks lovely and perfectly sized for normal sized battles.

Incidentally I really like the river, its got plenty of colour to it. @Brother Meredith is absolutely correct about the juxtaposition of bridges and fords. Bridges were often used as a convenient places to charge a toll for the upkeep of the road/bridge/general taxation etc so a toll cottage could be a fun addition.

 

[Michael Stockin]

Top quality work and very inspiring.

Thank you very much!!

Yes the plan was to have a ferry and a ferrymans house/lock wheel, but that will change to another toll booth. Or maybe a cottage.
I mean I could use the Toll Booth I have already made, but that is the booth on the North Road, not the river one...

\0/

 

[lenihan]

I mean honestly... in my Warm Ale and Mud campaign there is a chance it will never be used. It all depends on what the undead do when they finally reach the village proper, but this is the only place to cross the river for miles.

Looks ideal for Once Upon a Time in the West Country games when I finally get around to having my ECW dudes...

 

[Michael Stockin]

I think a cheapo wooden bridge is in order.

So it came to pass.

But wood?
Yes, it is cheap there are plenty of trees about.

But a wooden bridge is easily destroyed?
So it wood seem.