Construction Vehicles Playset

Picked up this Cute Stone Construction Vehicles Playset from Amazon.ca a year ago and hadn't cracked it open. Wanted to get some construction vehicles to go with my Marvel Crisis Protocol and Batman Miniature Game figures and the MCP NYC Construction Site Terrain Pack (currently assembled and primed but not painted). Its important to think outside the box, so to speak, for interesting terrain for miniature games.

There is quite a lot in this set and although there are more larger items than are normally on the table for the size class it gives variety and flair to the tabletop. However the quantity will go nicely with the BMG.

The scale might be a little smaller than they should for MCP but...

...perfect for the big digger, bulldozer, and crane as well as the accessories.

The vehicles have some heft to them for keeping them in their spot, as light plastic ones would move by breathing on them too hard. The bulldozer can also switch out its scoop for a plow or roller too. 

Infinity Cardboard Terrain

A few years ago, when I was getting into Infinity, there was a scenery pack included in a box set (Moto.Tronica) plus I picked up another one in an Arianna large starter box (Navajo Outpost Pack). They provide the same number and sizes of easily put together cardboard buildings and containers, four large and six small. I decided to put together these for extra scenery for multiple miniature game systems.

    Below is a three by three mat with both assembled terrain packs. As you can see it covers an appropriate amount of table area. It just needs some scatter terrain. The only minor quibble I have are that not many metal models should be placed on the top of the larger buildings, but extra cardboard lightly glued inside will reinforce the roof.

    For 32mm models, like the Batman Miniature Game, the size is perfect. Although the look of them are futuristic it still fits, but the smaller containers would work well in a warehouse or dock themed scenario.

    For Battletech: Alpha Strike they can be stacked as buildings and work extremely well for city terrain.

    40mm Marvel Crisis Protocol models also fit well. Same issue as with the Batman game, in that the theme is futuristic. Would work well in an alien world themed table.

    These sets are not sold on the Infinity Corvus Belli's website, but several others are here in particular on page two. A similar assortment, with different art, is the Dawn-02 Aplekton scenery pack for a reasonable price. Two other good sets for the price are the Neon Lotus scenery pack and the Daedalus scenery pack.

Badlands Terrain from GF9

 I picked up some GF9 Badlands terrain boxes recently and am very glad I did. I had plans to build some, but these were already made, prepainted, and solid. Also, even though they are labelled as being for 25-35mm models, I have found they are useful for any scale models from Dystopian Wars/Uncharted Seas 1:1200 scale to Marvel Crisis Protocol 40mm scale (1:43).

Out of the four the company sells, I picked up these three. Here they are with Marvel Crisis Protocol figures...

...Malifaux models...

...Battletech models...

...and Batman Miniature Game models.

I intend on using these in any outdoor scenario or setting as they are very handy and much better then my carved styrofoam "rock" escarpments.

Bedrock, the Cursed Village

I picked up the 1960's Marx Flintstones Bedrock play set, or at least most of one, from a charity shop two years ago for dirt cheap. I thought it was time to paint it up as I needed more 3-4 inch high climbable terrain for Malifaux, as per their new 4e beta ruleset for moving onto terrain.

    I used dollar store paints and made the buildings less cartoony. For the figures I decided to paint them as statues with glowing eyes. You can almost hear the chanting whispers of"Yabba", "Dabba", and "Do".

    Once I was done, I realized I could also use the terrain for the Marvel Crisis Protocol and Batman Miniatures Game. They are a great scale for it. Never be afraid of picking up inexpensive children's toys for your miniature games. You might be surprised what you can find and they are built to be sturdy.

Other Half of Mantic's Wizard's Study

 Some time ago I painted several bookcases for terrain, in particular in my Frostgrave games. Now I have finished the Wizard's Study remaining items. They are made by Mantic in their Terraincrate line and were painted with cheap paints with some Privateer Press paints.

IMEX - Southwestern Alamo Accessories

I bought this kit a while ago and painted these IMEX Southwestern Alamo accessories. They were painted with cheap paints with some Privateer Press paints for highlights. At 1/72 scale, some items are smaller than than they should for tabletop miniatures but good enough to get a setting across. These kits are also quite inexpensive, especially as it comes with much more than pictured here, as seen on Plastic Soldier Review. 

Some of the larger cacti I am going to base on 30-50mm bases, once painted, so they can stand up better and the smaller ones are great for bases as seen below and at the link here.

Fuel Tank

This fuel tank was found in the discount bin of a games store during my travels a few years ago. Painted it up with cheap paints and a bit of Valejo mecha rust on the pipes and metal access hatches on the roof. Good for any 6-40mm scale minis. 

Pictured with it are my 10mm Mechwarrior figs for the Horizon Wars/Hardwar game as well as the 35.7mm or 1/47 scale  Star Wars Legion figs.

Modern/Sci-fi Obstructions

 Found these in the discount area of a game store. These modern or sci-fi obstructions were painted with dollar store paints and a bit of Mecha rust from Vallejo.

Barricades and Gates from Plastic Shelving

 Made from spare bits for plastic shelving that I didn't need, come these gates and barricades/walls. They were primed black and painted with various cheap greys. They would be good for all scales but especially for 25-35mm.

Epicast Tek Archway

 Epicast once made Games Workshop 40k items under license until Forgeworld started in 1998. No idea when this Tek Archway was made but it has been a decade or two since I bought it. Primed black it was painted with cheap gunmetal and silver, then small conduits painted Rhulic Gold and large pipes and knobs painted Pig Iron. Because it has no controls or scale indicators on it, it could be used for just about any miniature game.

Planetfall Objectives

 For the Spartan Games Planetfall game, I picked up an objective pack online last year. The company went under but the license and IP was purchased by Wayland Games with no date to re-release it. However, the objectives will work very well with my small scale games, as they are 10mm scale. They were painted with various cheap and Privateer Press paints.

As you can see, from left to right, the Horizon Wars/Hard War heavy troopers, Bot War Ageis and Tyranosaur, and Aquan Planetfall models fit with the objectives nicely.

Army Men Hills

 These plastic army men hills were found separately at a yard sale. The colour was an off red but after priming black and painting with various cheap paints...voila! Suitable for any scale.

Armorcast Fuel Containers

I picked up these classic Armorcast fuel containers almost a couple of decades ago. I got it for GW 40k games but since I do not play that at this time I can use it for a variety of games. The kit had the resin base and tops for the cans, you just had to provide the cans themselves. I used tall cans.

I painted the base and tops of the cans with various dollarstore paints. The cans themselves were primed black and sprayed silver. 

After the silver, I put marmite in streaks then sprayed with either the white, red, or blue spray. I then used a toothbrush to gently scrub the marmite off. Now it looks aged and well used. After that it just needed black numbering and a wash of 5:1 water and wood stain.

I also glued metal disks on the bottom and glued magnets on the bottom of the cans to hold them on the base a bit more securely. Now this project is done.

GW Craters

These out of print craters from Games Workshop have been calling to me to finish.  Painted with dollarstore paints: primed black, dark brown rough drybrush, brown drybrush, light brown/white drybrush. They are useful for a variety of scales.

Here they are with my 8mm Horizon Wars models.

Here they are with 32mm scale Star Wars Legion figs. 

Gaslands Car Barriers

I had some spare crunched cars from my car barrier project three years ago. I wanted to make long and thin barriers so made these ten ones. They are the length of a long straight template and should make good lanes for vehicles to drive down in a race or demolition.

I cut the bases out of plasticard, as I already had the bashed cars. I did rough them up for painting ith a scrubby pad.

I used my dremel tool with rotary end.

It came out really good but I had to give it up because...

...I noticed small things hitting my safety glasses. They were the metal bristles!

I then used my mini grinder.

Here is a closeup of a car with the mini grinder.

I painted the plasticard with dark brown and swirled around lightly a lighter brown.

After I used Gorilla glue to put three to a strip, then came the wood stain mixed with water 5:1.

You saw the results in the first pic and here is a closeup. Do this outdoors and in the open air. Give a few days for the stain to dry and stop giving off fumes.