river terrain

[cjbennett22]

I wanted to start my river terrains along with my city terrain this weekend but before I do, I need to know...

1. how wide is the water on a basic river feature? fording width?
2. are we still just fording anything or do we equip soldiers with something to ford?
3. and what are the usual rules for what can ford? infantry only? everything but machines?
4. should I just say no fording except for at this spot of the river which is modeled a bit skinnier and with some land in there or something to really show that you can walk across the river at that spot?

anyone with some pictures even? 

thanks!!!

[Stormwind]

I bought some 3 inch wide rivers from game scenics:

http://www.gamescenics.com/view-products

I asked him to make me a river fording section in a 45 degree bend piece and he did it at no extra charge.

There are no hard and fast rules for terrain sizes.  You have to agree with your opponent if a river is entirely impassable to fording infantry or whether parts of it or the whole of it can be forded according to the rules in the book.

[cjbennett22]

so if the river piece is 3 inches how wide is the water? 2.5 inches there about?  I will be making just the water out of heavy card stock and glossy clear enamel spray paint over flat black and while the black is still wet mix in some white lines and maybe put in some stones for the fording sections.  (not painting the stones) 

It sounds like a bad way of doing it so I'm cautious but in my head it is going to work great 

[Jo]

I guess from the description that you have a flat table and don't want to make dig-in terrain. That forces you to have a very thin base. I would personally not go for card stock as it will most likely warp. Plasticard or similar might be better suited.

The river sections that i am using are dig-in terrain and have a more solid base.

To get the river look like a real river there are some specialized products available on the market that provide a very glossy surface. For my river sections I used an airbrush and standard acrylic paints to get a smooth gradient from brownish to very dark blue at the center of the river. Then I used Artificial Water as top layer to get the glossy river effect (http://www.unrealdetails.com/fun-with-the-kids). I used artificial water to get a really thick coat and additional depth. When using build-on rivers then Woodland Scenics Water effects might be better as you won't pour on a thick layer anyhow.

The river itself is 10cm wide which is sufficiently large yet still practical.

Before creating the river sections I first experimented with making small lakes. It's less work so is mentally easier to throw away when you don't like it. So that might be a interesting idea for you as well...

Good luck

Jo

[Stormwind]

A lot of people use MDF for a base, the guy I bought from uses cut Linoleum I think.

[cjbennett22]

the linoleum sounds like a great idea actually!

I cut my piece last night, spray painted and "jazzed" up some lines for water splashing against my rocks BUT in the amount of time it took for me to put the black spray can down and dab my little paint brush into the paint and put the line on, the black primer had dried!  So the lines didn't come out like I wanted at all.  It is too black for my liking, maybe put some blue around the middle?

It also warped just a hair.  I like the idea of the linoleum so I will purchase a few of those tiles at the store tomorrow to try it out on!

I think I will spray paint the whole thing a really dark blue and leave the center blue with the black primer and then hit the final product with the glossy enamel again as that does look really good........

I had a thought half way through typing....bent the river back into place with no stones popping off. and painted the edges with some dry brushing and really dark blue, you guys tell me.  should I keep going?  and be honest!!!!

[Geep]

Looks ok to me. As long as it performs its function it's fine, and if you want to have another go later to try and improve on your idea you easily can.
When I first made terrain most of it was awful. And by 'most' I mean 'all'. But it was fine enough to play on (mostly- some lessons were learnt regarding playability vs realism), and in time I was able to go back and create much better terrain with no pressure of 'needing it now'.

[Lex]

I have had these since the second EuroGT in Bergen op Zoom.....  a UK based father/son team retailer had these and much more. IIRC the stuff actually came from australia




I have around 2 and a half meters of this, including bends, forks and crossings

[cjbennett22]

my river terrains.

I liked the first one enough to decide that since it's free to me minus my time doing it, I might as well see how a whole river like this looks.

Spray paint black.  Put in the almost white lines, using some chalk art skills I rubbed the lines with my fingers to soften them.  Flock with stones if needed for a fording area.  Then used a "RIPPLED EFFECT" clear coat which makes a textured surface on them like really really REALLY old glass as it tries to revert back to it's natural liquid form.  I will admit, this paint didn't do the effect like I wanted until coat number three.

After the spray painting was done I had a surface I could dry brush with the really dark blue around the edges of the river sections.  Then one more coat of the "RIPPLED EFFECT" and finally, had to bend the card stock back to flat as possible and then I added some "weeds" flock over the rocks to really sell the fording area.

Last but not least a really light coat over the flock just to seal it in with a clear matte coat that you cant see at all but wont let the weeds fall off.

They look a lot better than I thought so I guess I will keep them.

The reason I didn't just get a river kit from an online sight was because I didn't want the raised up edges of the rivers to hold in the realistic water.  Though those things look amazing and I absolutely love them I just can't get past the raised up edges.....It's me not them.  ha