Back when actually played 40k, scenery was something I wasn't interested in. Sure, it was important, but it wasn't something I had a pressing need of, if only for the fact the people I gamed with had plenty. Times however change, so with some unexpected free time, I decided to try making some Orky Barricades. These were envisioned as a stepping stone to more involved projects, built from what I had to hand.
Now, this is one of those things where it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. You can make perfectly serviceable ork scenery from a cereal box, sprue runners, and fragments from the bottom of your bits box. As such, there’s not a huge amount to say, and what I could say is very basic stuff. So, this post is being written on the assumption that I’d need some light filler to cover an unexpected gap. I mean, it is New Years Day, its not like anyone slept proper last night...
Before starting on these, I did take a moment to research the techniques, because it was a sensible thing to do, and I’ve not really done much like this before. I looked at vids by Midwinter Minis and Wylock’s Armory, which I have linked here as they explain things better than I can, and they are good channels anyway. I limited myself to barricades, as you have to start small.
My barricades ended up being a touch more elaborate though, as I was using my regular scratchbuilding materials, and placing them on bases. I was unconsciously basing them off older GW resin terrain, as it turned out. It was also an excuse to work on some das clay moulding for plates and gubbins, this project coming right after the Spud.
All-in-all? Job’s a good ‘un. So I moved on to actual buildings. These used the same basic techniques as the barricades, but instead were built around a detergent box. The first featured lolly/posicle sticks as the basis for a wooden roof, with gap filler being used to add texture. I attempted to mix my craft paints for the metals and went for a lighter blue for more of a contrast. While I used my usual stippling and drybrushing techniques were, I did try the “watered-down Ghenna Gold” trick to great effect, and a new brown wash. I go through a lot of Agrax Earthshade, so I’m currently trying alternatives, in this case Liquitex Acrylic Ink “Transparent Raw Sienna”. It seems to work OK. The end result was decent enough. Perfectly fine as no-budget terrain.
My second attempt was a little simpler in terms of materials but less obviously box dressed up with bits. I used cable ties to hide some seams, and plastic tub up top rather than the lolly sticks. I did not make as make as many teef, or go as nuts with the das clay bits. What I tried instead was a crude attempt at stencilling in an ork gylph with a combination of card, blutack and a sponge. It didn’t work especially well, but baby steps. The end result is probably an all-round better piece of terrain than the first. Its still very simple in terms of construction, but the shape is more interesting.
A little later, having little pressing to do. I tried again. This time I used graphix medium weight chipboard, of Wylock’s Armory fame. This is something I had to order in specially, as it doesn’t seem to have a presence at my local craft and hardware stores. As a material however, it proved to be both cheap and robust, representing a reasonable alternative to plasticard at roughly 40p for a square foot sheet. You can’t really carve it, but you can do basically everything else, so if you do any scratchbuilding, its well worth considering. It might be worth investing in a metal ruler too though, I just used scissors and so things were a bit more ramshackle than I intended. It came out just fine, although prior to painting it did resemble a wonky gingerbread house. Painting then progressed as above.
Things that I have learned? I’m now pretty confident that I could throw together a table’s worth of terrain with a spare weekend and basic paints. I did find myself running into the limitations of my materials though, the cardboard and gap filler mainly, but I have a few ideas with regards too bigger projects.
Happy New Year!
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