Monday 17 February 2020

From MilesR: Welcome to the Jungle 2.0 (375 Points)


Well it has been just about a month since I've been able to post something to this years Challenge.  To be honest, February has been a very difficult month as my son is struggling with a serious health issue.  While I may not have been present, I wasn't away either and the friendships I've made in this silly hobby both at my club and online with this community have been very welcome distractions and sources of strength.  I can never thank you all sufficiently.  Enough with the sentimental stuff.

You tube has become a fairly important source of hobby inspiration for me over the past year both as a viewer and content provider via my clubs channel - Little Wars TV.  Yes, that was a shameless plug - want another one? watch the D-Day game video, especially at point 20:37 - I seem to have that playing on a constant loop....

One of my favorite how-to terrain making channels is called T-T Lenny's Terrain and Gaming Tables.  He has a superb series on Jungle terrain which I've pretty much pirated.  They say mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery.  After seeing Lenny's videos I realized that I both need to make some new Jungle terrain but also redo some of the terrain I made back for another challenge.

Towards the front of this pictures are the new sections - there are 15 in total.  I think they came out grand and really captured the meso-american theme I was going for.  Why that theme?  Well I'm working on a new convention game concept that is similar to the DAK & Dragons WW2/Fantasy games I've run in the past.  The working title is "ANZACS and AZTECS" and I'll leave you to ponder the deeper meanings of that title.  I was planning to run this game at Cold Wars in March but real life events have changed those plans.  Maybe Fall in later this year.

Each of the new Jungle sections has at least 12 different types of ground textures used to make undergrowth.  All of the palm tree have been painted and washed several shades of tans and green and the vines are custom made by yours truly.  I think it gives off a very nice effect but there's still room on the bases for figures.

The Palm Trees and Bambo were purchased off AMAZON (all hail Jeff Bezos) and I think I spent less than $30 bucks on them.  There are still a few spots where the glue is still drying (whitish areas)

The rocks are cork bark - this is the first time I've worked with cork bark for scenery and I really like it.

The undergrowth is still drying - it will take several days for it to set but it will still have a "damp and icky" look to it - just like a real jungle.

Here's a shot a test piece a I made a bit earlier - it shows how the ground cover cures to a slightly lighter but still damp looking green.  I wonder what creepy-crawlies are lurking under that ground cover waiting to pounce upon an intrepid gaming figure?

I also stripped down and re-did a bunch of my old jungle sections to match the new style.  These are going to make their way north to a certain snow lord who has requested some Jungle terrain.

This was a very fun project and a welcome relief from real-life for a bit.

Pointage - well thats a tricky one.  Let's break it down into 2 different groups.

Brand New Jungle Terrain:
When squished together the new stuff covers a 18 by 48 inch foot print and is, on average, 9 inches high - so that's a base volume of 7,776 cubic inches.  Now wait - theres a whole lot of air in there so let's cut that in half, so now we've got 3,888 cubic inches.  Divide that figure by the magic 216 cublic inches per terrain scoring unit and you get 18.0 terrain cubes or 360 points.  That feels fair but, as always, I defer to the minion of the day.

Recondition Jungle Terrain:
While it's been completely re-done, it wasn't 100% done for this challenge - I didn't recut the terrain bases and the palm tress where painted (and counted) for Challenge 8, so let's go with ZERO points for the reconditioned stuff.  To be honest, I just included it as proof so a certain snow lord calls off his collection goon.   That Prof Douglas guy moonlights as a debt collector for the Snow Lord and he's damn scary.

Well there you have - my Jungle Terrain 2.0

***

Hello Miles, great to hear from you again! I know I speak for all Challengers when I wish you the best as you go through a difficult time.  We all send you our best wishes, and hope the community, camaraderie, and distractions of the hobby bring fun and support.

And it is certainly fitting that you would share with us a submission that is worth at least 300 points, right? This is a major bombardment of terrain effort...so much work on terrain almost makes me fall off my chair, I can't even contemplate that! I feel like a hobby hero when I manage to paint one 10mm building.

As for points, your calculations on the new stuff are above reproach as always. But zero points for the re-done portion seems a touch rough.  I mean, it's not like you were "playing Donnybrook" or something else as vaporous. But I'm scared to attempt math calculations, so let's just add 15 points on my completely, 100% subjective "seems about right" scoring grade. 

Great stuff Miles!

GregB

15 comments:

  1. Good to have you back Miles! *watches cats scattering to the four winds to evade being sacrificed to the S.O.D.*

    Great jungle terrain :)

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  2. Great to hear from you Miles, I’ve been crossing my fingers for you and your son. Excellent terrain, I love all the undergrowth and the Meso American ruins scattered about. And heck, when I visited I left more stuff than I took away.

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  3. Glad to have you back. Hope all is good at your end

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  4. Good to see you back on the painting. That's some seriously impressive jungle sections you have done there.

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  5. It's wonderful to see your return Miles. I was so impressed with these jungle bases when you first debuted them (thus my prostrating myself before your mad skillz to get some of my very own) and am even more so now. Wow. And they look even better when they are all massed together. As to the undergrowth vs figure placement, I cut brown felt pieces that match my tree bases so when figures move through I just pull the trees and leave the base's 'shadow' to indicate cover, movement penalties, etc.

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    1. I'll get your jungle sections boxed up and on the way to canadia-land shortly. Given the tender mercies of the US and Canadian postal services, I'll also throw in some extra flock, ground cover and vegetation as we should expect some casualties.

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    2. Thanks Miles! I'll let you know when the parcel reaches The Land of Peace, Order and Good Government.

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  6. Glad to see you back, Miles. It's not been the same without you. I wish you and your son all the best.
    This jungle is remarkable - so much variety and texture to it, so realistic. It's clearly apt for Challenge Island as it's exactly my experience - varied, unexpected, impenetrable, untidy, confused and hugely inspiring!

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  7. I'm deeply envious of these. Green, even.

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  8. Glad to see you back in the challenge! Lovely work on both new and refurbished jungle!
    Best Iain

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  9. Thanks for the kind comments - this was a really fun project and it was nice be in the workshop. Terrain making isa messy business (at least how I do it) so today is dedicated to cleaning up. As for my next project - probably something challenge Island related.

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  10. Wonderful jungle pieces here Miles, at your usual scale as a nice points bombardment. I hadn’t realised you were part of the LWTV crew either, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your videos.

    Very best wishes for your son and family, hope things are swiftly better.

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  11. Now that is some serious terrain - brilliant work, Miles!

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  12. Sorry to hear of your sons problems Miles! Hope he gets well soon!
    Those jungle trees look fabulous and really make me want to do my own... if only I had any use for them 😃

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  13. Wow Miles, that is a whopper of a comeback indeed! Is it strange I heard the sound of choppers and Paint it black" in my mind when looking at your pictures?Awesomeness!

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