MAGICKBK's Eldar Maiden World Terrain Project

[magickbk]

The cardboard guide seems to be the right way to go, I am currently trying to get a set of circle/oval stencils that I can use to make sure that all the cutaway sections on the wraithbone pieces follow a similar curve and are spaced well, so not much progress over the past few days.

[magickbk]

I've got the basic stencils made. After blowing up the sketches, I used a set of French curve stencils to make the curves more even. I've included a warrior and a Raider so you can get an idea of the scale of what the pieces will be once complete. I still need to find oval stencils to create the cutaways.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9316375217/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9316375217/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 7[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9316374827/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9316374827/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 8[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

[BlessMyBeard]

Oh wow, much larger than I thought, looks ace! Nice to see a fellow Eldar project in its infancy too. Keep em coming!

[magickbk]

Oh wow, much larger than I thought, looks ace!

In the past I've simply slapped terrain together for appearance. When I build pieces now, I try to anticipate what the game effect of the pieces will be to a variety of different units. When building these big wraithbone pieces, if they are too thin, the in-game effect is basically an open field. It might look great, but it wouldn't make for useful cover. These pieces will allow small units or vehicles to hide behind them from certain angles, or will offer a roughly half coverage for larger vehicles. When building the temple, I made sure to measure the length of the stairs to ensure it was possible for a unit at the bottom to either get up there in 2 turns, or 1 with a good assault roll. If it takes 3 turns to get up top, it basically becomes a bastion up there.

The size will also make the pieces a lot sturdier than something that is thinner, which is important as my experience tells me that a terrain piece that high will have a tendency to get knocked around as players reach over the table.

[dwez]

If you've got Illustrator would it not have been easier to just use that for the curves? Once you've created one Bezier Curve you're happy with it's a simple copy/paste to ensure each different element follows the same path. Then you also have a set of templates you can give away [or sell, should you be that way inclined] for anyone else wishing to follow your lead.

Once you've got the templates you can just spray mount, or tack them on with masking tape to your foam and cut them out freehand. It's how I usually do my foamboard terrain. Of course I never could get to grips with French Curves so maybe I'm talking out of my hat.

Good going BTW, I really like what you've done. I agree with you that simplified, stylised terrain, even though it's not realistic has a beauty and functionality all of it's own and I think the way you've added flock and angled your cuts makes it totally believable that the geology on the planet doesn't create more naturalistic rock formation but perhaps makes more geometric outcrops and hills. Really nice.

[magickbk]

If you've got Illustrator would it not have been easier to just use that for the curves? Once you've created one Bezier Curve you're happy with it's a simple copy/paste to ensure each different element follows the same path. Then you also have a set of templates you can give away [or sell, should you be that way inclined] for anyone else wishing to follow your lead.

If I knew how to properly use Illustrator, yes. But I don't. Also, I find that I prefer to work using the carboard until I have the proportions to how I want them in the game, and then use that as a guide, these aren't precise templates.

My project is delayed a few more days while I procure additional materials. Progress soon!

[magickbk]

Progress!

I've fiddled with some dimensions and started carving up the pieces. I think I have the general sizes and shapes I want, I'll just need to continue to shape and smooth out the pieces:

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9393290407/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9393290407/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 9[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

Here is one of the larger terrain pieces in progress, which I am calling the "Shrine of Asuryan". I've created a small cutaway at the top for the terrain bit from the Dire Avenger sprue, and cut the wraithbone vane into the hill. The small plinth there I'd like to make some sort of fountain or sacred basin, or eternal flame, and I'm planning some sort of appropriate texture or paving for the area directly in front of that. The rest of the hill will follow the same pattern as the 'Mesa' piece, and my other scatter hills/rocks.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9393290517/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9393290517/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 10[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

This week I am going to attempt to get the rest of the bases cut, and see if I can't start to get some of the pieces shaped.

[Vargojones]

This is good looking stuff... it always seemed odd that GW hasn't done much/anything in the way of Eldar scenery.

[magickbk]

So, once all the pieces are cut out, we're left with this:
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420128889/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420128889/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 11[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

A nicely shaped but way-too-blocky for Eldar piece. Eldar have a gently curved aesthetic to everything, so it has to be smoothed out. To start, I slice along the backside of the card, and then cut a very thin V shape out of the foam behind it.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420128865/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420128865/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 12[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

Next, additional V shaped sections are sliced out until there is a relatively round curve to the foam inside the edge of the foamboard.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420129025/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9420129025/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 13[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

Finally, a bead of hot glue is placed inside the edge of the foamboard, and the card pressed down into the curved foam. Pressing too hard results in unsightly creases, so it's best to be gentle and to slide one's fingers towards the edge to squeeze out the excess glue and make a smooth curve to the edge.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9422894156/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/9422894156/]Eldar Maiden World Terrain 14[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/]magickbk[/url], on Flickr

Next time, cleaning up the curves, and smoothing it all out!

[Siyanis]

Inspiring! I'm working on tall terrain myself and that note about making them double-tough for knock-overs is good lookin' out. Will the foamy-texture edges be card-plated?

Any plans to plant mossy grass on the tops? Maybe wraithbone avoids mossy growths as a feature. Regardless, that edge taper is as simple as it is -boss-. I'm as excited to see these pieces completed as those hoards of Dark Eldar must be.