I chose a compromise colour - as mentioned previously, I wish to use these hex tiles mostly as sensible, battlefield-type rivers, but deeper areas such as lakes and coastlines are also within scope. I experimented with various varnish finishes (another compromise - this time between perfection and my natural laziness). I decided that the water will mostly be visible in wiggly, 2-inch wide strips, and even a lake should not be like glass, so I opted for 2 thick coats of gloss varnish, I didn't rub down between coats, and the resulting brush-stroked, imperfect shine has a passable look of a current, or the wind, or something - anyway, it'll do!
I used clear gloss Ronseal varnish, because it is cheap and should be tough enough to avoid flaking. Though it is water-based, it is still fairly nasty sticky stuff when cleaning brushes, but it's readily available and goes on easily.
Even with just the three basic bank shapes I have available to date (there will be one or more junction pieces in due course, and maybe a couple of small islands), it is possible to play around and create a number of interesting shapes. I hope to get more river pieces to paint up in the next week or so. They store compactly and neatly, too, so I'm pleased. This could go viral - by next Christmas you could be the only kid in your gang that isn't playing at rivers
I still have to arrange for a couple of fords (just water tiles which show some colour variation, I think). And, of course, now I have established a system, I can give some thought to an alternative river colour for the other side of the water tiles...!
For no real reason, other than the fact that I like it, here's a loosely-linked music clip. I got a bit distracted, wondering whether David Byrne's suit would remain stationary if he spun round on the spot, but I guess not. It is nice for us Wallace and Gromit fans to see a pair of tribute Wrong Trousers, though, and any Al Green song is usually worth a listen.
That exercise turned out very well!
ReplyDeleteNice craftsmanship!
Thank you Jonathan - I've a lot of work to do, but I understand what it is now!
DeleteLogical, almost clinical in approach and very well executed. Not at all the sort of thing I'd do, so it'll probably be very successful!
ReplyDeleteWell, it only makes sense in my Twilight World of Hexes anyway, but once you have hexes everything becomes mathematics anyway, so a lot of the stuff just flows along without many choices.
DeleteThose look very impressive. I think I might have to look into some of those once funds allow. They would certainly make building trench systems a lot easier.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of riversides, I came across this lady a couple of months ago and she is just extraordinary. Probably old hat to you, but worth a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa8qk
The pieces for the new hex-oriented trenches exist only as prototypes at the moment, but they are coming along.
DeleteSister Rosetta was very special - my favourite clip of her is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR2gR6SZC2M
- the whole idea of that large lady, dressed in a coat she obviously borrowed from the Queen Mother's wardrobe, playing a white Gibson SG is remarkable.
Some very high-class hex-based hydrography you've got there, Foy.
ReplyDeleteIt's long overdue - I've been aware for some decades (yes, I think that's right) that my battlefields are a disgrace, and now the laser-cut MDF world has caught up with what I always needed.
DeleteThe amount of technology which goes into my simple, understated, Old School scenery is frightening. Morschauser would probably approve, though.
Nicely done! Esp the bit where the banks on the various pieces actually meet up where they join.
ReplyDeleteInteresting challange picking an alternate colour. Ever since I moved to the banks of a tidal river I've harbored an urge to have wargame river that comes or goes during a game. "Your flank is secured by a mudflat" ...."oh look the river just came in. Is that a flotilla of boats coming?".
I like those river sections Tony, but I must say that the hills in the previous post (I wasn't keeping up!), are very clever indeed, could be a solution for the many hex based games, I would certainly use them if I returned to C&C. I recall spending hours cutting mine from 12mm board with a jigsaw!
ReplyDelete