('Attack the block', great film, btw.)
I'm very happy with the MDF wave of scenery options available to today's gamer. Here's a look at the 15mm block of flats from Gamecraft Miniatures, and how I paint them up.
Disclaimer: Gamecraft sends a lolly/ sweet/ candy with their packages, that doesn't bias my opinion of them at all... :-)
First, assemble your kit.* I use Selleys Aquadhere, any PVA would do. The MDF is laser cut and sits together squarely, they feel really solid and indestructible (they almost are- I stood on one and it sustained significant damage... still gameable, though!). The building comes with a floor (i.e. not four free-standing walls), which adds to the rigidity and squareness.
I spray the inside with Army Painter Leather Brown to give a bit of depth through the windows. And it's quicker than painting.
I glue on a piece of 1mm sheet styrene under my buildings to give it a slight lip around- this is my personal aesthetic choice to help 'blend' the terrain and the board. Then I use some Polyfilla Large Cracks to plaster over the joints- not 100% necessary as they're minimal, but it works for me.
I paint them with Dulux Design Stone textured paint in the European Stone tint. This is the same colour I've painted my desert baseboards.
Then I glue sand around the basing lip.
The building gets a wash with Woodland Scenics C1217 Cement, and the sand gets a wash with C1221 Raw Umber. When dry, the whole thing is heavily drybrushed with Jo Sonja's Background Colour 'Cashmere'.
Flock the base to taste, and- voila!
Repeat for as many floors as necessary. I've left the roof the same colour for now, what do you think?
The building is a blank canvas- you could easily spruce it up with a few key accessories (windowsills, posters, drainpipes, graffiti, AC units, antennas, balconies, landing pads, battle damage, brickwork... not to mention the interior!).
Coming soon: more Gamecraft buildings!
*Actually first: inhale the aroma of burnt wood as you open the packet... mmm...
I'm very happy with the MDF wave of scenery options available to today's gamer. Here's a look at the 15mm block of flats from Gamecraft Miniatures, and how I paint them up.
Disclaimer: Gamecraft sends a lolly/ sweet/ candy with their packages, that doesn't bias my opinion of them at all... :-)
First, assemble your kit.* I use Selleys Aquadhere, any PVA would do. The MDF is laser cut and sits together squarely, they feel really solid and indestructible (they almost are- I stood on one and it sustained significant damage... still gameable, though!). The building comes with a floor (i.e. not four free-standing walls), which adds to the rigidity and squareness.
I glue on a piece of 1mm sheet styrene under my buildings to give it a slight lip around- this is my personal aesthetic choice to help 'blend' the terrain and the board. Then I use some Polyfilla Large Cracks to plaster over the joints- not 100% necessary as they're minimal, but it works for me.
 |
| 2L goes a long way... |
Then I glue sand around the basing lip.
The building gets a wash with Woodland Scenics C1217 Cement, and the sand gets a wash with C1221 Raw Umber. When dry, the whole thing is heavily drybrushed with Jo Sonja's Background Colour 'Cashmere'.
 |
| Top level is unwashed; bottom level is washed and drybrushed. |
Flock the base to taste, and- voila!
Repeat for as many floors as necessary. I've left the roof the same colour for now, what do you think?
 |
| Highrise or two-storey- very versatile |
Coming soon: more Gamecraft buildings!
*Actually first: inhale the aroma of burnt wood as you open the packet... mmm...
These look great... On my buildings I put mesh behind the windows to give it a little depth, or you could even use printed transparencies...
ReplyDeleteI'd certainly consider mesh as one of the ways to improve these buildings- add it to my to-do list!
DeleteIdeally, I'd like to have a variety of different 'ground floors' (police station, clinic, bank, shop etc) that I could then make as tall as necessary on a game-by-game basis.