13 replies to this topic

[Tirick Fire]

I'm moving this from the Hex Hill thread as this ongoing project is migrating from terrain to game set pieces in general. I'll keep a separate thread for actual game pieces (Mechs, Tanks, etc) in the Art section, and reserve this thread for all buildings and 'terrain' in this scale. For those of you new to the party, this series is specifically designed for 1:1000 hex-board game play (2mm scale). The Battletech game generally refers to this as 'map scale'. Miniatures are not made to match this scale, so I will be making some of my own to support. One of the things that bothers me about wargaming is the lack of relativity to terrain/buildings/figurines.

I've finished the prototype rail sections and just need to complete the instructions before I post them up in my store. As with the hills, all 'Hex' series pieces I currently intend to release for free. The 'store' is merely a convenient repository.

There are a fair number of elements to the rail set, straight tracks, X cross sections, switch tracks, curved tracks, two ramps, a bridge, riser sections for bridging terrain gaps and a mock tunnel entrance that fits up with the Hex Hills set. I've also included a passenger style train. For simplicity I've designed these to join on hex faces only. I've mounted the sections on acetate so that they will work with any board. The release will include hex bases for anyone who prefers a textured base.

Don't mind the spliced-together hex sheet mock up. It was an experiment, but sadly does not sit nicely flush so there are odd bubbles in the surface. I really need to make a better poster-board sheet for display.

Spoiler

The upcoming road set will have more joining options (Hex face and point), although to ensure releases are somewhat timely I'm limiting the road sections to city-style. I will eventually make highway style sections as well (with on-ramps, etc.).

At any rate, enjoy.

Tirick

[Exilyth]

2mm? I thought Battletech was 6mm scale (1:325 up to 1:285)...

The pieces you made look really nice. Especially train tracks in this scale are hard to come by. I've also looked at the other thread. Great stuff.

I'm always a bit reluctant to use paper for terrain, but theese seem pretty stable. What type of paper did you use?

[Tirick Fire]

Thank you! I used regular paper for these, although you could probably use cardstock. They are tiny so not the easiest to assemble. Paper is actually reasonably sturdy, although some gentleness is recommended. I would also suggest some tack-putty to keep the peices on the board.

'Map' scale is 2mm (30 meters = 32 mm hex (1: 937)), which is close enough to 1:1000 in my book. Miniature scale is 6mm I think, yes. It has been a while since I played in earnest but I understand if you play without hexes the standard is to use 6mm scale for correct reference, although my intent is to build terrain and hex pieces to map scale for a greater sense of distance/range on a regular play board. The scale discrepancy is, I'm certain, a minor irritant for most players, I'm just a little OCD with regards to scale. When I get a more thorough set together I intend to play a full game with all correctly scaled figures.

If you've not seen my scale mechs, check here.

[Exilyth]

Tirick Fire, on 12 August 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

Thank you! I used regular paper for these, although you could probably use cardstock. They are tiny so not the easiest to assemble. Paper is actually reasonably sturdy, although some gentleness is recommended. I would also suggest some tack-putty to keep the peices on the board.

What density does your paper have?

Tirick Fire, on 12 August 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

'Map' scale is 2mm (30 meters = 32 mm hex (1: 937)), which is close enough to 1:1000 in my book. Miniature scale is 6mm I think, yes. It has been a while since I played in earnest but I understand if you play without hexes the standard is to use 6mm scale for correct reference, although my intent is to build terrain and hex pieces to map scale for a greater sense of distance/range on a regular play board. The scale discrepancy is, I'm certain, a minor irritant for most players, I'm just a little OCD with regards to scale. When I get a more thorough set together I intend to play a full game with all correctly scaled figures.

You're right. Now that you say it, I remember reading discussions about mapscale vs. mechscale dropships in another forum.

Tirick Fire, on 12 August 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

If you've not seen my scale mechs, check here.

Wow. Just wow. I doubt I'd be able to put together paper models of such small a scale.

[Tirick Fire]

For paper I use regular US office. 24 lb / 90 g/m². For cardstock 65 lb / 176 g/m² .

I agree, they are at the limit of my skill to make small things, although I know of designers and modelers who have made smaller and more intricate things. You could always print at 3x size, which should give mini's close to 6mm scale.

[Asaroth]

Thats really cool. Good Job.
Right now im using heroscape tiles to make the basic terain. There almost the right size but you have to stack several on top of each other to get the right height.

[Tirick Fire]

Those look quite good, and would serve exactly the purpose I've intended. It's too bad they've discontinued them. How large are the hexes, face-face?

[Asaroth]

They are about 1.7 inches across, and a 1/4 inch high. I stack 2 per one level for battletech game for small maps. For big maps I just go single tile per lvl, makes LoS a bit complicated but managable.

[Tirick Fire]

That is quite a large hex, I've designed my own set around a 1.25" (32 mm) hex, with scaled 10m (11mm) rises. Still sounds like it would be great to use. I wonder if any independent fabricators have filled the vacuum with replacement tile sets.

Edited by Tirick Fire, 12 August 2012 - 01:11 PM.

[Tirick Fire]

The 1:1000 modular City Walls set is now released. It comes in both .pdf and .pdo format, and contains the texture base if you wish to recolour them. There are several segments, suitable to build a fortified base or wall demarcation. These are specifically designed to complement the train set and the forthcoming city roads set, as well as future building sets.

Spoiler

The set is carefully designed to allow sections to fit correctly in a hex grid, while yet allowing 90 degree sections.

You can find them in the Hex Terrain section on my site: tcfgaming.com

Enjoy!
Tirick

[Tirick Fire]

I've taken a long break from design, but this one just kept pestering me until I sat down and stopped gaming long enough to put it together. It is a simple set, possibly the simplest model I've yet released, but I think it will add to the 1:1000 Hex terrain/mech sets considerably, and even possibly be useful at full scale (1:285).

3D Hex Forest / Woods markers:

Spoiler

This set is designed to replicate 12-15 meter tall trees (standard 'woods' height in Battletech), in both Light and Heavy patterns. The design is simple enough and allows for any figure with a base smaller than a full Hex to sit comfortably within it. Obviously, it will look more 'correct' with a 1:1000 Battlemech, but this should still provide a good visual cue to the areas marked by forest, and allow a modular setup to reflect forest terrain.

Alternate no-text textures are available, as well as both pdf and pdo files. I've included a UV map for convenience, should you wish to design your own texture plan.

Spoiler

With a 1:1000 scale figure:

Spoiler

With a 1:285 scale figure (approximately):

Spoiler

As with all of my models this is available, for free, at my site: tcfgaming.com

Enjoy,
Tirick

[reign]

I bought a mech scale leopard dropship from the IWM guys at gencon. The thing is about a foot long and 7-8 inches wide. Ill take some photos when I get it painted (its primed now....) map scale does not do the game justice

[Dracol]

Gotta say I'm impressed. Makes me wish I still played battletech.

[Tirick Fire]

I have a map-scale paper Leopard I built, scaled down from a 1:285 one. Looks great next to the map-scale Overlord. I like that you can have really large battles with map scale, especially if all the terrain/buildings/mechs are to that scale. On a 4x6 table that is around 1 km x 2 km in area. I have a prototype 3D foamcore gameboard built to 1:1000 scale (each level is 6mm), replicating one of the boxed set boards that works (and looks) really nice. I'll post some pictures of it with my forest markers now that I have enough built. I plan to redesign it to be modular and provide an excellent large-scale board set.