Venice Wargaming Board - Bridges & Docks

Venice has upwards of 400 bridges! 

My Venice table needed to have some bridges to span over the canals. Since I am working with a 4 x 4 foot table, 2-3 bridges seemed to be in order.

 

With many reference images from Venice's bridges, I came up with two bridge designs.

Construction was the same as the raised platforms, 3mm PVC construction and 3mm cork stonework. The ornate design at the top of the left one was achieved with model train OO/HO scale fencing from ebay. 

 

Down by the Docks

More traditional wooden docks made from coffee stir sticks and wooden dowels. I did try to mimic real construction with the beams and cross members underneath the top planks. Added damage and missing planks, along with a half sinking piece. Thin string emulate rope and fine jewelry chain on some of them for added detail. Glued bits of metal hidden underneath to add a bit of weight and help reduce movement on the gameboard.

Frostgrave Treasure

Assortments of treasure tokens for Frostgrave. This includes a few of the official Frostgrave tokens, Dunkeldorf bits, and the rest are cobbled bits.

 

 WIP of the greenstuff stonework and books made of cardboard and plastic.

 

Stargrave Crew - Building

I went all in on the Stargrave Nikstarter and got the rulebook, plus all three boxes of plastic kits; Crew, Mercenaries, and Troopers. They threw in the loot pack, d20 and a Magmite. I also picked up Rogue Star Old Rogues, Explorers, Soldiers of Fortune, and Frostgrave Nullmen.

Fresh Pile of Stargrave Loot

For my first crew I decided to stick with with the official plastic kits and do some simple kitbashing to make mine unique. Went with Genestealer Cult heads for that humanoid yet still alien look. There are some GW Adeptus Mechanicus and Imperial Guard bits as well.

Two Chiselers

Trooper

Commando
Neophyte Hybrid torso, SG Trooper legs and gun.

Grenadier

Burner

SG Trooper body, IG flamer, green stuff hose.

Medic

The official metal Stargrave medic with a head swap.

Captain
Stargrave metal model with head swap.

A shout out to Proxie Models for the amazing bases. They are a small independent outfit and worthy of your support. They have a great variety of base sizes and shapes made in styrene plastic. I really prefer the low profile edges of these over the taller GW bases. For my crew, I am using the 30mm round bases. To finish the bases, I applied some random bits along with Vallejo Earth Texture Lava and Games Workshop Agrellan Earth for the cracked effect. K&J Neodymium Magnets were added to the bottom of the bases for storage.

Venice Wargaming Board - Construction

One of my biggest miniature hobby goals has been to build my own custom themed terrain board. So I set out to build a 4 foot by 4 foot board modeled after Venice Italy, with raised platforms, canals, bridges, buildings and gondolas. This should work for Mordheim and Frostgrave games. Part of the draw was that I wanted to craft my own from scratch. I took inspiration for modularity from TTCombats Streets of Venice MDF kits.

The design is built completely modular, for maximum flexibility. The main construction materials were 3mm PVC shell clad in 3mm cork. The raised platforms sit 2 inches tall. Hotglue was the adhesive used. I've seen many raised platforms made of foam. But they ding and damage quite easily, and I wanted something with more durability.

I made a full size mockup to sort out how many of each modular piece I wanted.

Final build includes:

• Four - 6" x 6"
• Six - 6" x 6" triangle
  
• Three - 6" x 12"
• Six - 12" x 12"
• Two - 12" x 24"
  

For days and days I cut the cork sheet into strips and then shorter "stone block" pieces. (actually weeks) Then hot glued them into place. After everything was glued in place, I distressed the cork surface with a knife to add a lived in feel.

A brief suggestion of the torture that is individual cork stones. This tray was refilled multiple times during the build.

The long process of gluing down cork bits. yay fun! With each piece, I did my best to vary the design and patterns of the stonework. Along the side walls, I added arches, drains, wood beams, little nooks, rings to tie boats to, etc.

The full set completely built and ready for paint.

Frostgrave Warbands

Frostgrave warbands built from official Frostgrave metal and plastic kits. Bases are all greenstuff sculpted stonework. Painted up all models into two paint schemes to split up for two warbands.

 

 

 

 

Hyena miniature from Reaper

 

 

 

Knight and Templar from North Star

 

The workbench in build mode!

 

 

Sigilist and Apprentice from North Star

 

Barbarian Wizard and Apprentice from North Star

Cats & Dog

Add a lived in feel to your tavern or country side villa, give them a pet or two. These canine and feline models are from the Dunkeldorf kickstarter from 2019.

 

 

WIP of the pets. Greenstuff wooden flooring and a few plastic bits.

 

 

Frostgrave Bestiary

 Various beasts and monsters for Frostgrave Bestiary.

 

 

Wolf from Reaper Warg link

 Lion from Reaper link

Werewolf from NorthStar Frostgrave link

 

 

 

Medium and Large Constructs

Lesser Bloodstone Golem, Reaper link

Herald of Blood, Bloodstone Golem, Reaper link

Major Demon
Moon Beast, Pathfinder Battles

Holiday Exchange 2020: Karen

Constructed my first diorama. It had been on my modeling list todo for a while now. Our hobby group has been doing a holiday miniature exchange each year, and thought this would be the perfect time.

The 2020 modeling task was to craft a "Karen" model. Mine took this form: A disgruntled Karen turned away from her favorite cafe because they won't allow her pet Millisaur in. Needless to say, she isn't having that and immediately called the manager to address the situation.

 

Base miniature is a pirate from North Star Games Rogue Stars. She has a head swapped, right hand changed as well from a gun to a walking stick, and left to be holding a phone. Base is a computer heat sync. Various bits were used to decorate. Behind the clear plastic door there is a printed view of inside the bar. Model is magnetized to the base.

Choice bits pulled to possibly be used. 

 I am very happy on how it turned out. And I am currently working on another diorama.