Venice Wargaming Board - Gondolas

Icons of Venice

Venice has no cars! With 150 different canals Venice is mostly just a collection of islands. What better way to get around, than with gondolas. It will cost you a pretty sum (80-120 euros!) in real life, but it is memorable to do if you visit!

For my Venice board, I needed gondolas. Searching the web, I found a few options for purchase. But none of them allowed the 30mm bases I use, to fit within the boats, which I felt I needed. So back to crafting them from scratch. Following many reference images, these are made from the same 3mm PVC material as everything else. Along with a few thinner plastics here and there. A couple decorative bits from the craft store finish them off.

The side boards have a compound bend to them as they go from front to middle to back. I achieved it by applying heat to the plastic and bending. Once cooled, they retained their bends. Wood effect was made by scoring planks with a knife then widening with a pointy file. Wood grain applied by lightly scoring. Tiny drill holes create the nail marks at the ends of the wood planks.

 

Two boats built.

 
Seats two, plus the gondolier.

Decided to try the salt chipping paint method. Primed, painted wood color, then spray varnished. Added water to the surface and sprinkled chunky salt all over. Left to dry. Then painted red/blue on each boat. Once that coat was dried, I chipped off the salt to reveal the wood color below.

 Finito! We have two gondolas ready for the canals.

 

 

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.

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.

Carnival of Chaos -=- WIP -=- Part 3

I've been making progress with the CoC warband. Most characters are modeled up. I've also glued rare-earth magnets into their bases, so I can try out a new method of transport.

Here the Tainted One and a Brethren are finished.


2 more Brethren and the last of them. Guy to the right I cut off his head and replaced with another head, also modeling in a clown type hat. The CoC set brethren are all very similar, and do share the same bodies. So I had to change him up, so I didn't have clones running around.


What's better then another Nurgling? Nurgling wielding fire! I converted his club into a torch.


The carnival master got more work than the rest. His sword is a plastic orc hand with a sword bit that I had laying around. The spear is an orc sword blade on a thick paper clip that drops through a plastic club hand. I have sense wrapped the spear's shaft with green stuff to add thickness. The base was carved up coffee stir sticks to look like wood planking.


Parts to go for the Plague Cart. Wheels are from the Skaven Warp Lightning Cannon. Big thanks to CB for the horses! Couldn't have a cart without something to pull it. From the beginning I've been brainstorming on how to build the cart. I saw it as the center piece of my warband. I've done my google-fu for plenty of reference materials, and I have some big plans for it. With the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus offering the best ideas. It will only be a matter of execution.

Carnival of Chaos -=- WIP -=- Part 2

Carnival Warband Update!

I have made some progress assembling the group. First here is one of the Brethren. Spear, knife and a quiver of arrows on his back.


Brute strongman with a big a$$ hammer. I replaced the head of the hammer that he came with with a larger one that I built. I think I may still add a few metal straps wrapping around the head of the hammer, it seems alittle plain.


Watch out for the Nurgling hoard! Here they come. I am going to be painting up the white cylinder up to be like a little platform they use in the circus. These are great little monsters!


Plague Bearer now with big claws!


I am trying to tie the models together with their basing. It will mostly be dirt with some wood planking that will tie into the plague cart. Big thanks to CB for the pair of horses to start that cart off with. Later.

Carnival of Chaos -=- WIP -=- Part 1

The next project on my table is create a new warband for Mordheim. For those who haven't tried it, give it a shot. It's a fun skirmish game that plays well with a small model count and terrain heavy boards. Although it's not very well supported by Games Workshop, there are a few active communities online, and the game itself has been very enjoyable to me. Our gaming group is big fans of Necromunda, and this is it's Fantasy based cousin that gets a lot of play too.

I already have a Lizardmen warband that has a number of games under their belt, and it is developing nicely. But I wanted another warband to add some variety. After alot of research I landed on Carnival of Chaos (CoC). The main reason is that it isn't played very much, so it has that uniqueness that I appreciate, and the modeling aspect look really fun. There are some complaints online of it being overpowered, particularly with a Nurgle Rot. So I decided to avoid using it in my band.



It is my first venture into the Nurgle/Chaos realms of the Warhammer universe, so I am looking forward to it. Below are some images of the miniatures that I will be forming the band with. I will update as it develops.

The Carnival of Chaos box set comes with 8 models: 1 Ringmaster, 1 Brute, 1 Plaguebearer, 1 Tainted One, and 4 Brethran. Plus weapons and bases.



Nurglings are up next. I got a blister of the current models and a set of the older ones (no picture yet). 10 Nurglings in a blister with four 40mm bases (two round, two square; depending if your using them for 40k or fantasy). CoC allows these in groups of up to 5. And at a low 15cr each, they could be great for cheap swarm units.



Another Plague Bearer that I will be customizing some. I will replace the sword with a set of claws.


For the second Tainted One that will have the Nurgle Blessing of Bloated Foulness, here I found a Sorcerer model that I will be converting a bit.



The warband is allowed two Brutes, notably the most fearsome melee fighter. GW does make a second Brute sculpt, but good luck finding it. I did see one on eBay, but it went for a high price. So I decided to make one using other parts. Here are some Chaos Marauder bodies that I plan on using.


Misc claws and bits to use.


Models enjoying a soaking in some Purple Power industrial strength degreaser. I've found it works well to remove paint/primer. Take care when using it though, I doubt it's very good for the skin.


Up next should be some assembled minis.


Some interesting Mordheim

• Tom's Boring Mordheim Forum
• Tabletop Geeks Online Warband Builder
• The Mordheimer's Information Center
  
• Model Collector's Guide to all Mordheim models made **Very Cool**