Some Rough Terrain

Today's Tutorial :: Rough Terrain!

I created some Rough Terrain for my 28MM MEST rules. In terms of the MEST Tactics rules, unless in Flying status or using Agility, models move at half normal rate. This is very similar to many tabletop wargame rules.

Tutorial

I'm trying a new process for building this terrain which goes like this;

Crafting

1. Cut some MDF. I start by getting plyers and breaking off weird shapes from masonite boards I purchased from Michael's Art Store.
2. Next I use a matt-knife to refine the edges of those boards.
3. Then I glue some small bits of expanded styrene. I use this "Pink Panther" brand.
4. I carve that with my hot-wire knife into interesting shapes to form boulders.
5. Afterwards, I use some plaster spackle to given some texture to large areas of the board. I use the high-density type, and so it takes some time to dry after application.
6. While the spackle is wet, I start jamming into it small rocks and pebbles of various sizes. I think kitty litter or aquarium pebbles could work well for this, but I got my rocks from the side streets and washed them before use.
7. After everything dries, I cover the entire surface with a coat of Elmer's Glue. This helps seal the spackle, the pebbles, and also glues down any fibres from the styrene.

Painting

When that stuff dries;

1. I go over each board with a thick coat of black acrylic paint. This may bring up some of the glue, but it will all eventually dry again. I try to hide all white and pink; flood all surfaces with black paint.
2. When the black paint dries, I use dark brown and wet-brush all of the boards in an attempt to bring up some of the textures.
3. After the brown paint dries, I dry-brush tan acrylic paint.
4. I also dry-brush some medium gray.
5. I then do a very quick dry-brush with a 4-inch brush white on the edges of all of the boulders I carved out of styrene. I also touch up on the rocks and pebbles where I think looks nice. However, I do this by drawing up from the edges of the boards to the tops of the boulders.
6. And I wet-brush medium green in areas I want to look as though it were damp.

Flocking

After that tan dries, I try something new!

1. Get some green flocking material. I use fine-powder dark green and lighter clumpy forest green.
2. I mix a bowl of medium green acrylic paint with Elmer's glue.
3. I dab the boards in the areas where I had already dry-brushed with green paint earlier. 
4. I then sprinkle some dark green flocking on those areas.
5. Afterwards, with my fingers, I jam the clumpy flocking atop that where desired.
6. When I am done with everything, I spray the clumps with flocking glue to hold it into place.

Wide boards. About 3-inch by 10-inches

This is about 6-inch by 8-inch

Another big piece.

Some of the pieces with boulders made of carved pink styrene.

How the new Rough terrain looks like with some 28MM figures.