It might have been nice if the designs had been published in a larger size, so that readers could build these projects themselves.įinally, the author explains that he's not primarily a gamer, which no doubt explains why he seldom describes how these projects would be used on a wargaming table. Similarly, the author typically shows his design plan, but fails to teach how others can devise plans for themselves.
How to make wargames terrain book how to#
While the author may give a reference to a book, the starting terrain builder for whom the book is intended will not know how to do this research. While the author explains the building and painting process, he unfortunately gives little description of how he comes up with his concepts, and how he turns these into actual plans. It can be hard to see what the author has done when the photo is of the entire project close-ups would have been useful on occasion. While the tutorials are well illustrated, when there are multiple pictures per page, the pictures can be rather small. For example, the first section of the book is where he shows how to build projects in three different scales, yet he never explains how his approach differs to each scale – he simply shows what he's doing, step by step. In future books, I hope the author will spend more time explaining why as well as how. It would have been better to explain basic techniques in detail early in the book, then summarize in later tutorials. However, there is some repetition of technique from tutorial to tutorial. The author showcases a variety of techniques: using strip wood, DAS modelling clay, cardboard, green and blue foam, and balsa wood, as well as how to detail a laser-cut MDF kit.Įach tutorial is well presented, and gives an excellent guide to building and painting the sample projects. Lists are given of materials and paint colors used. Step-by-step illustrations are provided, sometimes as many as six pictures per page. Section Three: Detailed, Step-by-Step TutorialsĮach tutorial briefly mentions the inspiration or source for the concept and shows a design sketch, then details the construction and painting process. The majority of the book consists of nine projects: Section One: Working in Different Scales In a note about painting, he explains that because he mixes his own colors, he cannot tell readers simply to use specific paint colors. In the two-page introduction, he introduces himself as a terrain builder first, figure painter first, and gamer third.
Introduction, Notes on Paints Used, and Glossary.Īccording to the back cover, author Tony Harwood ( dampfpanzerwagon ) sets out in this volume to show gamers how to start with building their own cost-effective Napoleonic-era buildings.