SCRATCH BUILT, CORNFIELD

 

Creating realistic terrain for the wargaming table is often a challenge, making it playable just adds to that challenge but creating cornfields where miniatures and vehicles can be placed within them, pushes up the notch quite a bit.

Hence my solution, static cornfields that allow for placement of figures and vehicles within the cornfields without detracting from the realism, suitable for varied historical battles from the French Indian wars to WW2.   

In this post I will layout a step by step guide, how I created my Cornfields. 

American Native Indian using the cover of a cornfield to launch a  surprise attack on frontier settlers.

German Panzers with troops clearing a cornfield in Russia.

Completed Cornfield 

I use 3mm MDF cut into 4 pieces ( I later made another 2 boards)

File and sand the edges of the MDF

Each piece measures 30cm (1 foot) by 20 cm (8 inches) 

Spread a very thin random layer of Caulking on the top surface to add some texture

Prime it with Black Primer.

Coat of VMC Earth 

Dry brush with VMC Iquai Sand 1:1 Earth, then highlight with 1:1:1 VMC Iquai sand, Earth and Ivory and the base is ready for the next stage.

I considered purchasing pre made plastic corn plants on the internet but they were expensive, instead I  decided to look out for  artificial plastic plants that could be converted into corn plants.  A trip to IKEA with my wife  for some homewares resulted in spotting these artificial plastic plants. 

The product name is FEJKA and priced at  6 dollars.

First step is to trim off the parts that we need.

This is what you are after.

Use a sharp pair of scissors to transform the leaf edge from a rounded shape into a point by clipping the very edge of the leaf.

This is what you should end up with.

Next trim off some (not all) of the spurs at the junction of the leave and stem.

This is what you should end up with.

Next step is to use a pair of model clippers to crib each leaf , half way up the leaf.

 What you are aiming for is to create a crease in the leave so that it can later be bend over.

These are my model clippers which have seen better days but are ideal for this task, you can also use a pair of old blunt scissors for this task.

Each leaf has been cribbed and ready for the next stage.

Press your fingers on the tip of the leaf till it has a downward posture.

The corn plant is complete for the next stage.

Using this image as a guide for painting.

Painting  step is very simple and quick, use VMC Green Ochre to coat the corn on the plant then use VMC Beige Brown to coat some of the leaves on the bottom portion of the plant and its ready to be planted.

Bunch of corn ready for the next stage.

Use a drill bit equal to the plastic stem dimension of the corn and drill into the MDF.

You can use a figure as a guide for spacing the holes.

Drop of super glue in the hole and secure the corn plant in place.

Plenty of space for the figure.

Continue drilling and securing the plants in place.

Once all the plants are secured on the MDF and the superglue has cured, flip the MDF over and trim off any plastic poking through the base with box cutters or a grinding tool bit on a handpiece. 

Coat any exposed MDF caused by the previous step with some paint to protect it from moisture.

Adding flock to the base of each plant: first step is to apply PVA glue around each base of the corn plant 

Sprinkle a mix of Oregano leaves mixed in with light green flock  

Coat the edge of the MDF board with a layer of PVA glue applied with a brush. 

Add flock that with match up with your gaming mat.

Completed Cornfield 

Close up of the Corn field.

Some more images based on French Indian wars.

Image shows the effect of  6 Cornfield bases placed together.

Some more images of Germans in Cornfields.

Cheers John