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

SCRATCH BUILT TRAIN TRACKS

Happy new year all.

Having completed Two Train Stations, scatter terrain for a train station and  a Train Engine with coal storage carriage, it was obvious the next project was going to be  "Train Tracks".

I decide to make good use of the Plastic Infantry Sprues I had acuminated in my garage over the years to make my Scratch built train tracks. 

If you are keen to make your own I have included  step by step guide.

Train station somewhere in France secured by BEF troops for a tactical retreat.

Aerial view of the station.

All my completed tracks more that enough for a 6 x 4 foot gaming table.

To start the project prepare 3mm MDF cut into strips of 18.5cm x 5.5cm.

Measure 5mm in form the edge of the MDF and pencil in a line running both lengths of the MDF strip.

Use a file to chamfer the MDR from the pencil line to the edge, this will help blend the MDF into the gaming table.

Prep match sticks into 4cm lengths

Apply PVA glue at approximately 7mm apart.

Push the matches into the PVA glue.

Set aside to cure.

Grab your plastic sprues

Use model clippers to cut thru the plastic sprues. 

Select the longer pieces to remove.

Remove any extruding piece of plastic with the hobby clippers and hobby knife.

Plastic sprue without lugs.

Create a channel in the middle of the plastic sprue with either a disk or circular stone using a hobby hand motor.

Channel formed on both sides of the plastic sprues.

Place drops of super glue on top of the edges of the matches where the plastic sprues will be positioned and leave a slight overhang over the MDF on both edges.
(Note that the width of your train tracks will depend on the width on the trains wheels you intend to use for the tracks, mine are 3cm wide)

Allow the super glue to cure, note the over hang on both edges.

Flip the track over and trim off the excess plastic sprue inline with the MDF edge with sharp box cutters.

Once you have completed the first track, mark it as the master track, you will use the master track as a guide to line up the rest of the plastic sprue rail, as can be seen in the image above. The black based track has become the master track , the track on the right is the track in progress of lining up the tracks.

Optional step of scribing the matches with the point of a hobby knife or box cutters to create grain on the matches.

I referred to this image as a painting guide.

First painting step was to  prime them with black, with a good primer such as Rustoleum.

Painting stage starts using a brush.

Carefully wet brush the matches with Vallejo Model Colour Beige Brown leaving portions of the black primer showing thru.

Using the same painting technique highlighting with VMC Middlestone but leave some of the Beige Brown on the surface of the matches.

Paint the plastic sprues VMC Flat Brown.

Paint random areas along the sprue with  Vallejo Game Colour Carne Marron 

Further highlight with VMC Cavalry Brown to create rust areas 

Apply VMC Gunmental Grey on the top of tracks only .

Apply a generous thick layer of PVA glue with a brush on the MDF both on the edges and in-between the matches.

For the Ballast I used Woodland Scenic WS B89 Coarse Gray Ballast.

Apply a generous amount of Ballast and allow to set.

Once set, use your finger to remove any unwanted ballast from the matches, plastic rail, edges along the length of the track and especially on the edges that will bud up with other track pieces.

Apply random batches of PVA glue between the tracks and along the edges of the track.

Apply some areas with Woodland scenic Earth blend.

Apply Green flock to the outer edges.
Note: I have also made 6  tracks without any flock, these would be placed next to the Train Station.

I applied a black wash by thinning down black paint to create   thin random dark mark in the middle of the track.

Completed straight tracks.

I also created a number these redirecting tracks.

Sabotage track, great for Resistance scenario.

Curved track.

You can also cut up the tracks using a metal saw to suit a scenario and the gaming table.

Some of the scatter terrain near the station

More images of the scatter terrain for the station.

Some useful links to click on this blog :

• Train and Train Scatter terrain
• Signal Box:
• Scatter terrain: 

Cheers John