Terrain Workshop: Trees 11

Let's get lost in the woods for a week.  All the designs from this week actually predate Terrain Workshop: Trees 1 Revisit but I hadn't had a chance to build/photograph/talk about them before that post and the "Road to Nowhere" game.

This design has its origins in the build from Terrain Workshop: Trees 10, but it makes several changes.  We start with four Log Bricks as the base of the trunk, shifting into four 1x3x3 Arches, topped off by four Plant Leaves 6x5.  This is a total of twelve pieces which is 2 Hits.

In 6P scale this is 16' tall and the trunk is 5' wide.  The branches/leaves span roughly 45 feet.  This is probably the simplest build so far in terms of parts use and availability.  That should make it pretty easy for people to duplicate.  It's a little less boxy and covers more space than the build in Terrain Workshop: Trees 10.

With the boxy trunk design, I feel like this and the TW:Trees 10 design should be spun off into a different table-setting.  Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: The 4x4x4 Formula

I had a bit of an epiphany the other morning on the drive to work.  Terrain Workshop: Trees 10 and Terrain Workshop: Trees 11 both feature similar starting points. They each have four base pieces and four arch pieces.  The number of leaves -- and other assorted pieces -- is where they differ.  But, that leads us to the design I built the night before that fateful drive to work.

It starts with four Log Bricks, which then lead to four 1x3x2 Curved

 Top Arches, topped by four Plant Leaves 4x3.  That's twelve

pieces which is 2 Hits.  In 6P scale it would be 12' tall, with

a 5' thick trunk, covering roughly 20 feet from side to side.

This design follows the four (trunk) by four (branches) by four

formula (leaves) of the build in TW: Trees 11.  My epiphany

was the thought that you might be able to plug any number

of parts into that formula to make a decent looking tree.

Let's try it and see.

Four 2x2 Plates, four Inverted 75 deg Slope 2x1x3, and four Round Plates w/3 Leaves.

Four 2x2 Round Plates, four Continuous Bow Arch 1x5x4, and four 6x5 Swordleaves.

Six different parts, two different trees, one design formula.  What's really necessary for this to work is that the combination of the first two pieces gets you above the Height Minimum for Cover -- which is 3 Bricks.  Since it's made of twelve pieces total it will always be 2 Hits to destroy.  And if you build it the right way, it should be Cover until it's destroyed.  You should also be able to use fairly common pieces to generate terrain with this formula.

You don't have to limit yourself to trees, either.  This is a science fiction game after all.  Four 2x1x2 65 deg. Slope, four 2x1x1.3 Curved Slope w/Recessed Stud, and four Plant Leaves 4x3.  I see this as a piece of sandstone with coral fronds growing off it.  I probably should have used a different base color though.

Going back to trees-- and common pieces -- four 3x1 33 deg. Slopes, four

2x2 Bricks, and four 1x6 Plates looks like somewhat of a Cubist nightmare

but it is still viable as tree-shaped Cover made out of fairly common parts.

And, and, and(!) to tie this into an existing table-setting to show this technique can work in multiple ways, let's build something for Alien Planet.  Although that may be cheating a bit because Alien Planet has a pretty open design space.  Anyway.  Four 2x2 Wedges by four 1x1x5 Brick w/Open Stud by Curved Plant Stem w/2 Thorns & 2 Swirls.

To recap; four base pieces, four middle pieces, and four top pieces gets you --

 as long as it's above the Height Minimum -- a 2 Hit piece of Cover.  I hope this

helps people with future terrain designs for MFZ: Rapid Attack.  Flickr Page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 2 & 4 Revisit

After the "Road to Nowhere" game I got a chance to experience my tree designs in action.  With some of the tree designs meant to be bigger, old growth trees, them having the same amount of Hits as other -- smaller -- tree designs doesn't make much sense.  So I took a couple of days afterwards to try and figure out a way to improve them.

The one on the left is the revised version of the build from

Terrain Workshop: Trees 4.  The one on the right is the

revised version of the build from Terrain Workshop: Trees 2.

I added two 2x2 Round Plates, sandwiching the Plant Leaves 6x5

between them, then added four Round Plant Plate 1x1 w/3 Leaves

to the 6x5 Leaves.  This is a total of six new pieces which adds 1 Hit,

making the new total 3 Hits.  In 6P scale it is now 20' tall and 10' thick.

The new Plates w/3 Leaves also add a splash of color to the design.

This update adds two 1x2 Plates under the Curved Slopes 2x2x2/3

and four 1x1 Round Plates w/Flower Edge on the 6x5 Leaves.  Which

makes a total of six new pieces, adding 1 Hit, changing the total to 3

Hits.  The new Flower Edge Plates are used to -- again -- add a splash

of color to the design.  In 6P scale this tree is still 10' thick and 21' tall.

Here's a size comparison photo to show the height change in Tree 4.1

I hope people like these modifications and it helps

with creating your own terrain.  Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 8

So I actually started building this one before I created the build for Terrain Workshop: Trees 7 but it took me a while to get all the parts I needed to finish the second stage version.  I feel like the smaller one is a micronized version of this build.

So it could be considered a bit of a reach but in my mind's eye I can see the arc of the canopy described by the four 6x5 Swordleaves w/Clip that are attached to four Dinosaur Tail Middle Sections w/Pin that are attached to an Axle Connector Hub w/4 Bars on an Inkwell, with another Inkwell on top, and a Support -- which is another callback to the first Tree Terrain Workshop.  This tree is 36- feet tall in 6P scale and can take 2 Hits before being destroyed.

It is possible to fill this design out a little by removing the Inkwell and instead using a 1x1 Round Plate then an Antenna

to mount the branch section.  You then place an Apollo Stud on the Antenna and another branch section -- offset --  then top it off with another Apollo Stud and a 1x1 Cone.  This version of the tree is 42 feet tall in 6P scale and can take 4 Hits before being destroyed.

As you can see, Frames can fit under both version of this tree.  Flickr page.  Once again I hope I've given people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 2

Back in March of last year I posted a Terrain Workshop that dealt with trees.  I've had another idea along those lines but this is something a little more "old growth" than the previous versions.

So this is composed of a 4x4 Round Brick, four Quarter Cylinder 2x2x5 w/1x1 Cutout, and a 4x4 Round Plate for the trunk, with four Plant Leaves 6x5, and two Curved Slope 2x2x2/3 for the top (I originally went with two Double Curved Slope 4x1x2/3 but it turns out I don't have as many of those as I thought.).  In 6P scale this tree is 10' thick and 21' tall.  It will take 2 Hits to destroy and anything that stands on top of it counts as being Elevated.  In terms of colors, I went with Black for the base 4x4 Round Brick because I don't have any in Reddish Brown.  I went with Dark Brown for the 4x4 Round Plate because that part doesn't exist in Reddish Brown yet.  I went with basic Green for the Leaves and Curved Slopes.  To build a minimum of six of this design -- in the colors mentioned -- would cost $12.24 or $2.04 per tree through Bricklink.

If we want to make them taller we should remove the Double Curved Slopes and replace them with 1x2 Rounded Plates, this will allow us to keep building upwards and keep the parts count the same.  For the start of the second section, instead of a 4x4 Round Brick, I'm going with another 4x4 Round Plate, the rest is the same as the previous section.  This gives us a 4 Hit, 40' tall tree.  To add a minimum of six of this section  -- in the colors mentioned --would cost $11.64 or $1.94 per tree through Bricklink.

A handful of these and some of the older style trees should make for good looking section of woods on a battlefield.

So the older style tree on the left is 25 feet tall and 2.5 feet thick in 6P scale.  The older style tree on the right is 22 feet tall and 2.5 feet thick in 6P scale.  Neither one counts the base for height.

If you want to beef it up a little without adding any height, you can add four Round Plant Plate 1x1 w/3 Leaves in Green and two 1x2 Plates in Reddish Brown and this will add 1 Hit.  This would cost $1.56 for six trees, or $0.26 per tree through Bricklink.

Hopefully this helps people with building better trees for their gaming tables.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 12

Let's get lost in the woods for a week.  All the designs from this week actually predate Terrain Workshop: Trees 1 Revisit but I haven't had a chance to build/photograph/talk about them before that post and the "Road to Nowhere" game.

This one started with the Round Plate w/Pinhole & 4 Arms Up that I had sitting in my "Tree" parts collection.  It also has three 2x2 Round Bricks, four Plant Leaves 6x5 attached to the Round Plate w/Arms, and four 3x4 Plant Leaves on the top.  This is a total of twelve pieces which is 2 Hits.

This is 11' tall in 6P scale and the trunk is 5' wide.  It also covers roughly 35' from edge to edge.

This is the shortest of the tree designs I've made recently but also fairly common in terms of parts.  I wanted to substitute a 2x2x2 Barrel for one of the 2x2 Round Bricks to add a little height but I couldn't track any down in my collection that weren't already in use.  I'll try to remember to revisit this in the future when I find one.  I may also change the leaf color to Lime to fit in with this set of trees.  Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 13

Let's get lost in the woods for a week.  All the designs from this week actually predate Terrain Workshop: Trees 1 Revisit but I haven't had a chance to build/photograph/talk about them before that post and the "Road to Nowhere" game.

This one is going to get a little complicated.  It all started with two Pneumatic Hose Connectors w/Axle Connector in Dark Brown that I found while breaking down some sets.  They gave me a few ideas.

The build starts at the bottom with a 2x2 Round Tile w/Hole.  An inverted 1x1x6 Solid Pillar Support is placed into this.  A 1x2 Jumper goes on top of that with two 1x1 Technic Bricks w/Axle Hole on top of that.  A 1x2 Plate is used to secure the bricks and two more 1x2 Jumpers go on top.  Four 3x4 Plant Leaves finish off the stack.  A 4L Technic Axle goes through the two Technic Bricks and the two Pneumatic Hose Connectors w/Axle Connector are placed on the ends facing in opposite directions.  The pneumatic sections of the Pneumatic Hose Connectors w/Axle Connector are both vertically oriented.  Four Plant Leaves 6x5 are attached to those.  This gives us a total of eighteen pieces which is 3 Hits.

This would be 25' tall in 6P scale with a trunk thickness of 2.5 feet.  The branches would cover 35' at their widest.  This is my most complex build so far in terms of building techniques and parts use.  I've got a few more of the Pneumatic Hose Connectors w/Axle Connector in Dark Brown so I may make a couple more of this style of tree.  Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 3

At the same time I was writing my last Terrain Workshop post about trees, I was formulating another idea based on a part that is a little younger than the Cylinder part that was the core of my last idea.

So this is composed of four Quarter Cylinder 3x3x5 w/2 Arch Tops, two Half Round Plate 3x6 w/1x2 Cutout for the trunk, with four Plant Leaves 6x5, and two Double Curved Slope 4x1x2/3 for the top (I originally went with two Curved Slope 2x2x2/3 but I switched due to color issues and also the Double Curved Slopes will help connect the two sides of this build.).  In 6P scale this tree is 15' thick and 18' tall.  It will take 2 Hits to destroy.  Unlike the tree in the previous post, this one requires a plate for a base.  In terms of colors, I went with Dark Tan for the Half Round Plates because that part doesn't exist in Reddish Brown yet.  Six trees in these colors would be $24.24, or $4.04 per tree, from Bricklink.

If we want to make them taller we should remove the Double Curved Slopes.  We also have to remove the Plant Leaves and place them on the arch sections otherwise the connection between the upper and lower sections is really weak.  We should also add in a 2x2 Plate on the other arch sections to -- once again -- secure the two halves of this build.  This will also keep the parts count the same.  Then we duplicate the first level.  This gives us a 4 Hit, 34' tall tree.  Any Frame on top of this version would count as Elevated.  Six sections in these colors would be $23.04, or $3.84 per tree, from Bricklink.

Orrrrr, you could swap out that section for four Round Corner Brick 2x2 Macaroni w/Stud Notch & Reinforced Underside, two Half Cylinder 2x4x4, then top it off with a 4x4 Round Plate, four Plant Leaves 6x5, and a 2x2 Round Tile.  This would give us a 4 Hit, 34' tall tree.  Any Frame on top of this version would also count as Elevated.

Mixing together this design with the previous two versions should make for a decent looking forest on a battlefield.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 7

It's been a minute since we had a Terrain Workshop -- and since I wanted to do more of them this year let's get back to it.  I stumbled across the Minifig Hot Dog/Sausage in Reddish Brown while digging through a set for other pieces and that gave me an idea for a small tree/large bush.  (I guess this is the "Year of the Tree" for Terrain Workshop?)  Fitting four of those into a Travis Brick, then placing Round Plates w/3 Leaves on the end of those simulates branches and foliage.  Placing that on top of two 1x1 Round Bricks and capping it off with a Cone leads to a total of twelve pieces which is 2 Hits.

Size comparison with the usual suspects.

In 6P scale it's 12 feet tall and 12.5 feet wide, with the trunk being 2.5 feet thick.  It could make for some sort of a Rhododendron, especially if you changed the color on one or more of the leaves.  It could also make for a pretty decent looking tree in one of the smaller scales, 4P or 2P possibly.  I feel like it would fit in well with Little Brick Root's style of building.

If you think it's too tall you could swap out one of the 1x1 Round Bricks for a 1x1 Round Plate which would keep the parts quantity the same -- and also keep it above the height minimum for Cover -- but reduce it to 10 feet tall in 6P scale.

Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 4

Riffing once again on Cylinder parts for the trunks of trees, let's make a variation on the alternate second level from the last tree Terrain Workshop.  

Starting with four Round Corner Brick 2x2 Macaroni w/Stud Notch & Reinforced Underside, add two Half Cylinder 2x4x4, then top it off with a 4x4 Round Plate, four Plant Leaves 6x5, and a 2x2 Round Tile.  In 6P scale this tree is 10' thick and 18' tall.  It will take 2 Hits to destroy. Any Frame standing on top of the Round Tile count as Elevated.  (Good luck with that though.)

For the second level we swap out the Round Tile for another 4x4 Round Plate and push the connection points for the Plant Leaves 6x5 to the edges, then we just add a copy of the original tree to the top.  This would give us a 4 Hit, 36' tall tree.  Any Frame standing on top of it counts as Elevated.

Just for fun, let's take one section of each tree design and combine them into one.  This would give us a 6 Hit, 54' tall tree (in scale).  Any Frame standing on top of it counts as Elevated.

Finally, here's what all three of these new tree designs look like individually.

I'll be using all three of these in a table-setting at some point.  I hope I've given people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds.

Build Journal/Terrain Workshop: Trees

There was a fairly long discussion of terrain and Cover the other week on the Discord channel.  One of the issues raised was how to make trees that looked good but weren't a million Hits due to having many parts.

There are multiple ways to do this.  Alien Trees.  Spike Tree.  More Alien Trees.  But the request was for good old Terran trees, so let's try to build some.

This idea came to me while I was driving home from work the other day and I think it works nicely.

It all starts with a trunk composed of 1x1x6 Solid Pillar Support.   An Inkwell

sits on top of this and an Axle Connector Hub w/4 Bars & Pinhole connects to

that providing a base for four Small Palm Leaves.  You could sub in a Round

 Plate w/Pinhole & 4 Arms Up for the Axle Connector Hub but I think the Hub

allows more pose-ability for the leaves.  I also believe that the Axle Connector Hub w/4 Bars will work but have different issues in the long run.

So the main "problem" that I see with this is that it doesn't get cleanly destroyed when

damaged.  The top gets taken apart with the first Hit leaving -- pardon the pun -- the

trunk behind.  I think the simple solution would be to add some 1x1 Round Plates under the Inkwell and maybe add a 1x1 Brick at the base.  A pretty way to add five pieces

would be to add a Travis Brick to the base with four Round Plates w/3 Leaves on it.

You could also add parts to the top.  Starting with a Half Pin, add three 1x1 Round

Plates topped by a 1x1 Cone.  That adds five pieces bringing the total to 2 Hits.

Any way you choose to make that change, if at all, is up to you.

Here's a size comparison, with my usual two models, to give you an idea of how big these are.

I hope this helps people with future tree designs for MFZ: Rapid Attack.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 26

When you have trees on a battlefield in MFZ: Rapid Attack one of the things that is hard to simulate is the overhang and canopy coverage of tree branches.  One of the reasons behind this is it's hard to move your Frames around on the table if you have to reach under things a lot.  Also the general size of RA playing pieces would mean that trees would have to be built pretty tall to achieve this effect.  But recently, after purchasing the Friends Adventure Camp Treehouse set, I had a bit of a brainstorm.

Starting with two Arched Door Frame 1x6x7 w/Notches and Rounded Pillars

placed back to back to represent the trunks and intertwined branches of the

trees, we add four 1x2 Round Plant Plate w/Layered Leaves to represent,

well, leaves.  This is 22' tall, 30' long, and 15' wide -- from leaftip to leaftip --

 in 6P scale.  As it's only six pieces it would be 1 Hit in MFZ: RA.

You can place two of these together on the same 6x6 Plate as long as the leaf pieces are aligned in the same direction.  This also creates a makeshift tunnel between the trees.

It's a somewhat tight fit but a

Classic can fit in the tunnel.

Size comparison with the usual suspects.

I hope this gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds. 

Flickr Page.

Terrain Workshop: The Evolution of Star Command Base

The idea for this, once again, started with something mentioned by Occam's Spork.  Although it was a conversation totally unrelated to MFZ.  That led to me looking at an old toy called the "Star Bird Command Base".  Which led to me building another table setting.  Tom's also to blame for this due to an interesting discussion about Elevation and Highly Durable Terrain after a game almost a year ago.

Start.  Here we lay out the parts I have on hand to get an idea of what I need to fill in the space on the battlefield.  I originally thought about putting this in a water setting but I had bought trees from the PaB Wall for a different project.  I may put together a set of Blue baseplates to represent water in the future but I'll need to build some other terrain to replace the trees.

Phase two.  All the supports for the "deck" are in place.  I'm figuring them at 1 Hit each.  I now have eight trees per baseplate.  They're 1 Hit each and, as you can see in the picture, they can be arranged into walls and patterns to block out space.  I also have a section of LURPS that, with the addition of some small plates, will be 1 Hit each.

Phase three.  Now I start work on the building.  It came together in roughly six sections.

One.  Ground floor.  9 Hits.

Two.  Second floor/Landing

Deck.  5 Hits.

Three and four.  Landing Deck walls.  11 Hits each.

Five.  Third floor/Observation deck.  6 Hits.

Six.  Fourth floor.  8 Hits.

This build went together pretty quickly.  Having some of the parts on the local PaB Wall and being able to "raid" my local Dollar Trees for other parts in bulk made for fast assembly of the base terrain.  The building took a little longer but it's an example of why you buy sets and store the unused parts for later.

Here's the Battle Report so people can see how it all came together and how it played.

I have a Drone's Eye video of the whole thing assembled but it's twice the size limit of Gmail attachments so I'm not sure how I can share it.

I hope that this gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds for future games.