Imperial Outpost Game Table Part 1

For the longest time I’ve wanted to build an awesome game table. I’ve built a few in the past but I really wanted to up the WOW factor. Especially after immersing myself in the Forgeworld Masterclass books. So much valuable information in those tomes.

The premise of the game table will be an Imperial outpost that suddenly found itself in an unstable region of the planet after orbital bombardment. The core of the planet is overheating and the very ground is becoming unstable and breaking apart.

Read more after the jump

Setting Up A Space

I cleared out an area of my basement suitable for the table. I wanted it to be a bit larger 4’x8’ as opposed to the 4’x6’ boards I built in the past. I want a lot of terrain and geological features but also plenty of space to game. The extra 8 square feet will allow for that. I put up a backdrop that will eventually be airbrushed with a cataclysmic sky. I purchased 2 folding tables that when combine are large enough to rest the 4 panels of the game table on.

Planning and Supplies

I planned out the table with all the terrain pieces in mind. Adjusting for their space and game play around them on the blueprint. 

The table itself will be illuminated under the surface. Animated LED flickering lightbulbs will be built into the substructure of the table and shine through cracks and craters in the foam surface. 

Here's an Image and demo video of the lightbulbs:

Demo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqP4O5eWwhE

This is a cross section of how I will “parfait“ plywood, sheet acrylic, polystyrene foam, and gatorboard to achieve various leveled effects with an almost subduction type of effect on the mantle of the planet: 

Initial Terrain Work

I have tons of unfinished terrain laying around, so I decided to combine almost all of it into this board. Many of the pieces I already built to a certain degree. Here’s a smattering of the WIP terrain pieces.

A combination of GW Plastic terrain and MDF Terrain will be used throughout to give a unique appearance. This piece use a Hexagonal Platform from http://warsen.al

My pal Jason Anderson was able to design and render custom 3D pieces for the reactor based off of flat diagrams I gave him.

Here's the printed piece

Here's the flat diagram I game him

The Pilgrim Observer kit will be pillaged for pieces for the reactor.

Micro Art Studios Catwalks will connect the various buildings throughout the table. I've been painting them slowly with Fallout Hobbies Digi Camo 2 and Caution stripe airbrush stencils. Both can be purchased here: www.fallouthobbies.com/stencils

More coming up over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for Part 2