.
1019XXX2001 TSR, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION™
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and D&D are registered
trademarks owned by TSR Inc. BATTLESYSTEM, DRAGONLANCE, ADVENTURE FOLD-UP,
PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks of TSR, Inc. » 1985 TSR, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
This booklet is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use
is prohibited without the express written of TSR, Inc.
GETTING STARTED
Painting an army of miniature figures
can be tedious, time-consuming, and
frustrating, or it can be fun, relaxing, and
rewarding, depending on how you
approach the task. An organized work
area, the proper tools, and plenty of
patience are the vital ingredients. The
more care you put into the job, the better
your results will be.
The place to get started is in your tool
box. Having the right tools when you need
them will save time and cut down on
botched paint jobs.
Brushes
Obviously, you'll need paint brushes.
Two or three brushes are enough to start
with, but you'll need a variety of sizes.
Try a size 1 flat brush and a size 2 round
brush for painting large areas, and a size
0, 00, or even 000 round for painting
details.
Don't even think about synthetic fiber
brushes. Red sable artist's brushes are
more expensive, but their performance
more than makes up for the cost
difference. Buy the best brushes you can
afford, and take good care of them. That
includes plucking out any hairs that are
sticking out at funny angles, trimming
the end so that it's even, and eventually
retiring a brush when it's worn out.
Clean your brushes thoroughly
whenever you switch colors or paints,
and clean them with soap and water
before you put them away. Reform the tip
with your fingers while the bristles are
still damp so that they will be straight the
next time you use the brush. And always screws, or washers. The
pull the brush downward when painting, paint when you shake it.
so the paint flows from the root to the tip. the paint vigorously bef
Any other motion—swirling, splaying the bottle, and stir it a few t
hairs—pushes paint into the roots of the toothpick or the handle
bristles, where it is notoriously hard to after opening to make s
get out and eventually will ruin the brush mixed. If you paint strai
for anything except dry-brushing or bottle, shake the paint a
dusting. put it away. This preven
dried-out paint at the top
Paints from drying out comple
Whether you use acrylic (water-based) Instead of painting str
paint or enamel (oil-based) paint is bottle, though, it's best t
largely a matter of taste. Most in an old bottle cap or on
miniaturists wind up using both in order you can recap the paint
to get the colors they want. Acrylics are immediately and not wo
easy to use because they can be thinned drying out or tipping ov
and cleaned up with water. They tend to easier to thin and mix w
give bright, flat colors. Enamels give a working with a small am
hard, smooth finish, but you'll need paint
thinner both for thinning and cleaning up. Other Tools
Besides brushes and p
There's nothing wrong with using
enamels and acrylics on the same figure, all or some of the follow
as long as you let one coat dry completely utility knife; rags for cl
before starting the next one. But never, clean water or thinner (
never try to mix acrylics and enamels paints); more water or t
together to get a third color; it won't cleaning brushes); bott
work, and you'll be sorry you tried. small jar lids, or a pain
(for opening gunked-up
You'll want a wide variety of colors. glue; and toothpicks. To
A good flesh tone is essential, as are useful both for stirring p
numerous browns and greens. Bold, touching up small mista
bright colors look best on gaming
miniatures. While it isn't always
practical, it's nice to have three shades of
each color: the color itself, and that color
in lighter and darker shades. This makes
shading and highlighting a lot easier,
since you don't have to mix lighter or
darker shades of each color.
Model paints aren't cheap, so it's worth
making an effort to take care of them.
The first time you open a new bottle or tin
of paint, drop in a few ball bearings,
ese help mix the THE ART
. Always shake OF PAINTING
fore opening the
times with a People who paint individual player
of your brush character figures can afford to spend
sure it's well hours laboring over tiny details and
ight from the intricate brush strokes. The fact that
again before you you're reading this implies that you want
nts the partially to paint entire armies of inch-high elves,
p of the bottle dwarves, and goblins. The basic
etely in storage. techniques are the same for both tasks,
raight from the but army painters need to take a few
to put a little paint shortcuts if they intend to ever actually
n a palette. Then array their host on a gaming table. Both
bottle techniques—painting for speed and
orry about it painting for detail—are explained in this
ver. Paints are section. But first, some practical
when you're background.
mount, too.
paints, you'll need While the BATTLESYSTEM™ game is
wing: metal file; set in fantasy worlds, fantasy is more
leaning brushes; appealing when it is extrapolated from
for thinning reality. Let your imagination run wild
thinner (for when painting your fantasy miniatures,
tle caps, very but at the same time, keep your eyes
nt palette; pliers open for real-life counterparts. A giant
p paint bottles); lizard, for example, is a fantasy
oothpicks are concoction, but small lizards do exist.
paint and for Your giant lizard will look more
akes. believable if you base your paint job on
its real-life cousin. You don't need to lift
your colors straight from a blue-tongued
skink, but you can examine how the
skink's scales are patterned and colored.
For this purpose, a good painting of a
lizard is more helpful than a photograph.
A photo shows you what the lizard looks
like, but a painting shows you how
another painter captured that look.
The smaller a figure is, the darker it
looks. To compensate, it must be painted
with light, bright colors. A flesh tone that
looks way top light painted on the back of
your hand will be just right on a 25mm
figure. This is true for all colors except STEP 2: MOUN
black, white, and most metallics.
figures are comple
Also, small figures look shinier than on individual bases
they really are. Something that's glossy BATTLESYSTEM
in reality looks wrong on a 25mm figure standard, square ba
unless it's painted in flat colors. Polished smalltroops, 3/4 in
leather, silk, and metal are the three troops, and 1 inch f
exceptions. Everything else should be especially big figur
flat. dinosaurs, for exam
the size of the figur
Fourth, even a highly detailed 25mm
miniature just doesn't have much The counters tha
three-dimensional relief. If you just paint box can be used as b
on the colors, the figure will look like a can also make your
25mm statue. To make it look real, you you plan to field a
must give it shadows; you must create
shadows with paint and brush where none The best materia
exist. This is a lot easier than it sounds, is matte board or p
and in many ways it speeds up painting. board is easy to cut
most art supply sto
The nine steps that follow describe a ruler to measure o
system for painting armies of miniatures. you need. Put the s
Most of these steps apply equally when a worktable or som
painting detailed leader and that won't be dama
player-character figures. Following these cuts. Use a sharp h
nine steps are a few more advanced metal straightedge
techniques for detailed figures. You probably will
strokes to cut all th
STEP 1: CLEANING. The first step matte board. Be su
in painting your miniatures is cleaning along the edge of th
them thoroughly. Start by trimming any get a straight cut.
flash (excess lead that isn't supposed to
be there) away from the figure with a Bases also can be
sharp knife and a small file. Try to wood, masonite, flo
smooth out any rough edges that show flat, sturdy materia
where the mold was fitted together. Trim
or file the bottom of the figure so it stands
up straight without rocking.
Next, wash the miniatures in warm,
soapy water, and rinse them off in warm,
clean water. Set them out on a towel or
newspaper and let them dry overnight.
(This wash is to remove any dirt, grease,
or oil from the figure, so don't handle the
figures any more than you have to while
they're drying.)
NTING. When the drawbacks of some kind, though, so
unless you're experienced at working
etely dry, mount them with them, matte board is best.
s. In the
M game, there are three Epoxy, instant super-strength glues, or
ase sizes: ½ inch for even white carpentry glue can be used to
nch for man-sized mount metal miniatures on their bases.
for large troops. Some Be sure to follow all of the instructions
res—dragons and that come with the glue, and use it in an
mple—use bases cut to area with good ventilation.
re, or no base at all.
at come in this game Bendable plastic miniatures (which
bases, if you like. You aren't very common, anyway) are more
r own—especially if difficult to mount. Silicone adhesive or
very large army. rubber cement works best. If you use
al to make bases from anything else, you may simply have to
posterboard. Matte resign yourself to having the figures
t and is available from break loose occasionally.
ores. Use a pencil and
off as many bases as Some people prefer to mount five to ten
sheet of matte board on figures on long strips of wood or
me other solid surface cardboard (with a very small amount of
aged by scratches and glue!) so that they can be handled more
hobby knife and a easily while painting. When the painting
e to cut out the bases. is done, the figures are taken off the
need to make several group base and mounted on their
he way through the permanent bases. Use whichever method
ure to keep the knife seems best suited to your painting
he metal guide so you system.
e made from balsa
oor tile, or any other STEP 3: PRIMING. Once the
al. Most of these have figures are mounted, they should be
primed. All figures should be primed,
unless you intend to use the bare,
polished metal as a finish (this works
well for knights in plate mail). Priming
prevents tarnishing, helps the paint stick
to the figure, and makes colors look
brighter. A flat white or gray spray
primer is best. Let the primer dry
overnight before doing any more
painting.
STEP 4: OUTLINING. Outlining example, you have 20 g
involves painting black those areas that paint the flesh on all 20
would be in shadow if the figure were paint all of their brown
life-size. Dilute flat black paint 2:1 or 3:1 steel helmets, etc.
with thinner or STEP 6: HIGHLIG
water (so it will flow
into cracks and low Highlighting is optional
spots) and then miniatures more visual
paint it into areas takes some practice. T
that should be dark:
folds in robes, lig
between the arms th
and the torso, br
around scabbards, pa
inrecessesof be
helmets and armor an
(especially chain st
mail), above and below belts. At this fo
stage, it's better to put on too much than sh
too little. When you're finished, the fo
figure's features should be clearly ju
defined. am
STEP 5: COLORING. This step is hi
easy. Simply paint in the areas that have tricky. To work, it mus
been outlined in black with whatever much looks artificial. Y
color you want. Take care to paint right effect by brushing on th
up to the black wiping off the excess w
outlining, but don't STEP 7: DRYBRU
paint completely highlighting, not all fig
over it. It's best to from drybrushing. It w
start with the flesh trying to accentuate fur
tones and work sc
outward; paint the ra
layer of clothing de
closest to the skin, de
then the next layer, pa
and so on, finishing th
with backpacks, it
weapons, and of
equipment hanging from belts. Paint the th
figure's base last. You can save time by pa
painting figures in groups. If, for lig
fi
goblins with pikes, enough paint to bring out fine details. Use
0 at once. Then an old brush for this, because
n armor, then their drybrushing will ruin a new one.
GHTING. STEP 8: TEXTURING. An extra
touch that will make your miniatures
l. It makes your look more attractive and natural is sand
lly exciting, but it or model railroad grass glued onto the
The goal is to
ghten those areas base. Just spread a
hat stand out in thin layer of white
right light. Make a glue on the base
ale mix of the color with a modelling
eing highlighted knife, then dip the
nd brush it onto the base into the sand or
trong spots: outer sprinkle sand over
olds of cloth, it. Let the glue dry
houlders, for a while, then use
oreheads. Getting an old paint brush to
ust the right brush away the
mount of loose sand. Paint the
ighlighting is base so it matches
st be bold, but too the color of your gaming table. Field
You can get a softer green is the most common and versatile
he paint, then color, but other earth tones can work just
with a cloth. as well. Drybrushing yellow over a field
USHING. Like green, textured base produces very
gures will benefit attractive artificial grass.
works best when STEP 9: PROTECTING. After your
r, chain mail, figures are painted and mounted, it's a
cales, and other good idea to protect them from nicks and
aised surface gouges with clear acrylic spray. Just the
etails. normal wear from handling miniatures
To drybrush during a game can rub the paint off of
etails, get a little high spots and leave greasy finger
aint on your brush, marks. A clear, matte acrylic works best,
hen wipe off most of and can be found in most paint stores or
on a rag or a sheet art supply stores. If a matte finish isn't
fnewspaper. With available, use a glossy acrylic spray and
he small amount of coat it with a thin matte finish. These
aint left, brush protective sprays may darken the figure
ghtly across the a bit, but this is a small price to pay for
igure, leaving just protecting your miniature masterpieces
from minor damage.
DETAILED PAINTING STEP 5: DETAI
TECHNIQUES the major areas, fi
colors, and trim. Y
This nine-step process yields colorful, paint to run, so use
somewhat blocky-looking figures. This is
just what you want in an army, where the Even on highly d
individual figures aren't subjected to eyes should be und
close scrutiny. But if you're painting means you can forg
figures to use as player characters in an entirely. You really
AD&D® game, you will want a softer, about a person's ey
more natural-looking figure. To achieve few feet away. If y
this look, steps 4 and 5 must change a bit. must have eyes, try
eyebrows. If that is
STEP 4: SHADING. Outlining should either of these meth
be much more subdued, or skipped very light gray (no
entirely. Instead, a shadow effect is pupil by making a
achieved by washing the figure with the iris. If even tha
darker shades of the surrounding color. paint the eyebrow
First, choose the color you want an area brown. Bring out t
to be. Dilute that color so the paint flows spot of light gray o
easily. It should cover the high spots, but
also flow into the low, shadowed spots.
Next, make a thinner mix of a darker
shade and paint it into the shadowed
areas. It should flow easily into folds and
corners, increasing the contrast between
high and low spots. These two coats—the
primary color and its darker
shade—should create enough contrast,
but more shading can be added if you
want the extra detail.
Assume, for example, that you are
painting an illusionist wearing a green
robe. Start by painting with a slightly
thinned green. When that coat is dry,
make a very thin mix of dark green and
paint it into the folds of the robe, around
the belt, collar, and hood, and into the
cuffs. The dark green collects in these
low spots, creating a gradual shadow
effect.
ILING. After painting STORING YOUR
ill in belts, metallic MINIATURES
You don't want this
e a fairly thick mix. Once you've painted, mounted, and
detailed miniatures, sealed your miniatures, you'll need to
derplayed. That usually keep them somewhere. This can be quite
get about them a problem, since it isn't a good idea to
y can't see much detail just toss them in a sack and slide it under
yes from more than a the bed. You've put a lot of work into
you decide your figure creating your miniature army, and it
y painting on just must be stored properly to protect it from
sn't good enough, try damage and deterioration.
hods: Add an iris of
ot white) and put in a Your storage system needs to
very small pinhole in accomplish three things: it must keep
at isn't good enough, miniatures dry and dust-free; it must
and entire eye black or protect your miniatures from getting
the pupil by putting a nicked and bent; and it must be portable,
on both sides. so you can take your miniatures to a
friend's house or a game convention. You
should store your miniatures standing up
instead of laying over.
Plastic, compartmentalized trays are
sold in hundreds of varieties. Check at
the local hardware store. You should find
several types of workshop storage bins
designed for screws, nails, and other
small items that get lost easily. Some of
these are clear plastic trays that are
divided into a dozen or so compartments
and have a hinged lid. Others are
stackable units that have 10 to 30 small
plastic drawers. These hold lots of
miniatures, are sturdy, and are easy to
carry around. If you buy trays like these,
make sure the compartments or drawers
are big enough to hold your miniatures.
Spearmen, bowmen, and mounted
knights are very tall, and won't fit
standing up in many plastic trays.
Like hardware trays, fishing tackle
boxes are sold in hundreds of sizes and
shapes, many with compartmentalized The cheapest alternati
trays and drawers. Tackle boxes are big, your miniatures in low c
sturdy, and can hold miniatures of many with lids. A stationery b
different sizes. A tackle box with a tray of large candy boxes work
small compartments, a second tray with box should be sturdy eno
larger compartments, and a big storage doesn't flex a lot; otherw
area at the bottom is especially useful. when you pick it up and
You can store an entire (small) army in a will fall over and slide a
tackle box like that. Good tackle boxes box must have a lid or it
are expensive, but worth the money if cat toys, and other little
you can afford them. garbage.
STEP 1: Remove flaps, measure new STEP 3: Make compart
box side height and top flap length. removed cardboard.
STEP 2: Cut out corners between top STEP 4: Assemble, and
flaps, score sides where top flaps fold. miniatures!
ive is to store One of the very best (and cheapest!)
cardboard boxes storage boxes is one you make yourself
box is ideal, and from cardboard. The drawback, of
well, also. The course, is that making storage trays
ough that it takes some time and practice. Cardboard
wise, it will flex boxes are available free (or very cheap)
your miniatures from stores of any kind. Try to get
around inside. The several boxes that are the same size, and
t will collect dust, several more that you can cut up for
pieces of extra cardboard. If you can find three or
tment walls from four boxes of the same size that will fit
d put in your snugly inside another box, so much the
better.
There are lots of ways to modify
cardboard boxes to store miniatures. The
best is to cut down the sides of the box
and form a new lid, then use the removed
flaps to make compartments (see the
diagram). Use a ruler to measure off the
new height of the sides, and a
straightedge as a guide when cutting.
When forming the new top flaps, you'll
have to score the sides where you want
the flaps to fold. Also, when notching
cardboard strips to form the
compartments, make the cut as wide as
the cardboard is thick. Otherwise the
cardboard strips will twist, bend, or rip
when you assemble them.
One last note on storing your
miniatures. Keep them someplace where
your dog, cat, and baby brother or sister
can't get at them. Not only will this keep
them from getting bent, thrown around,
and lost, but it keeps them out of your
sibling's and your pet's mouths.
Miniatures are made of lead, and lead
can be poisonous if swallowed, chewed,
or even handled a lot. So wash your hands
after handling unpainted lead miniatures,
and store them on a shelf in the closet or
in a closed cabinet and save everyone a
lot of grief.
MAKING TERRAIN terrain features. B
and cheap, but don
Miniature figures are only a part of a as terrain made fr
miniatures wargame setup. Once the
armies are assembled, they need Of course, part o
someplace to fight. You can conduct your miniatures game
battles on a flat, featureless table if you Once you build up
want (it might be fun, if the battle was you'll want to star
set in another dimension), but you really three-dimensional
need some interesting terrain to spice up table. Three-dime
the battlefield. Terrain can be the to build and, depe
deciding factor in a battle. A key hilltop you use, can be ve
becomes an impregnable fortress, a
forest anchors your flank or screens you A few materials
from enemy archers, and a river splits making several di
your enemy so you can crush him in These are: styrofo
detail. Even minor terrain features can sheets, available (
be important: a shallow depression hides hardware or build
troops from the enemy, a farm fence carpet remnants in
provides a rallying point for routed units, other earth tones;
a small pond allows a magic-user to from model railro
summon a water elemental. kitty litter or aqua
various-colored sh
At first, especially if you're using paper, but particul
counters instead of miniatures, you may blue, and gray.
want to make simple, flat terrain
features out of construction paper and HILLS. Hills c
cardboard. Make hills with brown ways. The way yo
construction paper, using progressively matter of taste.
darker shades of brown to show higher
contours. Rivers can be made with blue The first is to cu
construction paper or tinfoil. Dark green of styrofoam or fo
paper makes dense woods, while light them mottled gree
green can be used for open woods, makes a low hill. O
orchards, or scrub brush. Masking tape smaller piece stac
or gray construction paper can be used hill. Each piece of
for roads. Once you get the hang of it, you different elevation
can make any terrain feature with the two contour lines o
appropriate color or combination of map). If each laye
colors. yards of elevation
table are at groun
An even easier method is to simply bottom piece of fo
draw the terrain features onto your game ground level, and
table with chalk, or onto large sheets of piece of foam are
paper with felt pens or crayons. Or you level. The change
can use masking tape to mark out all level to the next c
battle, but it shou
Both methods are fast each battle.
n't look nearly as nice An alternate method is to pile up books,
rom construction paper.
of the attraction of a carpet remnants, magazines,
is its visual splendor. newspapers, etc., on the game table
p an army of miniatures, wherever you want hills, and then lay an
rt using old blanket, tablecloth, or section of
l terrain on your battle indoor/outdoor carpeting over the whole
ensional terrain is easy table. This looks more natural, assuming
ending on the materials your table cover resembles grass more
ery inexpensive. than it resembles a checkerboard. Fasten
s are very useful for the blanket or cloth to the table with
ifferent types of terrain. staples or tape, or an accidental bump
oam or foam rubber and scrape could wipe out the setup. Be
(as insulation) from sure to get permission before using one of
ding supply stores; shag your mother's good tablecloths.
n various greens and
dried lichen, available RIVERS. Even in a three-dimensional
oad hobby stores; clean game, rivers are best done in two
arium gravel; dimensions. Blue construction paper, blue
heets of construction felt, or tinfoil (slightly crinkled, with the
larly brown, green, shiny side up) make excellent rivers. If
you really want a 3-D river, mold it in
can be handled several sections out of papier-mache or clay.
ou choose is largely a Paint the banks mottled brown and green
ut out irregular shapes and the streambed blue, then cover the
oam rubber and paint streambed with a generous layer of white
en and brown. One piece glue. The glue becomes transparent when
One large piece with a it dries, giving the river some depth.
cked on top is a higher
f foam represents a TREES. You really have some options
n (like the area between here. Model railroad stores usually carry
on a topographical a wide variety of plastic trees in several
er of foam represents 10 scales. Hobby stores also carry dried
n, then figures on the lichen, which can be used straight out of
nd level, figures on the the package, or glued onto small sticks so
oam are 10 yards above it looks more like a tree with a trunk.
Dried moss, available from most florists
figures on the second and greenhouses, can be used the same
20 yards above ground way, but it's messier. Even a small clump
in elevation from one of steel wool, glued onto a 'tree trunk'
can vary from battle to and painted green, makes a fine tree.
uld be consistent within
For a less expensive forest, try making
trees from light cardboard. You can
make individual tree stands by notching
two cardboard triangles so they fit take a short walk dow
together and stand up, or by making a pick up a few handfuls
stand-up trunk and a flat leaf canopy that small stones. Wash the
snaps onto the top. The 3-D trees that voila, authentic miniat
came with this game are examples of the
second type. SWAMP. A fetid sw
In any case, keep in mind that you fails to liven up a fant
don't need a model tree to represent
every tree in the forest. One model tree it's inhabited by shamb
represents a lot of trees, and a group of
model trees marks a large, wooded area. giant leeches, or will-o
You can mark the edge of the forest by best if you represent it
making a thin trail of fresh kitty litter scattered patches of di
around the trees. Leave enough room carpet outlined with ki
between your model trees to move carpet looks even wors
miniatures through the forest. And feel dry it out again before
free to move trees around in the woods to
make room for the figures. IMPROVISATION
GULLIES. Gullies can be best that this is a fantasy g
represented with construction paper or yourself to things that
don't toss in a few fan
kitty litter. features occasionally,
ICE. Smooth tinfoil (with the dull side they're playing an AD&
adventure. Some exam
up) or light blue construction paper make corks from last year's
convincing sheets of ice, either for party make dandy gia
glaciers or mere frozen lakes and rivers. plastic flowers look lik
magical growths on a
BRUSH. Irregularly-shaped sections of Quicksand, craters, ca
few other features tha
earth-tone shag carpet make excellent games. Let your imag
patches of scrub brush. Carpet remnants fun, too!
can be picked up at very reasonable
prices from most carpet stores. Lichen CASTLES, CO
and dried moss also make fine brush. AND CAUSEW
SNOW. Plain white paper is the easiest Just as important as
and best material to use if you want a few of the battlefield are th
snowfields dotting the battlefield. Purists orc-made) structures o
will insist on using soap flakes; while farms, fences, bridges
castles. Most armies tr
their visual effect is stunning, it is more battlefields that are cl
than offset by the problem of cleaning up structures, since villag
afterward. Stick to white paper. get in the way of a goo
But sometimes, as in a
BOULDERS. Boulders are easy. Just between two forces, a
whatever ground they
wn the street and village, road, or bridge may be what the
s of loose gravel and fight is all about.
em off at home and,
ture boulders! Several manufacturers market
wamp or two never medieval bridges and buildings in both
asy battle. Whether 15mm and 25mm scales. These aren't too
bling mounds, expensive (compared to your army of
o-wisps, it looks miniatures) and they look very nice on
t with small, the game table. Look in the miniatures
irty blue-green section of your local hobby shop.
itty litter. Wet
se, but be sure you TSR Inc. also has available 3-D
e putting it away. Adventure Fold-up™ figures of bridges,
stone walls, and village buildings. These
NS. Bearinginmind are less expensive than molded buildings,
are printed in full color, and give you the
game, don't restrict added bonus of being fun to put together.
you've seen. If you D&D® game adventure module B6, "The
tastic terrain Veiled Society," includes seven paper
people will forget sculpture houses and a city gate that are
&D® game perfect for setting up a small village.
mples: champagne
New Year's Eve If you'd rather make your own
nt mushrooms; structures from scratch, here are some
ke exotic jungle or basic guidelines to follow.
game table.
aves, and lava are a BUILDINGS. Make buildings out of
at lend variety to thin cardboard or matte board, balsa
ination have some wood, foam-core sheets, or toy building
blocks. The first four items can be found
OTTAGES, at any art supply store. If you (or your
WAYS
little brother or sister) don't have some
s the natural terrain building blocks, check at the local toy
he man-made (or store.
on it: houses,
s, roads, and Buildings made from cardboard don't
ry to find need to be elaborate. Four walls and a
lear of large roof are all that's really necessary. Take
ges and such just your time when coloring them and even
od cavalry charge. these simple constructions will look nice
a chance meeting in the game. You can color them with
armies must take markers, pencils, or the paints you use on
get. Sometimes the your miniatures. Use bright colors and
outline important features in black.
Primitive huts are even easier to make.
Peat pots are small, rough, cardboard
cups used for starting plants. You can buy
them at greenhouses or in dime stores.
Turn a peat pot upside down and cut out a of a fallen civilizatio
doorway and you have a fine hut. Very nothing but rutted d
small paper cups printed with a rough season, and impassa
pattern or painted brown will suffice, but rainy season.
they don't look as authentic as peat pots.
BRIDGES. Again
If you want thatched buildings, cover prefabricated bridge
the roofs and/or walls with burlap. A hobby stores, or you
spray adhesive is best for sticking the A long, thin candy bo
burlap onto the building, although most the ends cut off is a g
glues will work. Spray adhesive is sold in
art supply stores, and is useful for gluing CASTLES. An en
together any sort of paper or cloth sheets. written on castle bui
come in such a varie
Like model trees, you don't need a shapes, particularly
model house for each building in a that nothing more th
village. In the BATTLESYSTEM game guidelines are pract
scale, each model house represents a
cluster of buildings—a farm house and When building a c
several outbuildings and sheds, for that its purpose is de
example. Five or six buildings represent mind that defending
an entire small village. hulks, wyvern rider
requires a different
WALLS. Along with buildings, TSR Inc. than prevailed in me
sells heavy paper fold-up rock walls. You exact construction w
can scratch-build very authentic-looking amount of magic in y
rock walls by gluing together dry beans, have to experiment a
or by sticking together small lumps of works.
modeling clay. Long, square strips of
wood can be painted with rock patterns. The best way to st
Many companies also manufacture tower. A half-gallon
miniature stone walls specifically for use mailing tube, appro
with military miniatures. Whatever you adorned with gates,
decide to use, look for (or build) walls crenellations, becom
that are wide enough for a miniature to stronghold in less tha
shoeboxes and paper
stand on. This makes it easy to indicate connected by cardbo
which troops are crossing the wall. tower is a castle. Un
a full-scale siege, ke
ROADS. Gray or brown construction and simple.
paper, masking tape, or a trail of kitty
litter or aquarium gravel all make Also remember th
excellent roads. Remember that road are bastions of safety
building was pretty much a neglected they attract people.
science in the Middle Ages. Unless your inhabited by evil wiz
fantasy campaign takes place in a very be alone, should hav
advanced culture or among the remnants The village may be
on most roads will be depending on how much warning the
dirt tracks in the dry villagers had of the attack.
able mires in the
For people who want to spend the
n, you can buy money, many toy stores sell building
es from TSR Inc. or blocks designed specifically for building
castles. These are very attractive, can be
can make your own. used to make almost an infinite variety of
ox or pencil box with castles, and are lots of fun to play with
good place to start. between battles. Their big drawback is
ntire chapter could be cost; expect to pay $40 to $80 for a
ilding alone. Castles medium to large set.
ety of sizes and
in a fantasy world, WHERE DO I PLAY?
han general
tical here. Unlike the AD&D® and D&D®
castle, keep in mind
efense. Also keep in role-playing games, which can be played
g a castle from umber almost anywhere, a miniatures game
rs, and magic-users takes quite a bit of space. You'll need to
type of architecture find a table that's big enough for the
edieval Europe. The battle and that won't be needed for
will vary by the something else (like dinner) before the
your game. You'll game is over.
a bit to find out what
tart a castle is with a Your gaming table must be big enough
milk carton or a thick to allow two or three turns of maneuver
opriately painted and for both sides before the real fighting
arrow slits, and begins. It's tempting to cram as many
mes a tower miniatures as possible into two lines of
an an hour. Add a few battle that stretch from one end of the
r towel tubes table to the other. This set-up looks
oard walls and the impressive, but it leads to boring battles;
nless you intend to run the players can't make any important
eep the castle small decisions. Their only option is to charge
hat, because castles straight across the table and hope the
y and civilization, enemy units ahead are small and weak.
Most castles, unless Allow some room to march and
zards who prefer to maneuver, so players can try to outflank
ve a village nearby. the enemy or fall back before a heavy
inhabited or deserted, assault.
If you're playing on a really big table,
check beforehand to be sure that you can
reach every spot on the table from
somewhere along the edge. If you can't
reach the middle of the table, it's too big.
For small battles, a kitchen table (with
several leaves in place) should be big WRAPPING
enough. A ping-pong table is excellent for
bigger battles. A pool table also works Miniature figures a
nicely, but be careful not to damage the two hobbies in one: f
felt surface. A cheap alternative is to set painting, and displayi
a large plywood sheet across two or three second, playing warga
sawhorses. If nothing else is available soldiers. Don't let the
you can play on the floor, but be careful the second, or vice ve
not to step on any miniatures (and sweep in one direction takes
the floor before the game)! leaning too far in the
takes away the challe
The ultimate game table is a sand
table. A sand table is basically a sand box
on legs. The sand can be molded into
hills, ravines, rivers, gullies, and roads.
Dampening the sand helps hold its shape
during the game. The molded terrain can
be spray-painted green to give it a more
natural appearance.
Building a sand table is a fairly large
undertaking (not like building a garage,
but more than a dog house). Once it's
built, a sand table can't be taken down
and stored the way a ping-pong table can,
so put it up someplace where you can
leave it for a long time. For these two
reasons, a sand table makes a good
wargame club project. The cost and
effort of building the table can be spread
among the club members, and the table
can be kept at the club's regular meeting
place.
Information on building sand tables at
your local hobby store or library.
Whatever design you use, make sure your
table is sturdy and steady; the sand
needs to be only a few inches deep but
even a few inches of sand, spread over a 6
by 8 foot table, can weigh hundreds of
pounds, especially when dampened. Line
the sand box with a heavy plastic sheet or
seal it tightly with calking compound so
the sand doesn't leak out.
UP HOWTO ASSEMBLE
THE BATTLESYSTEM™
actually represent 3-D ADVENTURE
first, collecting, FOLD-UP™ FIGURES
ing them, and
ames with toy. The 3-D Adventure Fold-up™ figures
e first overshadow included with this game are fairly easy to
ersa. Leaning too far build, if you take your time and check
s away the fun, and each step carefully before proceeding
other direction with the next.
enge.
You will need a worktable, scissors (or
utility knife), and glue. A ruler or other
straightedge is also handy for making
folds—place the straightedge against the
fold and then fold, ensuring a nice, even
crease.
Before actually using glue on any
figure, fold it together to see if it works.
If you've made a mistake, you'll have
time to correct it. Otherwise, the piece
will be ruined. When you glue pieces
together, use the glue sparingly, or else
you can gunk up a figure beyond repair.
There are eight sheets of figures: one
containing Catapults, Ballistae, and a
Hut, one containing Tree Trunks, Flags,
and a Catapult Top, two containing
Treetops, one containing a Bridge, and
three containing Walls. We'll start with
the Catapults, Ballistae, and Hut sheet.
CATAPULT two flaps marked "X
strange-looking exte
There are two catapults in the game.
Each catapult consists of a Catapult Top, First, glue the lon
Catapult Base, Catapult Arm, and four with an "X" to the u
Catapult Wheels. The second Catapult counterpart, formin
Top is on the sheet with the Tree Trunks. the two small flaps
angle. Finally, place
Start by carefully cutting out all the tab marked "X" at
catapult pieces along the outer dark strange-looking exte
lines. Then look at Diagram la, which into the hollow end o
shows how to fold up the Catapult Base. see a circle drawn o
arm. That's where t
Fold the base inward (toward the plain, would go if this wer
or undecorated, side) along each of the
dotted lines. The long, thin sections fold Now to assemble
up into a long, skinny box, with the side Diagram 1d before
labeled "Catapult Base" facing the the Catapult Top to
undecorated side of the base. The two with the side labele
tabs marked with an "X" close off the against the corrresp
ends of the box. The two decorated end Catapult Base. The
flaps (one with a winch, one without) fold Catapult Top should
down to close off the back and front sides on the Catapult Bas
of the base.
Next, glue the sm
Glue the sides marked "Catapult Base" Arm to the small sq
to the undecorated underside, then glue Base direcly in fron
the decorated end flaps to the "X" flaps. Note that the arm w
You now have your base. Put it aside to angle, and the circl
dry, then take out the Catapult Top. goes will be facing u
Fold the top inward (toward the Finally, glue the f
undecorated side) along each of the base. Each wheel sh
dotted lines, as shown in Diagram 1b. above and below th
Press the top together so that it forms a
right triangle, with the side labeled BALLISTA
"Catapult Top" on the outside.
There are two ba
Apply a few drops of glue to each of the Each ballista consis
undecorated small triangles, and to the Ballista Base and a
square section marked with an "X." carefully cut out ea
Press together carefully so that the side along the solid dark
labeled "Catapult Top" ends up on the the Ballista Base.
outside. Put it aside to dry, and then take
out the Catapult Arm. Fold the two dott
center inward (tow
Fold the arm inward (toward the side), and fold the o
undecorated side) along each of the
dotted lines, as shown in Diagram 1c. You
should end up with a long, thin tube with
"X" at one end, and a Fig. 1b Fig. 1a
ension at the other. Fig. 1c
ng, thin side marked
undecorated side of its Fig. 1d
ng the tube. Then glue
together, forming an
e a drop of glue on the
the base of the
ension, and insert it
of the tube. You will
on the upper side of
the catapult projectile
re a real catapult.
the device. Study
beginning. First, glue
the Catapult Base,
ed "Catapult Top"
ponding "X" on the
e angle side of the
d face the winch drawn
se.
mall end of the Catapult
quare on the Catapult
nt of the Catapult Top.
will project at an
le where the projectile
up.
four wheels to the
hould stick up equally
he base.
allistas in this game.
sts of two parts: a
a Ballista Arm. First,
ach of the ballista parts
k lines. We'll start with
ted lines nearest the
ward the undecorated
outer two dotted lines
outward. Don't fold the two undecorated each of the windows alo
tabs at either end. Press the base fold them back so that t
together so that you have a triangle with
a tab on top, as shown in Diagram 2a. Find the tab at the fa
Glue the two halves of the tab together. hut (to the right of the d
Set it aside to dry, and take out the the decorated side). Fo
Ballista Arm. the tab touches the far w
Diagram 3a. Glue the ta
Look at Diagram 2b. Carefully cut the (undecorated side) of th
Ballista Arm along the lines A-B and C-D.
Do not cut across the dotted lines! Then fold the roof in
undecorated side) along
Now, fold the entire arm lengthwise. line. Put a few drops of
Fold back (decorated side to decorated the tabs on top of the hu
side) the front section along the dotted press the roof against th
line(C-C). Diagram 3d.
lake a look at Diagram 2c. Fold each FLAG
half of the cut section up along the dotted
lines. Bring the little tabs (each with a Two flags are include
drawing of an arrowhead) out so that fastened to the standar
they point forward. Let go of the folded one of the miniature fig
sections (each with a drawing of part of a the game, or fastened to
bow). When you're finished, the entire other thin pieces of woo
assembly should resemble a crossbow, decoration. Cut the flag
which is (sort of) what it is. solid dark lines, and fol
(toward the undecorate
Diagram 2d shows how to put the center dotted line. Plac
pieces together. Glue the halves of the pole in the center, and g
bow and of the arrowhead together. together, as shown in D
Before gluing the long, thin section
together, put a little glue on the TREES AND TREE T
undecorated tabs of the base and insert
the base so that the crossbow tilts There are ten tree tru
upward. Then glue the rest of the long, sheets of treetops inclu
thin section together. You should end up You can make a variety
with a giant crossbow (in 25 mm scale, these materials.
anyway) on a base. First, cut out several
of trees from the treeto
HUT no "right" size or "wron
make all the lines curvy
There is one hut included with the miniatures game, each
game. It consists of two pieces, the Hut actually represent an ae
and the Roof. First, cut out the two pieces grove of trees or part of
along the heavy dark lines. We'll start by clumps of trees are mo
building the Hut. large clumps. Be sure t
Fold the Hut along each of the dotted
lines. If you like, you can cut the door and
ong three sides and Fig. 2a
they open.
r right edge of the Fig. 2d
door as you look at
old the hut so that Fig. 2c
wall, as shown in
ab to the inside
hat wall.
half (toward the
g the center dotted
f glue on each of
ut, and gently
hose tabs. See
ed. They can be Fig. 3a
rd pole carried by
gures included in Fig. 2b
o toothpicks or Fig. 4
od or metal as
gs out along the Fig. 3d
ld them in half
ed side) along the
ce the standard
glue the halves
Diagram 4.
TRUNKS
unks and two
uded in the game.
y of trees out of
l irregular clumps
ops sheets. There is
ng" size, but try to
y. Remember, in a
h "tree" will
erial view of a
f a forest. Smaller
ore versatile than
that each clump of
trees is big enough to use at least two tree Once you've mad
trunks, or else they will fall over. part is which, and w
cut put all the bridg
Next, cut out each of the tree trunks.
Fold them inward (toward the First, fold the Bri
undecorated side) along each of the (toward the undeco
dotted lines. When you press them thin line in the cente
together you should find that all the lines at the edges.
triangles overlap. The undecorated long
side (marked with an "X") can fit behind Second, take the s
its decorated counterpart on the other and fold it inward (
side of the tree trunk, so that the tree undecorated side) a
trunk forms a triangle. See Diagram 5a. that meet in the "V"
drops of glue to the
Glue the undecorated long side to the fold, and press the
underside of its decorated counterpart to against them so tha
form a triangle. Then glue together the to the top of the sup
three triangles (it doesn't matter which halves of the other B
side is on top) to close off the ends of the them along the thin
trunk. to the other side of
thesameway.
When you have built the tree trunks,
glue two or three (as needed) to the Take each of the
undecorated side of each of the clumps of fold them into trian
trees you cut out earlier. See Diagram 5b. you folded the tree
there are no triangu
BRIDGE doesn't matter whi
underneath the othe
Study the bridge sheet and Diagram 6a the Guardrails, tak
before cutting anything out. On one end of and fold each of the
the sheet are 15 hexagons with triangles so that only the tria
in their middles. Those are the End Caps. out. Put a drop of g
Directly above them are what appear to folded hexagon sid
be two rectangles divided in the middle Cap into one end of
by a heavy solid line and lengthwise by the end of the Guar
four thin solid lines. When you cut these covered, as shown
out, cut out the long rectangles and then
cut them in half along the heavy solid Glue the Guardra
line. Don't cut them along the thin solid Surface, as shown
lines. These are the Guardrails. Directly
above the Guardrails are two Bridge Next, take out the
Supports with arches. One of the Bridge out two sections eac
Supports is a solid piece, the other is cut squares. (Cut along
into two pieces. Finally, above the Bridge not along the light
Supports, is the Bridge Surface. It is a of those sections in
rectangle with a thin solid line dividing it folded the Guardra
in half, and two thin lines at the edges. with End Caps. Fas
sections to the side
shown in Diagram
de sure you know which Fig, 58 Fig. 6b
where exactly to cut, Fig. 6d
ge pieces. Fig. 5b
idge Surface inward Fig. 6c
orated side) along the
er. Do not fold the thin Fig, 6a
solid Bridge Support
(toward the
along the thin lines
" notch. Apply a few
e flaps created by the
folded bridge surface
at the surface is glued
pport. Take the two
Bridge Support, fold
n lines, and glue them
the bridge surface in
four Guardrails and
ngles the same way
trunks, except that
ular sections on top. It
ich side ends up
ers. To cap the ends of
ke an End Cap piece,
e hexagon sides inward
angle remains facing
glue on each of the
des and insert the End
f the Guardrail so that
rdrail is neatly
in Diagram 6b.
ails to the Bridge
in Diagram 6c.
e Walls sheet, and cut
ch 1 square by 2
g the heavy solid lines,
solid lines.) Fold each
n the same way as you
ails, and cap the ends
sten these small
es of the bridge, as
6d.
WALLS Fig.
Fig.
The Walls sheets can be used to create
walls of different shapes and lengths.
There are two basic shapes: triangular
walls (when you want them to be
impassable) and rectangular walls (when
you want them to be passable). Diagrams
7a and 7b show you how to fold them.
A triangular wall must be four squares
wide in order to fold, and can be any
number of squares long, up to the limit of
the sheet. Triangular walls are folded in
the same manner as Guardrails, and may
be capped if you have any End Caps left
over from building the Bridge.
A square wall that you want to end up
one square high and wide must be five
squares high when you cut it put. For
every extra square high or wide you want
the wall to be, add two squares when you
cut the wall out. You can make the wall
as long as you want, up to the limit of the
sheet. Fold the square wall like you did
the Catapult Base (Diagram la) or
Catapult Arm (Diagram 1c). If you want
to cap the ends, leave an extra block on
two of the five sides and fold inward, as
shown in Diagram 7c.
There are many different things you
can do with these wall sections.
Experiment with photocopies to get the
shape you want, but photocopies will not
last very long if you use them in the
game.
7a
. 7b
Fig. 7c