This A4 size full colour publication by Partisan Press is the fourth in this series of “how to” guides for budding terrain makers. Each of these chapters originally appeared as articles in wargames magazines, but have been reproduced here in more length, with extra detail and photographs to help guide you through the terrain making process.
After a brief introduction, the author begins with a chapter on how to refurbish your tired terrain boards, something we all need to do at some time or other, before moving on to describe how to make trees out of bottle brushes, gabions and defence works from place mats, stone and wattle fence lines, roads and hay stacks. Larger projects include redoubts, Normandy buildings for WWII and Mock Tudor buildings for earlier conflicts, along with burned out buildings. The final chapters include guidance on making hills, cabbage fields and foliage clumps for denser jungle style terrain.
Each chapter is written in a step-by-step style and is well illustrated with photographs of the terrain during production, so that the reader is left in no doubt about the techniques being used.
All of the terrain is made from items that are easy to obtain from a hobby shop or from things you might find lying around the house, like place mats and foam packaging. Equally, the techniques described are easy to achieve and should be well within the means of even the most unaccomplished terrain maker.
The author, Diane Sutherland, has many years experience of making wargames terrain and her clear, relaxed style of writing makes each of these chapters a clear and easy read. It is worth pointing out that not all of her ideas will be to everyone’s taste. For example, I found the paper roses she uses for her cabbage field to be a little too large for my slighter 28mm collection when I saw them in my local hobby store, and used HO/OO ones from a railway model supplier instead.
However, the basic ideas for the fields, building etc are absolutely sound whilst some of her techniques, such as those for the hay stacks and wattle fences, are inspired. This is a well-produced and useful book that I will no doubt return to time and again for inspiration.
It’s worth nothing to WI Prime members are currently being treated to regular articles by The Wargames Widow, via their primetime News Bulletin.
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