Starting Terrain Boards

 Having decided that I want the terrain modular and on 2 foot square boards there comes a time when you just have to bite the bullet and actually start it. Today is that day. Starting with the roads I decided that 2 inch wide would be sufficient. I don't want it so open that the British can drive where they want without regard. so I have decided to keep the terrain quite close. I was also aware that I do not want the terrain laid out in nice neat little squares. I want it more random, organic, natural. As such I did not want all the roads to be straight lines as this would create avenues of fire which at this scale can easily cut a board in two. So I thought I should put some wiggles in. And thus the roads in the top picture came about.
The next tricky thing is to decide where the buildings will go. The second picture shows a trial layout using my two smallest farm compounds. Again you want them far enough apart that they feel like they might be able to have a few small fields, but at the same time use the curves of the roads to block lines of sight. You also want the British to feel that an ambush could happen at any time and that the Taliban have got plenty of cover from which to spring that ambush at very short range. If the buildings constrict the roads then the Coalition troops have also the IED threat to concern them. All of which means that any British troops moving a convoy by road through this area have a few things to consider above and beyond what's for lunch.
Once you have the buildings in place and marked. Then and only then can you sort the fields. Again fields need not be "regular" in shape. Often they would have no boundaries and at other times mud stone walls. For the fields I am using door mats. They are easy to cut (but make a mess so do it outside... as I found out the hard way,). Additionally the cheapest one from B+Q is only £5. So not beyond budget. One Matt will probably be enough for this whole project if I am careful and don't squander it. Yes That means another B+Q trip soon most likely.

That's today's offering. As I said on Sunday it will mostly be work in progress from now till 10th June. Thanks for reading I'll post again on Thursday. By then I should have some decisions made and the fields and mud walls in place. The buildings will be added last.

All the best Cheers Clint