"Kallistra Hexon II - question about the roads, hills, etc." Topic

Hello All,

I've been looking at the Hexon II system and I'm curious what other people's experience is on a couple of aspects of the system. I'm mainly interested in using the system for 6mm WW2.

1. How well do the accessory tiles fit onto the flat tiles? For example, the roads, rivers, hills, forest template, etc. Do they fit on snugly or do they kind of just sit lopsided on top of the flocked base tiles? This is a big deal for me because I'm very picky with the details, I want to avoid terrain features that are sitting on the base terrain with gaps – I want things to be flush.

2. Any idea how wide the roads are? From the looks of the website I'd guess they are ~4cm. This is a pretty big road for 6mm. Anyone use the Hexon roads for 6mm?

3. How well do landscaped and flocked tiles actually stack? That is one of the selling points on the website but I'm curious what people who actually use it think.

4. How durable is the flocking on the already-flocked boards? Has anyone tried sealing this terrain further with more scenic cement or matt spray?

Any feedback on the system whether it relates to my exact questions or not is greatly appreciated! I currently have terrain maker by GHQ but I'm beginning to get a little frustrated by the lack of symmetry of their hexes.

Thanks!
IntoBattle

1. I don't use the terrain accessories

2. Being cheap, I made my own roads for 6mm. Around 12mm wide.

3. The tiles and terrain stack beautifully. (I use the hill features in various sizes).

4. There isn't any need to seal the pre-flocked stuff, it is very durable.

The Kallistra terrain is just great, but the hexes are a fair bit bigger than terrain maker I think.

"1. How well do the accessory tiles fit onto the flat tiles? For example, the roads, rivers, hills, forest template, etc. Do they fit on snugly or do they kind of just sit lopsided on top of the flocked base tiles? This is a big deal for me because I'm very picky with the details, I want to avoid terrain features that are sitting on the base terrain with gaps – I want things to be flush."

The hills I have fit snugly on the flocked base tiles.

"2. Any idea how wide the roads are? From the looks of the website I'd guess they are ~4cm. This is a pretty big road for 6mm. Anyone use the Hexon roads for 6mm?"

Dunno. I don't use their roads. However, the length of one face is just under 60mm, so your guess of ~4cm sounds about right. I actually use felt strips for roads for both 15mm and 6m.

"3. How well do landscaped and flocked tiles actually stack? That is one of the selling points on the website but I'm curious what people who actually use it think."

Um … not sure what you mean by "landscaped". The flocked tiles stack fine, particularly if you keep them in the box they come in.

"4. How durable is the flocking on the already-flocked boards? Has anyone tried sealing this terrain further with more scenic cement or matt spray?"

I have had no problems with mine. I don't see any need to seal them further.

Hope that helps.

Apparently GHQ Terrain Maked hexes are 4" across from flat to flat, as is Kallistra Hexon II (Well actually Hexon II is 100mm, but that's near enough 4").

I have quie a lot of it and its superb worht the money tthe hill are very good no problems with miniatures, Get the right combination of tile to start with don't just pick all green LOL. Roads are a bit difficult but good felt is the best option the new blue sections work very well and you get rivers and coast lines that look right..

A lot to spend but the reqards and logdevity is worht it…

Very good stuff but I would stay away from 'forest templates' and roads.

Best for roads is to cut them from thin carpet mats, this way they can go over other features.

For woods just get any trees you like, wide based, and place them over hexes: then you can arrange the trees as necessary for units/models to fit.

Hills and rivers are great, they will fit nicely and stay, unless your game get really violent. Hills are what make the whole system really worthwhile.

J

Wow, thanks everyone for the great feedback. Sounds like it's a good system. Does everyone agree the pre-flocked stuff is worth the extra cost? Anyone here flock their own hexes?

Jerboa, do the forest templates and roads sit on top of the base hexes just like the hills? Or are they just flat pieces of styrene in hex shape?

thanks again,
IntoBattle

The roads are exactly the same as the rivers, 3,5cm wide. The only difference is the paint.

Forest templates IICR do not fit into the hex slots. Also there is no point in fixing trees over a whole hex: it is not a good solution gamewise.

River/road do fit into the hex slots.

I've flocked quite a few myself: forget bare hexes is my advice. Though you could purchase some for example to paint blue for a sea shore effect.

I've also bought quite a few desert, but somehow came to like them less. A combo of green, green brown, plus a few 'three colors' thrown in is best.

My son and I really like the hex terrain system.

The hills fit well over the hexs as do the river and lake options.

I feel the extra cost of buying them already flocked is worth it. Get the colour mixs though, not just the plain green. It does look better.

Stacking and storage is easy. Just put them back in the plastic bag and into the box. Durability so far seems excellent.

Thanks for the feedback! My only problem now is the shipping costs to the U.S. I'm not sure I'm ready to pay ~$100 USD for shipping :( I realize that's probably the actual cost, but that's still a lot of money to spend on just shipping.

Thanks again,
IntoBattle

Can anyone send me some photos, I am considering buying this kit but my set up needs to cover 10 feet by 5 as well as ensuring adequate extras to put down hills etc. I would be interested in looking at hill configurations using the sloped hexes etc thanks.

A few pics

link

This is a page to support specific rules, but hexes are hexes.
The hills blend well with terrain, so they seem rather flat when photographed from above: not the case in reality.

The shipping is keeping me from ordering some too. I really wish a US distributor would carry them.

Jake

Have a look at some of our (colonial) battle reports:

link

I already had roads & rivers from another manufacturer, but otherwise I use all Kallistra's terrain products: just great, simply amazing. Do go for the preflocked stuff: it is well worth it & VERY durable. I use the same flock for my figures' bases which make'm blend in very nicely. There is simply no wear & tear, even after dozens & dozens of games. The sea hexes are also great value!

Rudi

The shipping is keeping me from ordering some too. I really wish a US distributor would carry them.

That would be me as well. I can live with the 2:1 Pound/Dollar exchange rate but add in the shipping (I understand it's bulky but..) and I just can't justify the cost.

Like Mike I use roads made from felt – they adhere to the pre-flocked boards and go over hills etc.

One of my pals got some plain boards, he made those up as desert and snow, but for grassy/muddy boards we both use the pre-flocked stuff. He just did them with PVA and appropriate flock (sand or snow/mud mixture).

I also do woods just by distributing trees and using the hex edges to delineate the end of the features. In some cases I use felt templates for e.g. marshes, but I usually just use different coloured bits of lichen.

Call Kallistra, some of the threads on this site suggest that Kallistra have done deals to help take the sting out of shipping costs.

They did cover over 50% of my shipping cost by discounting their product. I did buy $600 USD of the stuff so maybe they thought it was worth giving me a 15-20% discount. The shipping does get better by the unit if you order multiple sets.

My mate's stuff- features fit v. flush to table

The only drawback to the design is the sunken hex edges, like the Jordan river they are deep and wide, so much so in fact that a D6 can 'ditch' in the crevice and need re-rolling…

Thanks for the pics.

looks good.

I'm interested in getting some of this, but I'm actually not bothered about the hexes. Does anyone use it as a base under a cloth? I don't like the visual regularity of the hex pattern.

How does it cope with features placed on the slopes, like hedges, walls etc?

Are Hills better made yourself from the single sloping hexes and a normal board on the top, or the preformed ones?