"Modelling Bocage for 15mm" Topic

Provocative, negative, critical, leads thread off topic…classic troll behaviour

One could have just made their point that Bocage was mostly made of earth and vegetation (trees, bushes, vines, brambles, etc.) and not so much stone, but that wouldn't be argumentative enough.

But since this was terrain intended for use with FoW, it needed to be attacked relentlessly.

I'll make sure that when I get around to making my bocage that I use only the proper small number of rocks, knowing that I'll suffer an assault on here if I post pictures and I do not…

I am not sure what Derek is saying because I have him stifled, but I would like to remind everyone once more to please click on the post link and read the article. Also, I would like to take one part and repost it for everyone's benefit.

"Often times people were telling me that the bocage needs to be higher or the rocks were not as visible
as in the bocage I model. Yep, but this looks a lot nicer I think and still captures a level of realism while being aesthetically pleasing. I think I have fixed the height problem and the games played with this bocage really give you a feel of being in the hedgerows of Normandy."

I would also remind people, while I appreciate everyone rushing to defend, people who are ruthlessly ing posts on the internet to incite others get exactly what they want when you enter into a debate with them. A person who enjoys arguing and antagonizing others on the internet about a wargame should be pitied not encouraged.

WWPDLuke wrotee

and the games played with this bocage really give you a feel of being in the hedgerows of Normandy.

Not if you've been anywhere near the place.

Then it just looks wrong.

The most important question might be; would one just turn up their nose and walk away from a game table (irregardless of rules in use) with Luke's bocage on it? That would be a "No" for most wargamers I'd expect. I believe even Derek noted that Luke's bocage looked as good as Derek's painting. He also noted that many bocage modeling attempts are going to have trouble really looking completely right anyway due to the common flat table terrain board and the sunken nature of most actual bocage roads. So how close to "real" do we expect to get for a toy soldier game? Maybe Luke's very good foliage, as praised by Derek, might help us get over the rock density issue?

It would seem that Luke's bocage are a reasonable enough depiction of the terrain element they represent for game purpose for most players and most 15mm wargame systems. I've certainly seen bocage looking no better and even less accurate than Luke's used in plenty of games over the past decades, and those were mostly not FoW games. I think the players in those games still managed to get an enjoyable enough and realistic enough experience despite their terrain not being perfect reproductions. Given the choice, I'd rather play a game with Luke's bocage, with any rule system, rather than just nitpick all day about what decreased density of rock protrusions might make them look a bit more right.

Cheers,

VB

This could work:
link

Yes, they'd work and I'd be happy to have a "Normandy" type game using those "Battlefield Accessories" bocage pieces even though I think that Luke's look a bit more realistic overall due the great added trees and foliage that Derek pointed out. Suppose one could drill holes and add trees etc to those "Battlefield Accessories" bocage pieces to help spruce them up a bit.

Thanks for posting the link. I've got some items from "Battlefield Accessories" in the past and can recommend them as company should anybody be considering giving their bocage a go.

Cheers, VB

"Suppose one could drill holes and add trees etc to those "Battlefield Accessories" bocage pieces to help spruce them up a bit."

they are actually just base pieces..I assume they have very little foliage in the pictures to let you see what the bases themselves look like.

If that's the case let's hope the material used drills well. It might have been better if "Battlefield Accessories" had included holes for tree/foliage insertion in the casting. Then you could just add trees where you wanted and plug up the holes that you don't use. That might be a bit more expedient if their intent is that these are just "sold as bases" that the owner will top them off with more proper foliage and trees like Luke has done.

I do hope they are not plaster as I note the matching molds that are offered for them are for plaster. That might not be the optimal material for drilling and overall durability.

Anybody have these bocage pieces and can comment on these aspects?

Cheers, VB

With a little time one can refine a rock wall into something resembling bocage, I adapted this test piece from a white cast of stone wall which has been sculpted into the bocage shape

link

link

Thanks Chris! Looks great.