"Can you help me find somewhere for my Supers to play?" Topic

I've just bought super system (with the help of the kind folks on this site) with the intention of trying out some superhero combat/roleplaying with my kids…I'll be using rebased heroclix minis..

I'd like to set up some kind of terrain or maps to play on…I'm more used to making WW2 terrain and I've no recent background in this area at all so could any of you creative people suggest a fairly economical way of creating some decent maps or terrain…(I have some of the Heroclix paper maps but would prefer something a little more elaborate.)

I'll probably have some time free just before Christmas and I enjoy a little DIY terrain making every now and then. Or alternately can you direct me towards some reasonably priced pre-made stuff…

Or if you have photos of your own stuff as inspiration that would be great as well

Thanks again in advance

John

There are some very nice sets of printable cardstock buildings available that really look the part.
link
Also, see this previous discussion of the same:
TMP link

auction
Great 4-map set for only $6. USD I got them and love them. Nice to play on scale map.

Nice inexpensive maps at Grid Reality: gridreality.com

Tons of paper buildings out there. Check World Works Games and rpgnow.com for gobs of possibilities. Plus many free buildings online.

Fat Dragon Games Capital City looks nice and not hard to put together, if you don't mind cardstock terrain.

If you're up for some DIY with your kids, try getting a slew of 6"x6"x3" shipping boxes and some scrapbooking paper from the craft store.

Scrapbooking paper is 12"x12", so you end up with even multiples and nice edges when you cut it to fit the boxes. It comes in tons of colors and patterns – don't just think brick and block patterns. While it is thin, having the boxes under it will make it more than sturdy enough for years of gaming.

This is about 14 or so boxes worth of stuff (I bought 50 boxes cheap, but didn't feel like digging everything out) I did with my kids aeons ago for 'clix games. It has the added advantage of aligning with the 1.5"x1.5" 'clix grid, so you can use some of those maps as ground cover/streets/etc. as well.

Oh, yeah, I also got some sticker paper and printed out the windows and doors (posters, etc.) that are on the buildings. One sheet of sticker paper will cover a lot of real estate.

Great city terrain from cork tiles – link

I used his plans and did up a city for Superheroes too. Came out nicely, but no photos unfortunately.

Bill.

link

One of these mats would be a great start, I bought the city terrain mat, its great. You need to paint it but still its well made and actully has details sculpted into it.

Now for building plasticvilleville makes simple but great stuff. This ebay dealer sells them and is really great.
auction

I'm a fan of doing "City Park" scenarios, which tend to overlap with existing wargame collections terrain better than urban cityscapes. You can use your trees, your hills, maybe a pond or two – add some walking/jogging paths, maybe a wall and/or perimeter sidewalk along a table edge or corner, and a statue or two and you've got a nice looking table. Crashed alien saucer purely optional.

Seen some good "rooftop battle" boards too. The table being covered with three or four flat-topped platforms of slightly varying heights (bashed out of boxes and foamboard) that represent the tops of skyscrapers. Dress them up with a few rooftop stairwell entrances, air conditioning units, smokestacks, antenni, and skylights, and remember that getting knocked back over an edge is the start of a long trip to the ground.

Did an "astral plane" board inspired by Ditko's run on Doctor Strange too. Lots of pink foam insulation cut into fairly narrow (two-three figures abreast) winding walkways with the odd platform, all laid out on a black starfield cloth to represent the astral void. Again, don't step off the edge if you can't fly. Sadly long gone now – I should rebuild that set one of these days, my skills have improved some from ten years ago.

My own preference would be Fat Dragon Games, Capital City and Mean Streets card stock; I think they look really fantastic and that's the way I'll go for sure if the kids take to the game.

Matakhisi's (almost certainly spelt that wrong) cork terrain looks the absolute biz as well (and I might try a couple of those just on my own if I have the time before Christmas)

I can just imagine the Terra-flex mats looking so well with a few card stock buildings sitting on top …but I'll have to be sure there's going to be some longevity to all this to justify the expense …I've a wife and 3 kids and a WW2 wargame hobby to support…in that order…I think

I'm going to keep looking at all of these great options but my thinking right now is starting out with a simple combination of the maps CP Belt mentioned and etotheipi's box ideas: I just know the kid's are going to get a greater kick out of messing around with card board boxes, scrap book paper and sticky tape more than the game itself

Good sound advice CL Rich… I've no shortage of field terrain to use as parks etc… just need to get creative with it I guess…turn my Normandy bocage into Central Park

But what a really helpful bunch of guys you are…I really appreciate the time you gave to advise and help

Seriously thank you

John

I don't have a picture of my Atomic Super Humans set up, but here is one for Giant Monster Rampage.

link

I use the same blocks for each set up. When I use the blocks for a super hero game I use them to create building outlines with interiors. Sometimes I'll use pieces of cardboard for roofs.

I use blocks because in Toy Battle System games buildings and walls can be destroyed and the blocks allow you to take pieces away as the sections are destroyed

-Ken
Radioactive Press

I really like that idea too Ken…can't imagine a super fight without the tearing down of at least half a dozen walls…and certainly my kids don't need any extra incentive or encouragement to break and destroy things …that's a game they would both enjoy and excel in

Germy's website has free 28mm building templates that can be made out of paper if you need to fill the collection out. Very easy to put together.

Sorry I don't have a link- am at work.

Leigh

Don't forget to buy a bunch of toy cars in a roughly appropriate scale. Not a supers game until someone throws a car at an enemy.

Yeah for sure: throwing cars must be an olympian super sport! I wonder what scale suits heroclix best?

Thanks Leigh: I'll check Germy's out too

As far as what scale for cars, I think 1:48 and 1:50 look best, but 1:43 are often the least expensive (from various dollar stores, Walmart, Toys-R-Us, Walgreens, etc.).

Edit: Basic Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars (generally 1:64) are even less expensive, but I think they look too small.

Cheers Randall … I was picturing 1:43 as the matchbox size but they're actually 1:64!

So I'll keep an eye out for some reasonably priced 1:48 and 1:50's… if not maybe I'll grab a few 1:64s.

I'll be shopping more than the wife this Christmas…actually that's not possible

Thanks for your help

For Germy

germy.co.uk

The Germy stuff is very nice too …thanks Justin

@Grey Panda

No worries, mate. I'm also looking for terrain ideas, but will be resorting to scratch building everything for a while.

Good luck on finding the perfect city to demolish. :)

Good luck on finding the perfect city to demolish. :)

Yeah when you put it like that what on earth am I teaching my kids? ;)

I think I may be making most of my own stuff too…

Best of luck with your search… I might even post a photo if anything turns out thats not a complete mess!

So thats not very likely

Yeah when you put it like that what on earth am I teaching my kids? ;)

Well, I tought it to my kids about a decade ago. Right now my son is applying to med schools and my daughter is on a full ride scholarship studying electrical engineering. They do, however, have the odd habit of refering to their young cousins as "minions"…

Right now my son is applying to med schools and my daughter is on a full ride scholarship studying electrical engineering

Well that such put my mind at ease.

"Minions"…Ohhh dear…

this is for heroclix? I have some custom barrier templates, and other papercraft that would be useful for heroclix.

drop me a line and i can send them to u:
fredsuttner@aol.com