"temporary snow" Topic

Any suggestions fop something we can use to add snow to figure bases which can he removed easily? We have a winter-themed village which we intend to use for a demo/participation game, but we don't want to 'winterise' the figures' bases permanently. One suggestion is baking powder…any thoughts?

I'd go for common sense and not do it :)

Baking powder will be pretty messy – won't stay with the base.

Best thing I think, would be a bit of cotton wool on the base, around the feet, etc. This will stay on the base, but isn't permanent, and can be (fairly) easily removed when done.

Depending on how much time you have on your hands, there is one trick you can use.

Wet the bases with water and then sprinkle liberally with talcum powder. Allow it to dry and then blow or knock off any surplus powder. What will remain is a patch of pure white talc that will be set in place.

A stiff brush will however remove it.

Test it out on a spare base or coin or summat.

I've often wondered about this as well, but have always been concerned about the removal issue, after the fact.

Talcum does sound like a good option for bases, and perhaps for some other stuff. Again though, I'd worry what stiff brushing will do to paint jobs over time, so the cotton-wool might be a better option.

I've seen people mention using baking soda too, but would worry about its alkalinity vs. and unpainted metal, especially over time.

I think fine, white sand would work for some applications, e.g. the tabletop, at least. Of course, artificial snow powders some companies produce would as well, but it's very expensive, even in the large containers, so I suspect sand wins on price.

Don't do it. Removing white, every scrap of white, every scrap of white that will show up like a sore thumb on most basing, would be a nightmare.

I'm really not sure about talcum powder, I think it would leave a residue that you would never get rid of – see black (turned slate grey) vulcanised moulds where talcum has been used as the casting release agent.

I used crushed perlite (a white pumice used for gardening) on my woodland and building bases and it cleaned up OK.

Couldn't you use sugar? maybe? I don't know.
Wet it down and paste it on then wash it off after. Works in my head at least.

If you like lots of ants, perhaps.

I have done this a ton, and use the same snow flock that I sprinkler onto my white table cover, and onto all of the town scenes to hide evidence of most everything other than snow. I essentially use a mix of Noch and Woodland Scenics snow. This mix adds texture and sparkly bits that work cool in good lighting.

To put on figure bases (which I do for the 100's of bases before a good winter game like Eylau), I just put some of this snow in a small box. I can then hold the figures and move the base back in force in the snow in the box. This allows snow on the base, but not the figures.

Following my games, I put the figures on flat boards or cardboard and remove them outside. I then use the bottle air (like for computer/electronics cleaning), and spray off the figures to remove the snow. Works like a charm, and I have been doing this for years.

Enjoy!

Doug

Be careful. I winterized an Eylau game and had snow on a couple of buildings for the next 20 years.

yeah, what on earth was I thinking, sugar for goodness sake!

BTC has it right. Flock and an aerosol.

When I first got into wargaming, 40 years ago, the answer would have been baking soda

Many thanks all round. Once again the TMP hive comes up trumps. The two most likely options are now …don't bother or the BTCterrainman approach.

I asked a similar question, for slightly different reasons, a few months ago. You might find something useful here:

TMP link

Small particle styrofoam sheeting you get when buying a computer monitor. With a very sharp hobby knife, you can skin out sections that look like snow. Large sheets for rooftops and grou d accumulation, small ones to add to bases.

I've tried baking soda/powder, it never really comes off. However, I have heard that if you use the Soft Flake Snow from Woodland scenics an such, that it's a type of absorbent polymer so it can suck up moisture and stick if you're not careful, but you can use a hair dryer to blow it off your models when you're done.

Pshaw! The real answer is buy and paint up another set of minis with snow on their bases. Q.E.D.!

Another set of figures? It's for the Battle of Roslin, so two fairly modest all-mounted forces, but still at least 80 14thC men-at-arms and barded horses…lots of heraldry…so maybe not, much as I'd like to.
I'd go for it as long as someone else would do the actual painting for the sheer love of it, but somehow I think that's unlikely.

If you live in Buffalo just leave them outside for a few minutes.