"Paper cut-out terrain ... yes or no?" Topic

Several companies now sell flat terrain that is cut out of paper, and some even market this product in the form of printable pdf files that can be downloaded. What is your opinion about using paper terrain?

(a) I think it looks great and use it a lot.
(b) I use it, but only for certain types of terrain or from certain makers (please specify)
(c) I'm considering using it.
(d) I don't use it (explain why)

C.

I'm considering it for buildings, since a lot of the stuff can look really nice, and the "defense budget" and "scenic budget" isn't what it used to be.

I haven't used it, and am quite happy with my resin or foam core board buildings and my model railroad trees. Thinking about it though, it might be rather useful for things like roads that aren't very 3D in scale (ok, there's this one pothole on the way home from work that would still be 3D in a 28mm road). Since I'm looking for roads, perhaps I should expand my search to paper roads.

Grelber

A) I use it a lot. Almost exclusively. Except for my Pink Fluffy Alien Terrain, the entirety of my terrain is printed cardstock terrain. Recently, I have moved on to printed cardstock miniatures, too.

I for one welcome our new Printed Cardstock Overlords.

D. I've always used resin and or plastic. I have nothing 'against' paper.

I use them exclusively for my 10mm. I do not buy them though, that is ridiculous. The great thing about it is you can "spruce it up" as much as you like with a little work, i.e. cut out the windows and put cellophane behind the opening to add depth or add slim wood strips (cut coffee stirrers) to the surface over timber frames. You can also open the files in an editor like MS Paint or GIMP and really tweak or ad detail to your heart's content. Print it out in whatever scale you like then a straight edge and a knife is all you need to to surface foam board or cardboard. Dabbing a little off white paint here and there can give plaster texture effects at this scale.

I'm thinking of using it for virtual gaming using BGE, Roll20, or Vassal.

Looking for free river and road downloads, Any suggestions?

Junior Generals has a good selection of free downloadable terrain including roads and rivers

link

link

b' – I use it for things where it works well (function/form/ease/cost balance), just like any other terrain.

The only issue I have with the paper roads and rivers, besides the aesthetics of course, is that they're likely to move around a lot during play.

Of course, that's an issue for the buildings too, but perhaps a little less so in their case.

I have a gaming buddy who likes to print out and assemble paper terrain as a hobby in and of itself. He finds the process soothing and relaxing. Thus, he usually has boxes full of terrain he put together, and gives them away. I use the terrain from the one box I got frequently.

While I think that non-paper terrain gives a better looking table, the paper terrain does "work" and adds a bit of variety and options that I do not have in non-paper format.

I use paper terrain quite frequently. Some of the buildings you can make are really quite good. Also for signage.

About 8-10 years ago I looked online for some free images of walls and floors to add some color to an arena (think Gladiators) I was making. I found an amazing variety of shacks, adobe houses, cottages, buildings and the stone walls that I was looking for.
Recently, I went back, looking for those same things, only to find most no longer available. Probably because they have been packaged and sold as PDFs. The internet t'aint what it used to be.

It would be sad to see people like Paperterrain go out of business.

d.

Someone in our club uses paper buildings and I have used paper train tracks. The up side is that its cheap paper. The downside is, it looks like cheap paper. A paper Château d'Hougoumont or La Haye Sainte doesn't appeal to me. I am sticking with resin or styrene plastic. Thank goodness for 15mm FOW train tracks.

d.

The work to let paper terrain look good, is too expensive. Time is money.

The work to let paper terrain look good, is too expensive. Time is money.

As opposed to the work to scratchbuild other terrain?

I haven't used it myself since our printer is black/white but I like the idea.

B

I just started using it for the games I run with my kids. I keep forgetting to buy lottery tickets to afford MBA and my scratchbuilt attempts have been less than memorable. With some terrain buffers I can set all three types up on the board without making it too obvious.

I haven't used it myself since our printer is black/white but I like the idea.

Dungeons, castle, and space ship interiors do well in B&W. Space ships get spruced up a bit with some high lighter after the fact.

No Kinko's/FedEx for printing in the PNW?