"Movement trays - what colour / finish?" Topic

I'm in the process of making movement trays for some pike blocks. They will be the first movement trays that I have used (at my place).

I'm at the painting / finishing stage and I've suddenly hit a dilemma. I'm not sure what I should do about the finish.

Should I:

1. Bevel the edge and give it a finish similar to my basing in an attempt to blend it to the figure's bases?

2. Paint the tray green, a similar shade to the table surface with stippling so that it blends in a little with the table?

3. Paint the tray green, but do it boldly and a single tone of green?

4. Forget any attempt and blending and paint it grey, possibly black, and accept the tray for what it is (just a tool)?

What would you do / do you advise?

I have never used trays but if I were to do so, I'd definitely go the beveled and flocked route

Option #4. Works for all units on all tables.

I don't bevel. In fact I build up the edge with a lip so the figures don't slide off.

I spray paint it camo khaki to not stand out from my ground cloth that much.

I also make my own from Masonite or plywood plaques.

Hi Winston, sorry I didn't explain it very well, I meant bevelling the outside lip pieces down to the level of the internal tray top. My trays have a lip.

I have always painted my stands either a oxidized red brown often called boxcar red, or a deep Tuscan red. When dried, I terrain with finely crushed rock( railroad ballast and finer) in brown and tan on a small part of the surface, occasionally brushing it contrasting colors for added texture, and then cover irregularly the remainder of the surface with green flock, often in two shades. Sometimes I add some tufts of grass or small rocks to add further variety.

The end result is a multi shaded and texture surface with the dark reddish brown subsurface exposed and being a good approximation of earth. The amount of texture and flock can vary by stand and or regiment ( I use more crushed rock for my Spanish theater troops, and more green flock for my Flanders units.) if any gravel or flock is worn off by play it merely exposes the base earth and looks fine. Every few months I do a hospital session for figure and base repair. See: link

This generally takes very little time with the initial base coat taking a day to dry and the crushed rock and flock on the second day. I have mounted over 12 units of 150+ 28mm figures in two session over two days, an assembly line process can do this even more efficiently and 200 or more in the same time.

A movement tray would, of necessity have to be simpler, but painting it Tuscan , then flocking the top of the raised edge and leaving the red earth on the vertical sides should look fine.

See: link

And: link

I go with #2 because in many cases my basing varies from unit to unit, army to army. Perils of buying second hand.

I have seen #4, it looks like crap IMO.

#3 works if your table has a "toy soldier" look.

#3 with a muted tone works on more realistic tables.

Here is my movement tray. This is the first one I completed.

For more info go to my blog: link

Current I'm 20mm square, 20mm round and 25mm round movement trays. Going to email War bases to see if he will make 1" round movement tray. Many of my figures are mount on 1" fender washes.

Nice, sgt dutch.

My trays are just square with a 6mm wide rim around the edge to hold square stands of figures. I wouldn't normally use trays but my wargaming mates dread my Italian wars games because of having to move pike blocks. I thought I'd give them a break and make trays to aid moving them about.

I'll need three trays for these guys – three blocks, each of nine bases, each of six figures (54 figs in a unit on a single tray).

Old TCS trays, sprayed an olive green. If I used them more often the top edge would have T-49. But all my mass battles take place in temperate zone summer. Life is just easier that way.

#1. or if that proves too time consuming #2.

Since I use sheet metal bases, this is relatively simple for me: flexible magnet sheet underneath the metal bases does the job. For your application, I'd go with option 2 or 4.

Doug

#2 for preference.

I know you are a terrain DIY type guy but Shogunminiatures.com is where I order mine from. He will custom build to any size and I love the metal ones that are flanged on three sides. Of course I also use his magnetic bases to go with them.

Thanks, for the link. When I have some spare cash (for such fripperies – I'd want at least 100 of the larger sizes) that will be my stop. Excellent idea and prices.