"Backdrops" Topic

As many of you are aware we play with 1/44 minis but they are simply a means to an end, scenic appearance falls low on our list of priories. However if its fast or cheap we have no objection to a bit of art.

So having stated my bias i would like to point out to anybody interested a range of scenic backdrops in N gauge (about 1/160 scale) produced by Gaugemaster a model railway company. They are relatively cheap, the right scale and size.

We like to play games where the depth of the game is more important than the frontage. One of our more recent games used a table divider down the middle about 3ft lomg of the 6ft by 6ft table we use. This creates a U shaped table with an outside edge length of 18 ft or 5.4 km in our ground scale and 900m wide. By weaving the road interstingly round the outside edge you get a good 5.4 km of road to attack/defend and sight lines that can span from about 2m to a short as you want but you cannot see all the board. perfect for hgiding ambushes and the opposing player automatically loses if he trys to walk all the way as he runs out of time.
Until now we have used some hand "painted" (I use the tern VERY loosely) backdrops that doubled up for 1/72 and 1/144 games, they were, even by my standards which are low, considered as unimpressive if functional. They are ageing now and needed replacing. Rather than paint more I tried the N gauge photographic backdrops. One either side spit into more sections and pasted either side of a piece of card. and held up by what could loosely be decribed as home made (3D print) card holders. I have to say it was far quicker than painting and they actually look good. Fortunately our Kalistra Hexon II terrain is as bright as the grass in the backdrop, its actually a NOCK scenic flok anyway hence the mismatch is by no means great.

So, if your inclination is to try more complex board shapes this is definitely an approach worth considering.

That's a great idea.

In the US and Canada, you can look at the products carried by Walthers. -- link

Jim

Alas they don't have the right product, you need Gauge master say GM753 as they are only 6" tall so you can get over them. Most in the Walthers shop are way too tall to work well in the middle of the table, thay would fall over unless suspended, to sophisticated an approach for most of us.

Here's a link to the backdrops UshCha is talking about: link

For my 1/144 gaming I need the taller backdrops (3' high, or taller) because I use telescoping rods underneath aircraft, which can extend over 2' in height. The backdrops would have to be removeable, but it would definitely be nicer if the background contained blue sky and green horizon rather than furniture and gamers' bellies.

- Ix

Yellow Admiral I think the difference between us id I am using backdrops to partion off sectons of the table not as a backdrop on one table edge.

Tyhanks for putting the link up.