Yes you discovered correctly the value of tubing for said application of inserting things. There are many such applications possible with all sorts of tubing but look, you can use straws just as well, that is, plastic tubing. Also bear in mind the incredible uses of a glue gun. In almost every case now, I am using glue guns for even working on plastic models to keep stuff in place while the actual glue melts/dries. In many instances, the smaller the glue gun and glue insert the better. Someday, someone will create a pen sized glue gun.
I am glad to see another person using hexagons, BUT we, in fact, have drifted from the pure science because hexagon shaped hills are only useful when doing internet broadcasts of games, where another person needs to set up their game table identically; hence the hexes cannot be misunderstood. The only problem is realism. So, we have since abandoned using hex hills and simply draw a grid on whatever size hill we create and paint; hence we have lots of styrofoam hills, regional, with hex grids drawn on them.
Worry about fitting to the table grid? No. Why? Because we reason that no matter how you arrange the hill, the hex grid drawn on it applies. Problems with slopes? No because for the most part if your figures are on the slope, they are on a hex and besides, get off the slope. If your forces are caught fighting on the slope you're gonna be in trouble. More info at imagineimage dot org
experiments with Finger Drills.
