writes:
Continuing with my 15mm sci-fi terrain building project, I decided to build some swamp. Specifically, 16 swamp pieces, enough for a 'large' terrain item in the rules I'm planning to use. For my Hive Mind army, swamp will slow down adversaries, but it won't provide cover for defenders.
I started with 16 3" wooden disks, and primed both sides black.
Above, left, is the primed base. I then brushed on a coat of inexpensive brown craft paint (right). The paint looked great when applied, but when it dried, the brown was dominated by the black beneath, and for some reason the wood grain was accentuated.
So I applied a second coat of the brown paint (above, right). Darkish brown was the color I was aiming for, the color of swamp water.
I then stuck a leaf sticker onto the base. I found these at Dollar Tree (eight on a sheet for $1.25 USD). They are 'dimensional' stickers, as they are a sandwich of adhesive foam, paper leaf, adhesive foam, and another paper leaf. I'm thinking that it looks like a big leaf of some swamp plant.
To give the appearance of shallow water, I thickly brush on some Mod-Podge. To avoid brush marks, I stipple the surface with a large brush.
While the Mod Podge is still wet, I take some short lengths of wet twine and press them into the surface. (I've untwisted the twine so it doesn't look like rope.) Wet twine is easier to work with, and I twist the twine to keep the fibers together before I put it down. Then I paint the twine green to look like swamp vines.
Lastly, I have some paper flowers from Dollar Tree in a variety of colors. I add a dab of Tacky Glue to the bottom and press them into place. (Let the green paint dry first, or the color may bleed into your flowers.)
Above, you can see the completed swamp. Under the rules I'm going to be using, you mark the swamp area (in my case, with shelf liner), then add terrain pieces to mark what the terrain is. If miniatures move into the terrain, the terrain pieces are moved aside or removed to make room.
Above, the Hive Mind has sent a Gigabeetle to carefully make its way across the treacherous terrain.
This was definitely a quick-and-easy approach to making swamp. If you want to do more, you could always put leaves on the vines, or smooth out the 'water' and add bubbles, or add some tiny swampy lifeforms.
I'm told this is one of my prettiest terrain projects ever. (I'm not sure that's a compliment!) 