Vastopols DIY Zone Mortalis

[Vastopol]

Hello all, thanks for looking a bit of a log of my expedition into designing and making a Zone Moratalis table,

 

With the release of Calph alot of friends have gotten back into the hobby and recreating their favoured chapters (think we have one of every traitor faction represented and a handful of loyalists)

 

Anyway long story short I want to create a ZM table following a similar style to that which is offered through forgeworld but with the following specification ;

 

• Must be cheap to make - Each time iv gone to by a ZM table I buy toy soldiers instead
• Easy to store - Really useful box storage is ideal
• Durable - I move around alot with scenery so has to be able to take a knock or two
• Interesting to play on - I find the existing ZM tiles bland and lacking character

Anyway first off was the sketch model ;

 

 

Grid paper on a foam core base, to play around with layouts the idea was to always use 50mmx50mm squares 6x6 to create a 300mmx300mm (just shy of a foot) per tile

 

 

Once this was done time to play around with layouts and come up with patterns not available through forge world, and then question why not 

 

 

Then onto the sketch up design playing around with flooring and wall concepts, im aiming for a generic spacehulk/hive feel with my tiles with a couple of very specificity themed tiles (A deamon infested/sacrifical pit), Engine Room, Power Reactor ect

 

 

This then takes me to the construction of a few top tiles for my ZM board, the idea being it would be based on 12mm MDF with 12mm thick walls all clad in layered styrene to break up flatness and make it looks more 'realistic',

 

 

Some top tiles with some WIP Tyrants 

 

 

So this morning I cut out 20 300x300 tiles allowing me to make a 4x4 board with spares/alternatives/themed tiles,

 

 

This evening I then clad everything in 1.5mm Styrene sheet using a two part contact adhesive from BnQ, 

 

So this takes me up to tonight, so far I feel im on track to my orgional specification as the MDF was scrap laying around and the styrene I get a good discount on due to the bulk I purchase, the only real cost has been the adhesive,

 

Goal is to have a 3x3 board clad by the 14th as im away from the 15th at a 40k Tournament and will have a break for a few days, 

 

Anyway thanks for looking follow if you are interested in seeing how this project pans out or point out any mistakes you can forsee, 

 

Thanks all 

 

Vestapol Iron Within, Iron Without ! 

[apologist]

Very cool - always a pleasure to watch terrain projects. This looks sturdy and effective.

[SW1]

I'm really liking the look of this. I've been very slowly building 2' x 2' boards for my brother and now wish I'd gone for the smaller size, they don't half get heavy quickly.

 

Will be interesting to see how you detail this up. Consider this followed. :D

[Vastopol]

Hey thanks for the comments today guys, so done some more work today and probably the last time realisticly now until post 15th, however did get everything clad, and had time to knock up a 3x3 frame to help hold the tiles in place while being used 

 

 

One nice thing to happen though was my measurements came out spot on in regards to the inside measurement needing to be 50mm 

 

 

 

So far now I have 8 300x300 tiles clad along with several different wall configurations, next up is to design the walls I got aload of Necromunda bulk heads so will use them as inspiration for panel work, 

 

Keep you all posted 

[Wendigo]

I'm working on a very similar project, 1-foot by 1-foot modular Zone Mortalis tiles.  I live in a small condo and have to think about space and storage -- a 4-foot by 6-foot table is too big.

 

Here are a few things I learned so far; they may be useful to you or someone else...

 

FW ZM dimensions:

 

-  Each tile measures 1' x 1' (300mm x 300mm) and has walls 64mm/2.5 inches high

 

- The 6 x 6 grid of 36 'mini-tiles' making up a single 1' x 1' (300mm x 300mm) ZM tile have two adjacent sides (e.g. top and left) with 'grate strips' and the other two sides with only narrow metal 'frames' -- 'mini-tiles' must therefore be 50mm x 50mm

 

- Small Blast Doors = 45mm/1.75in wide x 64mm/2.5in high

 

- Large Blast Doors = (*note: no 'grate strips' included) = 95mm/3.75in wide by 64mm/2.5in high

 

Cheers,

 

Wendigo.

[Wendigo]

 

At an art store I found cheap 300mm by 300mm pine/fir frames.  Can't exactly remember the cost six months later, but it was around $15 Canadian each.  Saved me a lot of time building the boxes from scratch. 

 

I cut a second set of pine wood strips and attached them to the upper surface/"floor" of the frame to make an "above and below" set of walls.  This way, I can cut holes later in the thin wood "floor" (upper surface) and have a sub-floor with surface grating removed and exposed pipes, and open hatch or hole, etc.

 

W.

 

[ed. to add pic]

[Vastopol]

Howdy all,

 

Had a bit of a quiet time since Callidonian Uprising held in Stockport, had an awesome time and didn't come Last which is always a bonus,

 

Since then however not done much on the board other than the following ;

 

 

Works crazy at the moment, and having a very minor operation at the end of the week, the goal is to get the last of the styrene cladding so theoretically this is a playable board, my next task is to figure out what am I to do regarding detail how much is too much/little,

 

While on my way to Stockport I stopped off at WHW and took a look around at the displays there, well worth a look for anyone passing by, and took some photos of their ZM board for some inspiration for scatter scenery

 

 

I feel confident in being able to recreate most of the above scatter scenery plus some ideas of my own, so may look to start on those this week,

 

Anyway as always thanks for looking and any ideas please share,

 

Vestapol 

[Knight of the Raven]

This looks promising.

[Brother Pheidias]

Most impressive. Can't wait to see where this goes :D