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Grog Logs
2019-05-30, 11:17 AM
Does anyone have good resources for elevated terrain when playing with a dry-erase battlemap? I like the idea of maps having different elevations (e.g., rolling hills; stories of building), but I have not found a way to produce this cheaply. Everything that I have found is $10-$20 for one specific 3D-printed piece online, or $30-$80 hyperrealistic terrain for something like Warhammer. My total budget can be $20-$50 for several pieces that are usable with multiple types of scenery but not for one specialty piece.

I'm willing to consider different ways of drawing maps with markers, but I'd be happier with something that was actually physical. Realistic, cartoony, or generic-looking would be fine. I do not have the tools or time to assemble my own Styrofoam (polystyrene foam) pieces, unless you can convince me that it is a shorter time investment that I anticipate. I tend to use the A Monster for Every Season for my minis but I am severely lacking in the miscellaneous objects department.

Grod_The_Giant
2019-05-30, 11:46 AM
How about folded paper scenery? This thread has links to a crapton (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?358153-All-Fold-Up-Paper-Models-and-Minis-%28especially-FREE-ones!%29) of stuff, both free and paid.

Ventruenox
2019-05-30, 11:49 AM
I think you can accomplish this for under $20, and keep with your current battlemap playstyle. Lightweight markerboards are available at almost every home improvement chain stores, and they are usually willing to cut it down to manageable sizes for you. (6" x 6" squares should be reasonably modular, but whatever you think you may need.) Then you get either toy blocks or the plastic pieces commonly found in pizza boxes to raise the whiteboard pieces above your battlemap. Draw on those with the same marker as needed.

Imbalance
2019-05-30, 01:24 PM
Look for some cheap HeroClix maps. The grid is larger, but the terrain is color coded and the rules are easily adaptable. Even if you stick with dry erase, you can still bogart their elevated terrain rules.

Beleriphon
2019-05-31, 11:02 AM
Does anyone have good resources for elevated terrain when playing with a dry-erase battlemap? I like the idea of maps having different elevations (e.g., rolling hills; stories of building), but I have not found a way to produce this cheaply. Everything that I have found is $10-$20 for one specific 3D-printed piece online, or $30-$80 hyperrealistic terrain for something like Warhammer. My total budget can be $20-$50 for several pieces that are usable with multiple types of scenery but not for one specialty piece.

I'm willing to consider different ways of drawing maps with markers, but I'd be happier with something that was actually physical. Realistic, cartoony, or generic-looking would be fine. I do not have the tools or time to assemble my own Styrofoam (polystyrene foam) pieces, unless you can convince me that it is a shorter time investment that I anticipate. I tend to use the A Monster for Every Season for my minis but I am severely lacking in the miscellaneous objects department.

If you can get some cheap off brand modular building blocks (ie. knock off LEGO) they're usually available in enough colours to build a few moderately sized hills, and every three or four blocks works about to around the height of a mini, so every eight blocks is roughly two miniatures tall, or every four is one building story.

The Kool
2019-05-31, 11:21 AM
You might check out this kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/monstergaming/monster-adventure-terrain-3d-customizable-dandd-world-builder?ref=creator_nav&fbclid=IwAR39KINJZhhE-Jb4-zEPXlrC8ZGWtkoM7cQUXL6Vo-zxyxR1oVtV9gAvtYE) I just spotted. They seem to be almost done with production, but this is kickstarter, so it'll still be months before it ships. Their base pledge is almost 100 block-like pieces that snap together lego-style, but don't have all the awkward bumps and such that legos have. Cost $30 plus shipping.

LordEntrails
2019-05-31, 11:30 AM
I think hard foam (styro, oly etc) is going to be your cheapest and quickest. Paper is nice because you can print it full color, but it takes time to fold up and to make strong enough.

All you need for the foam is something like 1/2 thick, a metal straight edge and a hobby knife. And its cheap.

The Kool
2019-05-31, 11:32 AM
All you need for the foam is something like 1/2 thick, a metal straight edge and a hobby knife. And its cheap.

Addendum: do a little research before trying to glue any pieces together. Some glues just melt foam. But yeah if you're willing to put in a little work, this is a classic solution used by miniatures gamers for decades.

Lord Torath
2019-05-31, 12:54 PM
Addendum: do a little research before trying to glue any pieces together. Some glues just melt foam. But yeah if you're willing to put in a little work, this is a classic solution used by miniatures gamers for decades.I've used this stuff Hold the Foam (https://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Hold-Foam-Styrofoam-2-Ounce/dp/B000YQDXJ0?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffab-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000YQDXJ0) (I have no affiliation to the seller, or Amazon) before, and found it works spectaularly well! You've got about a minute of time after applying the glue to smoosh your two pieces of foam together and position them as desired.

I personally like the cut-up dry/wet erase board on "stilts" for sheer versatility.