Sylvan Outpost

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Ender Shadowkin
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Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Hey Everybody,

I havn't been around these parts for a while :) so hello again to everyone.

I have started getting back into my woodies and I have built this Watchtower for use in games and as part of my display board. I though you guys might appreciate this little project so here goes.

Its going to get a bolt through the bottom so that I can fix it to the display board or a smaller base to use as game terrain.

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The basic components are a Halloween scary tree decoration, some round wooden craft pieces, metal strips, and wire


I'm going to build some spiraling platofrms out of the metal strips (all my minis have magnets on the bases...)

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Two platforms, don't wory about the wire tree, I've got a plan to "skin" it

I found these plastic pieces at a model train store to jazz up the upper platforms

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Ender Shadowkin
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

This start of the spiral platforms...

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Here are some pictures with the rail going up.


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I "skinned" the tree with tissue paper soaked in watered down PVA glue.


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It was a wet sticky mess, and a little frustrating, but turned out OK

I have also gone through with some white modeling putty to cover holes and texture issues.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Here is the tree on the display board

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Ender Shadowkin
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

oops double post
Last edited by Ender Shadowkin on 11 Apr 2011, 15:43, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

I also have another base that it can bolt to so I can get more use out of it for games.

here is the based and a couple of the connection details
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at some point I may try and put some LED lights in there.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Baardah »

That is simply Awsome! I love it. i've been toying with a similar idea, but sofar found the project far to intimidating to start on. your work is pure inspiration. The only thing I'd change would be to try and hide the plattforms abit. maybe with some treetrunkts and or clump foilage or the foilage from the Citadel treekit.

Very cool!!!!!!
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That item is a horse...
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Thanks!

I do have few plans for the plateform, but was planning on maing it fancier rather then blending it in, lol. Like maybe some elven runes painted in a compass pattern or a keltic knot symbol. It does seam to need something though.

I'm also going to try out some LED lights in the hollow parts too.
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dreamspirit
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by dreamspirit »

brilliant! thanks for sharing!
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coolhand
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by coolhand »

Fantastic idea. I'd still be nervous about models committing suicide from the top platforms, but I'm sure the magnets hold them snug.

Looks great!!
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by kaiser_resiak »

Cool!! Your display board is looking great! I want one :D
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Tachunka »

I am awestruck. Original, creative, artistic, fantastic, I am in love with a tree model.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Thanks Guys! I like how it turned out. There are few more polishing touches I'd like to add but I'm going to let it sit for a bit while I finisish some work on my treekin and some painting here and there. For one I would like add a bunch of spites. But there would need to be a great volume to make an impact....
coolhand wrote:Fantastic idea. I'd still be nervous about models committing suicide from the top platforms, but I'm sure the magnets hold them snug.

Looks great!!
Well there have been a few jumpers :nod: but no permanent damage. They key is not to move it with things in the tree.

I made the board a ways back for tourney display, but everything was too jammed together, and elevating 3ish units into the tree makes a bunch more room that I'm more happy with.
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Tenaka
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Tenaka »

Awesome work - inspired by the scenes in lorien? I'm guessing that you've made up some rules to actually use that in a game?
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ember of the Hidden Paths »

Wow, that is simply an amazing effort
it would give reason to bring fozricks folding fortress to every battle
One does not simply take a Wild Rider charge...
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Thanks Guys!
Tenaka wrote:Awesome work - inspired by the scenes in lorien? I'm guessing that you've made up some rules to actually use that in a game?
Mainly inspired by the need to get more minis on my board, but yes I am quite fond of the spiriling stairs in lorien, although I didn't even try to make them that pretty, lol.

We have just been using it as a normal watch tower. But when I spruce up my athel loren terrain chart, it will be a T7 tower (2 levels) with 6 wounds and regeneration (5+) . I try not to get too elaborate wiht terrain rules.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Tachunka »

Ender, did the movie Avatar help with the inspiration? When I saw the completed board, Avatar was the first thing coming to mind.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Ender Shadowkin »

Tachunka wrote:Ender, did the movie Avatar help with the inspiration? When I saw the completed board, Avatar was the first thing coming to mind.
THanks, while I like that movie, I was thinking of this project before I saw it. It took me a long time to finally get around to this project, it had been bouncing around in my head for a couple years, and then I saw that tree in haloween decoration store. Still it sat in my garage for over a year unitl a couple months ago when I started banging it out.
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Re: Sylvan Outpost

Post by Dogmar »

I think the thing might be a bit big for gaming purposes ;) But maybe you could make it count as the folding fortress, that would be fun to use.

As a display board piece however it is absolutely beautiful. Definitely try to put some lights in there, shoulnd't be too hard to do since the thing is not massive, right?! Be careful though to include some cable holders or easily accessable plugs of some kind. If you're into the electronics stuff you can also add customized switches and a battery for mobile goodness! :)

Cheers
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