Terrain

[Sand Rat]

So, have been thinking about this for a while. Has anyone else noticed that 40K battlefields tend to be clear of obstructions? Its like both sides agreed to a nice clear field to fight on.

Yes, I get that part of this is adopting the terrain to the minis, but why other than the pictures seen in GW publications do we as gamers do this? Look at the terrain used by guys who play Napoleonics, FoW, and other games, then look at the boards where things are going on in "The GRIMDARK Future of Man".

Comments?

 

[Dragonsreach]

Yep.
But it's a lot to do with the backgrounds, 40k is very "fluff" orientated with little or no background based on the economic/sociological basis that the real world has. Napoleonic, WWII war games take place in locations which have that infrastructure. So scenery for those games is more critical for the appeal/playability and scenarios. (Waterloo without La Halle Sainte? I don't think so) {Not too sure on the spelling there}.

Plus scenery for games isn't a high priority for most GW targeted gamers being young teens. Older gamers like me (Ok, I'm an old fart) have built up a descent level of scenery to clutter the board up with.

 

[dontcallmefrancis]

Was always a Napoleonic or WWII small action gamer. Terrain in general is there to give players a chance to use tactics beyond the game rule boundaries.
For Napoleonics, as old dude above said, recreating an actually battlefield was important to get the "feel" of the situation. For WWII squad level action, or hell even micro armor, there has be to be stuff on the board! Dudes jump into fox holes and bomb craters for cover and such.
In most miniature gaming terrain offers advantages and disadvantages to combat, movement, firing accuracy etc.
40k has something like this no? Or no wonder I never played.
Reminds me of my Battletech days when I would use all vehicles and no mechs and waste people. Tactics ladies. TACTICS.

 

[wargamesculptor]

A lot tends to be down to the individual gamers, as DR mentioned he has a lot of terrain to play over as I do, collected over many years. A lot of gamers last priority is terrain as they would rather get their latest shiney fix, or where will I store it comes up a lot as well.
I have seen some excellent terrain boards over the years that have the right balance between playability and aesthetics and normally themed to.
( Can't believe dontcallmefrancis called DR an old dude ! well seasoned like myself)

 

[Dragonsreach]

( Can't believe dontcallmefrancis called DR an old dude ! well seasoned like myself)

OLD is true and I don't mind.......but Dude <shudders>.

:handshake:

 

[Sand Rat]

I think part of it also has to do with what young gamers see in the GW books - one ruin surrounded by open space.

Personally I try to put more thought into the battle field - why are you fighting there. But I will admit, I really want to build a 32 mm golf course, just for the hell of it. And because lets face it, thats what most 40k battle fields remind me of.

 

[airhead]

When I was in Dallas, I tried to get the engineering firm to print out the plans for the mixmaster interchange in scale for battletech.

I always thought it would be a cool area for tanks and jump mechs.