More Musings on Necromundan Environs

 I'm still figuring out the how and what of my (hopefully) imminent Necromunda terrain building and painting spree.

As I said in my previous post, I want to make a number of taller terrain pieces, that will allow me to add some more verticality and upper levels to my Necromunda table.  I'm thinking of building some "tower-like" terrain that can act as risers to support higher level walkways on the table, or maybe even a larger platform that acts as a full extra layer to the game/table.

But, if I were to go that route, how tall should these towers be? The obvious, initial, thought was to make these one foot high. But then I started thinking (uh-oh!) and comparing sizes:

-A Zone Mortalis wall piece is ~6 cm tall (if you average out the height of the risers that allow room for platforms)

-A Sector Mechanicus walkway is ~12.5cm tall

-A Gallowdark wall piece is ~6cm tall.

-The classic 90s Necromunda Bulkheads are ~7.5 cm tall

Looking at this measurement, and accepting that the old Necromunda bulkheads will be the odd one out, it seems that a height about 24-25cm would allow the best compatibility with the various forms of "official" terrain.  Now guess how tall a Pringles can is... 😉

So I guess height is sorted, now to get some inspiration for style and shape. 

I think I want to make a shanty tower, climbing up a derelict pipe or something. Maybe with enough of a platform on top that a second tower can be put on top.  Lots of platforms and walkways to allow passage around and up and down the column, with areas for walkways to hook up to.

Then I just need 2-3 other ideas for colums to support a second level. And some higher towers/terrain to allow traversal between the levels/layers. 

Random though as I'm typing: Maybe I can design/3d print some sort of bayonet-locking connector, that allows me to either put endcaps or platforms, or even the second tower layer securely onto these risers?

Something more to ponder...

Pondering a return to the Planet of the Dead, and of terrain.

 It's been a while, hasn't it. Long Covid has still got it's claws in me, limiting my ability to hobby, or to hobby and then write a blog post about it also..

I have been doing stuff, though, but slowly and often without pictures or posts; As when I have to choose between doing hobby, and documenting hobby, the doing wins out. The past month has been Fallout themed (because TV show, etc.). And I'm currently trying to find/maintain the time and energy to finish that table terrain set (I'm so close, just final touches and some scatter)!

But since this weekend, unsurprisingly, my mind wanders to the blasted hives of Necromunda again. Games Workshop's preview of the Malstrain Genestealers and eerie and alien Spyrers has got me excited about crumbling industrial edifices again. I was getting more and more disinterested in Games Workshop/Warhammer as a company and product line/sales model, but the grimdark, dank and wretched corners of the 40K setting do keep their appeal and fascination.

Anyway, enough ramble, on to the meat of this post:

I want to expand my Necromunda terrain.  I have some nice pieces I built over the years, but I don't yet have what I'd consider a complete or cohesive table. That and I've become increasingly dissatisfied with the lack of height and verticality of my terrain. I want to fix that, but that'll take some wearing of the old thinking cap. 

See, there are two main ways to play Necromunda. GW codified these as "Zone Mortalis" and "Sector Mechanicus" originally. Since then, added "Ash Wastes" and muddied the waters between Zone Mortalis and Sector Mechanicus... What do I mean by that? Well originally the definition was clear "Zone Mortalis" was very much 2D: combat in a warren of hallways and rooms, "Sector Mechanicus" was the 3D variant, with raised platforms and walkways at multiple levels. But then, GW addes a 3rd dimension to Zone Mortalis, by releasing kits that put walkways on top of the walls, and added extra floors and watchtowers...

Which means that if I talk about "Necromunda Terrain" I have to decide and define what I mean by that. And then I have to decide with path I want to take: Separate terrain pieces or modular tiles. Separate terrain pieces means more modularity, but offers less chances for integrating the terrain and making tableaux that showcase the setting. Both are desirable to me... Variation is the spice of life after all, but there is something so cool about having a small shantytown or a mushroom farm on your table.

I like both variants of Necromunda terrain, especially as the Zone Mortalis can also be co-opted for, say, Killteam Gallowdark or Space Hulk, and vice versa. I have several Gallowdark sets (to be built and painted), have my long-suffering Space Hulk project, and have plenty of stls to print Zone Mortalis style terrain. So I'm considering those needs met, or easily made such.

This leaves the Sector Mechanicus style terrain, or as I view it "Classic Necromunda Terrain" as it hearkens back to the old 90s cardboard Necromunda terrain and all the gorgeous Necromunda tables you see online.  This will be my focus for the upcoming build and paint cycle. 

What do I want to achieve?  More levels, and more interconnectedness than I have available now... One of my ideas is to build a few tall columns, with plenty of platforms and stairs/ladders, so lots of walkways can extend from them. I want them to have a flat top/small platform, so I can put a few together and either put walkways between them or put a larger platform between them to create a whole upper level to the table. I just need to figure out how high I want them. And how minis can move from the lower level to the upper level?  Holes in the plateau, perhaps? Or stairwells passing through? I could also just dangle a platform with a crane over the edge... 

Lots of stuff to consider and designs and ideas to ponder on.