Continuing with the Lurkers builds, I see the the factory in Episode 1 has a gantry that characters can climb to. My factory… no gantry. So, I make a gantry.
Why? Good question. It’s not like the players will ever climb there. I have found in my exhaustive research that players rarely think three-dimensionally and tend to assume things like this are there only for decoration. For this Episode a multi point attack would help; attack from above and below. Let’s see if the heroes think of that.
What are my options. Scratch build. Scrap build. Trash bash. It’s all the same. And I have a pile of MDF scraps.
One of the drawbacks of MDF scraps is that you rarely get exactly matching sizes in the material. The two sides for this ladder, for example, are two different thicknesses. Tough enough to find two runs of MDF that have the required length. It’s almost like the people who make MDF models are more worried about getting the most out of each sheet and not as worried about my creative needs.
Working with MDF scraps can be tricky. Laser cut models are keyed and slotted to fit. Scraps don’t do that, so you have to find other ways. For the ladder, I found a properly sizes piece and used it as a spacer during gluing to keep things spaced and square.
Cutting MDF can be a pain. Using a hobby knife can be tricky. The material is not uniform and won’t cut straight down. Also, you may separate the layers of the material. Cutting with a small saw works, but you do have to deal with sawdust. Not too much of a problem, but make sure you have stashed away any recently painted minis. Unless you like that dirty look.
The platform for inside the factory is a bigger challenge. The platform itself is just a couple of larger pieces covered with cardstock planks. It’s the scaffolding portions that will hold the platform up that are more annoying. Again, it’s not always easy to find similarly sized runs of MDF.
And keeping the same spacing for all four pieces is difficult if you free-hand it.
Again, I use the MDF to make a template piece to space things when cutting and gluing. I kept the design simple. In real life I would not go onto a platform with this kinds of scaffolding. Not enough triangulation, runs are too long, just not safe. Doesn’t even have a railing to keep people from falling off.
Here, it’s good. And rigid.
Finished versions fit and look good. Now those heroes will have the ability to climb to the roof and get in the building that way, if needed.
Oh, the roof. I found a set of wooden doors, look like cellar doors, from some Terrain Crate set. Painted and glued to the roof. Not pictured, but it is the least interesting part of this work.
Next up, still more terrain.
2024 Count:
52 figures painted (0.852 per day)
0 figures printed
0 figures purchased
0 terrain painted
the immortal frequentist 
Leave a comment