River Terrain

Finally made a river. I've wanted one for years, but never really gotten around to it, as I kind of knew what I wanted to make, but also what I didn't want to make - that pouring resin to set looks like too much work for my household, with dogs and kids running everywhere.

Plus, when the gaming does happen, my stuffs all gotta be transportable as we play in the pub.

So, needed to be quick, easy, flexible and durable.

First revelation was having to do some bathroom repair work, out buying the silicone gel for the mastic gun and looking at the clear setting silicon.

"hmmmm.........I could use that for a water effect, I reckon? Smear it about to look like water flow and job done"

Now, the base? Well, I was getting some teddy bear fur from the fabric shop - as all gamers find themselves doing from time to time, when I noticed a roll of thick canvas.

"hmmmmmm.........if I cut that into strips and painted it, then put that gel on it, then put sand along the edges for sandbanks and painted that, then that'll probably do it. It'd not be stiff like those roads I made were and the weight of the canvas would hold the terrain down"

(never use foamboard for making roads. It kind of works and is easy, but is so light that a stern glare makes the road shift about)

So, plan hatched - get the materials. Spend one night painting the rivers on the canvas, then leave it drying overnight and claim it in the morning before the house rises. Then, second night, do the gel business, scatter sand and leave to dry. Third night, paint the banks. Fourth night, tart it up a bit.

By "night", I mean "under an hours work", so I'm not busting balls here.

Heres the finished product. Came out alright:

Each strip is about 24 inches long, maybe 5-6 inches wide - small enough to contain a bridge, but wide enough to form a barrier. This'll allow me to cover a full 8 foot river along the table.

(One of the perils of living with a white haired Norfolk Terrier - bloody dog hair gets in everything and I SEE IT)

Not bad, even if I do say so myself. I reckon I'll do this again, but with the plain white silicon and just put sand all over it to make some new roads, then paint it. Doddle now the method is down.

TOP TIP: when yr in the DIY shop getting the gel, make sure to buy some cheapo disposable gloves. Makes messy work like the water effect really easy and non sticky. I had a load from when I do bicycle repairs, so used them. And glad I was.

I reckon this probably cost about £9 for the tube of silicon and about £3.50 for the canvas. Already had the paints, sand and shrubs kicking about, so its def a cheap bastard cost effective way of doing it.