Looking for generic sci-fi diy terrain is a huge help as well. -Water bottle caps, chapstick caps and other things can make excellent fuel tanks, water purifiers, etc. -Boulders can easily be found outside where rocks live. -Miniature tree clumps can be simple to make as well: chenille pipe cleaners are basically premade for that purpose. Great video Chaz!
Thanks for sharing your passion of BattleTech. I too played a lot of it years ago and your videos are rekindling the urge to get back into it! Please continue the videos!
Back when we had a Local Battletech official play group, the Organizers had found (Or made) grasslands hex mats of the right (or slightly larger) scale, and then used Christmas village trees, Classic Monsterpocolypse buildings, and foam hills they had cut and flocked themselves. It has certainly influenced some of my own terrain dreams. While probably not as easily suited for Battletech proper, I feel like I should give a shoutout for the Recent Steve Jackson's Ogre/GEV maps for Battleforce. You possibly could use them for Battletech, but you'd either have to cover the Cities or treat them as buildings.
I'm currently in the process of designing and printing my own magnetic hex system! Except... It's ALL built to exactly 1:285 scale... with a fully modular terrain/building system built in! All terrain is built @ 20mm tall, meaning a level 2 terrain, would sit 40mm tall, or 11.4m in a 1:1 scale, which seemed about perfect for BattleTech in my opinion! Magnet polarities aren't actually an issue when you're working with Hexes :D
Back when i still played Battletech, i was on a quest to find good maps for it. 15 years later... Heroscape came out. No better terrain for it than the tiles from that game.
but much better terrain, if you don't use hexes at all. Did stop playing for the same reason: everything looked more than board game but played like a simulation. I now use a DeepCut 4'x6' Map with hexes - or maps without hex, but with 3d terrain for Alpha Strike. Everything fine now and looks great.
I just got in to this game. I'm glad you have put out new content for it. I just wish there was more for me to look in to and figure out all that I need
White Glint Gaming I tinkered with it many years ago. Bought the anniversary edition a couple years back. Hated the minis so much I ended up moving on to other games. Now the new starter sets and the Kickstarter renewed my interest. Those new mechs look incredible. Have you gotten Total Warfare? I just bought the eBook from catalyst yesterday. $15.
Crooked Staff Terrain shows how to make cardboard dungeons. His ideas might be converted. Black Magic Craft builds for table top gaming, much of which could work in that setting.
I miss the hex packs/cardboard maps. I haven't gotten the chance to use one of the new neoprene maps, but they seem good other than storage being more complicated for rolled maps. The carboard maps in the older boxed set were far and away better than just paper maps in the newer one (though the minis are the opposite so probably a good trade), and the additional maps and placable hex pieces in the hex packs were very useful. Pricing didn't work out in Catalyst's favor, so they shelved the line, but if you happen to come across one, I'd pick it up.
I honestly just print the maps that I can get and the cut and assemble them to have depth with cardboard, it's not fancy, but you have all the info you need, especially for using artillery
Ok Chaz, here's your reasons for a 3D printer 1.) Board game inserts. While yes there are companies that will have inserts made up from foam board, wood, or some other material, having access to a printer means that you can print a plastic insert whenever you want. 2.) Tokens! Lets say you're getting into a new game of some kind and it doesn't have certain tokens. Maybe you want direction trackers for Arkham Horror? Or maybe you need health trackers for Magic the Gathering that ins't a D20! Or maybe you just want a unique start player token instead of a card board one. Guess what, find it and print it. A token isn't cool enough or it breaks. Print one! 3.) Availability of items. When I talk about this, I would say explore a webpage like www.thingiverse.com but beyond just battletech!. A page like that has tons of items boardgame related that are waiting to be made. 4.) Practicality around the house. My best example I'm going to give is in front of our oven. I have several spices that used to sit at the top of the oven, but my girlfriend would grumble when they would get knocked down and around. So we needed a way to sort and keep all of our spices easily available. So I found a spice rack online on thingiverse, with a type that I like and I printed it out. In doing so we were able to get a little bit more organization in that area and have a lot less grumbling. So if the biggest thing stopping you may be doing stuff for Gaming - think of things around the house that could be of use. on reddit there is a /functionalprint subreddit that shows things that people have made that aren't just nick nacks. I enjoy just going through it for ideas around my home. 5.) Gifts. Yes you can make gifts, toys, puzzles, inserts for fellow gamers. Take it a step further and customize your items by using a 3D application. If 3D sounds scary, there is an online 3D program called tinkercad. Its great for beginners and is actually fairly easy to get into. Also, imagine all the dice that have screen printed sides - make some that are now created or raised anyway you want! *.) V-Bug. Yes this one is a bit of a low blow on my part, but, 3D printing is is pretty much here, so why not give her an edge by seeing if she could get into making cool stuff for herself. She could learn along with you and she would be at the cutting edge of technology that will most likely be a common everyday thing when she's your age. Maybe she'll hate it, and you'll hate this reply. However as someone who teaches kids in middle school, a lot of them think having a 3D printer is "Cool" and a large majority wanted to make stuff. -Hope it helps.
Wow! What a cool list. What a cool, cool, incredibly dangerous list that's inevitably going to make my wallet lighter. Thanks for taking the time to post this awesome comment! :D
Hey, I've been looking around on Aries Games and Mini's, and noticed that apparently Iron Wind Metals produces terrain hexes (albeit of a small variety). Any words on those?
Here's my impression of me setting up that shot while recording the video, "Someone, SOMEONE is going to comment on how the water isn't below ground level. Bah, I'll just say it was a natural spring and waterfall." So, um... It's a natural spring and waterfall.
All that model train stuff...dude just google 6mm sci fi terrain and you will find countless small companies that produce a wide variety of terrain stuff. But building terrain out of garbage in that scale is way cheaper and god damn easy peasy^^ Ah and by the way for all interested... the best qualitys up to date mechs you get out of germany dirty cheap...around 5 bucks each...they have nearly all bt mechs with updated design and posing. and they ship worldwide. jul3d.com
Looking for generic sci-fi diy terrain is a huge help as well.
-Water bottle caps, chapstick caps and other things can make excellent fuel tanks, water purifiers, etc.
-Boulders can easily be found outside where rocks live.
-Miniature tree clumps can be simple to make as well: chenille pipe cleaners are basically premade for that purpose.
Great video Chaz!
Thanks for sharing your passion of BattleTech. I too played a lot of it years ago and your videos are rekindling the urge to get back into it! Please continue the videos!
Back when we had a Local Battletech official play group, the Organizers had found (Or made) grasslands hex mats of the right (or slightly larger) scale, and then used Christmas village trees, Classic Monsterpocolypse buildings, and foam hills they had cut and flocked themselves. It has certainly influenced some of my own terrain dreams.
While probably not as easily suited for Battletech proper, I feel like I should give a shoutout for the Recent Steve Jackson's Ogre/GEV maps for Battleforce. You possibly could use them for Battletech, but you'd either have to cover the Cities or treat them as buildings.
I'm currently in the process of designing and printing my own magnetic hex system! Except... It's ALL built to exactly 1:285 scale... with a fully modular terrain/building system built in! All terrain is built @ 20mm tall, meaning a level 2 terrain, would sit 40mm tall, or 11.4m in a 1:1 scale, which seemed about perfect for BattleTech in my opinion! Magnet polarities aren't actually an issue when you're working with Hexes :D
You all need to check out the battletech kickstarter going on now, Clan Invasion!!!
Checked out, excited, and backed! 😎👍
@@GameNightPicks Will we be seeing your face on BT merch soon? B/c I know you'll be seeing mine.
I can’t wait for that to come out!
Yes! I have a metric ton of Heroscape tiles and those will be great for Battletech!
This channel is *criminally* undersubbed! Great video, thanks for the ideas!
Back when i still played Battletech, i was on a quest to find good maps for it. 15 years later... Heroscape came out. No better terrain for it than the tiles from that game.
but much better terrain, if you don't use hexes at all. Did stop playing for the same reason: everything looked more than board game but played like a simulation. I now use a DeepCut 4'x6' Map with hexes - or maps without hex, but with 3d terrain for Alpha Strike. Everything fine now and looks great.
I just got in to this game. I'm glad you have put out new content for it. I just wish there was more for me to look in to and figure out all that I need
White Glint Gaming I tinkered with it many years ago. Bought the anniversary edition a couple years back. Hated the minis so much I ended up moving on to other games. Now the new starter sets and the Kickstarter renewed my interest. Those new mechs look incredible.
Have you gotten Total Warfare? I just bought the eBook from catalyst yesterday. $15.
Thanks for this video! I'm just getting back into the inner sphere after a couple of decades away. That DIY printable mapset is an awesome freebie!
Crooked Staff Terrain shows how to make cardboard dungeons. His ideas might be converted.
Black Magic Craft builds for table top gaming, much of which could work in that setting.
Excellent tip! Thanks, Cap!
I miss the hex packs/cardboard maps. I haven't gotten the chance to use one of the new neoprene maps, but they seem good other than storage being more complicated for rolled maps.
The carboard maps in the older boxed set were far and away better than just paper maps in the newer one (though the minis are the opposite so probably a good trade), and the additional maps and placable hex pieces in the hex packs were very useful.
Pricing didn't work out in Catalyst's favor, so they shelved the line, but if you happen to come across one, I'd pick it up.
I have always dreamed of having a massive train set and playing battletech on it.
I honestly just print the maps that I can get and the cut and assemble them to have depth with cardboard, it's not fancy, but you have all the info you need, especially for using artillery
Ok Chaz, here's your reasons for a 3D printer
1.) Board game inserts. While yes there are companies that will have inserts made up from foam board, wood, or some other material, having access to a printer means that you can print a plastic insert whenever you want.
2.) Tokens! Lets say you're getting into a new game of some kind and it doesn't have certain tokens. Maybe you want direction trackers for Arkham Horror? Or maybe you need health trackers for Magic the Gathering that ins't a D20! Or maybe you just want a unique start player token instead of a card board one. Guess what, find it and print it. A token isn't cool enough or it breaks. Print one!
3.) Availability of items. When I talk about this, I would say explore a webpage like www.thingiverse.com but beyond just battletech!. A page like that has tons of items boardgame related that are waiting to be made.
4.) Practicality around the house. My best example I'm going to give is in front of our oven. I have several spices that used to sit at the top of the oven, but my girlfriend would grumble when they would get knocked down and around. So we needed a way to sort and keep all of our spices easily available. So I found a spice rack online on thingiverse, with a type that I like and I printed it out. In doing so we were able to get a little bit more organization in that area and have a lot less grumbling. So if the biggest thing stopping you may be doing stuff for Gaming - think of things around the house that could be of use. on reddit there is a /functionalprint subreddit that shows things that people have made that aren't just nick nacks. I enjoy just going through it for ideas around my home.
5.) Gifts. Yes you can make gifts, toys, puzzles, inserts for fellow gamers. Take it a step further and customize your items by using a 3D application. If 3D sounds scary, there is an online 3D program called tinkercad. Its great for beginners and is actually fairly easy to get into. Also, imagine all the dice that have screen printed sides - make some that are now created or raised anyway you want!
*.) V-Bug. Yes this one is a bit of a low blow on my part, but, 3D printing is is pretty much here, so why not give her an edge by seeing if she could get into making cool stuff for herself. She could learn along with you and she would be at the cutting edge of technology that will most likely be a common everyday thing when she's your age. Maybe she'll hate it, and you'll hate this reply. However as someone who teaches kids in middle school, a lot of them think having a 3D printer is "Cool" and a large majority wanted to make stuff.
-Hope it helps.
Wow! What a cool list. What a cool, cool, incredibly dangerous list that's inevitably going to make my wallet lighter. Thanks for taking the time to post this awesome comment! :D
You're welcome! Any other way I can help you spend any other money?
Tegre “low blow” is an understatement.
I can confirm 3d printing is indeed awesome.
Hirst arts makes some KILLER! Molds' if you insist on Hexed-Maps.
How do you not mention the old Geo-Hex system. I know, like hero-scape, its hard to come by but it IMO the best one out there.
I 3d printed a stencil to make my own hex grid map from a non-gridded game mat.
Hey, I've been looking around on Aries Games and Mini's, and noticed that apparently Iron Wind Metals produces terrain hexes (albeit of a small variety). Any words on those?
Have you checked out hex hogs terrain system?
Battlescape is still around. I think they're on Ebay.
Putting the water tiles directly on the terrain is wrong. Just wrong.
Yes, what kinda jello-water stands by itself? Maybe its a slime.
Here's my impression of me setting up that shot while recording the video, "Someone, SOMEONE is going to comment on how the water isn't below ground level. Bah, I'll just say it was a natural spring and waterfall."
So, um... It's a natural spring and waterfall.
Boo!
"Boo"?! Nonono, I believe the phrase you're searching for is: "Creatively Challenging!"
Or it was an alien planet with blue lava.
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
So... do you have a 3D printer now? 😊
All that model train stuff...dude just google 6mm sci fi terrain and you will find countless small companies that produce a wide variety of terrain stuff. But building terrain out of garbage in that scale is way cheaper and god damn easy peasy^^
Ah and by the way for all interested...
the best qualitys up to date mechs you get out of germany dirty cheap...around 5 bucks each...they have nearly all bt mechs with updated design and posing. and they ship worldwide.
jul3d.com