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Wednesday 25 April 2012

I must not do it ... I must not do it ... I must not do it ...

I need another terrain system like a need another hole in my head ... but looking at Ian Dury's wonderful rendition of what a PORTABLE WARGAME setup could look like is very tempting. Every time I look at it, I keep repeating 'I must not do it ... I must not do it ... I must not do it ...' to myself ... but the self-hypnosis is just not working!

I already have a large number of boxes of Hexon II hexed terrain, a huge amount of Heroscape™ hexed terrain, two 3' x 2' fully flocked and gridded terrain boards (the grid is made up of 2" squares), several vinyl chessboards, a green felt cloth marked with a grid made up of 3" squares, a folding wooden chessboard, a small wooded chessboard (the original board I used for my PORTABLE WARGAME), and all the hexed boards that come with MEMOIR '44, BATTLE CRY!, and ART OF TACTIC: OPERATION BARBAROSSA.

I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER TERRAIN SYSTEM!

So why have I just had to stop myself cutting up some cardboard squares to see how many plain, wooded, road, river, and hill squares I might need if I am going to copy Ian Dury's example?

'I must not do it ... I must not do it ... I must not do it ...'

[Exit stage left, pursued by an attractive idea]

20 comments:

  1. Phil Broeders,

    Thanks for the encouragement! It is just what I needed to hear ...

    I was very tempted to quote the relevant section of Matthew 16:23 in my reply!

    All the best,

    Bob

    'I must not do it ... I must not do it ... I have started to do it ... Oh B*gg*r!'

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  2. Bob, if you go for it, I'm going to have a bash at this as well. Then we can compare notes on the process and final product.

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  3. It looks like you collect terrain systems. Why would you not include this one in your collection?

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  4. Looks like product development research to me.....

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  5. Go for it Bob.

    I will probably go for it too although I have Hexon II on order, just as many Heroscape tiles as you have and as many other terrain sets as well.

    None of what I have so far reaches the aesthetic image of the Ian Dury game.

    Jim

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  6. I don't think you're Hexon terrain as seen in the last Colonial battle need take a back seat to these squares but I can sympathize with the desire to replace the existing prototype square boards for an equally attractive and flexible square terrain.

    What harm would trying it do?

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  7. Phil Broeders,

    I have been in contact with Ian Dury, and he has said that he will do a short write-up about the construction of the terrain board he had on display at SALUTE.

    Once I have that, I will consider what to do next.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. Lentulus,

    You have hit part of the problem on the head; I want to add this terrain system to my collection ... but I know that if I do, something else is going to have to go.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. Pat G,

    It is ... but can I justify doing the work to myself (and my wife!).

    All the best,

    Bob

    PS. I am weakening in the face of the barrage of comments!

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  10. Jim Duncan,

    I am coming round to the point of view that says 'What the heck! Do it!' ... and then worry about where to store everything!

    If I do build the board and terrain squares, I will probably get rid of the gridded felt cloth as it will be surplus to requirements. I can then justify it as a like-for-like replacement.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. Ross Mac,

    What harm indeed ... as long as I do make any new terrain and board a like-for-like replacement of one or more of my existing prototypes (but not the original; that has a special place in my collection).

    All the best,

    Bob

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  12. Hi Bob,

    If you decode to get rid of the gridded felt cloths let me know!

    Sometimes seeing something as good as Mr D's set up is all the incentive (or excuse) one needs!

    Ironically I am having a similar dilemma myself so, along with many others, perhaps we could form a support group - Terrain Collectors Anonymous!

    "Hello, my name Is Bob and I collect terrain systems!" - (cheers and applause from the fellow sufferers as a box of Kleenex is passed in your general direction....;-)

    You know you will so why fight the inevitable and anyway - didn't you make some square based hills a while ago for this very reason?

    All the best,

    DC

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  13. David Crook,

    I will certainly pass the redundant terrain cloths over to you IF I build my own version of Ian Dury's beautiful terrain system ... which seems increasingly likely.

    Terrain Collectors Anonymous - I should set up a Yahoo Group so that we can both join!

    All the best,

    Bob

    PS. I did make some squared hills some time ago, and they are somewhere in my toy/wargames room.

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  14. Bob - even from this distance I can hear the sound of your resolve crumbling!

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  15. Tim Gow,

    Cracks are certainly appearing in my resolve ...

    All the best,

    Bob

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  16. Bob,
    I have been working on GHQ Terrainmaker to make hexes for The Portable Wargame and also some 15mm skirmish gaming. I must admit, I was tempted when I saw Mr. Drury's board.
    I will be interested to see how long it takes you... :)
    Bill

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  17. The simplest answer might be a second story on the shed :-)

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  18. Bill,

    I am beginning to think that regardless of everything else, I am going to have to build myself a copy of Ian Dury's terrain system for my PORTABLE WARGAME.

    If I do – and 'if' seems to be rapidly morphing into 'when' – I will certainly write a blog entry or two about my progress.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  19. Brigadier Dundas,

    That might not be a bad idea! The only problem is that I will need to find the current shed first (it is somewhere at the bottom of the garden, hidden behind some huge laurel bushes).

    All the best,

    Bob

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