How to Make Stone Block Walls for war games

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In this video Miniwargamer Dave walks you step by step on how to make stone block wall terrain. Grab a drink, sit back and relax for a fun video!
Music is royalty free from incompetech.com

[@kieferonline]

Great tutorial! Thank you!! (Just FYI, real moss usually just grows in the shadows, and not in direct sunlight, so it probably shouldn't be on top course of bricks.) Really cool wall still.

[@KrahulikIsGod]

It's always so interesting to see the end effect of the whole project, because at first, when you see the raw materials, it's hard to picture the final product. Then you have this excellent little wall and it's like WOAH.

[@lemsdarkapprentice]

This is to make stone blocks (e.g. a dry stone wall) for wargame miniatures to hide behind/provide cover. Sometimes people make huge buildings/factories/etc for their game tables. But sometimes all you need are smaller items like a few stone walls, hedges and trees to give you a good style. As they are on individual bases, they can be moved/added/removed depending if you want them to be a ruin, or something like a farm with just a few scattered walls. You are right: this is an epic tutorial.

[@ningenka]

i made it, using cardboard, styrofoam, paint and varius scenery stuff. it was incredibly easy and goes perfect with my dwarfs... THANKS MINIWARGAMING!!!! ^^

[@Xaskus]

Just an idea that I use: Glue sealing foam with multiple layers of watered down white glue allows for priming with an aerosol primer. This can speed up the process if you are painting a lot of terrain or if you are low on paint in pots.

[@D3adtrap]

Thank you MWG! I was planing to make small village gaming board and this was just what I needed. Your my rulers!

[@Reboot153]

This is a great tutorial on how to make some basic terrain. One suggestion I'd like to make (and you said you do read the suggestions), when you're going to do your base coat, try using a rattlecan of spraypaint. It's faster, easier and will give you a more even coat on the terrain you're making.

[@00daveyr]

Couple of tips... 1. Coat the blocks in pva-paste - (1 part glue to about 2-3 parts water), before glueing them down (makes them more rigged and more like stone. 2. Paint the blocks black before glueing them down! (that way you can't miss anything) 3. If you want to make it look more 'battle scarred' take dents out of the wall once it's glued down but before painting the grey on, or if you feel ambitious make parts of it collapsed or you can even take out much larger chunks

[@alexanderdall7560]

thanks for the tip i just made my own with real stones and i just glued it together with white WOOD glue and it hold up pretty well. i painted it black, dry brushed it grey and dry brushed it a little bit white and it looks alot like real stones. im only 12 years old and im only a beginner in this hobby, so your videos helped me alot :-) thanks:-)

[@roninkross]

If you're going for traditional European masonry then by all means leave gaps and fill with mortar. You can however bevel the blocks a little on the edges and glue them as snug as possible for an Inca stone look. These look AWESOME for Lizardmen or jungle terrain.

[@theknarlyboy]

TOP TIP: When you cut the blocks, use some fine'ish sand paper to make the corners curved and less like a sharp angle because it looks better and it makes the piece alot more realistic.

[@Evrenovic]

I love these terrain videos. I always wondered how they made all the awesome terrain and I couldn't. But because of your videos I can see that I also have the ability to make cool terrain myself. Thank you wargaming!

[@HarrytheHammer28]

For static grass I tend to stick it down with plastic glue, polycement or super glue. This makes it stand up on end and look more realistic. I wouldn't do this on a board or big terrain piece, as it can get very expensive.

[@3ggh3ad]

you can also spray prime the polystyrene if you cover it with a mix of pva glue and water (equal parts, milk like consistency) primer will melt unsealed styrofoam

[@sergeigen1]

I made some of these and a tip I would offer is paint the blocks black before you glue them so you dont struggle with the foam color showing in the cracks when its put together

[@miniwars123]

probably at a home improvement store for the isolation foam. Home depot, ect. You can probably get hard board from the same place. Any regular kitchen bread knife will work for cutting the foam and if that doesn't cut the hardboard, go for an exacto blade.

[@RekoneInkings]

I would like to say also, if you paint grey ruins, walls or whatever as if that was made of stone, you must mix dark grey with brown,or use a brown primer, for a natural effect. If you dont do this, you'll se blue light effect in the wall, as you can see at the video. But it's just a small trick, it's a good wall !! :)

[@WLPKalenov]

Amusingly enough, this works brilliant as well for casted pieces, like from Hirst.

[@Psychonauticus6]

Loved this vid, made a bunch of walls for my Tau and Kroot to romp around in. On a side note, I'd like to say that Mini War-gamer Dave has rather wonderfully smooth hands xD (only throwing that out there as a compliment and 'cos my hands are covered in thick veins and scars from work)

[@TheCrazybookwriter]

I just finished making an amazing tower with multiple levels! Thanks mini war gamer Dave! Your technique is the best! :)

[@jacobhope6164]

Definitely blasts from the past!

[@Vale-fc7gg]

if your glue nozzle is already blocked with dried glue take a fine needle and run it through the nozzle from the inside and it will remove any dried glue that is jammed inside.

[@Gamer0900]

This is perfect because ANYONE can do it. Thanks for the vid!

[@TheMatyou18]

We love you mini war gamer dave :)

[@FoxbrushDraws]

This is awesome! Thank you so much for posting these videos. I've been looking around at how much it costs to buy terrain pieces for D&D and war games, and they are so expensive, but I think I'll just do this instead. I have time enough to do it, I wouldn't have to sell a kidney to afford it, and then it's my own.

[@miniwars123]

@minijawa1st That is the best idea ever! You deserve an award.

[@notmuch_23]

Of course, probably the best styrene to use for this would be scraps, obviously, but I've had good results using foamboard scraps from buildings: especially the windows (they should already be straight). Just have the foam facing out.

[@DracoAvian]

As far as adding the flock I find it easier if I have something like a shoebox with the seems taped off. I can pile in the flock on the model and then tap off the excess without wasting it.

[@KaminStalker]

WOW!!! the result is AMAZING!!!

[@Khann119]

Dave your terrain projects always look great. Thanks for giving me ideas!! (I'm scared, that brick wall just told me to subscribe.)

[@miniwars123]

@TheMrnerfdoger09 elmers is pva glue. pva is ANY water based glue. You can get it from staples, micals, or any crafts store.

[@cowifier6]

If you put these with the battlle ruins and put them on the stepped hills, you get sheer awesomeness

[@Skoobidabop]

What I do when I use flock or sand and stuff like that is; fold a paper in half to put underneath my model, when you're done you can easily pour back in to your bag what you spilled.

[@Spartan117FS]

Just an idea; glue the base first and detail it, let it dry and then add glue to the blocks and add the moss.

[@BinarySecond]

this is the *first* tutorial i've seen on this

[@LittleD292]

You are like god.. The master of all creations.. :D

[@JakeWithSocks]

you could make the *moss* look like snow or dry sand stuck to the bricks from a sand storm depending on the theme of your table.

[@TenaciousD872]

i am so doing this. thanks for this vid MWG! you have inspired me a hell of a lot

[@lemsdarkapprentice]

Hi Bjulle2: You should be able to use washes on this when it's finished, but a wash will not give you a good solid base coat (like MWG Dave had at 8:00) straight on top of the original blue. Washes provide shading, so they are rubbish for general coverage over bare material. However -if you wanted- when you have finish the stone colours (greys&whites), you can wash it with a darker colour to give some more definition, but then re-highlight it back up with the lighter ones. I hope this helps?

[@steveakacornelius]

In order to speed it up slightly (not that this is a chore of a build in the first place) would you recommend using a spray paint for the black basecoat? It looks fantastic. Perhaps to make it more 40K you could add a discarded weapon or helmet from a bits box?

[@connavar29]

me an my 5 year old each made one of these yesterday it was great fun :)

[@mrblunttube]

thanks for your vids dave, as a non wealthy war gamer your vids help alot, i have found clear elmers glue for 1$ more than the white that helps on some projects. also, i have gotten a stack of blank CDs for 1$ i have glued some stuff to, to make random terains, verry cheesy i know. also have found thin cheap aluminum cake pans easy to make craters. any way thanks dave.

[@2LTDarcius]

nicely done, tho for the fine turf you should beable to buy woodland senic's turf (which i believe you used) that has a colour mix to it, with some red and browns gives more of a grassy look to it. instead of the solid green. i use it for my bases its a very sutle colour change but it adds abit of realistic look to the grass effect. but nice walls.

[@necronsplayer]

THANK YOU!!!! I have been trying to figure out what would be a good back to my metal ork wall around "da big scrapyard fortress" ... I'm never gonna finish that thing.... XD

[@craigdawson6999]

i always prime my polystyrene stuff with a layers of watered down PVA. means you can spray them and they are tougher and more durable.

[@DracoAvian]

Yea, my favorite part of wargaming is converting models and making terrain.

[@chairmanleo]

Great guide! I would suggest using 79 cent art store acrylics, works just as well for this sorta stuff.

[@Jaiyeson]

Very clever and easy to follow. So when are you guys going to collab and make a huge apcolypse battfield? Now that would be fun to see!

[@jukkis6699]

thanks, that's very useful. Now I want to make some terrain!

[@steelgear3876]

This is awesome....it's like a cooking show but for wargammers ^_^

[@3ggh3ad]

also use bleached bone over GW white for terrain highlights..closer to linen white

[@camrynbell4257]

I'm not a mini war gamer but I love doing this kinda stuff on school diagrams

[@ljiiionline]

it might be a good idea to rough up the sides when you cut out the bigstrip at first.

[@tamilyon9429]

That is so cool. I have been looking for ideas for my villages and this would be great! Thank you.

[@DreadPathZone]

Fantastic! I think i might make one this weekend!

[@Trueflights]

hot wire cutter..... a terreain builders best friend. Whoever it was that commented on just spraying the foam, you can't. you have to base coat foam with acrylic paint before you can spray it or it will disolve and melt.

[@AmadeuszSadowski]

@xxxHaloRulesxxx Tau! It's simple choice! For the Ethereals, you don't have any choice! ...Ok, you have. If you want to be mobile and shoot at move, Tau. If you like being wild, Space Wolves. Or if you are in love with Monstrous Monsters and waves of unending biomass, go Tyranids. Oh, and I forgot: Tau have Crisis and Stealth Battlesiuts, pure awesomeness!!!

[@redheadger91]

I guess he just used a saw. btw nice tutorial. Used it as inspiration for some walls I did myself.

[@ToozdaysChild]

God this looks so fun.

[@kizzel1212]

looks epic, videos like this make me want to get back into warhammer :P

[@RekoneInkings]

pink styrene has more density, so it's better for sculpting and working with it than blue, blue has less styrene... I think at least :P i tried both

[@devastator06]

very nice. you should make more terrain making videos. and more videos in general. maybe more battle reports. and when are those tactica vids?

[@motionpicturesstudio]

always paint over news paper so u can read fun stuff and do work at same time

[@miniwars123]

@yorpwnd no, spray paint eats up foam, watch the asteroid terrain video they pur out if you don't know what I'm talking about.

[@DARTHMPK]

My comments read hey.... YOU'RE AWESOME

[@claymonatic]

this i a great peice but sometime it's a good effect if you put some moddling sand or what ever in the gaps but not all of them. great job though i now know how and where to paint different colours in different parts .

[@steampoweredtv]

I am so going to do this with the pink foam I just bought a couple weeks ago.

[@Ashbringerarchus]

Using a file also helps if you want to add battle damage or just rough things up.

[@abngonzalez2247]

You are the coolest man on earth

[@BlueSandvich]

kids get toys for christmas i get flock :D go miniwargaming!

[@Brettbren]

He should've just let the glue set-up (dry) and the glue (If it stays white after it dries.) would resemble snow, in a way.

[@Inflameguitar]

you could only sprypaint it if ur using latex primer or else the stirenfoam would disolve

[@miniwars123]

HANDY TIP: If you you use an airbrush that uses an air compressor, NOT aresall, than you can use that on polystyrene.

[@Chiellemoos]

OR: you can also use an airbrush - saves paint too! :-)

[@ChimeraWargaming]

Great work.

[@chiripitio]

Great Idea !!!! thanks for the inspiration....

[@TheSurfer44]

great vid. could you show how to make jungle / ancient ruin terrain?

[@300istilmig]

nice but would be great if there in the start also was told the time it takes (circa takes) and normal sand works fine in some cases (best if it is from the beach and gathered on a sunny day :D less muddy)

[@blackorc813]

wow dave i am bvery impressed pat this terrain stuff! im probly gunna make this or something like this for my gobbos, but if you can find a way to do sandbag bunkers not out of green stuff can you please make a video? thanks! and keep up the good work MWG

[@Beaststa197]

"ts fine that they are differnt thickness's"hats what she said dude!

[@Herpkid56]

another great way to make a wall is to make resin rocks from a castle kit or something, thats what i do

[@mlembrant]

nice.. but i think there is something missing in the space between individual stones.. you know.. like dirt, mud, little flowers... to just to make it more like a wall, this way you can see through and that spoils the thing

[@sumthingangels]

I seen a different video he said to keep the excess that comes off to reuse for a different shade color so you don't have to keep mixing them to get that kind of look.

[@MDLi0n]

seriously this should be taught in woodword and crafting classes.

[@Walgiz]

man this is awsome!!

[@Gamefreak2x9]

Man this would be awesome for warhamer or warhamer 40k! I used to make the ugliest terain, now ppl ask me how I do it so well! I tell them to look up these videos!

[@pudge789789]

easier to spray it black and then paint the bits u missed :) nice wall :)

[@liamritchie4973]

when your puting the white paint on you might want to look at where you want your sun to be

[@snowbud13]

Wow! New vid!!!

[@muaythai2005]

If you look in a train store you can find Woodland Scenics producs, they are WAY nicer than games workshop stuff and you get a much better bang for your buck.

[@thewhiteglove1]

its easyer to use 1/2 inch-3/4 thick foam so theres less cutting trust me its worth while

[@Gerben972]

looks real nice, where can you get that polystyrene?

[@joshlynch96]

cool, really helpful

[@Mr12toe]

@Crondak Spray painting would melt the foam

[@G0Ri11a]

@xxxHaloRulesxxx Go with DA ORKS there really diverse meaning you can make a horde army like the Tyranids, or good at the close combat like SW or a shooty up army like Tau

[@orkwarlord2]

Awesome!

[@clonearmy101]

funner is a word now!

[@strader1234]

actually you cant spray polystyrene it wil melt it and thats also why you can't use plastic glue or super glue

[@sleeperagant]

its freakinn awesome

[@NobleKensaman]

Am I the only one that finds it amusing when it cuts to each slice? No? Ok