Starting with Stargrave (or: How to Get Space-Money)

Stargrave is a new game from Osprey Games, and is one of the latest offerings from the prolific Joseph A. McCullough.  I was lucky enough to get my copy several weeks back, and I've been from one cover to the other checking out the sci-fi goodness.  I am a big fan of all of Joseph's games, which include Frostgrave, Rangers of Shadowdeep, Oathmark and Ghost Archipelago.  The rulesets are elegant, but with plenty of room to expand.  It also helps it's based on a D20, which helps the D&D crowd relate.

Stargrave follows the same vein as Frostgrave and Ghost Archipelago.  You choose a Captain and First Mate, then recruit a crew of up to 8 other models.  The rules of the game and the stats of the models are the same as those games, and you choose Powers for your character models based on sci-fi abilities and technology rather than spells or magic.  The game itself is heavily scenario-based, and like it's brethren-in-print is designed for campaign play.  The campaign systems in these games alone make it worth the buy, just to see how it was done.

I was very excited to get ahold of this one.  In anticipation, I really scoured the model range for Stargrave, as three new plastic sets from North Star Military Figures hit with the release.  All three of these - Crew, Mercenaries and Troopers - are fantastic sets, especially if you are just starting a sci-fi miniatures collection.  If you're not familiar with North Star, get that way.  They have tons of awesome plastic box sets for all kinds of troops and / or kitbashes.

One thing I noticed was that Stargrave pretty much takes the ball from Rogue Stars as Osprey's go-to sci-fi game.  It's not that Rogue Stars is an inferior system at all, but Stargrave has more content right from the start.  In addition, the systems are very different beasts and serve different audiences.  Stargrave's system is easier for casual gamers to pick up, as Rogue Stars has some advanced wargame conventions that can confuse new players pretty easily.  I pretty much confirmed this when I saw the few metal minis North Star had released under the Rogue Stars line had been moved to Stargrave.

My problem with Stargrave is that I wasn't sure where it was going to fit in my gaming curriculum.  I am making a move back to narrative gaming mostly, and with my player groups I want to make sure I don't provide too jarring of an experience moving between systems, settings and games.  Unlike Frostgrave, to me, Stargrave didn't stand well enough on it's own considering my sci-fi settings are Star Wars and Warhammer 40,000.  It didn't have a distinct setting, the minis are great but kind of generic (as they are supposed to be - that's a good thing).

The fantastic campaign system begs to be used in just about any sci-fi milieu, however.  We can easily approximate any number of settings with this game, and I can report there has been interest in both a 40k-themed and Star Wars-themed campaigns of Stargrave.  Therefore, instead of embarking on a new project entirely like I did with Frostgrave, with Stargrave we'll be using the campaign system in other settings, with all kinds of different models.

One thing this is prompting me to do is sort out all my random sci-fi minis according to their setting.  Right now I have several cases of miniatures that have no defined system as home. These are random minis I've picked up, made, converted and been gifted I had no place in any army or game schema - until now.  It's finally time to sort them into "40k-style" or "Star Wars-style".  They are currently scattered among several cases, labeled things like "Sci-Fi Heroes", "Sci-Fi Future Wars", "Antares - Concord"...and even one labeled "Stargrave I" with nothing inside it.

Nothing like being able to find the exact mini you're looking for and only having to dig through five to ten cases because your miniature storage filing system is working.

Rogue Stars Post-Game Sequence

Inspirobot knows what to do in
 ANY given situation.

Howdy folks!

The Rogue Stars campaign has been interesting.  We've really been putting Rogue Stars through it's paces.  In that amount of time, some items cropped up we need to clarify for our campaign players.  Some of this is 'house-ruled' using the best resources we had at the time (which, in this case, includes the Facebook group where the author lurks) and perhaps some modifications for the way we play.

1. The campaign is primarily team based.  Gains you make will apply to all your teammate's games as well.
2. Experience earned by teams applies to the faction's overall score.  In other words, if the Imperial XP monitor is sitting at +48, and you elect to create a new team for a battle, you'll have 248 XP to spend.
3. You do not have to play the pre-made teams.  You can use any Star Wars figure that's appropriate to your faction and stat them out before the battle.
4. Medikits are 3 XP and function exactly how you think they do:  +2 to Medic rolls.
5. Out of Action and survival at the end of the game doesn't really matter in the context of our campaigns.  You do not lose XP since you will not 'really' lose soldiers, and you can swap soldiers / figures at any time before a battle.
6. Ambiguous hits automatically affect the torso.

I think that pretty much sets us for the remainder of this campaign, and probably a good many more unless we change the structure.  Any further questions should be asked right here on this post, and we'll be able to keep any disambiguation right here in one spot.  That's all for now, but you better keep those blaster packs warm.  Rebels, pirates and Imperialists are all marching and wreaking havoc and terror right outside your door...  

Frostgrave: The Iron Seer's Challenge

Campaign Overview

The snows melt across the tundra.  Far away, the spires of the City Under Ice can be seen as wispy shadows, gaunt in the pale skies.  Hither come the Wizards, intent on the plunder they may find.  Yet, the sun and the thaw lasts only a short while...

The journey and trials involved in visiting the City Under Ice are daunting to all but the most driven of spellcasters, but the ultimate challenge has been laid before these poor, intrepid souls.  An unknown and powerful Wizard has contacted all of our challengers in the weeks and months before, and given them each a bargain they could not refuse.  Now they arrive on the outskirts of the Frozen City.

Each has come to conquer Frostgrave and all that stands before them.  They will amass the most power, the most spells, the most powerful minions they can manage.  Twelve moons hence, they must stand before their mysterious benefactor and be judged in their bargain.  Only the most powerful of Frostgrave's Wizards will claim their prize!!

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Campaign Guide

Frostgrave:  The Iron Seer's Challenge is a long form campaign for Frostgrave.  It will take place every week in 2020, wrapping up at the end of December.  This will be the first long-form campaign for the new decade!

Each player will start with a standard warband as per the Frostgrave Rulebook.  Every so often, once a set of benchmarks has been crossed, a new set of rules will be introduced from various Frostgrave materials.  Players may recruit soldiers or use material from each supplement as it is introduced.  This progression will make sure that new players are not overwhelmed, but as the benchmarks are crossed new options will become available.

The reason for the staggered ramping is part of the Iron Seer's Challenge!  Can our players explore the entirety of the city, uncover every secret, and complete every scenario in a year's time?

We will attempt to use all the material from the current Frostgrave range, and showcase ALL the scenarios (even if individual players don't have to play every single one).  Players need time to get to grips with all this material, but 2020 will be a guided Frostgrave experience here!

At the end of the campaign, the following information will be processed to create an individual player score:

• Scenario Win Percentage in Standard and Co-Operative Games 
• Whether the player managed to cast Ascension, Lichdom or another EPIC spell.
• Wizard Level and Experience Points
• Total Vault / Base Value

However, the campaign will still not be over until the end of December!  These rules are subject to change at any time, and most likely will as new material is released.

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Warband Construction Rules

The following soldiers are available for any Wizard to hire.  Note that Legendary Soldiers other than the Captain are not immediately available at the start of the campaign.

1. Frostgrave Rulebook
• Apprentice
• Apothecary
• Archer
• Barbarian
• Crossbowman
• Infantryman
• Knight
• Man-At-Arms
• Marksman
• Ranger
• Templar
• Thief
• Thug
• Tracker
• Treasure Hunter
• War Hound
2. Spellcaster #1
• Musketeer
• Coachman
• Duellist
3. The Frostgrave Folio
• Captain
4. Thaw of the Lich Lord
• Bard
• Crow Master
• Javelineer
• Pack Mule
5. Into the Breeding Pits
• Trap Expert
• Tunnel Fighter
6. Forgotten Pacts
• Assassin
• Demon Hunter
• Monk
• Mystic Warrior

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Scenario Rules

How to Play a Iron Seer's Challenge Scenarios

1. All Wizards present roll for Campaign Initiative.  A Campaign Initiative Roll is 1d20 + the Wizard's level.  The highest roll chooses the Scenario from those available to that Wizard.
2. Co-Op Games (all Scenarios from Perilous Dark) cannot be selected unless the all other wizards consent.  If they want to be enemies, another scenario must be selected.
3. Scenario Chains must be played in sequence.  Once a Wizard begins a Scenario Chain, they will automatically choose the next scenario in the chain if they win Campaign Initiative.  
4. If your opponent is a Wizard on a Scenario Chain, you can simply agree to play the next scenario in that chain without rolling for Campaign Initiative.  You cannot do so if you have started any Scenario Chain for your Wizard.
5. It is possible for Wizards to be at different points in the same Scenario Chain.  The Scenario played will be down to Campaign Initiative.
6. Solo scenarios must be 'ran' by another player or judge.  That is to say, they are not 'solo'.  Another player will be responsible for adjudicating the scenario and witnessing your deeds.
7. Follow all scenario rules as presented for setup and resolution.
8. Follow the post-game sequence to record XP, Gold and Treasure changes.

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Campaign Rule Updates

The following changes will apply to the basic rules once certain benchmarks are passed.

• Dark Alchemy 
• "Potions in Frostgrave" is in effect once any Wizard completes the Dark Alchemy scenario chain.
• Forgotten Pacts
• "Mystic Brand" can be one of a Wizard's starting spells.  Afterward, the only way to obtain this spell is to buy the Grimoire.
• The Maze of Malcor
• The entirety of the "Rules Update" section is put into effect once a Wizard reaches Level 20.  In addition, players may not start a warband as a Pentacle Wizard.
• Spellcaster #1
• "Firearms" in effect at beginning of campaign and are available for any character that can carry them.
• "Horses in Frostgrave" in effect at beginning of campaign.
• "Knightly Orders" available at beginning of campaign.  When hiring a Templar or Knight, you may pay 20gc to select an Order.
• Spellcaster #3
• "Friends in Low Places" and Underworld Favors are available to Wizards level 10 or higher.
• "The Auction" will be held once per month once all Wizards are level 12 or higher.
• Spellcaster #4
• "Legendary Soldiers" can be hired by any Wizard that is level 15 or higher.
• "Casting Roll Criticals" are in effect for Wizards higher than level 5.
• Spellcaster #5
• "Monster Hunting" can be used by any warband whose Wizard is level 10 or higher.

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Campaign Participants

• Dave Bone as Orrick Vos, Enchanter
• A strange Wizard seemingly from another world altogether, he and his band of machinists and automatons seek a strange form of magical metal alloy.
• Vin Propane as Skud Stormhand, Summoner
• Not much is known about this Wizard, but his command of skeletal warriors and ghastly nether spirits seem to indicate he is as dangerous as he is insane.
• Lady Foley as Glinda the Good, Witch
• A powerful Witch from far away, her cohort seems to be looking for some trace of a long lost sage.
• GameDoc as Immianthe, Witch
• An elven spellcaster from a faraway land, not much is known about her.  Yet faeries, dryads and even stranger fey creatures seem to flock to this wizard's presence.
• You (?) as [Your Wizard's Name], [Your Wizard's School]

More to be added here as players and their Wizards make their final preparations.  Spots on the leaderboard are still open!  Make sure we know you're throwing down at the Frozen City!  Plenty of DOOM for everyone.  

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Scenarios and Scenario Chains

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Frostgrave Forestry Service Announcement

Trees don't grow on the snow-covered tundra...but also magic, so who cares.

At some point I acquired some tree products.  I think they were intended for another project but were never used.  They had snow on them, so there was only one project I was working on that would make use of that.

What my worktable does.

Super Scenic Snowy Evergreen Tree 10 pack for $12.99USD at the Hobby Lobby.  At first I was going to use foamcore as the bases for these trees like the other Frostgrave terrain I had done, but decided to use actual bases for no reason other than because I like it.  After checking around what I had on hand, I decided to use some large bases I had gotten from Reaper miniatures, just to feel decadent.

Krylon Camouflage, a great primer and basecoat.

Of course, we have to do a lot to these trees to make it cool.  I grabbed a few other spare things I had laying around.  The bare trees are Woodland Scenics trees I got in like 1998.  They've been a part of several different projects and at some point I had prepared them to be used again. Now's just a good time as any, really.

These bases make for a far more fluid forest layout on the table.

I played with these quite a bit before committing to the arrangement.  I like how many different ways these can be used, either clumped or chained together to make area terrain.  Mimicry of such conventions is the #1 goal of making terrain like this.  I'm sure there are way better ways to do a model scene if you don't expect it to move or take much punishment.  These are TOUGH.

The entire set, finished and on the table.

After attaching the trees, I applied snow to the bases and waited for it to dry.  I was told the pre-applied snow on the model trees clash with that on the base, and that might be true but I don't think you really notice it from the table.  I didn't put the flock and cork rocks down first this time...I learned my lesson with that Woodland Scenics soft-flake snow leaching color from it.  I waited to apply that after the snow had dried directly on the Krylon.

30mm base sections (x4).

After that, applying the snow to the dead trees was interesting.  I give myself an 80%, but then again it's hard to satisfy myself.  Probably could use a smattering more on the dead trees' bark, in certain places.  I might do that next time I have the snow out.

50mm sections (x3).

The last touches other than some cork rocks was some Winter Tuft by Army Painter.  A few, not many.  All in all, a respectable arrangement...if I do say so myself.  It will be interesting to add trees back into the Frostgrave, but these also help out to depict snow-covered forests from all over.  Notably, those near the Spine of the World.

Even that smoke-belching, clanking abomination of a contraption will gain cover if it's in a snow-covered forest.

We can spread these out as scatter terrain, hence the use of the standard bases rather than large foamcore bases.  It does make it a little sturdier, but more importantly smaller and easier to store.  You can't always use bases like this, however - it can get costly pretty quick.

Creep through the woods (like a boss).

If I do add to this forest I will have to use the same bases, but on a 3x3 board I'm pretty sure this is all the forest I'll need.  Combined with all the other stuff I've made for this board, I might have to consider getting a 6x4 version of the mat just so I can use the terrain I've built for all the other games!

Eh, that's a bridge too far.

Edge of the Empire Player Characters

Our current crew!
WotC Miniatures Left to Right:  Devaronian Soldier, HK-50 Assassin Droid, Corellian Pirate, Twi-lek Scoundrel

I recently acquired some old Star Wars Miniatures for our Edge of the Empire campaign.  No particular reason, I just like to use Star Wars Miniatures for Star Wars games.  I mean I use non-Star Wars Miniatures for Star Wars games also, but I specifically collect Star Wars Miniatures for Star Wars games.  Is that enough keywords, Google?

WotC Miniatures Left to Right: Twi-lek Black Sun Vigo, Mission Vao

Anyway, it turns out that some of these are the most expensive collectible prepaints I've bought to date, weighing in at around the $5-20USD on the secondary market.  Mission Vao and the HK droid specifically were pretty expensive, but I typically don't spend more than a few bucks each on prepaints.  It's not bad though, and with Star Wars Miniatures it's one of the only ways to get an official model of certain characters.  I know I need to pickup some lightsaber wielders soon...and some clones.  We'll see how far I actually go down that rabbit hole once I've tracked down all the Attack Wing and X-Wing 1.0 stuff.

I thought it would be cool to kit out our team as a Rogue Stars unit!  A team of Pirates, aggressive and to the point.  The Hard to Kill tactical discipline and the Difficult Target traits will make this team an annoying and dangerous foe, just like our group.  However, two of our players had to bug out during the campaign, so I let their characters take a vacation.

Anyone can use this team in Rogue Star Wars!  Just in case anyone wanted to rough some stuff up, our merry pirate band can fight any other team.  Even other scum.  ESPECIALLY other scum.


Mayhem, Inc. (Pirates)
Hard to Kill

• Rokka Reer, Twi-lek Entertainer (50)
• Difficult Target (2), Fast (2), Fire into Melee, Free Disengage, Perceptive (2), Reactive
• Sonic Pistol, Knife, Kevlar Jacket
• X, Devaronian Scout (49)
• Agile (2), Alert, Danger Sense, Difficult Target (2), Marksman (2), Stealth (2)
• Laser Rifle, Knife, Kevlar Jacket
• B3-T5Y, Combat Droid (50)
• Artificial, Nonreactive, Difficult Target (2), Steadfast (1), Tough (1)
• Laser Rifle, Force Glaive, Light Combat Dress
• Modo Phloid, Thief from Outer Space (50)
• Alert, Difficult Target (2), Fire into Melee, Free Disengage, Stealth (2)
• Laser Rifle, Knife, Kevlar Jacket, 3 Stun Grenades

Frostgrave Mausoleum

In the cold, cold ground...

It's time to add more plots to the cemetery!

I finished up my first 3d printed piece, and to be honest I'm glad I'm done with it.  It was printed with an FDM printer, and I got it cheap on the Ebays.  Yet the texture really perplexed me.  There wasn't much I could do except just paint it.

This would probably have been more awkward in the end.

Originally I had planned this as part of a full piece cemetery, but I decided to use all the constituent parts of that project and make it three separate ones:  Cemetery Gates, Cemetery Graves and now the Mausoleum finishes it up.

You can't really see the FDM texture, but it's there...

It turns out these were the only pics I had of the piece in it's original printed form.

After all the stonework is done.

I painted these with the same stone patterns I used on the cemetery gates.  An unidentified drab brown, with some Scorched Brown and Mechanicus Standard Grey.  I had originally primed the entire piece with a flat grey that really matched GameColor Cold Grey, and all of the main fixtures are painted that color.

Angle from the back.

After that, Secret Weapon Heavy Body Black over the whole thing.  I haven't been able to restock that yet, but I will definitely be hunting.  It's great stuff, for real.  I'm using it like it's going out of style.  I hope it doesn't.

The entryway was especially challenging as the texture really bothered me.

For the decorum, I wanted to use Hexwraith Flame but the FLGS didn't have any.  I picked up some Nighthaunt Gloom, but ended up only using that on the Angel of Death on the front door.  For the rest of the fixture and inlays, I gave it some Nihilahk Oxide.

A barbarian fighting a robot in a cemetery.

I was unsure about applying the snow, as I always am.  This is more of the Woodland Scenics Soft-Flake Snow mixed with pva glue.  Sometimes it doesn't dry like you want it to, and I haven't exactly mastered the mix ratios yet.  I think it turned out fine, but it doesn't have a base so there's no snow piling up around the foundation.  Maybe it's heated somehow from within...

Another barbarian, fighting another robot, in another part of the cemetery.

The theme of these projects really comes out.  I think it looks good on the table with all the other pieces, but maybe not as flat and nice looking as the original layout suggested it might be.  On the other hand, all the pieces are modular and can be used in any fashion we can imagine.

Softly, the snows came...

Now we've got some cool terrain options for Frostgrave.  On a 3'x3' table, this setup actually takes up a fair amount of space.  It can be spread out among the ruins for a wider effect, but I haven't made up my mind yet if I need to get more of the cemetery walls from Reaper.

I probably do...

Stormhammer Reinforcements: Cougar Battlemechs

Stormhammer Cougar-X spread out over the Sulfurous Fields, hunting for signs of the invading Clan.

The Cougar-X is not a descendant of the original clan Cougar, as it has been nearly seventy years after the destruction of the last known factory.  Though the design is passingly similar, the new machine has been designed and constructed during the Dark Age by local manufacturers.  The Stormhammers have managed to obtain several prior to arriving on Vindemiatrix, and have deployed them in scout capacity near suspected clan targets.

I prefer to brush-prime Reaper Bones.  

Reaper Bones CAV models are fun.  As always, brush-primed with some color - in this case Vallejo Cold Grey.  I didn't glue these to the bases while I painted them, instead affixing them with Blu-tac.  The torsos and arms are not glued either, allowing for traversals on the table.

Raise your guns up and paint under your arms, kid.

On the heavier end of the light scale, the Cougar-X sports a fairly impressive armament.  In addition, the mech is heavily armored for its' weight.  Manufacture of these frames has increased over the past few months, and they are seen as a fantastic alternative to older models going forward by the Inner Sphere bureaucrats.

Stages of Grey Waste Deposits.

Following basically the same process as the Jade Falcon mechs, which you can check out here.  I textured the bases with cement finish and Vallejo Black Lava before applying Agrellan Earth and highlighting with Fortress Grey.  The only major difference otherwise is the use of Regal Blue on the colored plates.

Moon Patrol, ca 3145 A.D.

As of now, no real variants have emerged for this chassis.  In the minds of some designers, that is a better sign of a mech's performance than diversified sales patterns.  These are still test patterns, however, and it is likely that sooner rather than later development will be continued on the Cougar-X program.

In space, no one can hear you meme.

Yes I know they are not battlemechs, but are in fact CAVs.  If you look closely, the bases aren't hexes, either.  This is entirely deliberate.  Also, applied Ryza Rust to the feet and lower legs to mimic the effect on the Dark Age Stormhammer miniatures.

Guns up for AA potshots.

 Stats for Horizon Wars!

Element	Type	F	A	M	D	P	FC	Special
CGR-X Cougar-X	Mech	4	4	4	2	2	2	None

Augmented Stormhammer Medium Fire Support Lance, ready to repel invaders.

The Cougar-X has become a favorite of mechwarriors in the Stormhammers since they have taken on a great many dispossessed.  These mechs are inexpensive comparatively, and give the company a flexible maneuver strategy at a critical time - a clan invasion.  The pilots themselves who have been gifted one from the company have been given a second chance at glory, and are eager to prove the guns of their new mechs.

No guts, no galaxy!

Jade Falcon Reinforcements: Razor Battlemechs

Reconnaissance units steal forth across the sulfurous wastes.

In the Dark Age, the various actors will all have to make due with what they have.  In the Falcon's Reach, several mech-factories have been captured.  However, the raw materials and imported technology that allows the factories to produce their specialized battlemechs has been heavily curtailed.  In response, Clan leaders have repurposed to make due with what they have.  One of the first things the engineers came up with was the Razor.

I got the CAV Bones Kickstarter and split it with my buddy.  The Razor is one of the CAVs I deemed worthy to include in the Falcon attack force.  I don't have any problem mixing and matching models if the scale is correct! ...or if it looks good enough...

I...belieb...dem bones...are me.

Mostly made up of legs, the Razor is swift and small.  It mounts several small to medium weapons, most commonly lasers and machine guns.  It is easily produced, as the most expensive section is the leg gyros.

Hand-primed the Razors with Mechanicus Grey for a dark base.  I wanted to try to get it close to the WizKids versions, but maybe not exact.  So the palette would probably be a lot of Gunmetal, Tin Bitz and Knarloc Green.  Secret Weapon Heavy-Body Black ink would tie it together, and we'd highlight the metal up through whatever looks correct.

Agrax Earthshade over the entire base, though - not just that one part.

Frequently deployed in groups of 2-4, these sections can make for fine flank harassment units.  More commonly, a star will have a Razor attached to perform scout and spotting maneuvers.  When properly equipped, they also excel at anti-infantry functions.

For the bases, I used scrap pieces from Warhammer Fantasy Battle modular movement trays cut to 40mm.  I used Hand Made Modern Cement Finish Dark all over the base and let it fully dry.  Over that, I applied Vallejo Black Lava, which was then inked and drybrushed Fortress Grey to match the Sulphur Fields.  I could have used the CAV hex bases, but honestly I don't like them for this project.

I feel like these guns aren't as big as I'd like, but that's the trade-off when you've got legs this long.

The cockpit and weapons sections are comparatively simple.  The cockpit is not heavily armored, but grants a wide field of view.  Some models have been equipped with jump-jets, though this variant is not widely distributed yet.

Clan Star on a suppression mission to a small enemy base. The RZR's will chase down any small craft attempting to escape.

Stats for Horizon Wars:

Element	Type	F	A	M	D	P	FC	Special
RZR-1A Razor	Mech	1	2	4	1	1	1	None
RZR-3N Razor	Mech	1	2	4	1	1	2	Jump Jets

Robot Affliction, Part the First - The Striding

In all, these CAV's are inexpensive to build and maintain even during the Dark Age.  As the Jade Falcon makes headway on Vindemiatrix, they are sure to be at the forefront of the battle.  The RZR-series excels at vanguard, scout, outrider or escort duties.  For the Great Khan!

Welcome to Planet Vindemiatrix, home of smelly holes.

Frostgrave Cemetery Graves

Welcome to the graveyard, we got snow and graves.

I had a bag full of old gravestones, so I decided to make a graveyard.  You know what they say.  When life gives you a bag of gravestones, make a graveyard.

...wherein we totally ignore the lines we drew...

 So, I got my graves and with some foamcore and a small piece of scrap foam I set out to build a set for a cemetery.    I decided to use foamcore as it seemed to work nicely on the other pieces of terrain.  I knew what i was looking for...four smaller pieces and one larger one.

You're gonna need about 1" per body, Mister.

 One piece would have the larger grave, which is a Buzzy miniature from Reaper Bones.  It comes with a Mr. Bones figure as a pack.  It will be a pretty impressive tombstone for some unlucky sod...

All your stones in a row...

I cut a piece of foam to make a few small rises, for no good reason other than I thought it looked cool.  Once they were glued in place, I gave the whole base a good coat of acrylic brown.  After that, I decided to try a method I used on my daughter's tundra science project and put the snow down first.

I know the names are sophomoric but I don't care.  I really couldn't help myself.

It had snowed here the day before and my yard looked like a sodden mess.  I wanted to try somethings with realistic water, and would use the snow to create bowls for icy puddles.  Using some flock, realistic water and some Winter Tufts from Army Painter I tried to get a blend that looked like the puddles in the melting snow, with some ice around the edges.

That snow is turned to mush in the sun.

More precautions will be taken next time but it didn't look so different from the yard.  These took only a short time to make, and fill out a good portion of the board.  Gravestones can be claimed as cover by infantry, and if it's icy / muddy it also can be difficult terrain.

Alas, poor Buster...we hardly knew ye.

The set actually ends up providing a nice set of obstacles and cover.  The large one obscures line of sight in a most inconvenient way.  Together the whole set has a footprint of about 15-25% of the three foot board depending on how closely they are spaced.  The cemetery graves is the second section of the graveyard, the first one being the gates and the last one the mausoleum.  These graves will be the meat of that setup, and they look great on the board!

As the Ghostmist falls on the tundra, rival warbands fight over the graves of those long dead.