Earlier this week I had started on my new Dropzone Commander layout, tentatively titled “The Ruined City.” I’ve now completed my double canal set and started working on other options like ramps to get from the base (table) level to the second level where most of the board will reside.
This simple ramp was easily worked up in CAD via Fusion360. The angle is long enough that the vehicles don’t easily slide back down. For extra security, I’ll hit the piece with a matte spray when I’m down to help give the models a little bit more grip.
The canals will have a couple of exit options with the easiest being a little joiner ramp to get them to the base level easily. Again, another easy work up in Fusion360.
The other option is one of these tunnel tiles. First off, I would have to make a special riser tile to make sure this properly setup in my new 3D layout. I thought about making new 3D stands to layout another tile but it seemed like such a waste when the foam cuts would be so easy.
I cut the roadway out of the both the tile and the foam and then painted the sides a little to clean it up. I’ll need to go back and finish the full tile up properly but it worked well. Unlike the other boards, I permanently glued it to the top so this riser will always be for this purpose.
The 2D always had this curious feature on it. I could only imagine it was some structure to help define and protect the tunnel entrance. We have a couple of these in Colorado so decided to make the feature a little 3D structure to complete the tile build.
The structure got me thinking of more uses and flexible terrain options. Namely, these structures could serve as waypoints for models to travel to and from, sort of like the sewers in Knight Models’ Batman Miniature Game. The rules would mimic the concept in that vehicles of an appropriate size (likely height) can enter the tunnel and be removed from the board. Next turn, they could move from the appropriately linked tunnel but do nothing else. Alternatively, maybe they lose a full round but then can move out the following round and complete all their actions. Other rules could be introduced to add some risk to the situation like they roll and if the fail the roll, they are “lost” for another round and must wait an additional before emerging.
The tunnel structure also could be modified and placed almost anywhere a riser tile meets with a base tile to signify another exit option. I’ll be firing up the CAD program to revise the file a little more to create this new “ramp-less” option to going through the different levels of my city.