Battlemat or Dwarven Forge?

[Dark Helmet]

My answer:

Hirst Arts Dungeon molds...
You buy the molds and fill them with plaster some dozen times, and you have the best looking dungeon you've ever seen.
Go to his site, look at his photos and you will be convinced.

I've used Hirst Arts mold for two years, for wargaming (Mordheim & Warhammer Fantasy), and it's really great...

Damm! I JUST found a link to that site and came here to be the first one to tell everyone about it.

The Schwartz is strong in this one.

 

[Horacio]

O.K., I will answer all your questions...

The first one, you can sell the buildings, nicely painted, and you can earn some good money.
They sell well regularly at ebay (search Hirst Arts, for example), and it's a nice way to cover molds cost. The creator of the molds know it, and he encourages that practice.

I have some molds:

Wizard's Tower Mold #50
Dragon's Inn Mold #51
Prison Tower Mold #60
Fieldstone Wall Mold #70

and two others I've forgotten.

I've built tons of buildings (well, some 14), most of them (8) Mordheim ruins. Sadly, I haven't a digital camera, so I cannot show you any photo, but in Hirst Arts site there are lots of photos, and I can affirm they are not exagerated, buildings looks so great (or even more!).

 

[LcKedovan]

I've built tons of buildings (well, some 14), most of them (8) Mordheim ruins. Sadly, I haven't a digital camera, so I cannot show you any photo, but in Hirst Arts site there are lots of photos, and I can affirm they are not exagerated, buildings looks so great (or even more!).

And I can confirm that if Horacio gives his stamp of approvalon something it is going to cost me money. I am off to order some molds!!!

-Will

 

[Horacio]

And I can confirm that if Horacio gives his stamp of approvalon something it is going to cost me money. I am off to order some molds!!!

-Will

Thanks for your trust!
I'm not only giving my stamp of approvation, I'm saying that Hirst Arts mold are the most enjoying purchase I've done in years, the rate price/hours of enjoy is the best one (if you like build little buildings, of course...)

 

[Tom Cashel]

Dwarven Forge all the way!

I'm content to pay the extra cash and let someone else do the work. And damn they look great! We had a combat using the Cavern Set and some random pieces a few weeks ago. It was amazing. Players tend to use the environment to their advantage a lot more when it is 3D...big tall stalagmites, for example, instead of a dot on a dry-erase board.

The trick is to not use them all the time...so they don't get stale.

Of course, if the battle is taking place outdoors I just use some little trees and walls and what-not...the foam from miniatures blister packs or Chessex mini cases is perfect for tumbled stone, walls, etc.

 

[Dieter]

If you have a "game room" that is solely devoted to all that is rpg'ing, I think DF is a good buy. The stuff takes up alot of room and is a major pain to break out every time you have a game. And unless you have the bankroll, there is only a finite amount of things you can do with the standard boxed set. As mentioned, the play can get stale seeing the same dungeon every game.

Battlemats has been the tried and true gaming surface for me.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I have no desire to drop a few hundred dollars on a Dungeon set like Dwarven Forge so we use a wet erase battlemat.

 

[SkeletonKey Ed]

The Magnetic Adventure Tiles that we make are a good middle ground between DF and a Battle Mat. There is the initial price of getting the laminated metal board, but after that you just need the sets of tiles. We will have two new tile sets out this summer.

Check out the online store at www.skeletonkeygames.com

There are also a bunch of unique rooms on the downloads page.

Take care,

Ed Bourelle
SkeletonKey Games

 

[bolen]

I use both. The problem with DF is cost (obviously) also time. What we do is draw the map on a map. If a climatic battle or the PC's will spend along time in one spot (ie a cave or a room) I use the DF to lay out those areas only.

This comprimise works very well and my players love it.

 

[LcKedovan]

Thanks for your trust!
I'm not only giving my stamp of approvation, I'm saying that Hirst Arts mold are the most enjoying purchase I've done in years, the rate price/hours of enjoy is the best one (if you like build little buildings, of course...)

Hey Horacio, do you use Plaster of Paris, or something else? The Hirst site mentions alot of North American brands, and I would like to find something European based or equivalent for a slightly harder substance...?

-Will