This is a bit of an older project that I posted on the Privateer Press forums ages ago. I’m still working on it, but there isn’t much space in my current apartment, so it’s on a temporary hold.
So, I got a crazy idea that I wanted to try out. I like the idea of a modular board, with tiles I can fit together however I want, but this doesn’t make sense for most boards (it can be accomplished with a flat / mostly flat board and modular terrain on top of it).
A sewer board, however, could use the modularity because there would be multiple levels of canals, etc., that could be arranged however you want and link up together.
Starting out, I’ve got my MDF tiles in various shapes (Four 1x1s, four 1x2s and one 2×2). From there, I’m going to build them up with pink foam and carve out features into each. Because the board is modular, I have to put details (or at least bricks) on each side of every tile. That way, I can put a tile with a higher base height right next to a one at the lowest level, and there will still be a nice wall / pipes / whatever.
But how to put everything together? With all this trouble going into modularity and portability, I don’t want to build a frame that will take up a lot of room.
The solution: magnets. I’m going to place rare earth magnets in the sides of each tile. The 1x1s will have four magnets an inch or so in from each left corner. Then, I’m going to drill in a flathead screw the same distance from the right corner. When placed next to another tile, the magnets should line up to the screws and snap together. The bigger tiles will have to have more magnets and screws. This should snap everything together with minimal effort.
Here are the cut tiles (and a cat, just because):
As you can see, there will be a bunch of different configurations I can put this in. I’m going to make some extra tiles too, so I could do away with the big 2×2 if I wanted, or add an extra one, etc.
I’m probably going to put all the magnets in over the next couple days so I’ll put up some pics of that as well. Hopefully it will work.
I’m currently debating between using Hirst Arts blocks or just carving into the pink foam. Hirst Arts blocks will be more expensive (I have to buy some) and heavier, but should be much, much less tedious to work with. Some of the tiles will be natural caverns, so I won’t need to use the blocks for those.
Construction
Starting to build the walls on the first tile, and created a spiral staircase as a removable terrain piece:
More details. Pipes and a ramp, plus finished up the upper floor. I changed the lower tiles from the square format to a more cobblestone look later on.
Started a much larger 2×1 tile. All these tiles are heavy!
It’s not completely evident in these pictures yet, but I’m building entrances / pipes into the walls at regular intervals, so they will match up with other tiles. For example, I can place the trench in the small tile against the big door / gate on the longer one, and they will match up and look like they go together.
