One note: I reduced the overly large size of the old images to something that shouldn't mess with anyone's browser size.
I completed one terrain model representing three square KM of actual terrain (the model is about seven square feet.) The initial goal of a four square KM model would have significantly increased the monetary and time costs of the project, and were not needed to achieve my training objectives.
I also completed the required opposing forces for this lesson, and based them on tokens showing doctrinal unit symbols to assist the students in learning military symbology.
Overall, it was a very fun project though very time consuming. I found an overhead projector greatly sped up terrain tile production; I projected the grid squares onto the foam, traced the terrain lines, and then just cut. This was much faster than free-handing them. Due to the fairly large cost of foam boards, spray paint, and dry-wall patching spackle, I will probably make the subsequent terrain models two dimensional, perhaps using a tarp or something similar.
Painting continues on additional units for future lessons. I've got a company of M2A3 Bradleys to replace the original M1s of the original production, I've crudely scratch built a mine roller for a tank, and I have probably about 100 miniatures left to paint in the weeks ahead including several companies worth of Russian forces; more to follow.
The below pictures illustrate some of my production records, a few pictures from my class with the students using the terrain model and Microarmor miniatures, and some closeups of the result of the student's classwork.
Adding detail: roads and water.
The monotionous task of adding trees complete, the model is testfit in my driveway.
In the classroom. The prototype tile remains a bit warped, but isn't used in training. Basing only on foam posterboard proved OK, though in the future I think drywall spackle might not be the way to go. Still, it was better than using plaster of paris.
The student's foe: a reinforced light infantry platoon, the nearby company HQ, and the counterattack of a BMP-2 platoon and a sortie of HIND-Ds. The BMPs and the HIND are not based on their symbol token, all other Microarmor pieces are.
Yesterday, my students discuss and ** CENSORED ** their enemy in class...
...and array forces.
And here are some pictures of the Microarmor products as emplaced by the students.
The counterattack
Thanks for all the input into the boards everyone: this was my first foray into Micro-armor, and my first terrain model ever. If not for this great archive here, it would not have turned out as well as it did. Also, thanks to GHQ for creating an excellent product that is very conducive to military training.
Cheers!
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