• Welcome to the Heroscapers 2.0 site! We've still got some dust to clear and adjustments to make, including launching a new front page, but we hope you enjoy the improvements to the site. Please post your feedback and any issues you encounter in this thread.

The Book of Shipping Containers Terrain Tutorial

A3n

"Let's Nut this Unit Out!"
Site Supporter
TThe Book of Shipping Containers Terrain Tutorial

IMG_1314.jpg



-Supplies Needed-
  • PDF of desired size container/s
  • Foam Core
  • Cardstock (gloss will give the best results)
  • Sharp Knife
  • Elmers School Glue Stick
  • Elmers School Glue
  • Sharpie (coloured the same as the container you have printed or black if colour isn't available)
  • Ruler (steel works the best)
  • Pencil
  • 2x Matchsticks 3.2mm long
  • 2x Matchsticks cut in half
  • Good cutting surface

-Tutorial-
  1. Download one of the above PDFs & open it.
  2. From the Layers palette choose the desired colour for your container by clicking in the small square to the left of the colour name. Turn on/off the desired C3G logo and if you wish turn on the "Weathered Effect" layer.
    ContainersA.jpg
  3. Print on cardstock.
  4. Trim the edges leaving about a 5mm border.
    Containers01.jpg
  5. Cover the back of the printed cardstock with the glue stick & stick onto the foamcore.
    Containers02.jpg
  6. Cut all the pieces out with a sharp knife (always ensure the knife is sharp & be careful) using the ruler as a guide. The ruler should be placed on the printed part to protect it from any mis-cuts.
    Containers03.jpg
  7. To ensure the container is square & the side of the foamcore is showing we need to notch the 2 sides & both ends. (The top has the HS hex pattern, the bottom has the white centre, one end has the door handles, the other end is the same size, & the remaining 2 pieces are the sides.)

    • At both ends of the side & ends, make a mark the width of the foamcore in from the bottom & the top.
      Containers04.jpg
    • Rule a line along top & bottoms joining the 2 marks.
    • Cut down to the cardboard part of the foamcore without going through it.
    • There are 3 methods for removing the notch:
      1. Slice carefully between the foam & cardboard of the foamcore (neat finish that adds an extra layer of strength over option 3).
        Containers05a.jpg
      2. Using the knife kind of just flick the notch outwards a bit at a time (my prefered method).
        Containers05b.jpg
      3. As per Grishnakh's GCT buildings instructions, peal back the cardstock & cut all the way through the foamcore (less room for error but does give the neatest finish).
    • Notch the sides of both ends also (the ends should be notched on all 4 sides.
    Containers06.jpg
  8. Using the point of the knife cut out the 4 white squares on the top & bottom pieces. You only have to cut through the cardstock & the top cardboard layer of the foamcore.
  9. Run your Sharpie along all the edges of all the pieces. Do this from the under side of the piece to avoid any slips marking the finished product. (This step, although not necessary for the build gives the piece a more finished appearance.)
    Containers07.jpg
  10. Using the School Glue, put glue on the bottom notches of both sides & stick them to the bottom piece.
    Containers08.jpg
  11. Without gluing it, place the top piece on & put some elastic bands around the container to hold it all in place for about 5 minutes.
    Containers09.jpg
  12. Carefully remove the elastic bands glue the top piece on & re-apply the elastic bands.
  13. After allowing at least 5 more minutes for the glue to start setting, glue the ends on. (I then turn the container up on its end & put a weight on it to help it dry in place.)
  14. Colour one end (about 5 mm) of each of the half sized matchsticks using your Sharpie.
  15. When the glue has dried. Push one matchstick half-way down into each of the 4 holes on the top of the container & remove the matchstick afterwards.
  16. Squeeze a bit of the School glue into each of the holes on the top.
  17. Push the half-sized matchsticks into the holes (non coloured ends in first) so that only 3-4mm is left showing.
  18. Glue the 3.2mm matchsticks to the bottom as indicated with the School Glue.
  19. Wait for the glue to dry then add them to your maps. Have Fun!

5c85b1ed_0a16_47ae_b6bb_186b29b01f41_original.jpeg


NOTES:
  1. A big thanks to Good Pig who assisted with the weathered look & the "tagged" C3G logos.
 
Last edited:
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

More pics still to come :D (I have an issue with my memory card at the moment which I was waiting to fix & get ya all the photos at once, but I had a bit of time now & you never know how far away that next time is). Plus 30ft & 8ft containers PDF.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Well look at you mister man and your badass shipping containers. Nicely done sir :thumbsup:


You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to A3n again.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

The C3G logo is a nice touch. Good work. :D
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Looks awesome A3n :thumbsup: Can't wait to build a map with these incorporated into them.

Now are you going to make them destructible objects? :)
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I see them as non-destructible terrain myself.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I see them as non-destructible terrain myself.

I agree with Griff, geez I seem to be doing that a lot lately :p These look to be huge and would be a pain to figure for throwing/placing by Storm/Magneto II. I think they could be good LOS blockers and also give height advantage to figures on top of them.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Well just because we make them DOs doesn't make them throwable, we just don't give them a size designation. I think it'd be cool to have them be DOs that placed one random Equipment Glyph when they were destroyed.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Hmmm... I didn't think about that Tickle. Good idea!
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Well just because we make them DOs doesn't make them throwable, we just don't give them a size designation. I think it'd be cool to have them be DOs that placed one random Equipment Glyph when they were destroyed.
I have a treasure chest for my underwater set that does that. I feel that that theme works best there rather than here to be honest.

I must say, the designer in me wants to create cool powers for everything, however, the veteran in me recognizes that simplicity and what is considered to be "boring" at times, is occasionally a good idea. In this case, having some simple terrain that gives flavor to the map and is interactable with figures for line of sight and climbing, offers us something we haven't even attempted to do yet. Think of the RotV ruins or the RttFF bridge walls. They are some of the best and commonly used terrain, and that says a lot IMO.

However, I am flexible on this issue, I thought it was just good to express my thoughts a bit more. :)

Is A3n subscribed to this thread? :lol:

Hahma, it is nice to have a like-minded ally, even if it is likely temporary. :p
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I was just throwing out suggestions. I thought these wouldn't get released unless they had cards drafted and designed so this would need at least one power.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

What you guys don't realise yet is what those matchsticks are doing :D. That is the really cool part of these. Hopefully you will see it when I can get the other photos up.

The 2x3.2mm matchsticks on the bottom line up perfect between the 1st & 2nd hexes & the 4th & 5th hexes, keeping the container in it's place perfectly aligned. Then the 4 half sized ones on the top allow for stacking them so they are also kept perfectly aligned & in place. It really is ingenious if I do say so myself :p.

As for the DO idea. If somebody wants to take them that way they can. I am providing them as part of our Terrain Makers group so they can certainly be made into DOs in the future if somebody cares enough to do so, but it won't be me.

Cheers
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I was wondering what the point of those were. That's brilliant A3n. :up:
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Hahma, it is nice to have a like-minded ally, even if it is likely temporary. :p

Yeah well, I think we can agree on some things for sure. Though I'm sure we'll be on opposite sides of the fence at other times. :D
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Then the 4 half sized ones on the top allow for stacking them so they are also kept perfectly aligned & in place. It really is ingenious if I do say so myself :p.

Cheers


Well I'll say so myself as well. Ingenious!:D
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I didn't read the tutorial all the way through. I thought they were rubber bands at a glance. :lol:

Tickle, if a glyph is placed on the space below the container after it is destroyed, who places it and on what space? Also, what if they are stacked? Does the destroyed container on top place its glyph on the container below, and what happens when that container is destroyed? what happens to the figures and glyphs on top of it? What happens to all the containers, figures, and glyphs above when a container on the bottom is destroyed?

I am not trying to poke holes or anything. I am just giving you a list of concerns I have that any designer would need to address if they wanted to create a DO for these things.

My idea for the Locked Chest and Treasure Chest is roughly something like:

LOCKED CHEST
Destructible Object

Life - 4
Defense - 4


Sealed Shut
When this Locked Chest is destroyed, open it. It is now a Treasure Chest.

_________________________________

TREASURE CHEST
Destructible Object

Hidden Treasure

At the start of the game, place 4 randomly chosen Equipment Glyphs power side down on this card. When your Unique Hero ends its move on an empty space adjacent to this Treasure Chest, you may reveal one Equipment Glyph from this card at random and place it on that figures army card if possible, or place it on the space occupied by the figure.



So I think that is different enough to where you could design something unique for this Container if you want. :)
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

That's a cool design, Griffin. I hadn't really thought all that out because it was just one random idea I had as an example to Hahma.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

I know, and I am sorry if I wasn't clear that I was trying to encourage your idea rather than berate it or be a stone wall.

Sometimes simplicity is nice, and sometimes we just have to spread our wings and fly. Man that sounds cheesy but you know what I mean. :lol:
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

We could do something like this.

TRASH OR TREASURE
At the start of the game, place 2 randomly chosen Equipment Glyphs power side down on this card. When this Shipping Container is destroyed by a normal adjacent attack from a Unique Hero, you may reveal one Equipment Glyph from this card at random and place it on that figures army card if possible, or place it on the space occupied by the figure.

Stealing some of the text from your power.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Yeah, I think that could work, but why not just make it a single Equipment Glyph chosen at random and a Glyph of Loot on the card as well. Then players have the real option of choosing trash or treasure, or trap even.

Honestly, I think you could just call the power "MYSTERY BOX" and place a single E-glyph at random on the card power down at the start of the game.
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

Man, I was really thinking "wouldn't it be nice to have something C3G on the battlefield that I didn't have to print out a card for ..." but now you guys are selling me on these cool ways to get more Equipment Glyphs into my games. :)
 
Re: Terrain - Shipping Containers

TRASH OR TREASURE
At the start of the game, place 1 randomly chosen Equipment Glyph and the Glyph of Loot power side down on this card. When this Shipping Container is destroyed by a normal adjacent attack from a Unique Hero, you may reveal one Equipment Glyph from this card at random and place it on that figures army card if possible, or place it on the space occupied by the figure.

Taking Griffin's suggestion here.

This might fit well in a that Streets of Gotham booster.
 
Back
Top