The Pedion Modular Prepainted Terrain System for RPGs and Wargames appears to be a beautifully crafted solution for anyone looking for a flexible and interesting battlefield for miniatures. With 1′ X 1′ (30cm x 30cm) tiles, pledge rewards range from 2′ X 3′ up to 5′ X 5′ terrain bundles. At just one centimeter thick, each easy-to-store section represents a different terrain feature including plain grass, broken ground, river, hill, forest, and road tiles. Add-ons even include the option of unprepared tiles so users can create their own features.
These appealing tiles are perfect for tabletop roleplaying game encounters, and miniature wargames such as Flames of War, and Warhammer. With multiple 1′ X 1′ tiles and magnetic corners that allow connecting in any orientation, players can change the battlefield conditions both in location of terrain features as well as shape of the board. Numerous add-ons allow players to create just about any battlefield the player desires.
One of the goals in its design was to keep the terrain as level as is feasible for ease of miniature placement while providing as realistic of a three-dimensional look as possible.
“You get realistic looking ground, with tiles which are designed to strike a fine balance between the illusion of a 3D environment and large flat (or gently sloped) surfaces where your figures do not fall over or get stuck when moving.”
“Specific parts of each tile include magnetically enabled areas or points. So you add or remove features with magnetic bases, like trees, fences, extra hills, buildings etc”
There are two options for river tiles including a cheaper painted option and a more realistic Liquid Glass, two part resin option to “emulate water flow.”
The creator, George Panopoulos, has a GIS background and used actual geographic data in the creation of his tile features, “I put my expertise in cartography and GIS to good use and digitized real-life data: the river flow and turns are not made-up, but copy parts of the flow of the Columbia River in the USA.”
The Kickstarter is already fully funded, so if you get in now you can just look forward to all the stretch goal goodies.
In the updates of the campaign Mr. Panopoulos announced a subscription service the likes of Lootcrate, “the PedionAMMO subscription service, a way for you to receive monthly Pedion goodness and expand your boards, or even start new sets.” The cost will be £10 per month in Europe, and £11.50 (~$17.50 US) in USA and Canada. According to the announcement, these prices include shipping! Cheaper rates will be available for subscriptions of six or twelve months. One can get in right now with a modest but sufficient 2′ x 3′ system for £49 (~$76 US), and add on in the future through further purchases or through this subscription option.
I have been planning to build some terrain for quite some time. I have sheets of two-inch thick foam insulation board waiting for me to begin shaping it, but this Pedion Kickstarter is calling out to me! This well-thought-out system would save me a ton of time, and not cost a great deal more than I’d be putting in for materials. On top of that, it appears way more compact and easy to store than what I have in mind. With a system as versatile as this appears and with the look of such superior craftsmanship, it would be tough for me to beat.
For details on his development decisions and process as well as the plethora of options available, check out the Pedion Kickstarter campaign as well as George Panopoulos’ development blog.
