Gaming Stadium Tutorial

Creating • A Tabletop Stadium For Use With Gaming Miniatures

This project will show you the steps and materials involved in creating a tabletop stadium for use with gaming miniatures.

Though still in-process, this tutorial will let you follow the construction methods I use with both found and discarded objects to make scenery.

– Thomas Mills

Copyright © 2016 - Thomas Mills

Mills • Gaming Systems

Scenery Design by Thomas Mills

December 2017

Creating • A Tabletop Stadium I construct scenery for gamers using a variety of materials, many of which are either found or discarded objects (which are free!). Check out the images (at left). You’ll see real rocks, Spackling (or joint compound), white paint – with white glue bonding the elements together.

I generally use sheet styrofoam as a basis for my scenery.

This factory was built using including artificial plants, wire, DVD spindles, Kitty Litter, and aquarium H2O filters, blister pack clear plastic, cardboard boxes...and much, much more.

To start...use a sturdy table as a base to build upon. Working inside (or outside) is up to you.

The miniatures below are placed on top of a plateau behind a rusty metal wall.

Parts like these I often find along railroad tracks.

While I use spray paints for shading and color, I also use them on unpainted styrofoam for special effects like the melting, pockmarked ice depicted in the snow planet scenery (at top).

Hopefully, this will get you as interested as I am, in making beautifully articulated scenery!

I began by selecting a lightweight, hollow closet door as a base for the stadium – knowing that I’d be adding weight later with actual flooring tiles. Notice the grid I’ve already drawn on the surface of the door. A ShopVac helps control the mess caused by sanding and cutting styro.

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No matter what shape, form or style – you’ll need a good measuring device.

Always pre-plan scenery projects...by fitting everything in place prior to gluing. Tiles are linked and can be placed in sheets.

White plastic strips designate the endzones.

I’ve pre-measured and am cutting them to final length prior to gluing and placement.

After placing linked tiles by sheet, you can fill the remaining space with individual tiles.

Again, place-to-fit before gluing!

Closeup showing individual tiles being placed on original pencil grid between sheet tiles.

As yet, no elements of the tabletop have been glued in place. Determine length and style for sidelines (siderails). I’ve chosen 1"x4" Poplar (wood), pre-measured and fit in place with gaps left in the center (each side) for dugouts.

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Closeup showing sideline center gap for dugout placement. Think ahead! Glue too soon and you may make a mess tearing things apart!

Glue being applied at each endzone (left and right ends next to the final rows of tiles).

See the image at left for reference.

Apply glue sparingly on 3/4" x 3" plastic bar.

Large styrofoam obtained from instrument packing crate. It measures approximately 4' tall.

I used two large pieces like this, cutting away the parts I didn’t need (be sure to save them for another project!).

Cutting the final two pieces (from the larger structure) using a Japanese saw – into 12” tall by 24” wide sections for my endzone buildings/stands.

Endzone styro – cut and sanded, prior to placement for “fit” consideration...then adding hardware and painting (all to come).

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Closeup showing gaps in tiles where you will spread sand once all tiles have been laid.

Refer to following images.

Pre-drill screw holes when you’ve accurately placed the side panels. Insert screws through each hole into frame of hollow core door.

Stadium playing surface with end zones glued down, side panels screwed in place and tiles ready for gluing process.

Lift tile panels and individual tiles off door surface – set aside and begin the gluing process.

Apply white glue to each tile square marked in pencil on the door surface and place tile sheets and individual tiles back on the baord. Use a rolling pin or press down on tiles (overall) firmly.

Allow 24 hours to dry fully.

When tiles have dried, fill all the cracks with white glue. Make sure there are no gaps.

Rub excess glue off tile surfaces with a damp paper towel (h2o) and wipe the entire tile surface again with a damp sponge, rinsing the sponge in water periodically. Leave no glue film on tiles.

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Buy a large bag of All Purpose Sand from your local DIY store. Have it handy – begin spreading sand immediately after placing glue in tile cracks.

Dip a small plastic pail in the bag of sand.

Spread sand evenly over the surface of the tiles.

It’s best to work in 1'x1' sections.

Use a wide brush to make sure sand is forced into the glue (in cracks) between the tiles.

Once sand has been spread into all surface cracks, allow glue to dry for another 24 hours.

If any holes appear in sand/cracks, simply add more glue and additional sand. Repeat if necessary until cracks are evenly filled.

Check the placement for the endzone structure touching the goal line on the end of the hollow core door. Notice how the siderails run to the very ends of the doors on each side.

Place both the endzone structures and check for fit. Do not glue yet.

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I previously cut (4) endzone corners from a large styro foam packaging piece that had an oval center. Notice the flat piece of styro.

The (4) endzone corners, plastic plants/trees and the (2) endzone structures will be glued onto (2) pieces of 1" thick styro – glued to the door.

Here you can see every piece of styro in place (pre-gluing). I’m also beginning to experiment with dugouts and press boxes along sidelines.

Closeup view of one end of my stadium.

I’ll need to add a little more glue and sand at the upper right and upper left hand corners of the tile playing surface.

First step in gluing these items in place. I’ve glued the flat styro to the board and am following outlines I traced around each piece on top of styro when considering placement before gluing.

I also apply a little white glue to each piece of styro as well – before gluing down to flat styro.

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Once everything is glued in place, I add another hollow core door on top to offer a little extra weight on everything to help the glue bond.

The next step is measuring and considering where (2) large rafters will go – spanning the full length of the stadium playing surface.

Experimenting with 1"x4"s again for my rafters.

Plastic construction trim will function as a high level catwalk. This span will hold ads and lights.

Closeup of a corner section cut from styro.

Early test positioning for my styro corners.

I like using plumbing and electrical fixtures for various forms of vents and drains in my urban scenery designs. I often place door screens over one opening to look like grills/grates.

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I mix both PVC plastic tubes with metal fixtures for pipes, vents, etc.

Sketch things out before you start cutting anything. Note: the styro is damaged. But that will be fixed when I apply spackling and paint.

When you’re sure everything fits...in all the right places –

– try to consider you next steps (in advance) –

– then clear out holes for this hardware in the styro. Use pliers, screwdrivers, paint can lid openers...whatever you’re comfortable using.

Vacuum up the loose stryo bits and test the fit of each vent, pipe, etc. Don’t worry...if anything fits loosely, you can patch later with spackling.

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Remove the fitted hardware and apply a coat of flat black spray paint.

Allow each coat to dry. Cover all sides of each peice. This is a basecoat – over which I’ll later describe how to drybrush different colors.

Closeup showing a test placement for two base -coated plastic pipe sections.

A base-coated vent.

Additional experimentation with dugouts, rocks, constructiuon platforms (made from popsicle sticks and white glue).

I’ve decided I like the idea of (2) massive rafters.

So, I cut them to fit with a Japanese hand saw.

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So many people have seen my gaming scenery and asked to know more. This is the first time I’ve attempted to share my passion in words and pictures.

I’ll add Phase II soon.

Please let me know what you think about the work and techniques you see here. I’d love to hear from you.

The playing surface will later be glued to a 4’x8' sheet of styro or a 1/2" thick sheet of plywood.

The dugout and rocks will be attached to same.

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A look at my progress for Phase I. Next steps include spackling, painting and the addition of a lot more detail.

Mills • Gaming Systems I love building gaming scenery.

If you’re interested in tabletop gaming centerpieces, invidual structures or entire tabletop scenery sets – let’s talk.

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I’d be happy to build to suit.

Just a sampling...

A) Fuel Oil Furnace Nozzle B) Record Player Tone Arm C) Re-worked Army Kit D) Custom-Themed Armies

Also, please watch online as I’m launching Mills Gaming Systems shortly. While I’ve created scenery for gamers over many years, I’m moving forward with plans to offer scenery world-wide.

You can reach me at: thom.mills@me.com for more information about my scenery.

Please follow me: ISSUU (MillsIdeas) LinkedIn FaceBook Instagram Twitter (MillsIdeas) Behance Pinterest Tumbler Flikr – and soon...

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Thomas Mills Mills Gaming Systems Portage, MI 49024 USA

Creating • A Tabletop Stadium • Phase I For Use With Gaming Miniatures

Most of what you see in this tutorial took place over (2) days... ...until I broke two toes in the process – hence Phase II (coming soon) –Thomas MIlls, Artist/Entrepreneur