Step 1: Sub-assemblies
As much fun as 16 individual crates can be, the reality is that most of the time I want more sturdy piles. Having some glued together means they're quicker to set up and more stable during a game.I glued the crates into some useful blocks:
These can be stacked in a variety of different ways:
Step 2: Details & weathering
I added some stencils to give the sense that these have been marked up by the shipping company or merchant. The rectangle and triangle were cut out of a piece of scrap paper with a hobby knife, and then I stippled onto random surfaces with red paint using an old big brush.
I did the same thing on some crates with an off-white into a circle stencil (made using a hole punch). After the stencils, I used a scrap of blister foam to dab dark grey paint at random onto the crate surfaces, paying particular attention to the corners and edges.
Finally, I roughly stippled a dark brown on the bottom third of the crates to suggest some dirt and grime.
Finished Crates
The finished crates aren't going to win any painting competitions, but for a time investment of around 15 minutes, I'm pretty happy with the results.
Expect to see these appearing in scenic shots in the near future!
