Cheap, quick and easy Tau scenery part 2: Aegis line

With the relase of the new Tau book and our upcoming campaign, I got the old brain thinking as to how I could make some cheap and Tau-like scenery for our games. I wanted it to be interactive scenery (i.e. fortifications) and so used the imperial bastions and aegis lines as inspiration. Please note, for one bastion and 2 aegis lines with quad guns I estimate this to have cost no more than £10, so if you have some time and want some scenery, this is a great, cheap way to do it! Please use appropriate safety equipment and be careful with sharps if you plan to follow this guide.

Part two – Aegis line

     Well, it isn’t quite the same as the imperial aegis line, in that it’s more of a shield wall. Still, it does the

job. Here’s what you need to make one:

• Clear, coloured plastic (I cut up a textured snowpake folder) less than 1mm thick
• Tau battlesuit shields (again, I cast mine)
• Hardboard or foamboard
• PVA glue
• Sharp precision knife
• Compass
• Pencil
• Ruler
• scissors

Here’s how you put it all together:

1.       Draw a series of 30mm radius (so 60mm diameter) circles on your plastic sheet using the compass and pencil.


2.       Cut out the circles (scissors are easiest) and then, using the small hole made by the compass as a guide, cut them in half, to give you two semi-circles. (you will need 6 circles, 12 semis total) 


3.       Mark out 12 60mm x 15mm rectangles on the foamboard using the pencil and ruler, then cut them out. (I also tapered the long edges but that’s up to you) 
 

4.       Cut the back part off your shields then cut them in half as accurately as possible. 


5.       Glue the half shield drone onto the foamcard in the centre as shown. 


6.       Spray and paint the foamcard/shields 


7.       Once painted, glue the semi-circular plastic onto the back of the shields as shown