Textured Movement Trays

I generally order my movement trays from Sarissa Precision in the UK. They have four key advantages IMO over the opposition:

• Superior product design - two part tray allowing seamless magnetisation
• Competitive pricing
• Great website making ordering extremely easy
• Fast and efficient service - less than a week from point of order to delivery on the other side of the world

One thing I like to do is to texture the tray edges to match the bases of the army. Yes, this does mean lots of movement trays but it does improve the aesthetic.

Here's how I go about doing it. Quick and easy but it gives a good effect. These are for the chariots and snakes in my Tomb Kings. They are on desert themed bases - well doh!

Here are the Sarissa trays (plus one interloper) all constructed with steel paper between the base and lip. I've used PVA to attach the lip.

Here is a tray of Builders Sand I got from the local DIY when I was doing some paving. An even cheaper method is to grab some from the local riverbank.

Sand applied. I usually do two coats. Apply PVA then dip in sand. Let it dry then do it again. Finally after that has dried seal it with a top layer of slightly watered down PVA.

HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP:

Before you start to decorate base ensure that you remove any sand that has fixed itself to the inner lip. If you don't do this your models won't fit. And you will get very frustrated :-). I use a blunt bread and butter knife (also good for spreading polyfilla) and aggressively remove any inner lip transgressors.

I then apply a base layer of paint to the trays - the top layer of PVA has sealed the surface for you. The paint I use is house paint that I get from the local DIY. Locally the best source is Resene where you can buy test pots for around $4. The great benefit is that apart from convenient size and price, you can get it in literally a zillion colours. Here I have used the imaginatively titled "Sand". I then applied a wash of Gryphon Sepia and then, when dry, a drybrush of Ushabti Bone. For these last two steps you don't need a lot so it doesn't break the bank.

The final stage is to apply some Static Grass to decorate the base - and in my case tie in with my army.

I reckon the actual work in doing these trays was about an hour. However you need to spread it over 3-4 days to ensure that you give each stage ample opportunity to dry.

I do think that this hobby input enhances the look of your army and helps address the evil painting checklist some TO tyrants try and impose on a downtrodden populace!

 

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