The completed Zirak-zigil gaming board. Click to enlarge

This exceptional piece of terrain was constructed by Matt Baxter, Ray Dranfield and Nick Cudworth, over the course of a week, during which time all manner of materials were hacked, slashed, and otherwise bent into shape to form the main foundations of rock and stone.

The main body of the mountain was constructed using several layers of sheet polyglass foam, available from most builders' merchants. Alternatively, thick sheets of polystyrene can be used, being more readily available from DIY stores and hobby shops.

A hot glue gun was used to glue the sheets together, forming a large block of polyglass. One corner of this block was then hacked away, causing the block to sit at a steep angle. The block was then fixed to a sheet of 6mm thick MDF.

Zirak-zigil was once a watchtower of old, though now a ruin. The rules written by Mat Ward called for a circular gaming area approximately 30" or 60cm in diameter. The guys came across an old cardboard tube that was once a paper role, lying about in the storerooms (as one does), that was quite happily, and strangely coincidental 30" across.

Gandalf battles the Balrog to the death. Click to enlarge

Having hacked out a large hole into the block of polyglass, a section of the paper roll was inserted, leaving approximately 6" standing proud at the top. A scaffolding made from doweling was then constructed on the inside of the cardboard tube, providing a surface to which a disc of 6mm MDF could be set, forming the main floor of the "arena". Finally, to then disguise the cardboard tube, plasticard was glued in place as a cladding using laminate superglue. The buttresses were made from more 6mm MDF and glued in place.

Having added a few more rocks, boulders and rumble to various areas of the model, the guys coated the whole model with textured masonry paint.

The model was painted in stages, the first being to coat the entire piece in Chaos Black. Codex Grey was then mixed with Chaos Black and drybrushed onto the rock areas of the model. Eventually, pure Codex Grey was used, followed by a mix of Codex Grey and Fortress Grey, finally finishing with pure Fortress Grey.

Clash of the Titans. Click to enlarge

To create the snow, white rough artex paint was used, generously covering the flatter areas of the model to create the look of "ice shelves" in the mountainside.

The final touch was the addition of icicles to the ruined windows of the watchtower, made from the transparent card of blister packs. This was cut with a pair of scissors and glued in strips to the windows and ledges of the building using superglue.

Several coats of matt varnish later, and the model was ready to go.

You can see and play on this awesome terrain piece at Warhammer World, Lenton, Nottingham, along with many of the other themed game boards created for The Lord of The Rings, including Helm's Deep, the Ruins of Osgiliath and the Ambush at Amon Hen.

Related Articles:

Check out Daren Parrwood's Light-up Balrog, originally featured in Issue 281 of White Dwarf Magazine.	Matthew Ward has designed rules for recreating the final confrontation between Gandalf the Grey and the Balrog on the peak of the mountain of Zirak-zigil.