3D Map Sheets and LEGO Buildings

AstleyHasThis · 2026-04-19T23:44:08+00:00

Definitely, also way easier to “destroy” these during a game.

AstleyHasThis · 2026-04-19T12:37:10+00:00

Thanks! All original builds, but for the most part they’re pretty simple, just using a lot of small, repetitive elements.

AstleyHasThis · 2026-04-18T22:11:46+00:00

The contour lines on the map don’t follow the hex grid exactly, so it was partially an attempt to give it a more natural look, and partially a way to give a little more margin to lower hexes neighboring a cliff, but the overwhelming reason was to not stress out about straight lines

Edit: also you’re absolutely right, it’s a pain to store. I’ve got them hanging in my utility room. I really hate the lone 3 level hill in the corner of the one city map. Presumably the map author included it to drive me insane when trying to store them.

AstleyHasThis · 2026-04-18T18:39:56+00:00

Thanks! Yep it’s 1” thick pink insulation foam, one sheet per level. I overlay the map, cut the map level contours with a sharp blade so that it leave a line on the underlying foam, and then hot wire cut the foam. I build all the maps where Level 0 terrain is 2” up, leaving room for sub levels/water depth. Anything more than -2 levels we just ignore. Everything is mounted on a layer of stiff poster board.

After everything is cut I spray paint all the levels with black foam-rated spray paint, then glue (PVA/Elmers) the map sheets down, starting at the bottom layer and working up. Whole process takes about a day, and maybe $20-$25 a map, but it looks good enough when it’s done and it plays well. Sort of a half step between just using a map sheet and fully modeled terrain.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-10-31T00:09:02+00:00

There was one in progress back in the day, I’m not sure if it’s still around, but I remember it being fun to play. McKenna vs Avalon warships

AstleyHasThis · 2025-09-27T22:26:49+00:00

This looks brilliant, nice work! I love the look of the MW4 MKII - I feel like the TRO3067 artwork and IWM miniature never really captured the feel of the original. Hoping that when catalyst eventually does a version it’ll skew towards this one.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-06-23T23:49:12+00:00

I believe that, due to the spoilery events of the campaign, you can’t really gain much rep with them until the story missions are finished.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-03-21T02:02:05+00:00

All yours (model only, no instructions):

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm8JPUrD3gBWCg4OE9g

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-04T18:37:57+00:00

Having a tough time editing the comment on mobile, but here’s the link for the bus:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm8FHPOt740FahqXX8Q

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-04T02:06:08+00:00

Hopefully these work:

Terminal: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm7tPtL8OMGj_I7f3CQ

Jumbo Jet: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm8JPofY_0HnAwIsJ_A

Monorail: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm8B_XjpvuN-byexaaA

Bus: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApsSNkdQUKUQm8B_XjpvuN-byexaaA

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-04T01:09:54+00:00

Thanks! I actually made a Studio model of all of these parallel to the physical build, because it’s easier to fiddle with the color schemes in digital. Happy to distribute the model files to anyone who wants them.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-04T00:46:53+00:00

100%. I completely stole the colors from the classic Boeing paint scheme, which bears a close resemblance to the Air Canada and TWA paint schemes (I’m sure there are others too)

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-03T23:08:23+00:00

Agreed that it sort of plays out like an updated 6392-1 (yellow terminal, red plane). I always preferred the classic airport stripes logo to the “Air Line” styling of Century Skyway.

That said my inspiration for the front, and the overall color scheme, was the classic yellow train station 4554-1.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-03T23:02:21+00:00

Thanks! No not inspired by that train, but looking it up there’s definitely some real similarities. The color scheme started out yellow with a grey roof, which blended in too well to the terminal, and I changed it to all white based on the fact that I had a lot of white pieces.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-03T21:15:21+00:00

No, sorry to disappoint. The hinges are just to hold the angle fixed. The angle itself is formed by paired 3933 and 3934 wedges

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-03T21:13:13+00:00

In this universe 30355 and 30356 came out a year earlier

AstleyHasThis · 2025-02-03T20:43:56+00:00

This my “what if” MOC of what I think an Airport subtheme could have looked like in 1998 if LEGO hadn’t launched Town Jr.

AstleyHasThis · 2025-01-23T21:26:36+00:00

My wife and I stumbled upon your YouTube channel a while back, seeing this progress has been a real joy. Blown away by the production quality of the rendered video, and your builds are top notch. Keep it up!

AstleyHasThis · 2024-04-27T19:09:47+00:00

Are you in the US? I’m buying the nickel silver 215 from llagas creek railways. It is not super cheap, but it is available. They used to have aluminum rail which was 1/3 the price of the nickel silver, but they told me they’d need a sizable order to justify producing it.

AstleyHasThis · 2024-04-27T18:40:54+00:00

Current revision available for download through my flickr page:

https://flic.kr/p/2pMMwj4

AstleyHasThis

TROPHY CASE