HDF Fantasy Terrain

Polish tabletop miniature company Kromlech have released a new line of HDF fantasy scenery kits, and they asked me if I wanted to be sent some for a review. I was thrilled because buildings just like these were on the to do list for my fantasy battle table. They sent me the Windmill, the Watermill, and the Lowland Village. Thanks, Kromlech!

I’ve assembled a number of laser-cut MDF and HDF kits for my club in the past. Never got any for myself before because it didn’t fit the look I was going for. However, now I’m working on a personal project that channels Warhammer of the 90s and 80s. I’m therefore collecting the kind of terrain that could be found on the pages of rulebooks and White Dwarfs of the era. Laser-cut kits lend themselves well to that particular look. Plus, when I inevitably decide to add scratch-built structures to my collection it should be simple to match.

The assembly was a relaxing process. Building instructions are all online: you get a QR code with the kit in order to reduce paper waste from printed instructions. All of the parts are clearly marked and the instructions make logical sense. It’s all conveyed with images. It’s advisable to dry fit everything and keep relatively focused to avoid accidental orientation errors. I used PVA glue to put it together, but superglue is also an option if you prefer. The parts need to be cut from the frame with a sharp hobby knife. Popping them out with your fingers is doable in some cases, but I wouldn’t risk parts snapping or tearing. Points of attachment need minor cleanup with a knife or sandpaper. When sanding remember to use a respirator or dust mask - the fine HDF powder is bad for your lungs. I kept the leftover HDF frames to use for future greebling and crafting.

Once assembled the terrain holds together fine and it’s sturdy. I expect it will hold up well as gaming terrain.

All of the buildings have playable interiors. This is not that important for rank and file battles, but it’s extra convenient for skirmish games. Just add a few bits of furniture, since they don’t come with any. The roofs are all removable to access the interior, and the doors can be removed as well. On multiple storey buildings each floor can be detached and there are ladders provided to connect them. I like how the roofs have a curve to them rather than being a straight slab. It adds character to them and it’s something I like to do when I build houses from scratch. The Watermill and Windmill can both serve as regular houses if their mill parts are not glued on. Leaving those separate is a good idea for easier storage as well.

I primed everything with either white or black acrylic spray primer. The instructions recommend it as it makes the terrain more resistant to warping. I can confirm that it soaks up water less once it’s primed. HDF should not be drenched in water too much since moisture can deform it. The paints I used are craft acrylics and Scalecolor Art acrylics that I normally use for terrain. Here are the recipes as written down in my painting journal.

The Village set consists of two identical peasant cottages, a slightly larger mayor’s cottage, a barn, a bunch of wooden fences, a privy, and a roofed water well. I didn’t paint the fences since I already have more than enough painted field fences from Citadel. Maybe later!

The Windmill has three floors and is the tallest of the buildings I’d received. The sails are designed to be removable, with a round window as a replacement if you want to use the building as a tall residence.

The Watermill is a two floor building with a waterwheel. Can also be used as a normal house if you leave out the wheel, which I’ll be doing until I build a river for my table.

The Fantasy Realms range also includes a tower, two sizes of bridges, a fortified inn, and a townhouse. You can pick them up at bitsofwar.com