Cleaning up Gale Force Nine's Battlefield in a Box: Desert Oasis (BB537)

I pulled this piece out of storage to find that time wasn't kind to it. I put it away in the original packaging - a plastic bag and styrofoam inserts. The styrofoam kept the plastic bag pushed against the piece. As a result, the plastic became stuck to the piece and left behind a sticky residue on parts of the surface.

A simple, but versatile terrain piece.

A little research and some trial and error revealed that warm soap and water was the best approach. My initial attempts with alcohol and Simple Green removed the paint in the out of the way spots I used for testing. It took repeated washings in the sink, but most of the residue came off. Enough of the sticky residue remains to be somewhat noticeable while handing the piece and it is visible on the "water" part of the oasis. The last couple of washings produced no further improvements, so I've hit a dead end with this approach.

In the future, I'm going to avoid storing pieces like this in situations where plastic packaging will be pressed against the surface for long periods. This piece will either get put away with the rest of my terrain in bins or loose in its original box without the bag or foam. I'm also planning on inspecting the rest of the terrain I have stored away for similar effects.

Goldar enjoying a pitstop at a desert oasis.

About the Desert Oasis

There are two versions of this terrain piece - BB537 and BB219. The only difference between the two seems to be the packaging. BB537 came out in 2011 as part of the "essential" Battlefield in a Box line. BB219 appeared in 2017 and was marketed for use in Flames of War. To the best of my knowledge, neither version is currently available from Gale Force Nine.

As with all of Gale Force Nine's Battlefield in a Box pieces, the Desert Oasis is ready to use out of the packaging (as long as you don't put it away and forget about it for a year or two). The earth looks like rocks and sand or dry soil. The water is smooth and blue. I find the palm trees a little unconvincing, but they don't have to be mounted on it. The Desert Oasis also came with a couple of packets of static grass to further enhance its appearance.

The Desert Oasis is a fairly straightforward terrain piece. It is scale agnostic, working fine for 15mm or 28mm figures. Although the name suggests otherwise, the piece can be used on a variety of terrain boards. Mount the palm trees and it works as a tidal pool on a beach. Remove the palm trees and it could be a pond in a wilderness or park.

A GZG survey team takes samples from a desert spring.

Future Plans

I picked up this piece on clearance quite awhile back. It was when I was trying to build up my collection quickly and I didn't a specific purpose in mind when I got it. It would be a shame to throw it away, but the remaining residue is an issue. I may end up filling in the holes used to mount the palm trees and repainting the edges a slightly darker earth color to give the piece a little more utility. The water may also get another coat of paint to cover up the residue. Or I might pour a little clear resin over it to make it look more like water and cover up the residue. I'm still pondering my options at this time.

Gale Force Nine's Bestial Huts and Chieftain's Hut - First Impressions

These are the BB539 Bestial Huts and BB540 Chieftain's Hut from Gale Force Nine. As part of their Battlefield in a Box line, these are pre-painted terrain pieces intended to go straight from the box to the tabletop. This post presents my first impressions rather than a review. These are recent purchases and it will be awhile before they see play due to current circumstances.

The two pieces from BB539 Bestial Huts are on the left. BB540 Chieftain's Hut is the big one on the right - clearly where the boss lives.

Gale Force Nine introduced these products about ten years ago. Availability dried up for a few years between then and now. That left me regretting not picking them up when I first became aware of them. I decided to take the plunge when I noticed they were back on the market.

It's safe to state that these pieces are fantasy themed. The blurbs on the boxes suggest that the Bestial and Chieftain's Huts originate from cold northern climes, but they wouldn't look totally out of place on a savanna or somewhere else beyond the reach of civilization. The trio of huts pictured in this post (one box of Bestial Huts and one Chieftain's Hut) could represent a camp for a small group of hunters, scouts, or raiders. Multiple sets would be needed to represent housing for a larger population.

Close up of the two larger huts.

Whoever designed these pieces put thought and effort into the details. The overall design appears to be inspired by a yurt or a tipi. Each piece represents a structure constructed of hides stretched between tusks from mammoths or some fantasy equivalent. The textures and colors of the hides show variation, suggesting that the pelts were taken from different animals. The sculpt also includes stitching holding the hides together and ropes lashing the hides to the tusks. The huts also feature fully detailed interiors. All surfaces are painted to a tabletop standard except for the bottom edges which make contact with the table. I was considering applying a wash to the pieces, but dismissed the idea as soon as I got my hands on them. The existing paint job shows off all the detail just fine.

Interior of the Chieftain's Hut.

There is a substantial size difference between the three pieces. The smallest of the two Bestial Huts would be crowded for more than a couple of occupants at 28mm scale. Meanwhile, the Chieftain's Hut looks big enough for several people. Buying multiple sets of Bestial Huts and only one or two Chieftain's Huts might work best for setting up a larger population center. This will help the Chieftain's Huts to stand out as important structures among the smaller pieces.

All of the huts appear to be cast from resin. Initial inspection revealed no bubbles or other imperfections in the pieces. The material seems durable enough to regular handling. I would be concerned about chipping or cracking if one took a fall or had a rough ride during transport. Careful storage should be enough to address these worries.

I've seen a wide variation in price for these sets. Both sets together retail from about $50-$75 USD before shipping, tax, or other fees. Shopping around for the best prices - both for the pieces themselves and for shipping - pays off.

These pieces are a welcome addition to my collection, which is a little lacking in fantasy terrain. They offer good value and live up to the claim that they are ready for play right out of the box. I'm looking forward to putting them on the table.