Disclaimer: This set of terrain was sent for review by Tinkerhouse Games. We elected not to use affiliate links as we wanted to review the product without bias. All links provided are strictly to the main Tinkerhouse Games site.
The TinkerTurf Industrial Starter comes in two versions, the Neutral and the Abandoned. They are both identical in terms of pillars, boxes, ladders, stairs and platforms. The main difference between the two is the story they tell. Do you need a newer look for your games? Something industrial and gritty but not too gritty? Perhaps you want the ambience of an isolated freighter that’s been rusting for years. Whatever you choose, you’ll have a great time with this very versatile set.
Material Quality: Great! It is made out of black core cardstock. This means it’s basically a black layer of sturdy adhesive sandwiched between the layers of printed paper. It’s not as sturdy as plastic, metal or wood but it’s also not as heavy. It’s easy to store and carry, and if you happen to drop it you don’t have to worry about it shattering or scratching your hardwood floors.
Assembly Complexity: Easy and simple. It is recommended to use PVA glue (basically Elmer’s Glue All or other equivalents). The most complex part is making the connections for the beams which involves filling a little square well with more glue than you think is okay to use, then stick the supports in a big glob of glue. It seems like a bad idea but after a few hours of drying, it makes a surprisingly sturdy connection that won’t budge. Small clamps should also be used to keep the platforms and other multilayered parts together, but in a pinch, binder clips work very well (just don’t let them sit too long or the cardboard might dent a little).
Cleaning/Prep: There is no prep besides punching out the pieces. Cleanup is just taking off the extra pieces like the gaps between ladder steps and vent holes. After finishing a little vacuum would be helpful for all the extra cardboard crumbles.
Instructions: The website has a handy instruction page for each of their sets, so each set is easy to find and assemble with just a few clicks/taps.
Detail: The detail is excellent! There are a lot of textures printed on the pieces and since some of the pieces are layered, there is also texture. The gratings on walkways and platforms are raised so it feels like the pieces have some depth.
Scale Compatibility: It works great for standard 28-32mm games. So anything from Warhammer 40K, Star War: Shatterpoint, and Marvel Crisis Protocol. Even games that use a grid system like Deadzone and Halo: Flashpoint work very well with this terrain.
Assembly Variety: The entire set is modular and it allows you to have pretty much any orientation/arrangement you want. It can be made into different tiers and layers or you can arrange a broader single layer map. The legs are very stable and they resist shaking well, because we all know tables get bumped constantly.
Paint Accessibility: There is no need to paint TinkerTurf terrain as it is printed with all the designs and details. Rust spots, bolts, nuts, scuffs; they’re all painted on which means you don’t have to spend hours painting before you can play. We all have an ever growing gray pile of shame and TinkerTurf helps alleviate some of that pressure.
Customization: Overall, the set is pretty much the same design for everyone. There are a few pieces that can be skipped or added onto the cargo container (you can leave it open or close it, or one of each). Customization is minimal but there, so your final set will most likely be almost identical to another person’s set. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the pieces themselves are modular so these two sets would be able to be combined. But if you’re looking for something that is extremely specific, or you want to have a completely customizable experience, it may not be up your alley.
Durability: Surprisingly very sturdy. TinkerTurf is made of sandwiched cardboard and it’s going to bend, dent, and possibly tear with heavy use. You can very easily break it if you want to break it because it’s like any other piece of cardboard. However, it’s not going to break from regular use or if you accidentally drop it. Battle Systems makes a similar product to TinkerTurf, but TinkerTurf seems thicker and higher quality. It’ll last you a long time if you take care of it.
Readability: Excellent. Since the designs are printed on, this is very obviously a bunch of metal beams and platforms that reads like an industrial site of some sort. It gives haunted creepy vibes that can pass as an abandoned factory, a space themed frigate, or even Forerunner technology from Halo.
Genre Hopping: Excellent. Any place that needs a lot of metal pieces and industrial bits will work. Sci-fi games, grimdark battles, space operas, World War pieces if you push it a bit. It can give you a lot of variety if you don’t mind experimenting a bit.
Time to Table: About 90 minutes. There are a lot of pieces that need to be punched from the boards, gluing and clamping. There are instructions for assembly that are very easy to follow on their website. The most time consuming part is waiting for glue to dry. This can easily be put together in a night if you have time, but it’ll be best to wait overnight for the pieces to cure completely.
Sushiball Games 