I Built an Epic Viking Battle from Scratch

Building the Battle of Niså – Creating the Viking Battlefield Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... Homepage: https://www.battleofnisa.com/ This is the second chapter in a three-part series documenting the creation of a Viking tabletop wargame inspired by the historic naval battle The Battle of Niså (Slaget vid Nissan) fought outside our hometown of Halmstad, Sweden. A battle between Norweigan Vikings and their King Harald Hardrada (Hårdråde) and Danish Vikings and their King Sweyn II (Sven Estridsson). In this episode, the battlefield itself begins to emerge. What started as a collection of ships and miniatures now grows into a massive Viking gaming board featuring dramatic coastlines, handcrafted terrain, rolling landscapes, and an expansive ocean built entirely from simple hobby materials. Supported by Region Halland and developed by an artist, an illustrator, and a game designer, this project combines historical research, diorama craftsmanship, terrain building, miniature gaming, and large-scale world creation into one ambitious tabletop experience. Building the Sea and Landscape The centerpiece of this episode is the creation of a large Viking coastline and ocean environment suitable for both display and gameplay. Using simple stuff like clay, sand, pebbles, branches, toilet paper, PVA glue, acrylic paints, varnish, XPS foam, sawdust flocking materials, and scratch-built scenery, we create realistic water effects, natural shorelines, and immersive terrain designed for epic naval battles. Techniques featured include: Realistic ocean and sea effects Coastline and shoreline construction Terrain sculpting with foam and household materials DIY water effects using toilet paper and PVA glue Acrylic painting and weathering Static grass application Flocking and ground cover techniques Handmade trees built from natural branches Colored sawdust foliage Scratch-built Viking farm buildings Clay terrain details and structures Viking Terrain Building for Tabletop Games This project is designed to create a fully playable battlefield capable of supporting large-scale Viking engagements, fantasy adventures, and historical scenarios. The techniques shown are useful for: Viking tabletop wargames Historical miniature gaming Fantasy terrain building Dungeons & Dragons campaigns Frostgrave battlefields Warhammer terrain Age of Sigmar scenery Mordheim boards Coastal and river terrain Large-scale diorama projects Whether you're building a display piece, a gaming table, or an entire miniature world, these methods focus on affordable materials and practical techniques that can be applied to projects of any size. The Battle of Niså Project This trilogy will ultimately include: Dozens of Viking longships Hundreds of Viking miniatures A massive ocean gaming board Coastlines, rivers, and settlements Scratch-built terrain and scenery Original wargame rules Narrative campaign scenarios A complete playable recreation of the historic Battle of Nissan A fully realized battlefield built for playability, storytelling, and epic scale — where Viking history meets tabletop imagination. Music by: My amazing brother Nils❤️ ..and his band Bofink https://open.spotify.com/artist/4yani... Song: Heartbeat Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) Song: Planning Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) Song: Now We Ride Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) Song: Leaving for Valhalla Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) Song: Lost Horizon Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) Song: Safe Haven Composer: Alexander Nakarada Website: https://creatorchords.com License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) #VikingWargame #MiniatureWargaming #VikingMiniatures #TerrainBuilding #TabletopTerrain #Diorama #HistoricalWargaming #VikingShips #10mmScale #MiniaturePainting #ScratchBuilding #ModelMaking #GamingBoard #TabletopGaming #WargameTerrain #ModelShips #Flocking #DioramaBuilding #VikingHistory #EriksMiniWorlds