As a miniature wargamer how serious do you take your terrain?
Of course terrain is important for setting the visuals of the game, and is part of the bigger picture in suspending belief for a moment that the game is more than just a game- that it is a recreation or simulation of sorts, something that two players can step back for a moment and enjoy visually.
While terrain is there to help set the narrative of the game, wargaming terrain should also help frame and put into focus tactics that you can use on the tabletop.
Proper wargaming terrain is central to playing a satisfying hard fought game. Terrain should help power your game, and make it more exciting for both players, not work against it. Next time you are laying out your gaming table ask yourself if you have the following three types of terrain.
The first piece of terrain should be something that partially blocks line of site and gives cover to the models behind it or inside it- forests, ruins, asteroids, depending on your gaming system. Shooting at models behind or inside the terrain should give them some sort of cover save, defense modifier, or other bonus against the attacker. Area terrain like this is important since it gives the tabletop general a choice- use the piece for a defensive advantage yet be locked into a way of moving on the table, or bypass the terrain and risk being out in the open.
The next piece of terrain classification should be something that completely blocks line of sight and allows certain wargaming units to hide or remain concealed behind. Large hills, buildings, planets, etc. Such terrain pieces create action points on the table- places that force a commander l to quickly move and capture to gain an advantage in moving and shooting. This creates a dynamic game with both side confronting each other as opposed to just hanging back and shooting or waiting it out.
With the last piece of terrain being something that blocks movement but not line of sight- rivers, lakes, a black hole. Movement blocking terrain forces models to navigate around the table, helping to push the game into something more dynamic then just static shooting, or just moving across the table rank and file crashing into each other.
When combined correctly these three types of terrain not only add a visual dimension to you game, they also force each player to keep their units moving, shooting, and assaulting, moving close and then far away, acting and reacting to other units and the commander behind them- ensuring action which is what a wargame is all about.