# Building a 40k-Themed Dice Tower



## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

Why would anyone need a dice tower... one might ask?

Playing home games with the kids, we've had many a dice-hunting session under the side table and behind cupboard midway through games on our dining table! To solve the runaway dice issue, we've been using a paper version of a dice tower with tray made out of an empty cereal box. This is now starting to get worn and dogged-eared so it's high time to get a more permanent solution.

Trawling through the internet (as one does on evenings when not otherwise building, converting or painting), I came across this particular version on Google and liked it very much...











SO... this has now become the next project and this is what I've managed to do since Monday evening.

First off, the initial building blocks for the tower:

















Then the internal bitz made out of plasti-card to form the three slopes to guide dice down the tower:










This is where we throw in the dice at the top:










And this is what the whole thing looks like when dry fitted:










What's next is to add felt to the plasti-card sheets to dampen the noise from the rolling dice, build the dice capture tray up front,add balconies on the upper level so that we can actually use this as a ruined building in the game, see how I can get some "stained-glass" images done for the various windows on the tower and finally have this magnetised so that it can be separated for easier storage & possibly transportation to games outside with friends.

Will update after the weekend or next week when I get more of this completed.


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## Nacho libre (Feb 23, 2013)

Ooh me like.


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## Gothic (May 12, 2008)

That's an excellent idea, I like what you've done so far.


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

That's beautiful - very good idea and will look forward to seeing your finished version :victory:


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## rayrod64 (Apr 19, 2011)

Great idea! Hope you dont mind if i steal it. :grin:
I did notice one thing though... you will want to put a couple of triangular pieces against the edges of the door where the dice come out to the back wall so they dont get stuck against the flat wall inside besides the door. it will funnel the dice straight out of the building.
i hope i explained it right.


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

@rayrod64: Yep, got that already. Not sure if you can see it but if you zoom into the third image above, you might just pick out the faint line of the right side triangle piece. Thank for this reminder though... for the benefit of the other readers here.

To the rest, thanks for the encouragement. It's becoming more and more tedious as I carry on with this build. Spent this entire evening simply building one balcony... made all that much more difficult as the pieces were never designed to fit a balcony on the outside! Got there in the end and will post a PIC of it in the morning.


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## Dakingofchaos (Sep 29, 2009)

Looking good so far! A varnish will also help the finished product to retain its paintjob after being handled after a few games.


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## Silens (Dec 26, 2010)

Maybe get a heat-gun or a hair-dryer and melt the platform where the dice enter eeeever so slightly so that the dice are more prone to roll/slide into the hole.


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

*... and so on the next morning...*

As promised last evening, here are some more pics of the tower with the first balcony added:










Had to add extra vertical struts to attach the supporting extension (i.e. the eagle beams) for the balcony to get round the issue of external balconies for this particular build:










I've also re-done bottom dice rolling slope to make it steeper so that I can get full access to the rear door as I decided last evening on the way to bed that I wanted to model them with one side slightly ajar! Somewhat related to this and in view of the comment by @rayrod64 on the triangles for the bottom slope, realised that not everyone may actually understand what we were talking about... here are pics of the bottom slope (right external door not modelled ajar yet!).


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

Dakingofchaos said:


> A varnish will also help the finished product to retain its paintjob after being handled after a few games.


That is valid point and a very good suggestion for the varnish!



Silens said:


> Maybe get a heat-gun or a hair-dryer and melt the platform where the dice enter eeeever so slightly so that the dice are more prone to roll/slide into the hole.


I fully get your point and will probably do that or something to achieve that effect... Thanks for the suggestion!


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

*Nearly done!!!*

So, this is now nearly done for the main build for the dice tower... all main units now completed. Just minor bitz like the lamps and other decor to be added and still waiting on the felt to arrive next week to line the rolling slopes and internal sides to reduce the noise. I've also found a nice set of 40k-Themed "Stained Glass" images that I want to print onto acetates to stick on the inside of the windows. Waiting on permission from the artist before using it though.

The daughter, son and I had a discussion on some rules to go with it as well if we decide to use if as a terrain piece in games. Any unit that uses it as a vantage point (say Long Fangs or Snipers) will automatically suffer a "S2, AP-" hit per model every time we roll any dice in it. In addition, if any model uses the top most level (where there is a BIG hole for the dice to be thrown in), the controlling player must roll a D6 per model on that level and any rolls of 1s means that the model slips and falls down the hole, takes a "S4, AP-" hit and lands out at the bottom of the dice-receiving tray... thereby losing the vantage position if he survives that tumbling fall!!! :biggrin:

Anyway, I digress... 

So without further ado, here's what I've manage to complete to date. I think it is acceptable.


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## Dakingofchaos (Sep 29, 2009)

That is some fine-ass work!


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## Iraqiel (May 21, 2008)

Looks mighty fine to me!


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## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

Fantastic mate. Question, are you using it as terrain at the same time? Seems like a waste not to.


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

JAMOB said:


> Fantastic mate. Question, are you using it as terrain at the same time? Seems like a waste not to.


Yes, the plan is to use it. That's was what brought on the discussion with the kids about possible rules to go with the tower.


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## torealis (Dec 27, 2006)

Love it!


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

Dakingofchaos said:


> That is some fine-ass work!





Iraqiel said:


> Looks mighty fine to me!





torealis said:


> Love it!


Thanks all!

This is gonna be the last instalment of pics for now. All the extra bits that need to be on have been stuck on so all that is left now is to prime it, paint it and apply the "stained glass" panels when painted. That will be the task for the next couple of weeks...

So here's the final result of this build before priming:


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

I have only one suggestion, apart from this one thing I love the idea and the execution. Please change either the wall sections around the dice tray at the bottom for the ones from the manufactorum kit or file down the points on the ones you have. With the number of hands reaching in there to collect dice, someone is going to get speared. I have a couple of tall towers built out of those kits and everyone I have played with and myself and my kids have all managed to impale ourselves on a building at least once.

Yes I know 'Blood for the Blood God' and all that but anointing your dice with blood could be going a little far. On the other hand this gives me an idea for a practical use for the khornate cauldron of blood. :crazy:


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## Wookiepelt (Jan 29, 2013)

shaantitus said:


> I have only one suggestion, apart from this one thing I love the idea and the execution. Please change either the wall sections around the dice tray at the bottom for the ones from the manufactorum kit or file down the points on the ones you have. With the number of hands reaching in there to collect dice, someone is going to get speared. I have a couple of tall towers built out of those kits and everyone I have played with and myself and my kids have all managed to impale ourselves on a building at least once.


This is a VERY good point. We've had a few incidents already in trial runs over the weekend whilst completing the build. Having said that, there might still be some merit in leaving a few on just to remind players NOT to rush for the dice!!!




> Yes I know 'Blood for the Blood God' and all that but anointing your dice with blood could be going a little far.


Not the dice but I've already been through that pagan bloodletting ceremony on this build... TWICE... with the Blood God's favourite sacrificial xacto blade!!! :laugh:


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Funny you should mention that, I jabbed myself in the thumb rather deeply a few years ago and gave one of my chaos cultists/traitor guard a pool of blood on its base. Seems appropriate for someone who only plays chaos.....


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