Jungle terrain creates dense, claustrophobic battlefields where visibility is limited, movement is challenging, and danger lurks behind every tree. Perfect for Vietnam War scenarios, Catachan jungle fighters, dinosaur hunts, lost temple expeditions, or any tropical warfare setting, our jungle scenery collection transforms your tabletop into a green hell where the environment is as deadly as the enemy.
What Defines Jungle Terrain?
Jungle scenery emphasises dense vegetation, limited sight lines, difficult ground, and oppressive atmosphere. Expect towering trees, thick undergrowth, vines, massive leaves, and the sense that you're being watched from the shadows. The colour palette centres on multiple shades of green—from dark forest greens to bright tropical foliage—with browns for tree trunks, earth tones for ground, and occasional bright flowers or exotic plants.
Essential Jungle Terrain Pieces
Jungle Trees
Our Tree #1, Tree #2, and Tree #3 form the backbone of jungle battlefields. These essential pieces create the canopy, block line of sight, and establish the dense forest aesthetic. Vary their placement and paint schemes to create realistic tropical forests with depth and variety.
Painting Jungle Terrain
Tree Trunks and Bark
Create realistic tropical tree trunks:
- Prime: Black or dark brown for natural foundation
- Basecoat: Dark brown (Mournfang Brown, Rhinox Hide)
- Texture: Drybrush with medium brown for bark texture
- Highlights: Light drybrush with tan or grey-brown
- Variation: Add moss (dark green), lichen (light green/grey), or vines
- Moisture: Gloss varnish in recesses for humid, wet appearance
Foliage and Leaves
Jungle canopies require varied greens:
- Base Green: Mid-tone green (Castellan Green, Caliban Green)
- Dark Shadows: Very dark green or black in deepest recesses
- Highlights: Bright green (Warpstone Glow, Moot Green) on upper leaves
- Variety: Mix different green shades—jungles aren't uniform
- Yellow-Green: Add lime green for new growth
- Dead Leaves: Brown and yellow for fallen or dying foliage
Undergrowth and Ground Cover
Create dense jungle floor:
- Texture bases with sand, bark chips, or texture paste
- Paint dark brown base colour
- Drybrush with lighter browns
- Add static grass in multiple green shades
- Include ferns, bushes, and small plants
- Scatter leaf litter (painted card or actual dried leaves)
- Add moisture with gloss varnish in patches
Vines and Creepers
Add vertical vegetation:
- Use string, wire, or commercial vine products
- Paint dark green with lighter green highlights
- Attach to trees and terrain
- Add small leaves using flock or painted card
- Create hanging vines from canopy
Advanced Jungle Painting Techniques
Layered Canopy
Create depth in jungle forests:
- Background Trees: Darker, more desaturated greens
- Mid-Ground: Standard green tones
- Foreground: Brightest, most saturated greens
- Atmospheric Perspective: Distant foliage lighter and less detailed
Dappled Light Effects
Suggest sunlight filtering through canopy:
- Paint bright yellow-green patches on upper foliage
- Add light spots on jungle floor
- Create strong contrast between light and shadow
- Use OSL techniques for dramatic sun rays
Moisture and Humidity
Jungles are wet environments:
- Apply gloss varnish to leaves for rain-wet appearance
- Add water droplets with gloss varnish dots
- Paint moss and algae on tree trunks
- Create muddy ground with brown washes and gloss
- Add puddles with resin or gloss varnish
Exotic Flora
Add tropical character:
- Bright Flowers: Red, orange, purple blooms
- Large Leaves: Monstera or palm-style foliage
- Ferns: Delicate fronds in undergrowth
- Fungi: Mushrooms and shelf fungi on dead wood
- Orchids: Exotic flowers on tree trunks
Building Jungle Battlefields
Layout Principles
Jungle tables emphasise density and limited visibility:
- Place trees densely to restrict sight lines
- Create winding paths through vegetation
- Vary tree heights and spacing for natural appearance
- Add undergrowth between trees
- Include clearings for tactical variety
- Layer vegetation—canopy, mid-level, ground cover
Thematic Scenarios
Jungle terrain supports compelling narratives:
- Jungle Patrol: Navigate dense forest searching for enemies
- Ambush: Hidden forces strike from tree cover
- Lost Temple: Discover ancient ruins in jungle depths
- Extraction: Reach landing zone through hostile terrain
- Dinosaur Hunt: Track dangerous creatures through prehistoric jungle
Combining Jungle with Other Themes
Jungle terrain integrates with multiple settings:
- Ruins: Ancient temples reclaimed by jungle
- Swamp: Waterlogged jungle with swamp terrain
- Alien: Exotic jungle with alien organisms
- Industrial: Abandoned facilities overgrown by vegetation
Jungle Hazards and Features
Environmental Dangers
Make jungles tactically challenging:
- Dense Undergrowth: Difficult terrain slowing movement
- Limited Visibility: Reduced shooting ranges
- Quicksand: Hidden traps in jungle floor
- Poisonous Plants: Damaging vegetation
- Predators: Dangerous wildlife
Water Features
Jungles are wet environments:
- Add streams using water effects
- Create muddy pools and puddles
- Include waterfalls using cotton wool
- Paint standing water in low areas
Game System Applications
Historical Wargaming
Perfect for Vietnam War, Pacific Theatre WWII, or colonial conflicts. Jungle terrain creates authentic tropical warfare environments.
Warhammer 40,000
Ideal for Catachan jungle fighters, T'au jungle worlds, or any death world campaign. Dense terrain suits close-quarters combat.
Fantasy Battles
Excellent for lizardmen territories, wood elf forests, or jungle expeditions. Combine trees with ancient ruins.
Pulp Adventure
Perfect for lost world exploration, dinosaur hunting, or treasure seeking. Jungle terrain creates classic adventure atmospheres.
Creating Jungle Vegetation
DIY Foliage
Enhance commercial trees:
- Add aquarium plants for tropical leaves
- Use lichen for moss and epiphytes
- Create ferns from painted card or plastic
- Add flowers using coloured flock
- Attach vines with string and flock
Ground Cover
Build realistic jungle floor:
- Layer different static grass colours
- Add leaf litter (tea leaves, dried herbs)
- Include small rocks and roots
- Create fallen logs from twigs
- Add mushrooms and fungi
Basing and Mat Selection
Coordinate terrain with appropriate surfaces:
- Gaming Mats: Jungle, tropical forest, or muddy ground designs
- Terrain Bases: Dark earth with vegetation
- Consistency: Match all tree bases to mat
- Moisture: Gloss varnish for humid appearance
Storage and Transport
Protect delicate jungle terrain:
- Store trees upright to prevent foliage damage
- Pad canopies with tissue paper
- Keep vines and hanging vegetation separate
- Transport in tall containers to accommodate tree height
- Protect painted details from rubbing
Expanding Your Jungle Collection
Build comprehensive jungle battlefields progressively:
- Foundation: Start with multiple trees for canopy
- Variety: Add different tree types and sizes
- Undergrowth: Create ground cover and bushes
- Features: Include water, ruins, or clearings
- Details: Add vines, flowers, and atmospheric elements
Colour Palette
Jungle terrain uses rich, varied greens:
- Dark Green: Deep shadows, old growth
- Mid Green: Standard foliage
- Bright Green: New growth, sunlit leaves
- Yellow-Green: Lime tones for variety
- Brown: Tree trunks, earth, dead leaves
- Accent Colours: Bright flowers, exotic plants
Seasonal Variations
Wet Season Jungle
Emphasise moisture and lush growth:
- Vibrant, saturated greens
- Heavy gloss varnish for wet appearance
- Puddles and streams throughout
- Abundant new growth
Dry Season Jungle
Show environmental stress:
- More brown and yellow tones
- Dried leaves and dead vegetation
- Dusty ground with cracks
- Less moisture effects
Final Thoughts
Jungle terrain creates some of the most tactically challenging and visually immersive battlefields in wargaming. Our jungle scenery collection—featuring varied Trees that form dense tropical canopies—provides the foundation for authentic jungle warfare environments. Whether you're recreating Vietnam War patrols, fighting across Catachan death worlds, exploring lost temples in fantasy jungles, or hunting dinosaurs in prehistoric forests, jungle terrain transforms your tabletop into a claustrophobic green hell where visibility is limited, movement is treacherous, and danger lurks behind every tree. The combination of dense vegetation, limited sight lines, and oppressive atmosphere creates battlefields where close-quarters combat, ambush tactics, and environmental awareness become essential for survival. Build your jungle dense, paint it lush, and watch as players navigate a landscape as hostile as any enemy force.
