I recently picked up a variety of 15mm and 28mm MDF terrain from Kristoff Designs Shop on eBay, including European houses and shops, 28mm North African village buildings and ruins, standalone walls, and a mix of shopfronts. Having built MDF kits from Sarissa Precision, Micro Art Studio, and Promethium Forge in the past, I was curious to see how Kristoff’s designs compared.
Overall, the terrain looks fantastic once built, fits well with traditionally painted scenery, and is an affordable way to fill a table, but some kits were much easier to assemble than others.
What I Ordered
28mm Scale
- 28mm European Houses and Shops Set – Traditional European-style buildings.
- 28mm European Shopfronts Set – Smaller storefronts, useful for urban layouts.
- 28mm North African Ruined Village Buildings Set – Partially destroyed versions of the North African buildings.
- 28mm North African Village Buildings Set – Pre-painted adobe-style structures.
- 28mm Walls Set – Standalone walls for added cover.
15mm Scale
- 15mm European Houses Set – A scaled-down version of the 28mm European houses.
- 15mm European Shopfronts Set – Urban buildings sized for smaller-scale wargames.
Pros
Pre-Painted for Quick Tabletop Readiness
One of the biggest advantages of Kristoff Designs’ MDF terrain is that it comes pre-painted, using a mix of painted MDF and pre-painted cardstock overlays. This hides laser-cut joins well and cuts down on painting time, making it a great option for those who want good-looking terrain without much effort.
Quick and Easy Assembly for European Buildings
The 28mm European Houses and Shops Set and 28mm European Shopfronts Set were incredibly easy to build. Everything fit together perfectly, and assembly took just a few minutes. These are some of the best MDF kits I’ve built in terms of ease of construction, and I’ll definitely be picking up more.
Walls Are a Great Addition
The 28mm Walls Set was another standout. These are sturdy, well-cut, and extremely easy to assemble. Perfect for adding cover and structure to a battlefield, they complement a variety of settings and are an essential addition to any table.
15mm Buildings Are Just as Good as the 28mm Ones
The 15mm European Houses Set and 15mm European Shopfronts Set assembled just as quickly and easily as their 28mm counterparts. They look fantastic on a smaller-scale battlefield and are an excellent choice for filling out a town quickly.
North African Village Buildings Look Great Once Built
The 28mm North African Village Buildings Set was a bit frustrating to assemble, but the final product looks excellent. The pre-painted cardstock helps hide joints well, and the set fits desert, colonial, or Mediterranean settings.
I’ll be giving these a proper test run in Tuesday’s Bolt Action game with Phil, so I’ll see how they perform on the table.
Can Be Improved Further with Minimal Work
While the buildings look good straight out of the box, a little bit of additional paint on small details, such as joins on the edges, will significantly enhance them. A quick airbrush pass with black on the edges of the ruins to create a charred effect also does wonders but isn’t necessary.
Affordable Compared to Other MDF Brands
Compared to Sarissa Precision or Micro Art Studio, Kristoff Designs offers excellent value, especially if you’re looking to fill a table affordably.
Cons & Considerations
North African Buildings Are More Difficult to Assemble
The 28mm North African Village Buildings Set is harder to put together than the European buildings. The pre-painted MDF side faces inward, while the pre-painted cardstock is glued to the exterior, which makes the assembly less intuitive.
Ruins Have Some Loose Joins
The 28mm North African Ruined Village Buildings Set was the trickiest to assemble. Some joins felt slightly loose, especially around the base, which can create gaps if not carefully clamped or glued. A quick airbrush pass with black along the broken edges to create a charred effect will help them look more natural.
Instructions Are Poorly Done
The instructions that come with some of the kits are missing key information or are cut off at the bottom, making them effectively useless. If you’re building the 28mm North African Village Buildings Set, remember that the painted MDF side faces inward, and the cardstock goes on the exterior.
Buildings Appear Slightly Small for 28mm Scale
One of the reasons the buildings seem undersized is due to the bases on miniatures, which elevate figures above the intended scale of doorways and windows. This is always a trade-off between accuracy and playability, and while they may feel a little tight with figures on bases, they still work well overall.
Untracked Shipping Can Be an Issue
Kristoff ships untracked, meaning you won’t know when your package will arrive. In Malta, this is always a concern, as international shipping can be unpredictable. My order arrived safely, but offering a tracked shipping option would be a big improvement.
Final Verdict
Ratings by Kit Type
- 28mm European Houses and Shops Set – 5/5
- 28mm European Shopfronts Set – 5/5
- 28mm North African Ruined Village Buildings Set – 3/5
- 28mm North African Village Buildings Set – 3.5/5
- 28mm Walls Set – 5/5
- 15mm European Houses Set – 5/5
- 15mm European Shopfronts Set – 5/5
Would I buy more? Yes—I’m already planning to order the North African fortress, some Western terrain, Italian buildings, and more 15mm stuff.