Some wargames, like
Hordes of the Things and
Song of Blades and Heroes, don't require a whole table to play on, just a 3'x3' area. So no need to drape the entire table with green felt or a gaming mat; instead you can just bring out your own battle board to delineate the gaming area. This can be as simple as a square patch of carpet or as detailed as a wooden board, complete with attached terrain features. Me? I tend toward the less complex end of the spectrum.
My battle board was pretty simple to make. I bought a 3'x4' display board from a crafts store. They come in several colors: red, black, blue, yellow, green, and white. I purchased a green one, then went over it with several shades of green paint, along with a smattering of yellow and tan. I dabbed the colors on with a large brush, blending them across the surface.
The paint did cause the cardboard to warp, as you can see. This can be remedied by painting the other side with water, so it bends back into its original shape, but I haven't bothered. This works for me. Even though it's a foot longer than needed for my games, the creases where it folds make it easy to limit the battle to a three-square foot area. And the fact that it folds over makes it easier for transport. Does anyone else use a cardboard surface like this, or do you prefer a more durable game board?
6 comments:
It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it work for me. I'd end up spilling coffee all over it and ruining it.
I think it's a pretty good idea, a compromise between the practicality of a cloth and the texture and varied colouration of a proper board, good for games away from tables, maybe at the homes of potential new players. If storage space was at a real premium, the flaps could be cut in from the outer edge and the whole folded back on itself to get a more compact version.
I have some MDF marked out for a 3' x 3' hott board, but rarely use it because I use 15mm with its 2' x 2' board instead. For that I have a number of cut-to-size felt cloths - two brown, two green, one tie-dyed Martian and one white. Portable, durable and very easy to store.
(Oooh - the Rush nerd in me is pleased that I have '2112' as one of my captcha option :) )
I have a couple of hardboard 2'x2' and a 2'x3' with fake grass one one side. They are fairly light and don't bend much. I think bendy cardboard would irk me too much. But...a whole bunch of friends with families are going on a 10 day cruise in September. I will be taking along some ancient 15mm figures for some games and will also need a 2x2 or 2x3 to take with me. I have a few months to go, and haven't decided against something that folds easily or maybe just a few 1'x1' squares, or a rolled up piece of green cloth/felt. I am leaning to the latter at the moment as I have a cheap IKEA green throw rug I sometimes use as a board as well.
I lean toward the other end of the spectrum, covering as much floor as possible with terrain patches and elaborate individual pieces. 3' x 3'? That sounds more like a deployment area than a game space! ;)
Storage can be a headache, no argument, but I find it all worth the while, especially considering my rulesets allow meaningful interaction with just about everything on the board.
I've never heard the trick about painting the opposite side of warped cardboard to get it to lay flat again. Thanks for that tip!
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