I have been playing around with different configurations for a custom table and wanted to note some things I’ve landed on that I really like. A main one thing is having the map mounted so that it can slide around as needed on top of a bigger playing area. My table is 65” x 95” in total with a 5.5” arm rest around the outside and the middle is a recessed neoprene surface. I have the OOB Global map mounted on 1/2” rigid foam with a 1/2” aluminum frame around it. This allows the map to slide up close to whoever’s turn it is, but then be in the middle so both players can roll dice In front of them without disturbing the map and in easy view of the other player. (Plus we like lots of room to roll the bones). This ability to adjust the surface along with a standing height, makes it comfortable for long uses because you can move around more and don’t feel as tied down.
Things I’ve learned and changed from original design - I originally used too big of a frame for the map and mounted it on too high of a foam block (you can see these pictures at the bottom) - it made it hard to see the other player’s dice and the big frame took up too much real estate. My global map is mounted on much thinner foam (the framing is bad, you can see if you look closely) but I also used much thinner aluminum angle for the frame. This gives just enough grip when needing to move the map around (I use furniture slides on the bottom, which glide very nicely on the neoprene) but doesn’t make the whole thing too bulky. Having it an inch or so off the surface keeps the dice off, but isn’t so heigh that you can’t see the other player’s dice rolls. When playing other versions (such as Zombies) the board is much smaller, but it can easily swap in and out on the same table since it can move around where ever it is needed or be pushed aside.
I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped. Standing height with a bar stool is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
The 5.5” rim around the table itself gives you a nice arm rest that doesn’t interfere with the gaming surface. I’m playing with how to best add some cushion to this part - open to suggestions. Sometimes I just lay a piece of leftover neoprene on it.
Dice bounce nice on the neoprene and stay off the floor. It also feels nice and has enough give to allow things to slide but be picked up easily. Wouldn’t definitely go with neoprene again as a surface covering.
I made the drawers open to the inside of the table so you can stay hunched over the action while accessing and stowing stuff away. 50/50 on whether I would keep this if I were to do it again. If I were doing it again, I might try to build customer drawers form scratch using actual drawer glides, but that was beyond my ability when I first did this, so I just used clear plexiglass boxes with aluminum pulls mounted on them. It’s nice having them clear, and I was happy with how the pulls came out, but without glides they can be a little fussy sliding in and out of their slots.
I originally designed the table so that I could put a cover surface back on top when not in use, but find I don’t really ever do that, so if I were to do it again, I might not mess with that part (I never even finished staining those as you can see in the pictures).
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Sired's Map project - Updated- 4/16 - files available see first post
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Sweet now that you got all the stuff on map. Love the Burma Road !
More details like that on a map for me is awesome.
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It’s gorgeous
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Well done.
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this is looking pretty wicked. might have to go to a 4 by 8 table. if I do my wife won’t thank you. nice work.
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this is looking pretty wicked. might have to go to a 4 by 8 table. if I do my wife won’t thank you. nice work.
She might not, but I just might. Just need to find some room in our schedules…
-Midnight_Reaper
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this is looking pretty wicked. might have to go to a 4 by 8 table. if I do my wife won’t thank you. nice work.
Lol, thanks for the comment!
Thanks ss, I feel the same, I like all the data, I’ve just started adding data to the Europe side, it’s gonna be great!
Rand & Ozymandiac, thanks for the kind words!
Think this time next week I’ll be at the print shop getting a test print!
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What’s the deal with the “Temporary Sanctuary” in Western US?
This looks awesome btw. We are looking to print a large map for our 4x8 table, and I wthink we will hold off until you are finished.
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What�s the deal with the �Temporary Sanctuary� in Western US?
This looks awesome btw. We are looking to print a large map for our 4x8 table, and I wthink we will hold off until you are finished.
LOL- that’s where we are located, “Temporary Shelter”… as I have to put our table away after we play each week. :)
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Looking forward to seeing it live……looks awesome
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This is awesome, sired! I love it. Really looking forward to the Europe half.
Just like FOWHEAD, I think I might need to build myself a 4 by 8 table. Question is where to put it? :-D
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Excellent work. I really like the contrast between the SZ and land now.
A couple of quick observations though: :-D
The neutral territories might be a bit too bold, they seem to me to be inland lakes/seas. Slightly less saturated colour would fix this.
SZ numbers are a bit small. If you added a white outline, they would stand out a bit better and be an opposite of the land numbers.
Looking forward to see how central Europe looks. Are you increasing the size of areas and reducing Africa to compensate?
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Sired, I know its early for map design and YG Deluxe Edition rules hes working on.
Will we be able to use YGs DE rules on your map ? Or just strictly to what ever your rules are for game ?
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@Robert - The whole point of the map was to make Europe large and Africa small, which you can see in earlier pages of this topic…. I just got sidetracked after the coastlines were all redone.
@ss - sorry to say my map is tailored to my group, as for YG DE rules and such, im sure hell need an entire new map as well to deal with his needs.
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What�s the deal with the �Temporary Sanctuary� in Western US?
This looks awesome btw. We are looking to print a large map for our 4x8 table, and I wthink we will hold off until you are finished.
LOL- that’s where we are located, “Temporary Shelter”… as I have to put our table away after we play each week. :)
Is Prince George on there? We can get ebard to do a mock up of my house and make it into a victory city, haha.
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Was thinking about adding some of the youtuber channel locations…
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Wow! Looks really good. But… Saigon is now in Siam???
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Yeah…cool alternative to the standard. Airbases, Factories and Ports on the map is pretty darn nice to have, however. Even if using pieces for them, it aids in the setup and if you miss one, it is easy to see. Maybe you could put some cool looking image for them.
Hope you will do one for HBG Global War?..
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Speechless!!! I’m chomping at the bit to have it printed out!!! So much cooler than OOB….I like the idea that you have added more city names…I’ve recently purchased all the victory cities and other less important ones on Shapeways.com…Spray painted them in GOLD…As they are ultimately the prize of any war.
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Beautiful job!
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The game pieces will really pop on this neutral color scheme. Can’t wait to see the finished product!