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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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Historical Board Gaming
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I recently purchased some units from HBG. Am I allowed to post pictures on the forum? These pictures will be comparing HBG unit colors and size with the Axis and Allies units.
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I think you need 10 posts before you can do so but as you are at 14 give it a try!
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I should be able to post pictures now that I have 10+ posts but I was thinking more of the lines if I 'm violating forum rules posting items that I purchased from the HBG website. I am by no means a sales person of HBG or try to advertise their products by posting pictures. I was thinking more of the passion I have with anything to do with Axis and Allies and help people make decisions if they would like to purchase available merchandise to make their game experience even better. Anyways I will start a topic under the customization section later today.
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That will work because that’s where every post pics of the there painted pieces and a lot are from HBGing.
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Photos comparing sculpts aren’t considered to be problematic as far as I know. Here are some examples along those lines:
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=27911.1230
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Thank you CWO Marc! Your first link is exactly what I was looking for. I viewed and read it all page by page. Took me hours… There are crazy pictures from knp7765 and John Brown which make me embarrassed to post my dinky little order from HBG.
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I have about 600 bucks on HBG, and I feel the same, my orders also pail in comparison to some of the members here lol.
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Yes, the expression “piece junkies” is a good description of a good many folks on the forum, myself included. “Sculpt enthusiasts” would be a more clinical term. I own a bit of stuff from HBG, but I think of myself mainly as a collector of OOB A&A sculpts. My collection is organized into a couple of dozen compartmentalized plastic storage trays, and some of those trays are literally packed full. To use another clinical term, my sculpt collection is “in excess of requirements” for actual playing purposes, to put it mildly. I ultimately blame (or rather credit) the 1970s movie Midway for my mild obsession with A&A sculpts: it features two very cool (an in one case very large) table maps, one Japanese and one American, on which the opposing fleets are depicted with ship markers, with a few aircraft markers thrown in for good easure. When I first saw the film, I remember wishing I had a big map table and neat military and naval markers to play with. Now I do. :)
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What is happening and HBG? Currently, much of what is required to complete in 1936 is out of stock … I’m referring primarily to Tan color that I need for the UK. Light tanks, light carriers, Commando, but not only that but also the Pumpkin orange heavy bombers fot Japan … None of this does not come for months … :?
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HBG operates like this… he buys multiple copies of the game(s)… like 1940 Europe/Pacific, 1942SE, etc… then breaks down the game pieces and sells them individually… he does this periodically… so one day you may notice he has zero British Infantry, but the next day he has 400 (cuz he just restocked multiple copies of the game).
If someone comes along and JUST buys a ton of Tan British units, but nobody buys any other units, then he’s unlikely to buy more copies of the game till the other nationalities start selling out… so ya, he might be out of Tan British for awhile if nobody is buying the other countries.
I’ve noticed obvious “well he just purchased a bunch of 1940 Europe editions” by how much stock of certain nations jump up… then usually a couple weeks later, bam… “well he just bought a bunch of 1940 Pacific editions”.
Just keep a “notify me when unit-x is in” tagged and you’ll get notified when he restocks… give it time, he will restock.
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Thank you for the explanation!
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What tan units you need? I have lots of extra crap.
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What tan units you need? I have lots of extra crap.
HMS Serapis, I believe, is talking about pieces from the UK set, the Allied Tan set and some of the HBG produced Japanese sets.
I don’t think he was referring to Global 40 pieces, but I could be wrong. :-)
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HBG operates like this… he buys multiple copies of the game(s)… like 1940 Europe/Pacific, 1942SE, etc… then breaks down the game pieces and sells them individually… he does this periodically… so one day you may notice he has zero British Infantry, but the next day he has 400 (cuz he just restocked multiple copies of the game).
If someone comes along and JUST buys a ton of Tan British units, but nobody buys any other units, then he’s unlikely to buy more copies of the game till the other nationalities start selling out… so ya, he might be out of Tan British for awhile if nobody is buying the other countries.
I’ve noticed obvious “well he just purchased a bunch of 1940 Europe editions” by how much stock of certain nations jump up… then usually a couple weeks later, bam… “well he just bought a bunch of 1940 Pacific editions”.
Just keep a “notify me when unit-x is in” tagged and you’ll get notified when he restocks… give it time, he will restock.
You’re talking about Axis and Allies units. He was asking about HBG custom made units which I believe they order from China
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Yes, I’m talking about HBG units. Light carriers, Commando, light tanks, scout cars (tan), and orange pumpkin Heavy Bomber for Japan.
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I did not know that the different way of restocking A & A units and HBG units. I thought both purchased from the same place. Somehow from China or somewhere else … I hope you understand my English …
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@HMS:
I did not know that the different way of restocking A & A units and HBG units. I thought both purchased from the same place. Somehow from China or somewhere else … I hope you understand my English …
Sorry for the confusion… HBG custom units are ordered from China… I’m not sure how often or what his criteria is for the custom HBG units… the process I described earlier is the OOB A&A units from the game… but there are two different sources, the custom units from China and the stock units from the A&A games.
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Everything is ok, tnx.
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