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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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Aircraft Range Markers - for all games
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Here’s something I’ve posted over on the Larry Harris site; not sure where else to post but it relates to almost all A&A games: :wink:
Movement for ground and sea units is easy to keep track of but when there’s an enormous amount of air units at play, it’s often difficult to remember which moved, landed, ran out of fuel, etc.
These Aircraft Range Markers may help some people out on such an occasion; very simple pdf to print on thick cardstock, cut out and use.
Aircraft Range Markers .pdf link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nom2tuykd2z -
Wow those look nice.
Especially the ones with red.
I can’t wait to use the 0 marker. I seem to need that one all the time!
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How exactly do you use these aircraft range markers?
Are they individual markers you put with your plane?
The zero mark would have to be a plane at sea with a friendly aircraft carrier to land on, correct?
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How exactly do you use these aircraft range markers?
they are placed under planes to remind you how many spaces it can move after combat
The zero mark would have to be a plane at sea with a friendly aircraft carrier to land on, correct?
correct
Revised actually came with ranger markers. these are much better
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How exactly do you use these aircraft range markers?
they are placed under planes to remind you how many spaces it can move after combat
The zero mark would have to be a plane at sea with a friendly aircraft carrier to land on, correct?
correct
Revised actually came with ranger markers. these are much better
Thank you johnnymarr, you always seem to have the answers. :-)
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Wow those look nice.
Especially the ones with red.
I can’t wait to use the 0 marker. I seem to need that one all the time!
Thanks :-) Yes, the 0 “fuel” marker comes in handy the odd time and makes for a good reminder to move the carrier into that zone. Larry Harris said he’s now using these in his current game :-D
Oh, and thanks johnnymarr for providing the answers…
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But when do you use the 8 marker ?
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But when do you use the 8 marker ?
bombers with long range aircraft tech.
you would use it to show the bomber hasn’t moved yet -
But when do you use the 8 marker ?
bombers with long range aircraft tech.
you would use it to show the bomber hasn’t moved yetactually you don’t need a marker for aircraft that hasn’t moved yet.
You do need an 8 marker for a bomber starting on an airbase with long range tech in the upcoming AAG40 game. In this case a bomber would have a range of 9 spaces.
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Excellent markers! they will definitely help keep aircraft ranges straight, especially after battle.
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:-D
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I have to admit that at the beginning of the game it is the toughest thing to remember the fighters because of all the locations they start at, but as the game progresses and forces are consolidated it is easier to remember these things, at least IMO.
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Thank you for lining up the markers on equal spacing on the sheet.
This allowed me to glue two sheets (110 lb cardstock) back to back (zeros back to zeros & eights back to eights) using spray adhesive, then cut apart.
Now the Aircraft Range Markers are thicker and numbered the same on each side. No need to flip a marker over to see what number I need when it is in the pile/dish/container/or compartment.
Thanks again! :-D
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Very nice.
Thanks
J. 8-)
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Excellent work they are really nice
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Very nice! I will use these the next time I play. Not to get off topic in the Europe 1940 forum, but this will be GREAT for Pacific 1940 (tons of plans flying over sea zones)… in my last game of Pacific, keeping up with movement and which plane came from where was one of the biggest obstacles.
Thanks again for posting this.
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This is great, thanks. I don’t know how many times I’ve attacked with a high number of planes and then just “bulk parked” them because I’m too lazy to remember/figure out what they have left in range or even worse a player inadvertently cheats, because range was forgot in the chaos.
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This is awesome! I will SO use these!
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Great! :)
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Nice adition to the game.
Thanks
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