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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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VIDEO: Grasshopper's G40 Custom Table
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Been there, though it was to play WW2 Miniatures (Rules of Engagement).
It’s a very nice little setup the Young Grasshopper has going on there with surprisingly ample space to move around such a small(ish) room!
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Been there, though it was to play WW2 Miniatures (Rules of Engagement).
It’s a very nice little setup the Young Grasshopper has going on there with surprisingly ample space to move around such a small(ish) room!
Thanks IWNGU, and I will definitely be showing off my ROE table here with a youtube video as well. It is a small room, but like you said… it’s incredible how comfortable it is moving around for such limited space.
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Cozy, and very bunker-like. Great place YG. Especially love the beverage and food corner.
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Very nice work YG! Just beautiful.
I have been planning a similar war table in my mind for a while now, just haven’t quite had the time - yet. I am curious, how did you create the custom map, with the battle board and charts built in, as a single board (hence no creases etc)? Would very much like to print out a similar board as I hate the creases of the OOB boards.
I assume you have a custom file on computer, but how/where do you print such a thing?
Would love to know a few secrets. :)
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Sorry for the naive question, I found the thread I was looking for.
Was there ever a youtube video made?
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Sorry for the naive question, I found the thread I was looking for.
Was there ever a youtube video made?
No problem, I should get around to making the video this weekend, check back on this thread for an update early next week.
Cheers.
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Table looks great. I am thinking of “borrowing” your idea of the casualty counter beads by my dice rolling corner.
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Table looks great. I am thinking of “borrowing” your idea of the casualty counter beads by my dice rolling corner.
They’re very popular, and constantly being used allowing our players to concentrate on casualty removal strategies instead of remembering who hit what. I made mine from scratch and it wasn’t easy, but if you put the work into it or can find some to buy complete… you won’t regret it.
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Looks like a Great place to ‘waste’ a weekend! :wink:
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Looks like a Great place to ‘waste’ a weekend! :wink:
I wish… however, we usually finish in a 10 hour day.
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Awesome Grasshopper. Very well setup. Like your NA and Tech cards. I do have events cards and I will make cards for NA and Tech now too. Thanks for all your info.
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@SS:
Awesome Grasshopper. Very well setup. Like your NA and Tech cards. I do have events cards and I will make cards for NA and Tech now too. Thanks for all your info.
Thanks SS, …and I know what you mean, there’s something about playing with laminated cards that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
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YG this video was really great and the table and extras look fantastic!
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YG this video was really great and the table and extras look fantastic!
Thank you very much toblerone!
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I’ve just finished watching the video and I greatly enjoyed it – an excellent presentation of a first-rate custom table. It brought out the fact that your set-up has even more special features than is visible from the still photographs, for example:
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Clickers to indicate the status of combat and non-combat moves
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An auxiliary HQ for the US player
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Lots of handy-sized laminated custom cards, with a roomy tray in which to store them
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A groove in which victory city tokens can be placed (and moved) to track which side controls how many of them at any given time
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A slot for a laminated copy of the rulebook
It’s clear that a lot of thought and planning and gaming experience went into that table, and the results really show. Well done!
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Thanks CWO Marc,
I always knew that I would make a video eventually just for that reason alone (can’t capture everything in stills). This table took about 3 years to build, including an inferior prototype table that I eventually replaced when I built the higher quality, and better designed 2nd table featured in the video. Many ideas were implemented and tested over the years with playability in mind, and everything was designed to make the game experience easier for players, especially newbies. As a host, the best feature for me is how after 10 hours of playing, the room pretty much looks the same as when we started (except for the beer bottles, pop cans, and pizza boxes). Everything needed to play the game, as well as all the extra customized elements have their own place on the table. A big difference from when we first stated playing Global with so many separate boards, charts, and trays laying around waiting to get spilt just because someone had to get up and use the washroom. I’m hoping more custom table builders will consider presenting their creations in video form… I would very much like to view theirs in the same way.
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LOVE IT!!! It even has a “feel” of a Bunker!
Hope I can make it over for a game one day.
Jeremy
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LOVE IT!!! It even has a “feel” of a Bunker!
Hope I can make it over for a game one day.
Jeremy
Pick any day and I’ll invite the whole Oshawa gang over… we can also play some ROE.
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I just edited the video with some informative subtitles… might be worth a second look. However, not sure why the newly edited subtitles didn’t show up on my mobil devices.
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@Young:
I just edited the video with some informative subtitles… might be worth a second look. However, not sure why the newly edited subtitles didn’t show up on my mobil devices.
They didn’t show up on my immobile desktop PC either.
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