Floating Table

[Sulfurdown]

Some game systems like Wars had rules for defining "floating tables" has anyone figured out an effective way to apply the idea of a floating map to ACtA?

 

[Ripple]

Really hard to do, but one way I came up with to do some of it was a variant of our puck table we used in Star Fleet.

First you need a T-square or other way of ensuring that stay fixed to a table edge and at the same angle. Then either use a triangle or just slide the T-square a set number of inches along the table with the model. As long as all models move the same distance you good.

The issue is you can get 'pinning' ships that run to a far table edge and 'pin' space as you can't move ships off the table.

The 'puck' term was that we would drop a dime or other item on the center of the table at the start. That puck was never allowed to leave the table to prevent the endless chase scenario.

In any event it does require folks to agree to overlook any minor discrepancies that develope due to an imprecise move.

Ripple

 

[Sulfurdown]

Hmmm. Puck. Hadn't thought of that. I was originally going to work on a one dimensional float by putting rollers on the long edge and just loop the mat and when you need to move it just turn the crank. Would allow one direction of freedom but that's about it.

 

[Taran]

Um. What?
"Floating tables"?

 

[Sulfurdown]

By floating table I mean a way to eliminate the table "edges". So when a ship moves off the edge in one direction, everything get's adjusted so it stays on. Ripple pointed out the use of 'pinning' ships though, where you keep ships in certain spots to disallow the map from being moved to adjust for ship movement.

Floating tables means that you can't "put a ship in the corner" and wait there since the other fleet can simply go around the edge and you're sitting in the middle again.

(I was introduced to the concept with AoG's Wars. Except that used a Hex Map so it was easier to just move everything 6 hexes to in a direction.)

 

[Taran]

Have a couple extra map sheets. Pinning ships don't have any effect now.

 

[Sulfurdown]

You end up getting into space considerations then. I've got a 4'x8' table but the room is relatively small to have anything bigger to extend the map.

 

[Chernobyl]

you can drag a flat cloth in any direction, you just need a Really big flat cloth 8)

Chern

 

[Ripple]

same 'pinning' issue with a cloth drag. That and you better have some really really stable bases.

Ripple