Wargamers - Uber Table Survey

[MongooseMatt]

Hi guys,

A question for you, related to a project we are investigating. Take alook at these two pictures;

This is our 'Klendathu' table in the office, a 6 ft. x 4 ft. playing surface.

Now, would you be interested in purchasing such a table for yourself?

And how much would you fork out to have it delivered directly to your door?

It would not necessarily be an icy alien world, of course. It could be desert terrain, a jungle, the green fields of Kent (the wargamer's favourite!) or, for maybe a bit extra, downtown Baghdad/Stalingrad (or wherever). What is important is the level of quality and number of components.

Over to you chaps. . .

 

[emperorpenguin]

Buildings on Klendathu? :wink:

Looks awesome and I'd love to have an urban board (stalingrad/arnhem/baghdad) version.

However size is a problem. I've just got a 5 ft by 3 1/2 ft table for subbuteo and wargaming and haven't the room for anything bigger.

As for price. That table looks mostly polystyrene, I'd most likely make one rather than purchase one. If the materials were different then possibly but I've no idea what I'd pay...

Sorry, that probably doesn't help! :?

 

[Doghouse]

Looks good to me. Would you be talking about selling the table as a complete set or would it be sold as seperate components?

Also what materials would be used in the construction of the board pieces? Are we talking styrofoam, vaccum formed plastic or something else altogether?

Would it be pre-painted?

A board like this would be useful but couldn't really put a price on it without knowing more about the quality. Hmm, I'd have to say realistically ninety to hundred and ten quid tops for the lot depending on quality. Hard to say without knowing what it's made of.

 

[Kristovich]

I'd buy it if I had the money!

Makes me think BF: Evo and not SST though.

 

[Reaverman]

My guess;

hills-£8
Spires-£5
Corner sections=£10
Main Slab=£15

Small Out House-£3
Barracks-£8
Command HQ-£12

I'd buy it, if I was looking for a terrain board. It does look good though, I wonder what the turn around on it is.

Currently I am building my own hex terrain, so the only purchases I'd make would be the buildings or spires, though I can make the same spires myself.

 

[themailedfist]

Ideally, $100.

Probably closer to $200 for the entirety of it, though. I'm sure the packaging/shipping are more than the labor and materials.

--TMF

 

[mthomason]

Also what materials would be used in the construction of the board pieces? Are we talking styrofoam, vaccum formed plastic or something else altogether?

I think that's going to be the decider for me - if it is made of something that isn't going to fall apart through use and abuse, I'd look at paying something like £180/$360 for it. If it's just made of sculpted polystyrene pieces that are going to arrive chipped and get even more chipped as I set the table up for my first game then I wouldn't pay any more than half that and I'd want some spare parts thrown in too. Obviously delivery is going to cost extra (looking at courier delivery prices for large items I'm guessing £25/$50)

I'd also want the version that came in green, with road+river sections, hills, and plenty of trees so I can use it for pretty much any game I want - if I'm spending money like that I'd want to get a decent amount of use out of it.

 

[CmdrKiley]

Just for reference. Gale Force 9 has been making some custom tables for Wizkids and Aberrant Games. These are custom builds by some craftsmen so they're not mass produced.

This particular one for Rezolutionwas made of some pretty sturdy stuff. Lots of plastic and wood. I really didn't see any styrofoam material on it.

Anyways, I heard (and don't quote) that this table cost somewhere around $2000 USD.

 

[MaxSteiner]

They are sexy tables GF9 make though though

Hmmm if it was modular I'd consider buying it (If its reasonably priced and made of decent materials), since it'd be quite easy to buy the nicer modules, get a bunch of polystyrine of the same size/shape and play from the get go, adding more modules as time/money permits.
Say 15-25 pounds per module (Might even pay more if it was hexaganal)

If it comes as a ready made board then probably not, simply because it'd be around 200 quid and by making it myself I could convince myself Im saying money and having a good time (I like playing with polystyrine ).

If it was just pieces of scenery sold seperatly though Im sure I'd not bother, unless it was sold in themed packs (If that were the case you could have a winner)such as "city scape" filled with lamp posts, signs, mail boxes etc, or "fortifications" filled with road blocks, stacks of crates/barrels small walls/trenches that kinda jazz you know.
Price for packs I'd pay about 10-30 quid depending on whats in there, how it looks etc.

 

[roughneck GIR]

I'd like to see a jungle swamp modular table , or Bu's crutacious park table too lol :lol:

 

[Lieutenant Rasczak]

If it comes as a ready made board then probably not, simply because it'd be around 200 quid and by making it myself I could convince myself Im saying money and having a good time (I like playing with polystyrine ).

Its a false economy really.

To do a board to a high standard would cost around the same (taking into consideration raw materials, man hours etc - it could cost more).

When I worked for the EE we used to spend a fortune on display quality boards.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Would it be pre-painted?

Absolutely, all ready to go from opening the box.

 

[Lieutenant Rasczak]

Would it be pre-painted?

Absolutely, all ready to go from opening the box.

I would feel so guilty, I'm used to building my own Lol.

 

[mthomason]

My own boards are getting an overhaul right now. Years of chipping away at the PVA/Sand surface has resulted in some polystyrene showing through. I decided to just cut up a couple of GW battlemats and recover them with that, but it's taking an age to do it nicely (and I think I've already messed up the one I'm doing and will probably start again).

Rethinking my earlier statement, I'd probably go for a desert or urban board to compliment rather than replace my existing setup (and if I get into BF Evo as much as I think I will, urban will probably be my preferred option)

 

[Lieutenant Rasczak]

My own boards are getting an overhaul right now. Years of chipping away at the PVA/Sand surface has resulted in some polystyrene showing through. I decided to just cut up a couple of GW battlemats and recover them with that, but it's taking an age to do it nicely (and I think I've already messed up the one I'm doing and will probably start again).

Rethinking my earlier statement, I'd probably go for a desert or urban board to compliment rather than replace my existing setup.

There are tricks to putting the matts on properly. They can be SOOOOOOOOOO tricky though.

 

[mthomason]

Yeah, I've been cutting shaped pieces when I should probably have just soaked the complete mat so it would stretch and mould to the contours

Ah well, just more evidence that I'd happily buy something rather than go to all this bother (not that its really bother, I'm enjoying it, but it has taken my table out of commission for the forseeable future)

 

[Lieutenant Rasczak]

Yeah, I've been cutting shaped pieces when I should probably have just soaked the complete mat so it would stretch and mould to the contours

Wallpaper paste, it causes the mat to soften and stretch ever so slightly.

Then you use a soft roller to contour it to the board.

Any rips you get, you then turn into random patches of 'earth' with PVA and course sand.

Finally, when everything is dry use extra-hold hairspray - it holds the 'turf' on the mat much better than any Varnish (its a finer spray).

Then you are ready for shading and highlighting the matting.

 

[MaxSteiner]

Wow I've never thought of doing it that way before thats cool! I wish te store I used to play warhammer knew about that it was just tacked into place!
I know making a board is a false economy really, but the difference is a gradual expense compared to all at once, and the postage on a full board would be absurd! Thats just me though, sadly if I had 200 quid + burning a hole in my pocket it wouldn't be going on a board :lol:

 

[Jeff Cope]

Nah, not for me. I'd rather make my own boards. That's one of the reasons I'm so excited by the upcoming pre-painted minis. I'd rather spent my 'modeling' time on terrain than painting the minis themselves!

Plus, it's really tough for me to justify a big expense and a pre-packed gaming environment would be a big expense. I just don't see how it couldn't be.

Now, if y'all start producing some modular terrain components? That would be great!

Jeff

 

[Lieutenant Rasczak]

Wow I've never thought of doing it that way before thats cool! I wish te store I used to play warhammer knew about that it was just tacked into place!
I know making a board is a false economy really, but the difference is a gradual expense compared to all at once, and the postage on a full board would be absurd! Thats just me though, sadly if I had 200 quid + burning a hole in my pocket it wouldn't be going on a board :lol:

Another thing you can do (if you have a very light touch) when the matting is totally dry and set in place.

Shade and highlight the tops and recesses with coloured sprays. Dark Green, mid Green, and a Light Green/Yellow (for the final dusting).