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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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Aethervox's Global 1940 Map
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I have made alterations, mostly to territory values along with adding a few new territories, to the Global 40 game to more accurately (as I believe) reflect the relative values of the given territories of the game map. Here is a list of my changes and/or additions;
United States (value 47)…… East US 20, Central US 12, West US 10, Alaska 2, Hawaii 1 & Philippines 2
Canada (value 11) … NB & NS 1, Quebec 3, Ontario 3, A-S-M 2, British Columbia 2 & NWT (new territory north of A-S-M) 0.
ANZAC (value 6) … New Zealand 2, Queensland 1, New South Wales 2 & Victoria 1 (S. Aus, W. Aus & NT all now 0).
United Kingdom Europe (value 19) … Scotland 3, United Kingdom 6, Nigeria 1, Belgian Congo 1, Union of South Africa 2, Rhodesia 1, Tanganyika 1, Kenya 1, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 1, Egypt 2 & Gold Coast, SW Africa & Trans-Jordan now 0.
France (value 19) … France 6, Normandy 2, South France 2, Algeria 1, Tunisia 1, Fr W Africa 1, Fr Cen Africa 1, Fr Equa Africa 1, Madagascar 1, Syria 1 & Fr Indo-china 2 (Morocco now 0).
Japan (value 26) … Japan 8, Okinawa 1, Iwo Jima 1, Korea 3, Formosa 1, Manchuria 3, Jehol 1, Shantung 2, Kiangsu 3, Kiangsi 1, Kwangsi 1 & Siam 1.
Germany (value 30) … Norway 1, Denmark 2, Hol-Bel 3, West Germany 9, G South Ger 3, Germany 5, Poland 3, Slo-Hun 2 & Romania 2.
United Kingdom (Pacific) (value 19) … West India 3, South India 1 (new)* , India 6, Burma 1, Malaya 3, Borneo 2 & Kwangtung(HK) 3 & Shan State now 0.
Italy (value 10) … North Italy 5, South Italy 3, Libya 1 & Ethiopia 1 (Albania now 0).
Dutch East Indies (value 7) … Java 4, Sumatra 2, Celebes 1 , Dutch New Guinea & Moluccas - a new territory, both 0.
Soviet Union (value 37) … Russia 6, Ukraine 3, West Ukraine 3, Novgorod 3, Baltic States 2, East Poland 2, Belarus 2, Rostov 2, Volgograd 2, Caucasus 2, Smolensk 1, Bryansk 1, Vologda 1, Samara 1, Tambov 1, Kazachstan 1, Novosibirsk 1, Yenisey 1, Yakut 1 & Amur 1. All other territories are now 0.
Neutral States (value 39) … Mexico 1, SE Mexico 2, Central America 1, West Indies 1, Venezuela 2, Columbia 1 (new), Peru 1 (new), Chile 2, Argentina 2, Brazil 3, Finland 1, Sweden 3, Eire 1 (new), Spain 2, Portugal 1, Angola 1, Mozambique 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Iraq 2, Turkey 3, Greece 2, Bulgaria 1, Yugoslavia 2 & Persia 2.Maybe someone else will alter their game boards to these values. They are more accurate (relatively speaking) than what is presented by the game developers.
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