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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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Game table & War room pics from SS
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Love the magnetic charts! Totally awesome!
Yes indeed – and I especially like the VC chart, which is a great concept.
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We played a test game on new table. It was awesome. Could walk around both ends and everything was right there in front of you. The 2 money compartments on both sides of table worked great.
Pic is of money compartments.
Pics of table 2 soon. If I can get off this table from playing. :-D :-D :-D
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SS, I’m happy for you. it looks like a fun table to play on. :-D
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Really nice pic SS, now there’s no limit to the customizations that you can share with us… Cheers.
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Here is a pic of 2nd table starting to be built.
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Here’s a pic of another map on table 2. Not lookin to good. I’ll get a better pic soon.
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where’s the beer holder ? :) Nice table ss
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Nice table SS! :-D
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Thanks guys. Looks like finish building table 2 will be on hold for a bit due to playing another game on it right away.
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@SS:
Thanks guys. Looks like finish building table 2 will be on hold for a bit due to playing another game on it right away.
It’s great that you have enough space in your war room for not just one large customized table but actually two. I wish we were all that lucky! :-D
Out of curiosity, is Table 2 a duplicate of Table 1 or is it designed for a different game map? It occurs to me that if the two tables are identical, this could allow you to experiment with some interesting house rules for concealed-unit / concealed-movement games in which the Axis players use one table and the Allies use the other table, with a screen between them and a referee serving as the go-between.
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Out of curiosity, is Table 2 a duplicate of Table 1 or is it designed for a different game map? It occurs to me that if the two tables are identical, this could allow you to experiment with some interesting house rules for concealed-unit / concealed-movement games in which the Axis players use one table and the Allies use the other table, with a screen between them and a referee serving as the go-between.
Thats possible CWO for the split game.
2nd table will be used for play testing same game, trying new house rules, playing a different game and teaching any new players. This way there’s no pressure for new players and can come back and play when we want.I am still hopin to set up a 3rd table because I have 2 other games I would like to set up and leave without taking down games all the time.
Yes it is great to have the room. I did take down my 20 x 35 foot train layout to do this. I still could run tracks all the way around on outside of whole basement. I still have a main yard in small room. Tracks are still there in each end to come out of room.
What really sucks but doesn’t now is that a friend showed me the 80’s Axis and Allies game 4 years ago, so I’ve only been playing 4 years now. I can’t believe I never came across this game ( 54 years old now ). I used to invent some tank battle games just putzin around. Now I can’t get enough of the Axis and Allies games.
Plus also make a 3 x 6 foam board with complete scenery just like a train layout and have some kind of small battles over forts or bridges and forts using the axis and allies pieces. All ground and planes.
Sorry Crus !!!
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@SS:
Plus also make a 3 x 6 foam board with complete scenery just like a train layout and have some kind of small battles over forts or bridges and forts using the axis and allies pieces. All ground and planes.
A friend of mine who’s into model railroading once showed me some videos of model train layouts, and some of these included examples of military trains – railroad guns, tanks on flatbed cars and so forth. He said that there are all kinds of specialized model train car types, for instance circus trains, and that military trains are one such specialty. I don’t know much variety exists at the smaller scales like N or Z, however.
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Probably N scale would be best. You might have misunderstood what I meant by doing scenery like a train layout. I would build terrain for the game pieces on this 3 x 6 foam board with some buildings, trees, gulleys, airstrips, bridges and other stuff and no trains. Sorry if you already know what I meant. It be play like with miniatures. Another thought I had was build something like 8 x 15 table with terrain and play miniatures.
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@SS:
Probably N scale would be best. You might have misunderstood what I meant by doing scenery like a train layout. I would build terrain for the game pieces on this 3 x 6 foam board with some buildings, trees, gulleys, airstrips, bridges and other stuff and no trains. Sorry if you already know what I meant. It be play like with miniatures. Another thought I had was build something like 8 x 15 table with terrain and play miniatures.
I am glad that i’m not the only one who dreams of different ways to play with toys, the saying is," growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional"… :-D but also “the difference between the men and the boys is the price of their toys” :-D I also dream of doing train sets, unfortunately the shed just ain’t big enough… :-(
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"the difference between the men and the boys is the price of their toys"Â
And even among the men, there are differences that reflect how much space, manpower and disposable income they can invest in their “play trains”, as in the following example of an enthusiast for whom money is evidently no object:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mtxznwqb88&list=UUWuYED6U5oGFrynNTM5UMhw
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@SS:
Heres a better pic.
YG, you got an idea where I can get a designed battle board next to dice box printed ? Kinko’s ?
Can design and save to file and maybe get it printed on styrene and then glue to wood board ? -
Wow that’s a really nice table SS and the game itself looks awesome. :-D
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@SS:
@SS:
Heres a better pic.
YG, you got an idea where I can get a designed battle board next to dice box printed ? Kinko’s ?
Can design and save to file and maybe get it printed on styrene and then glue to wood board ?Hey SS,
I’m not quite sure what you’re asking… but I myself don’t have any custom battleboards available for print. Below is a link to DK’s battle boards which are supurb, you can get those printed at Kinko’s on styrene or anything else as long as it sticks to wood. -
Yes thats what I’m talking about. Design my own Battle Boards save to file and then get printed. Just need it were its protected from finger print smears and any other stuff.
Thank you YG and DK.
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