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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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John Brown's 96x48 Global 1940 Waterproof Metal Map
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Very cool! Since the Chinese and ANZAC will be done next, you’ll have something to face off against the Japanese.
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Very cool! Since the Chinese and ANZAC will be done next, you’ll have something to face off against the Japanese.
Yes, the board will look better, when the Chinese troops, realize the Japanese have landed on their shores, so Anzac be prepared, the UK is feeling the pressure. :-D
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Excellent map John. I love it. Definitely the Italian roundels. I like your enhanced Kamikaze makers too. Very good my friend :)
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Excellent map John. I love it. Definitely the Italian roundels. I like your enhanced Kamikaze makers too. Very good my friend :)
Thanks Cyanight, coming from you, that means a lot. Thanks buddy! :-D
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Great map! The enhanced markers are a particularly nice feature. Thanks for the photos!
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@CWO:
Great map! The enhanced markers are a particularly nice feature. Thanks for the photos!
Your welcome!
Thanks Marc, and thanks to you and others, I know how to take photos and put them in the forums. I really appreciate the help, very much. :-D
John
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Fantastic Map John Brown, great job! I love hearing stories about custom maps… what is the reason for using metal? are you going to magnitize all your peices?
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@Young:
Fantastic Map John Brown, great job! I love hearing stories about custom maps… what is the reason for using metal? are you going to magnitize all your peices?
The company I used recommended it for durability. I’m not going to magnetize my pieces, like Cyanight’s map. I’m just not great with tools, like some of you guys are, and just don’t have the time, working in a retail store.
I admire you guys, who are good with tools, I’m just not one of them.
The main thing I wanted on my map, was that Italy have the right roundel and to make sure kamikaze and convoy zones showed up on the map.
Thanks for your compliments. It means a lot, coming from you customizers. :-D
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Yeah, wow… the map itself is awesome, but combine it with Spitfire’s painted stuff and it is probably the best I have ever seen. What kind of metal did you use? Is the map actually printed on the metal or have you used an adhesive?
Now you just need a table worthy of such a work.
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Yeah, wow… the map itself is awesome, but combine it with Spitfire’s painted stuff and it is probably the best I have ever seen. What kind of metal did you use? Is the map actually printed on the metal or have you used an adhesive?
Now you just need a table worthy of such a work.
LHoffman, I can’t remember what she called it, but it is waterproof and it is printed on the metal, itself. You can scratch it, but it takes a lot to do that, and she says, I have to be careful with the corners, because the map can roll up a little, if a corner gets bent.
It cost me nearly $600.00 to have it made, and yes I will need a man cave, for sure, LOL, but that this way down the line, I’m afraid.
Thanks for your compliments! :-D
John
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LHoffman, I can’t remember what she called it, but it is waterproof and it is printed on the metal, itself. You can scratch it, but it takes a lot to do that, and she says, I have to be careful with the corners, because the map can roll up a little, if a corner gets bent.
It cost me nearly $600.00 to have it made, and yes I will need a man cave, for sure, LOL, but that this way down the line, I’m afraid.
Holy Crap! :-o
Well, it sure looks nice. Great job.
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LHoffman, I can’t remember what she called it, but it is waterproof and it is printed on the metal, itself. You can scratch it, but it takes a lot to do that, and she says, I have to be careful with the corners, because the map can roll up a little, if a corner gets bent.
It cost me nearly $600.00 to have it made, and yes I will need a man cave, for sure, LOL, but that this way down the line, I’m afraid.
Holy Crap!�  :-o
Well, it sure looks nice. Great job.
It barely fits the bedroom, that I put it in, LOL, and my wife wasn’t to happy about me spending that much, but it was totally worth it.
Like barney said, “I have a lot of room to put men on each country now.” It is so nice that I don’t have to cram the countries.
My favorite part is the kamikaze zones. The girl did a superb job on those. Nice and bright, just the way, I like it.
Thanks buddy! :-D
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Can this map be used to play games of '42 on?
Or are the territories and sea zones different?
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Can this map be used to play games of '42 on?
Or are the territories and sea zones different?
This is just the 1940 Maps, with a few details changed, blown up bigger. Honestly, I don’t think it will work, because there are more territories, sea zones, and because of this, I think it would mess with the starting setups for each country. Unfortunately, I haven’t played 1942, yet, so I can’t give you that advice.
Sorry, about that.
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Can this map be used to play games of '42 on?
Or are the territories and sea zones different?
As John said, the '42 map is different than the '40 map, so this is not compatible with any other version of Axis and Allies.
Here is a photo of the '42 map.
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Here is a photo of the '42 map.
I can’t recall if I’ve ever seen this map before, but it looks really nice. Who designed it, out of curiosity?
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I thought the same! I found it from Google Images, but it is from this website. http://www.nuklearforums.com/showthread.php?t=40820. The guy on the website gave credit to IL here on A&A.org.
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You know i did make a supreme 1942 map, check my files for this. Yes i did make that map from earlier post.
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Those of you that frequent the boardgamegeek website, I will also have some pictures posted on their website, as well. :-D
Thanks,
John
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I have picked out four pictures of my painted Japanese pieces on my new metal Global 1940 map. When you go to boardgamegeek, search for axis and allies 1940 Pacific, and it will be on page 12 of the photo section, then click on the pictures.
You can view the submitted photos there. I gave Spitfire38 credit for painting them on the comments section.
As he does a set, I will post them here and there.
Thanks for viewing guys! :-D
John