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I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped.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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Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated March 23rd)
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Can’t wait to play on this cleaned up version of the map! Keep up the good work!
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Thanks guys! It has been busy lately, but I’ve managed to revisit nearly all sea zones to clean up some more smaller issues.
After that I will do all territories and finalize the map. Hopefully somewhere in November. -
Thanks Tjoek! Keep up the awesome work!
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Any update on the completed version? I’m waiting for the final version to print it out for play.
If you don’t have time to complete it, can you release any working files (.psd?) you have so I can complete it before I print?
Thanks, awesome work!
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@P-Unit I have actually finalised the file today. Only thing left to do is to generate the different versions and upload them. So watch this space the coming days.
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Updated! See first post for new map files!
Let me know if you miss anything.
I consider these finalised for now. If people want me to correct Iwo Jima or Honolulu send me a PM. I might consider doing it for a small fee.
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Hello Everyone!
With my inability to edit the base image color for Russian territories in the IL maps, i’ve found Tjoek map more useful and coherent to the original version. I’ve chosen the OOB version, removed Mobilization Zone to left and added some of the IL beautiful images (planes and submarine)… order of play is indicated in the faction board, so it is not mandatory to have it on the board so i didn’t add it. I would like to reposition Honolulu… but i think i will send this file as is.@Tjoek: really great job!
Luca
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@Tjoek
I’m working on Honolulu as a tribute to all of this work you’ve done. I actually went and carefully isolated the dot, text and shadows out of the background before I realized you can probably just drop it all wholesale, land and sea bits and all, on the correct island.Iwo Jima is done already, assuming the rotation is all that was wrong with that one.
The real winner, here, is fricking GIMP. Seriously, I cannot believe something like GIMP exists.
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@vodot said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated March 29th):
@Tjoek
I’m working on Honolulu as a tribute to all of this work you’ve done. I actually went and carefully isolated the dot, text and shadows out of the background before I realized you can probably just drop it all wholesale, land and sea bits and all, on the correct island.Iwo Jima is done already, assuming the rotation is all that was wrong with that one.
The real winner, here, is fricking GIMP. Seriously, I cannot believe something like GIMP exists.
Thnx mate! Please send the updates to me and I will merge them with the files posted on the main post.
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@Tjoek will do. if not over the holidays then first week of Janurary.
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@vodot Perfect!
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I finished the fixed version with Honolulu moved to SE Oahu and a corrected Iwo Jima- @Tjoek check your PMs. I was going to just rotate it and leave it alone, but the OOB cartography is obviously based on a US pilot’s crude description as he rocketed overhead with bogeys in pursuit (looks very different from the actual island) so I got antsy and just redrew it.
For you purists, Tjoek can probably knock out the rotated OOB version in a couple minutes.
Note: the image below is halved for posting- don’t actually patch your map file with it. Wait for Tjoek to update the masters.
There was also a N/S stitching seam running through the text of “Honolulu” that I hunted down with the clone tool up to Alaska and down past NZ, but it was invisible on anything lower than about 150% on my monitors.
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@vodot thanks mate! I’ll look into merging your fixes when I’ve got the time. Just started a new job which is consuming my time at the moment.
Regarding Iwo Jima, if you go the route of fixing all the islands to their correct shape you’re doomed with the AA maps. Most of the islands are rubbish. Or simply don’t exist at all. Spot the two fake ‘Atlantis’ islands in the Dutch East Indies.
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I’ve updated all 4 map files in the original post to now also include the fixes for Honolulu and Iwo Jima.
Please note that didn’t go with the realistic Iwo Jima (as almost non of the islands have realistic borders), but I only flipped it upside down and corrected the light shading for the new orientation.
@vodot: thanks for your help!
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@Tjoek Well i hate to mention this, but you might want to redraw Norway and most of Europe and make a “Realistic Coastline” version and center in on Europe, and add Azores, Maldives, and a few others ( Sicily too). I hate to ask this but can you work on that?
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Also can we get a clean version of the map, meaning removed images or pictures because i want to add /replace the pictures with better ones and redo the charts and add some meaningful game play info.
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@Imperious-Leader said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated February 7th):
@Tjoek Well i hate to mention this, but you might want to redraw Norway and most of Europe and make a “Realistic Coastline” version and center in on Europe, and add Azores, Maldives, and a few others ( Sicily too). I hate to ask this but can you work on that?
Sorry IL, I know you’re a fan of the more realistic maps but it would be far to much work for something I won’t use myself.
@Imperious-Leader said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated February 7th):
Also can we get a clean version of the map, meaning removed images or pictures because i want to add /replace the pictures with better ones and redo the charts and add some meaningful game play info.
What exactly do you mean? The files I supplied are already with AND without the original pictures for planes, logo’s and mobilisation zone. Just choose the file you like. I cannot think of other pictures to remove…
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@Tjoek said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated February 7th):
"Sorry IL, I know you’re a fan of the more realistic maps "
Well you only need to fix Norway, France, England, Iceland and Greenland. The rest will improve by relation. Like me standing next to an ugly women, makes her more attractive.
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@Imperious-Leader said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated February 7th):
@Tjoek said in Tjoek's A&A Anniversary OOB Map file (Updated February 7th):
"Sorry IL, I know you’re a fan of the more realistic maps "
Well you only need to fix Norway, France, England, Iceland and Greenland. The rest will improve by relation. Like me standing next to an ugly women, makes her more attractive.
Nice try, even though I agree it’s still not worth the work from my point of view.
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Hi All,
Somehow I was drawn towards this map once more and included a few more cleanups and enhancements. See first post for all details and new maps.
Updates in short:
- Enhanced colours preserving more details in the map
- Correctly centred 10 territory names
- Renames “Anglo-Egypt Sudan” to “Anglo-Egyptian Sudan”
- Removed two non existing “Atlantis” islands south of the Philippines
- More smaller things
I hope you like it!