Friday 1 April 2011

April Poll - Table size

Here's a question for all you wargamers out there. What size is your games table of choice? I'm not asking what you like to play on if you had the space or if you had the money etc. What size table do you most often use to wargame on? I suppose a supplementary question would be "where is that table?" because I expect larger tables might be available at clubs or wargame venues and conventions. But for now lets just focus on the size table you most often use right now, either in your own home or at a friends house or at a club.

I had a quick scan of various forums and come up with a shortlist of 'standard' sizes although of course there is no such thing as standard any more. Last year for example I saw a skirmish level wargame being played on a circular table! And many gamers (myself included) have to make do with dining tables that were not designed with standard wargame sizes in mind. I'm thinking of building a 6x4 cover for my dining table for instance, but other wargamers would consider this way too small. Posties Rejects (the group I occasionally game with in Gravesend) play on a massive table, something like 8x14 (Fran, correct me if I'm wrong).

What are your thoughts on this, whats your table size? And if given free reign, and unlimited space, what table size would represent Nirvana for you?

19 comments:

  1. I think there´s a limit on the size. The length...no problem..it could be theoretically 100´s of feet long but the width...that would surley be limited by the lenth of your arms. Of course if the bods were put in movement trays and those sort of sticks they use in films like the battle of britian to shove the troops about were employed, it could be much wider but then the problem of move and fire measurement comes in.
    A split table??? One with both armies on each side and a gap in the middle...looks odd IMHO.
    Or a table with a hole in the middle like the one train set dios.
    An enormous table..and a rope and pulley system with one guy suspended above the table ? :-D
    I reckon 6 x 4 sounds ok...it aint going to get the whole of the battle of waterloo on it in 20-28mm but a good size none the less.
    Cheers
    paul

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  2. A lot of my gaming now is on a 4'x4' (for Ambush Alley/Force-on-Force).
    Next most popular is on a C&C board (Napoloenics, Memoir '44 etc.) single/overlord, though I havn't played breakthrough much.

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  3. Wide tables are an important issue for us gamers of 'non-standard' size. Reaching acorss the table into the centre is a real problem when my stomach keeps getting in the way!!

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  4. I have an 8x4 project / wargame table. I'm planning to build some 2x5' modules so the playing space can be expanded to 10x5 which is better for Naval gaming.

    I think maximum width of a playing surface for me is 5 feet as, well ummm, I have a tendency to crush units on the edge as a lean over to move something in the center!

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  5. I believe Postie's table is that size, my table is 8x6 but Ray Rousell doesn't have a table but it wouldn't matter as he doesn't put on any games.

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  6. As a Flames of War player, the normal board size is 6 x 4. For a standard 1500 - 1750 point battle, this is the right size for an average 3 hour game.

    If you are looking to have a Bocage table or a city fight table, then the norm is 4 x 4, as movement is restricted. If you build your 6 x 4 table from 3 sections of 2 x 4, then you can go with either. Of course, you could always then add another 2 x 4 section to create 8 x 4! :-)

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  7. Going back all those years to when I first started wargaming, the table size of choice for the grand masters was either 8 x 5 or 8 x 6... I have a problem with your poll in that my table of choice is not the size of table I most often use to wargame on though... I have a 6 x 4 with a quick and easy extension that takes it to 8 x 4 - what I aspire to though is that 8 x 6 I first read about...

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  8. I have a 4x8 terrain mat but the problem is I have no place to use it at its full size. When my wife lets me I can use the dinning room table which is an oval that can fit 3.5x3.5 gaming surface. My dream is once we buy our own house to have a place to build a custom 8x6 table.

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  9. Why have a dog and bark your self, I game at Posties and very seldomly at Fran's 4x4 table. I will be putting a game on soon though and Fran's not invited, as he's a miserable oirish git!! Sorry to hijack your post Lee, moaning about the wee ginger one!!
    Posties table is actually 16x6, but we rarely go the whole length, shame!

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  10. I have a 6x4 in the dining room, that is excellent for up to about 4 people - mostly play Napoleonics and ancients in that space. It also extends to 8-1/2 or so, but I've only ever done that to eat. It was a bit cramped for the couple of games of starship troopers we tried on it.

    At the other place I most frequently play, he has a more conventional 4 seat table, but has an overlay that i'd estimate as 9x6. Not a convenient thing to store, fills up a his garage, and the previous one leaned against the wall outside until it became warped, not to mention unfit for indoors.

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  11. If playing at a game store, a nice 6'x4' table is normal. At home, I have a smaller dinning room table that I use.

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  12. Time & space limited, so 2x2 Ambush Alley 15mm/THW skirmish, upping to 3x3 in 20mm

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  13. Well, I do not have one yet, probably the reason I have not played a game in over 2 years...

    The target table is one that can go from 4'x4' to 4'x6' and up to 4'x'8' if needed.

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  14. 5' x 12' made from two 5x6 tables.

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  15. We use a 8'x6' set up, but it also breaks down into two 6'x4' boards. Any bigger would mean knocking down a wall or two. 6' is also about the limit for reaching over the halfway mark.

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  16. Interesting. The permanent table of my gaming room is 8X4 but most of the time, we only use 6X4.
    Benoit

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  17. At Model Dads we generally play 15mm FOW so its 6x4 for us.

    Chris

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  18. OK the Poll has closed and here are the results:

    I haven’t got one (sob) 12 (13%)
    Square 4'x4' 12 (13%)
    Standard 6'x4' 35 (39%)
    Large 8'x4' 19 (21%)
    Real gamers do it larger! 13 (14%)
    Other (Non-standard size/shape) 14 (15%)

    Votes Cast: 89

    Thanks for all the comments on this subject. It seems 6x4 really is the 'standard' although there are a significant number of alternative table sizes in use.

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  19. I guess I missed out on the poll, but I use a cheap 6'x2.5' folding table. Would like to add another to make it 6x5 someday (I find it easy enough to reach across 2.5'), but need to clear out a little space.

    Also play on the floor sometimes, especially for naval or sci-fi ship battles. That can be painful though.

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