Battlemats

[Ktulu]

Ooh,, I'd totally buy the clear plexiglass style [tact-tiles].

 

[Kristian Serrano]

The other alternative, if you have a computer and a TV or large display in your gaming environment, is MapTool. You can precreate all of your encounter maps, load them up, create tokens for the NPCs, monsters and PCs, and you're set. Time to end the game and in the middle of combat? Saving the campaign file saves everything including the initiative sequence and who's turn it is. No mess to clean up and you can pick up exactly where you left off.

Even better still is the ability to run two instances (or use the eventual "projector mode"). One instance is the GM where you control everything, and the other is a client that shows the player view. The GM has the ability to lock the player view to follow the GM view. GMs can add GM notes to tokens and objects that pop up on the GM view when selected.

Seriously, as soon as I started using MapTool for face-to-face games, I stopped using a mat altogether.

 

[Soel]

My group uses the Paizo/Gamemastery Flipmat. It has squares one one side, and hexes on the other. It is for dry-erase markers, although many say you can use permanent markers (just draw over the perm marker with a dry erase one and it'll come off.)

Its only 13 bucks as well.

 

[El Mahdi]

The other alternative, if you have a computer and a TV or large display in your gaming environment, is MapTool. You can precreate all of your encounter maps, load them up, create tokens for the NPCs, monsters and PCs, and you're set. Time to end the game and in the middle of combat? Saving the campaign file saves everything including the initiative sequence and who's turn it is. No mess to clean up and you can pick up exactly where you left off.

Even better still is the ability to run two instances (or use the eventual "projector mode"). One instance is the GM where you control everything, and the other is a client that shows the player view. The GM has the ability to lock the player view to follow the GM view. GMs can add GM notes to tokens and objects that pop up on the GM view when selected.

Seriously, as soon as I started using MapTool for face-to-face games, I stopped using a mat altogether.

Coincidentally, I'll probably be using a 37" LCD for exactly this. I've got a Polaroid LCD that has devleoped a really bad squeal for about the first 3 to 5 minutes it's turned on (and sometimes it won't take remote or button inputs either). I did some research on the internet and found out it's a relatively common problem on Polaroids after about 18 months to two years. I even found some possible fixes (bad capacitors on the control board). Anyways, I talked my wife into just letting me get a new TV (a more reliable brand this time). Once the new one arrives, I plan on doing some electrical surgery on the Polaroid, and if it lives, it will eventually become the new game table. I'd like to modify a table to mount it horizontally and put some plexi over it, and then use something like MapTool. Should be pretty sweet once it's done.

 

[miscreationist]

Maddman's cheap and easy battle mat

1) Go to your local department store and buy a 24"x36" poster frame. Or smaller or larger if you like, but that one does me just fine.

2) Remove the paper insert and turn it over. On the white, blank side use a yardstick and pencil to draw 1" lines.

3) Put the paper back into the poster frame grid side up. Proceed to have epic battles.

The whole thing costs $10, you can use dry or wet erase on it, and you can toss it behind a couch or dresser when you aren't gaming.

This is what I do as well, except I picked up lined poster board and used a pencil to make the lines a bit clearer. We've been using the same board since 3rd edition came out. Its been a great investment for our game. For my 4th edition game, I picked up another poster board and drew staggered squares as an alternative to hexes. It's been working out great.

 

[The Little Raven]

I've been using a Chessex MegaMat, and it's pretty good. In recent days, though, I've had problems with the markers I use not erasing properly and leaving behind lines... the really bad part is that they are the markers that Chessex themselves directly recommends and sells (they say the red is the only one with problems on their mats, but the blue and black both leave stains on mine now).

 

[Jeff Wilder]

In recent days, though, I've had problems with the markers I use not erasing properly and leaving behind lines...

This is pretty normal, especially with red pens (which includes purple and brown). Try glass cleaner and/or diluted vinegar, and you should be able to get the residue off. When we were regularly using my mega-mat, I cleaned it about once every six months.

 

[Nebulous]

For years i've used a clear plexi-glass cover over our battlemat, rather than draw directly onto the canvas. The side bonus is that you can slide pre-printed maps under the cover, like the ones 0-one games makes, and draw directly on the map.

 

[Obryn]

Try glass cleaner and/or diluted vinegar, and you should be able to get the residue off.

These don't work on my Chessex mat. I've tried glass cleaner, Clorox Wipes, and even a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

The only thing that works is cleaning them many times over a long span of months. Even with this, I can still see some red circles I drew on the mat about a year ago, and a doodle a player made a year and a half ago.

I don't let it bother me, though. It adds to the history and character of my battlemat, IMHO. "Hey, there are those circles we used for the Snowspeeders!" and so on.

-O

 

[Mark]

These don't work on my Chessex mat. I've tried glass cleaner, Clorox Wipes, and even a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

The only thing that works is cleaning them many times over a long span of months. Even with this, I can still see some red circles I drew on the mat about a year ago, and a doodle a player made a year and a half ago.

I don't let it bother me, though. It adds to the history and character of my battlemat, IMHO. "Hey, there are those circles we used for the Snowspeeders!" and so on.

-O

I've heard that if you draw over the old (ghost) lines with the same marker and color again, let it sit for a minute or so, then wipe it off and then use glass cleaner or somesuch that it can become even less prominent, if not gone altogether. Give it a try on a small portion, perhaps between two grid lines only, and see if that gives you results.


In the old days, snowspeeders were pulled by dwarves and very poorly named.