Using battlemaps

[WizarDru]

My group uses large graph-paper tablets, instead. We just popped on over to Staples and picked a couple up for game use. Essentially, these are huge tablets that cover a normal sized card table, and are perfect for drawing maps upon. The advantage over our vinyl maps is that we can record information on them and then keep them for use later, or just for keepsakes.

You can see some photos of them in action from our story hour thread RIGHT HERE.

This particular battle was prepared ahead of time, so I unvieled this and a second map over the course of the evening. Having multiple maps prepared ahead of time is another advantage.

 

[johnsemlak]

Just a warning about using Battlemaps (which I agree are great and have used for 20 years.) Do not use Dry Erase markers on them. For some reason, Dry Erase is more permanent than "Permanent Magic Marker" when used on these mats.

I know that very well. I use a similar surface, with whiteboards, in teaching. While In general the rule is never use a dry erase marker, someone always mixes them up and writes with the unerasable marker.

 

[Deadguy]

Just another cheap(ish) and easy way to make a battlemat.

Take a large, poster-size frame. You can sometimes pick these up cheap. But make sure you get one with a plastic cover rather than glass (I know from my own experience that tha glass one will get broken in dramatic fashion!). Then turn over the sheet which they always put inside and draw a 1 inch grid on that side. One thing we learned here - don't use a black pen, use a grey/blue one or a dark pencil. Why? Because drawing a black line over black grid can be hard to read. I find that water-soluble pens (those used for overhead projectors) are the best.

 

[qstor]

Omegium - try your local gaming store. Maybe they can order one for you from the UK or something. Or check the Chessex site to see if they have a European distributor.

Mike

 

[maddman75]

Try http://www.dragonscalecounters.com

Their mats are only 8x11, but you can position several together. This has several advantages. The mat is only as large as you need it to be. You can draw areas ahead of time. It is much easier to transport them. Plus they are cheap - you can get 6 mats for $10, with singles going for $2 a piece.

The site also has lots of regular counters, made of plastic. They have (IIRC) all the creatures in the MM, to scale with the face/reach rules. These are cheap as well. medium sized creatures go for $.25, with the large dragons going for around $1.20.

Don't know about international shipping, but the stuff is pretty light.