Which battlemat to get?
- Thread starter msd
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DaveStebbins
First Post
Other choices not yet mentioned would be chalkboards and a material from home improvement stores called shower board which is cheaper than buying a big dry-erase whiteboard.
Whatever you buy, here comes my standard battlemat advice (best battlemat-related gaming advice I ever received). Build a mini-table for your mat to rest on which raises it six to eight inches off the table. It's still central, easy to see and get to, and you've opened up all the space underneath it for books, paper, dice, snacks, etc. My group will never go back.
-Dave
Whatever you buy, here comes my standard battlemat advice (best battlemat-related gaming advice I ever received). Build a mini-table for your mat to rest on which raises it six to eight inches off the table. It's still central, easy to see and get to, and you've opened up all the space underneath it for books, paper, dice, snacks, etc. My group will never go back.
-Dave
Wrathamon
Adventurer
The main difference between
Chessex and Crystal caste mats is the pens you are suppose to use on them
Combat mats by Crystal Caste use Dry Erase markers only
Chessex Battle mats use Overhead projector pens
you arent suppose to use the wrong pen or else staining may occur.
On the old battle mats the overhead projector pens made a better line.
The combat mats with the dry erase tend to have a lesser line quality.
I have no clue on the new Chessex mats which I assume are suppose to be like the original mats... but I havent tested it.
I havent done any side by side comparisons yet.
I think portability the mats are better than the tiles. You cant roll up tiles
But, they seem like a cool idea. I may try them out.
Chessex and Crystal caste mats is the pens you are suppose to use on them
Combat mats by Crystal Caste use Dry Erase markers only
Chessex Battle mats use Overhead projector pens
you arent suppose to use the wrong pen or else staining may occur.
On the old battle mats the overhead projector pens made a better line.
The combat mats with the dry erase tend to have a lesser line quality.
I have no clue on the new Chessex mats which I assume are suppose to be like the original mats... but I havent tested it.
I havent done any side by side comparisons yet.
I think portability the mats are better than the tiles. You cant roll up tiles
But, they seem like a cool idea. I may try them out.
Jeremy757
First Post
Something I like to do for special locations and occasions is get some regular poster board. Ill draw out the dungeon or building on the poster board at the 1"=5' scale and then I’ll cut it up into its individual components. During the game Ill revel each peace as the p.c.s discover it. It saves a lot of time on drawing during the game. Keeps things moving.
Also to amend my previous post, I just see no reason to spend 60 to 80 bucks on something when there is an alternative that does the exact same job for a tenth of the price.
Also to amend my previous post, I just see no reason to spend 60 to 80 bucks on something when there is an alternative that does the exact same job for a tenth of the price.
I no longer use a battlemat. I have switched to printing out rooms and corridors and environments off my printer as needed in advance of the game. I use a lot of the skeleton key games and 0one games dungeon rooms and a lot of stuff from Dundjinni. It takes up less room on the coffee table and you can lay down different sections or rooms of the adventure as the party needs them. You can write on them (draw monsters, statues, treasure chests, etc.) and you can take them off the table when the party has left the room to clear some space.
The art out there is amazing and adds to the feel of any adventure. I also keep a stack of xeroxed generic 8x10 grids handy so that I can draw a room ad hoc if needed and lay it on the table.
I have a little folder of my favorite rooms, inns, temples, roads, etc. that I keep handy for encounters. Most of the more generic rooms you can use over and over again. I also keep a bunch of connecting passageways and cave tunnels that I have cut out handy so that I can link rooms together.
The other great advantage is that you can lay down only the rooms that the party can see, the players can't tell what's coming next. They don't know what's on the other side of the door until you lay down the next room.
The art out there is amazing and adds to the feel of any adventure. I also keep a stack of xeroxed generic 8x10 grids handy so that I can draw a room ad hoc if needed and lay it on the table.
I have a little folder of my favorite rooms, inns, temples, roads, etc. that I keep handy for encounters. Most of the more generic rooms you can use over and over again. I also keep a bunch of connecting passageways and cave tunnels that I have cut out handy so that I can link rooms together.
The other great advantage is that you can lay down only the rooms that the party can see, the players can't tell what's coming next. They don't know what's on the other side of the door until you lay down the next room.
MarauderX
Explorer
Old One said:
It works great for prepping the areas ahead of time, and the things are nearly indestructible. I have dropped them repeatedly (accidently, not for scientific study for this thread) on our concrete floor at home and they didn't dent, let alone break. I will be using them at the DC-VA-MD game day, 9/12 prepped beforehand and 3 spares for improvising or drawing mini-maps or elevations of what they are looking at. I got a 12 set of markers with all different colors so, for example, I can indicate deep water from shallow or grassy fields vs. thickets vs. deep woods.
If you leave the dry-erase on them a few weeks or months you will need a wet towel or rub very hard to removed the marker from the tiles. If you draw them a day or two in advance you can wipe them off easily enough to keep the action rolling should you need to.
Sorren
First Post
When drawing on the spot, it wipes off very easily. However, if I plan to pre-draw and move my tiles, I'll draw the map the night before and pack them up in the morning.
A night of drying is more than enough to keep them from smearing in transport.
You guys see the review in the latest Dragon? I thought it was pretty accurate. They pointed out that it was almost too easy to erase, but as I mentioned above, give it a few hours to dry and you are good to go.
A night of drying is more than enough to keep them from smearing in transport.
You guys see the review in the latest Dragon? I thought it was pretty accurate. They pointed out that it was almost too easy to erase, but as I mentioned above, give it a few hours to dry and you are good to go.
I've used Chessex's Battlemats for over 20 years now. They wear like iron, as long as you follow a few basic rules:
1) Only use wet-erase markers. Overhead transparency markers seem to work the best. Don't even think about using dry-erase markers on 'em; from what I've read, it's the moral equivalent of a tattoo.
2) Don't use a red or orange marker; they tend to stain 'em. So, if you buy a variety pack of marker colors, throw the red one away!
3) Don't leave marks on them for too long; the longer the ink's on the mat, the harder a time you'll have getting it off. Overnight probably won't stain, but stuff from the last game session may be effectively permanent.
Oh, and one other nice thing: they're sized (intentionally, I'd imagine) to fit nicely inside the cardboard mailing tubes that are sold at office supply stores.
1) Only use wet-erase markers. Overhead transparency markers seem to work the best. Don't even think about using dry-erase markers on 'em; from what I've read, it's the moral equivalent of a tattoo.
2) Don't use a red or orange marker; they tend to stain 'em. So, if you buy a variety pack of marker colors, throw the red one away!
3) Don't leave marks on them for too long; the longer the ink's on the mat, the harder a time you'll have getting it off. Overnight probably won't stain, but stuff from the last game session may be effectively permanent.
Oh, and one other nice thing: they're sized (intentionally, I'd imagine) to fit nicely inside the cardboard mailing tubes that are sold at office supply stores.
Tactiles
As others already stated Tact-tiles.
I have several Chessex battle maps, but since I purchased the Tacttiles I have not used them.
Chessex are nice, don't get me wrong, but out of the two I would use Tact-tiles. Most of my Chessex maps are old, thus EVERYONE has some kind of permament mark on them. Be it not erasing between sessions or wrong markers.
My Tact-tiles, none, though haven't owned as long. Also with the tact-tiles, as stated above, if the room goes beyond the size of the tiles you just erase one side and slide them over and continue drawing. Can't do that with a mat.
I have talked with Tact-tiles and they say they come in two flavors, hex/square, but in looking at their site, they still don't have the hex on for markets. I also asked if they could put hex on one side and square on the other, but they say they tried and it gave them production problems. Need another company to come along and do it (new product)
I have 12 tiles, though we rarely ever use more than 9. I have drawn on them and a week later (next session) come back and they still contained the drawings on them from the previous session, so you can mark them up before game with no problem.
If I only had money for one or other, Tact-tiles hands down. But they are more expensive than a mat, but well worth it.
As others already stated Tact-tiles.
I have several Chessex battle maps, but since I purchased the Tacttiles I have not used them.
Chessex are nice, don't get me wrong, but out of the two I would use Tact-tiles. Most of my Chessex maps are old, thus EVERYONE has some kind of permament mark on them. Be it not erasing between sessions or wrong markers.
My Tact-tiles, none, though haven't owned as long. Also with the tact-tiles, as stated above, if the room goes beyond the size of the tiles you just erase one side and slide them over and continue drawing. Can't do that with a mat.
I have talked with Tact-tiles and they say they come in two flavors, hex/square, but in looking at their site, they still don't have the hex on for markets. I also asked if they could put hex on one side and square on the other, but they say they tried and it gave them production problems. Need another company to come along and do it (new product)
I have 12 tiles, though we rarely ever use more than 9. I have drawn on them and a week later (next session) come back and they still contained the drawings on them from the previous session, so you can mark them up before game with no problem.
If I only had money for one or other, Tact-tiles hands down. But they are more expensive than a mat, but well worth it.
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