Troll Lord Games

Do any of you use battlemats? Any tips on making my own or do you recommend buying one online? Since I got back into gaming this past year, I've been using Dungeon Tiles and they are a pain to sort through and keep from sliding all over the table.

I like Chessex Battlemats personally. I have no ability to create my own, and nor would I want to put forth that kind of effort.

If you do choose Chessex, the best pen to use would be Vis-a-vis GREEN, Wet-Erase only. Other colors and brands tend to leave a haze or mark on your Chessex Battlemat.

Never use cleaning solution on your Chessex Battlemat, just regular water and paper towels.

.........................................Omote

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Omote wrote:
I like Chessex Battlemats personally. I have no ability to create my own, and nor would I want to put forth that kind of effort.

If you do choose Chessex, the best pen to use would be Vis-a-vis GREEN, Wet-Erase only. Other colors and brands tend to leave a haze or mark on your Chessex Battlemat.

Never use cleaning solution on your Chessex Battlemat, just regular water and paper towels.

.........................................Omote

FPQ

Did you find it in a store or did you have to buy online?

You can get them at any fine game store. Personally I picked up my Chessex Battlemats from conventions. Cheesex sells off their mistake/boo-boo mats for a dramatically discounted price.

I believe on-line game stores like www.nobleknight.com sell them as well.

Chessex Battlemats can be a bit expensive (I think about $25.00US on up), but as long as you take care of them how I mentioned above, you'll be using the same mat for many, many years. A few of mine have lasted for 10+ years.

I'm not trying to sound like a commercial too much, but IMHO they are the best battlemats on the market.

...............................................Omote

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Man, I love Noble Knight. I get all kinds of stuff there. I'll check it out. I also emailed a local shop to see if they carry them. Thanks for all the info!

No problemo. Best.

...................................................Omote

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dagger4192 wrote:
Do any of you use battlemats? Any tips on making my own or do you recommend buying one online? Since I got back into gaming this past year, I've been using Dungeon Tiles and they are a pain to sort through and keep from sliding all over the table.

I made one rather chaep that works well. Go to Wal-Mart or similar and get something called a "Ghost Line Poster" It's posterboard with a 1/4" grid on it. All you have to do is take a magic marker and trace around 4 of the squars for a 1" square. I added clear contact paper to mine which made it usable with dry erase markers.
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The chessex mats are pretty sweet. I've gotten mine from Noble Knights as well.

I have a mat, but I've never used it. I find that I can just use the table as it is, but that's cause I use those new Crayola wash-offs, and the table is made of wood, so it just comes right off with a little soap and water.

Another vote for Chessex here.

I bought mine online in 2001, and it looks like it will last for many years to come. I also tried Tact-Tiles, and while they are a super cool concept, I found them too bulky to be practical for me.

Get a Chessex mat, a cardboard poster/blueprint tube to carry it in, and some Vis-a-vis markers and you'll be set.

if you happen to be going to gencon, or know someone who is, Chessix sells misprints for cheap. you can get a good sized mat for 75% off. The misprint will be on one side so you wont even notice.

Chessex is fine, but if you want ultimate portability go with the Steel Sqwire flipmats. They are about as thick as a standard restaurant menu and I carry two with me to every game. For ten bucks you cant beat the price, and they are wet or dry erase. They will even take permanent marker and still erase. They are two sided as well, one side being 1" squares the other being hexes.

Every time I see a thread like this I regret not purchasing BC Products tact Tiles...
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Nifelhein wrote:
Every time I see a thread like this I regret not purchasing BC Products tact Tiles...

Ive got a set of tact tiles and they rock, but they are extremely bulky and I dont game much at my house, so they are a bitch to carry around. They also lose their coating over time, so they become much more difficult to erase off of. However, mine are a 1st gen set, made before the "new and improved" coating, so MMV.

I have a 36 x 48 coated grid matt around here somewhere. That acompanied by a dry erase marker helps me and everyone else visualize whats going on.
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I used to use my Chessex mat but turned to Dungeon tiles to set up my dungeons because I got tired of taking the time to draw everything. Now I just plop down the tiles and we are good to go. I have Fiery Dragon's Dungeon Tiles made in conjunction with Skeleton Key Games. I also have several Skeleton Key Dungeon tiles I printed out and glued to cork. They have worked great for me.

Just an alternative.
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I took one of the foldup mats that came with one of those miniature starter boxes and brought it a print shop where they laminated it for $5.00. Works great and I've been thinking of doing another one.

Staples will do this for the same price and maybe some of the other "office stuff" chain stores.

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Tac-Tiles

Dry erase tiles that interlock. As you progress through a dungeon the old tiles can be wiped clean and moved to the front. Continuous. They are durable, and MUCH easier to transport than a mat.

Yeah, if you have to have a battlemat . Tac Tiles are the way to go. We used those for most of our 3.X games.

Now, though, like I said, Dungeon tiles are it for me. I am getting old and tired of drawing every room.

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magehammer wrote:
Yeah, if you have to have a battlemat . Tac Tiles are the way to go. We used those for most of our 3.X games.

Now, though, like I said, Dungeon tiles are it for me. I am getting old and tired of drawing every room.

I like the tiles as well. I find myself doing a combination of things. I have laminated graph paper that I draw "the big picture" on, then I'll either use my tiles or draw it out on one of my Chessex battlemats (I will own the 4 by 6 one day! Or is it 4 by 8?)

I've looked at the tactiles and Dungeon Forge (DROOLLLL!), but the prices turn me off.

Thanks Omote! I have rolls of lamination paper, so I think I'll laminate the map from the initial miniatures release and the one that came with the Red Dragon Garg. figure. Didn't the Blue and Black have maps too? I'll have to check.

Besides, I got all the laminating paper to laminate my WL maps (Necromancer release) and the DCC 35 maps. Guess I should get going on the laminating.

Treebore wrote:
Besides, I got all the laminating paper to laminate my WL maps (Necromancer release) and the DCC 35 maps. Guess I should get going on the laminating.

I did this to my maps for these releases too... matter of fact, I do this to nearly all of the RPG maps I use. It really makes the maps stand out and waaaay more durable.

.........................................Omote

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I can't bring myself to preserve them so falsely. Maybe if I had additional copies... maybe. But, I only have one, and I won't "ruin" it by making it something it wasn't when I got it. So, for me, its the table.

As a collector myself, trust me when i say I hear you. But doesn't it just drive you batty when unfolding a map for the millionth time when you get corner and fold wear that makes holes and rips?

GAHDS, I hate that. I go for the gusto right out the gate. BAM! laminated.

......................................Omote

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Heh, not really, because I don't open the map that many times. I open it once, take my digital camera and take snapshots of it in sections, and print out only those I need, when I need them. The map then gets refolded and placed back in its box. Of course, if the map is attached to the book (like the Gamma Terra map for GW4e) I leave it as is, and don't bother... making my own map from the locations mentioned.

For products I really like I buy 3 copies, one for each of my kids to inherit. Plus I don't buy to "collect" for resale. I collect because I want it to use.

So I have no problems with laminating. Especially since I have 3 copies of WL and DCC 35.

Plus I will be doing the same with Necro's GenCon release of City of Brass.

Another thing I have discovered is that pdf's are great for having a map printed out and laminated by professionals. Necromancer has given me e-mail permission to show printers for stuff I want to print out like that.

As usual its OK as long as its for "personal use only".

Plus I found this guy on-line who does this stuff mainly for the gaming community and has pretty good prices. I'm saving up now, because I want a couple of hundred dollars worth of stuff done from pdf's I own..

serleran wrote:
Heh, not really, because I don't open the map that many times. I open it once, take my digital camera and take snapshots of it in sections, and print out only those I need, when I need them. The map then gets refolded and placed back in its box. Of course, if the map is attached to the book (like the Gamma Terra map for GW4e) I leave it as is, and don't bother... making my own map from the locations mentioned.

Ha, then you probably didn't tear out the Yggsburgh map. I debated on this and even joked with Gary about doing this. Finally I did because I really liked the map and needed it for my game.

['Course now I'll have to buy another one for collecting purposes! ]
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"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Rhuvein wrote:
Ha, then you probably didn't tear out the Yggsburgh map. I debated on this and even joked with Gary about doing this. Finally I did because I really liked the map and needed it for my game.

['Course now I'll have to buy another one for collecting purposes! ]

I got my extra copy at the last MArch Madness Sale. Still need to get one more.

I have two copies of Yggsburgh, one signed, and the other not... and it still has its map. However, I also have a pdf of it, so I'm good.

Treebore wrote:
Plus I found this guy on-line who does this stuff mainly for the gaming community and has pretty good prices.

He have a web site?

DangerDwarf wrote:
He have a web site?

Here is his e-mail: support@gamer-printshop.com

I think the gamer-printshop.com is the name of his website. Let him know Treebore is getting business going his way, if you would. No reward, just I like people to know how much word of mouth does for their business.