"Terrain Mats - Any Good?" Topic

Despite my earlier complaints I have to say that now that games are up and running on the table (and I am getting painfully thrashed) the mat is settling down quicker than before and the few remaining creases are hardly noticeable.

Regards

I have three: a plain green one, an arid one and the D Day one. They came rolled in a tube and sit well on my table. I fastened the green mat to my tabletop using self adhesive velcro in the four corners, it seems to solve the tendency to wrinkle a little. Incidently, the other mats sit well over the top of this one without wrinkles. I like them and they are wearing well. The D Day mat is very nice.
David

i have bought 3 mats for PBI (Desert,Pacific and D-dAY) ALL WITH THE 6" GRID ON. My Wife has ordered a 6x3 with 1ft lines on for Peter Pigs New Civil War rules, they are definately recommened.

Why the 1ft lines on your civil war mat??

Well I now have a snow mat which I am using for the Eastern Front and Ardennes WW2 and it is outstanding. I will be buying more mats for certain.

So these come folded in square boxes instead of being rolled up in a tube box for North American/overseas customers?

I have four terrain mats (plain green, semi arid, semi arid coastline and D-Day). They were well packed in tubes and have no creases. They look superb on the table and have saved me an acre of storage space (used to use terrain squares). I have found that felt based roads and rivers mould to the mats like velcro hugging the contours which looks excellent. No problems with damage or wear so far.

I tried emailing them twice the past couple of days to ask some questions but they have not replied back since. Are they still operating?

I emailed them and got a response the very next day so they still are in business. Try them again.

I have two of these mats, and find them excellent.

One word of warning. Be careful of direct sunlight. I laid one of mine out on an outside patio. Sunlight filtering through the roof on hot days, caused the surface to bubble up into some unsightly bubble like lumps. I was puzzled for a while, but then worked out that the patterns of each lump, matched the areas of overhead bright/hot sunlight.

I spared my second one from such treatment, and it has never been any bother. The first one was pretty well ruined by the bubbling lumps. However I would point out, that it was mid summer, the temperatures were very hot, mostly over 35c and sometimes up to 44c, so this effect may not occur in cooler countries.

I have several of these mats and I truly enjoy them. I would recommend them but it pays to keep them rolled up in a tube.

Yes, but am I to understand that people ordering outside of the UK don't get them in a tube? They get folded in a box instead?

I can understand them being folded being a problem. I am UK based and it is really good.

I had been using the flocked 2x2 squares by TSS

This is easier to store and takes up far less space.

I am sure you should be able to get creases out as it is effectively cloth and rolling it when you get it / hanging it should get them to drop out.

Also totally understand the cost issue for US $ purchase.

The images on the following page were all taken with figures on a Mat.

link

I bought one of these a while back, along with the terrain that was offered, the mat is far better quality than the terrain as others have said.

The only thing I would add is that if the mat is going to get a lot of handling and movement then perhaps a mat of war in desert colour would be a better option.

I use mine at a local wargames club and as such is stored in it's tube when not in use, the edges are starting to see wear and curl, along with it loosing some flock in places. If you had a set up at home and were planning on leaving it in situ this is perfect as the colour and texture is nigh on perfect.

You can see pictures of both the mat and the terrain (roads & River) here:-

skinnedpuppy.pbworks.com/Game-1

I want a 4x6 foot mat with an arid or desert pattern.

Has anybody recent experience of this company "Terrain Mat"?
terrainmat.com/index.html

How do you rate the products?

What about other manufacturers? (e.g. Holz, Zuzzy – NOTE Postage to Europe is a factor as for some US products, the postage is more than the mat!)

Mick

I bought one from them last year. It's a good product and quickly settles down after unrolling. The colours are very good. Wasn't as impressed with the roads, streams and fields I ordered with it.
One thing definitely to ponder……alcohol is a solvent for the resin they use. Mine took some very careful peeling off the table after a minor wetting of the table with beer was allowed to set (this wasn't a spill on the mat but some beer ran under the edge of the mat which we dabbed with tissue).

If you have the felt, you can do a lot of terrain at home for a fraction of the price of a single commercial mat. This came up in a simple google search for "make wargames terrain mat", and looks terrific.

link

There are many others listed of course.

There are any number of suppliers out there selling materials to make the stuff, not to mention DIY sheds for all your paints and fillers at mucho cheapo cost, and local market stalls for any coloured felts or cloths.

If you want to go for a finished & ready to play surface then buying from the UK will save you a packet. Not only do you save a load of postage or shipping, you also would certainly be called to pay 20% VAT on such a noticeable item in the post.

I see you have found the chap in Ipswich (Terrain Mat) that seems to do a good range, but I've never seen his stuff.

I have seen Kallistra terrain, now they will definitely never crease – being made of hard plastic sections! You might not want a hex pattern in them though. I dont know if he can do them without, or whether you would need to buy the plain tiles and then fill the hex 'joints' with flexible sealant.

I personally use carpet tiles – but it took me ages to get just the right colour. Worth it though, as they look seamless when on the table.

I have some 'travelling' terrains – to go with my Adlers to play specific battles. For the battle in question I use a mellow green bed sheet with woods rivers and roads glued permanently in place and spaces marked up to receive the various separate features such as hills, redoubts etc. It all folds up into a small Curver box with lid, including space for all the woods, fleches, villages etc etc.

This is my rapid deployment terrain for Borodino (for my Adlers); there is an element of utility in my own efforts here, and it was the first one I had a go at, and it was a bit experimental at the time, but there's no reason why you couldn't do a nicer job by lining the river banks, adding extra patches of various flocks etc etc. In fact I may go back and revisit this one and make it a bit prettier…. tart up the hills etc. The total cost was almost nothing, as I scrounged an old sheet and found off cuts of material for the various glued-on features at the local market.

Good luck with your project,

For $100 you can get a lot of Jo-Ann's fabric; cotton, felt, or maybe even fake fur. I've always thought that if railroad mats were sturdier, they might be good too. But they probably don't travel well.

Sabol Designs makes a great desert or plains map, if you can find it.

Link:
link

Here is another method of making terrain mats:

TMP link

Enjoy