"How wide do you like your rivers and streams?" Topic

We're thinking of adding a range of rivers and streams to our product line. I was pondering how wide the water part (not including the banks) of these should be. At the club I go to we habitually use a stream, about 20mm wide, for all rivers and for all scales. We find it works better with the ground scale than have a more aesthetically pleasing but overly wide model. What is your preference?

Not too wide, otherwise you lose half the table (it's the same thing with roads).
I normally use about 30mm for streams, 60mm for rivers, and maybe 120mm for wide rivers.

I like the sizes done by Last Valley…

Their streams are about 50mm across and the river sections up to about 250mm if memory serves.

I have a couple of widths.
My paratroopers aren't going to bother with capturing the bridge over something only 20mm wide

It depends if skirmish or batle, obviously not the same scale.
One needs several types. The thing then is all the trouble with the bridges.
Even in skirmish games it comes quickly that you have to pretend the river is wider by say 10-15 cm and it is not difficult, saves space but a bit mentally disturbing.

I have 3" wide river sections and 4" wide sections to use with 28mm figs ACW. I painted the 3" as deep, unfordable and the 4" as the wider but shallow fordable areas. I went by Missouri streams as I see them and remember them from my youth.

My water courses come in two sizes..

My smaller creeks, which limit movement, are about 1" wide. Roads run over without the need of a proper bridge.

A river is about 4", and it requires a bridge or a ford for crossing.

A very large river, which requires long bridges or complex bridging operations to cross, are seldom sitting on my table – rather, I keep them along the edge as impassable terrain.

I prefer 2"/50mm, wider for a true river. Of course, I also prefer to game in 28mm scale.

I have rivers in 1" 2" 3" and a set of big ones for Vietnam that are probably 5 or 6" across.

I think 2" would be most useful for me, but would also be interested in 1" and 4".

They have to fit under the bridges I have.

You might consider whether the rivers are intended for games which have ground scale. Most games do not, so maybe 3" for 25mm figs and 1.5" for 15mm??

I like streams to be 1-2" wide, and serious rivers about 4" for 15mm games

Most "rivers" (at least in 28mm) are really creeks or streams unless you presume they are really just representative and not to scale (which is fine.) For something more to scale I'd say at least 6-8" of water width to represent an actual river. YMMV.

1-2 inches. Figure 50-100 meters wide in the rules I use

Thank you all for your responses, they are much appreciated. I shall reflect on the information, but 2" sounds like a good bet to begin with.

As I see you want to make some?
Do a smaller one with junction. Unless flat DIY ( like mine) a devil to have.

I have some really small ones for 6mm, but for 15mm just one 2-3" wide river. I do need something 8-10" though at some point for some bridge scenarios though.

My guide for Making Rivers hope it helps.

Take care

Andy