"Building A Board" Topic

After 45+ years I feel the urge to create dedicated a 3' gaming board. Mostly for Test of Honour, but maybe other games as well (FGA and Malifaux).

I'm not very practical, so can anyone point me to tutorials or similar on how to go about it ?

Thanks.

GW's How to Make Wargames Terrain has a nice section on choices and techniques. You want the 2003 blue cover version.

If you have a lgs with a gaming area, pop in and check out how they made theirs.

Keep it modular. Make a base that you can easily put other terrain on top of rather that sculpt the base board

If you have room, 4x6 seems to be more standard for a lot of games (5x8 tends to be what I use)

I build a Saga board, 3' X 4' with 3/4 inch plywood. To make it easier to get around in my crowded house, it folds in two (so 2' X 3'). It's heavy enough that I gave it webbing handles. It is covered with green felt I bought at an after Christmas sale. I plan to use it for other skirmish and role playing games, not just Saga.

Grelber

Try this video and apply techniques as needed:

YouTube link

For what it's worth, my 3x3 boards are 1/2" plywood, finished on both sides--grass, desert, urban/SF and "sands of Mars" red. Terrain features are added for the game. There are limits on a 3x3 of course, but they fit nicely on a card table and store comfortably in a closet when not in use. And they fit right behind the seat of my hatchback for away games.

I just watched some of the "build a gaming table" videos, by the way.
1. You don't need all the reinforcement to prevent warping on a 3x3. Just don't go under 3/8" ply. The whole thing will rest on a card table anyway.
2. Those of you who do need such a structure--say 4x6 or larger. Don't do what several of them did and try to work under your table. Build the support framework first, so you can see and reach everything, then glue and screw the table to the frame.
3. Yes glue. Good carpenter's waterproof wood glue. Then screw. I wasn't a very good professional carpenter, but I worked with men who were, and I paid attention. No one ever trusted just a wood screw if they could get glue on the join as well.

I've never built a wooden game table, nor ever been a professional carpenter, but I was once an apprentice cabinetmaker, and I concur with robert piepenbrink's comment on glue: use glue every place that you join wood, and use good quality wood glue.

If you want an easier way to make a board, a good starting point is to look at some of the picture frames.

For example, at the moment, a very simple board that can be assembled for relatively little would be to get a 3'x3' frame, go to the craft store and get 2 of the 36"x18" cobblestone mats, and some of the wider, thick wooden discs, and some of the adhesive backed felt sheets.

Basically, use either the back board from the frame, or acrylic if you have one with it. You could also upgrade if you have a bit more cash in order to go with a steel sheet and have it be magnetic, and mount the cobblestone on that. You might add a bit of sand or similar for bits of rubble that's still flat.

Then fit the board into the frame and attach it in place.

Now, take the wooden discs and mount the felt on one side of it to protect tables in order to not end up with family members murdering you over your gaming for damaging tables.

Now, I tend to mount in the corners and center of the backing.

The end result is a very simple but effective look.

You can get a similar end look by way of using some of the grass mats from various places.

Or if you want a more desert or sandy look, take some of the higher grit sandpaper and paint it up…