Im currently preparing the table and am browsing for a playmat.

- What is the table size needed?

- Experience of what and where to buy from X-Wing gamers? (im in €-land)

The size is unconfirmed. At GenCon they were playing on a 6x3 ft area (the same as Epic X-Wing). However, there has been a few suggestions that it might be 6x4 (like several other wargames). Until we get an official announcement its anyone's guess really, but I'm leaning towards 6x3 on the basis that its the same as the Epic X-Wing format.

That said, I've just sorted a 6x4 ft gaming table, just in case

ive got a ~ 7x5 table to store materials on the side. currently searching for a european printing company that does custom images on 6x4 vinyl. thinking about putting one of the hubble images on it. hope i find some in the resolution required.

Found some shop in the UK with some nice 3x3, 6x3 and 6x4 space (and other) maps on PVC and cloth.:

http://www.deepcutstudio.com/products

The size is confirmed at 3x6. (see below)

ive got a ~ 7x5 table to store materials on the side. currently searching for a european printing company that does custom images on 6x4 vinyl. thinking about putting one of the hubble images on it. hope i find some in the resolution required.

In my community, the consensus with X-Wing is that vinyl allows the minis to slide too easily. I've got vinyl and have solved that with weights and dry rubber cement under the bases, but Armada is going to have the sort of base where that won't work as easily.

FFG is going to be coming out with 3x3 playmats made from natural rubber with slip-resistant backing. I'm guessing it's going to have a mousepad-like surface. You can find more info here . That link is to the news item that came out last week. It says that "you can even combine two playmats to form the massive, six-foot-by-three-foot play surface required for Epic Play or Star Wars: Armada." (emph. added)

i was also wondering how much a ceiling light over the mat would result in annoying reflections on vinyl and PVC mats. can you tell something about that?

I saw that bit with the playmats - I'm glad it's still a 6x3, That is absolutely perfect for my 6x4 surface so there's plenty of room for cards and such on each side.

i was also wondering how much a ceiling light over the mat would result in annoying reflections on vinyl and PVC mats. can you tell something about that?

It depends on all sorts of things. Mostly how "glossy" the mat is. Then the colors on the mat and the color of the light and shape of the light source (focus of the light) play a part. Sometimes things that are fine in one light are a mess in another.

But usually the problem with glare off a gaming surface is how glossy the surface is.

Yeah, glare is a little bit of an issue for me. If I didn't already have vinyl mats (that I'm certainly happy enough with), I'd probably order up a couple of the FFG mats.

so my current point is that vinyl has the pro that it doesnt wrinkel (and burns with that healthy green flame of chloride) but the con that its glossy.

pure cloth like you put on a normal table does wrinkel but is not glossy.

neoprene (like the FFG mats) seems to not have theese problems but im just not realy happy with the artwork on them ...

this shop (as posted earlier by someone)

http://www.bagsoflove.co.uk

does prints on neoprene BUT they dont do 72"x36" sizes. You could do two 36"x36" though and you can upload your own pictures.

I was thinking about some hubble pictures which come in crazy resolutions (up to 400mb per .tiff) like theese.:

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2006/01/image/a/format/xlarge_web/

http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/images/hs-2012-01-a-hires_jpg.jpg

btw same shop in german https://www.originellefotogeschenke.de/

Found some shop in the UK with some nice 3x3, 6x3 and 6x4 space (and other) maps on PVC and cloth.:

http://www.deepcutstudio.com/products

Deepcut are actually based in Lithunaia. Wouldn't let this stop anyone though. It's where I got my mat, the Nebula themed one. Service was pretty good to the UK. Only thing to take into consideration is the postal charge. I can see the appeal of the FFG ones for tournaments, but prefer a bit more arty.

so did you get the pvc one? whats your impressions about the glossyness of it it? is it annoying or no problem with say indirect light sources? price wise they still are very appealing although i currently think that the neoprene option with custom picture is probably the best material you can get as rubber is just per se preventing slip of the miniatures and also doesnt wrinkel.

I got the cloth one from Deep Cut and am extremely pleased.

Theese guys here do rubber mats with no texture, no wrinkles and not glossy.:

http://www.gamemat.eu/6x4-g-mats.html

check out the youtube videos on theire site and this image:.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/117963137@N08/13041855354/

Sadly they dont do 6x3 and no space art (yet i hope). I already asked that guy if they could produce that. Currently i like that material best.

I got the cloth one from Deep Cut and am extremely pleased.

Which one did you get? How is the colour depth on the printing? Is there any chance you could take a photo for me?

I watched a comparison video between the pvc and the cloth, and while I like the idea of the cloth, the version of the design on the cloth looked much more faded, or less dense then the colour on the pvc. See how in the pic the cloth one on the right looks much more navy blue then the pvc one which looks black - is this just a camera thing or is it actually not able to reproduce black well on cloth?

I don't see an attachment function. Do we have to have an image hosted and url it in or can it be done directly?

imgur.com

Not a fan of imgur, but hey, for you guys...

Thanks for the pic Dunno if its just the photo or not, but the top half of the mat looks lighter (not just the nebular but the corners where it doesnt appear to have nebula), like I said that is that how it looks to the eye? The bottom left corner looks quite dark though. Is it just the angle of the room lights on the mat's surface making it look lighter maybe? Don't want to be a pain but it would be great to see a "top down" picture and a really close up photo to see how the black in particular looks (with Armada being a space game) if at all possible, but if its too much of a pain thats ok

And also, how do you find the mat vs pvc mats, like compared to the GF9 X-Wing mats if you have used them? I found them a bit annoying that the minis would slide a little too easily, and the review I saw said the cloth slides minis even easier than the deepcut pvc, so just wondering how they compare to the GF9 ones if possible

somebody mentioned that they have pvc and think its slides to easily. i think pvc no matter the supplier handles the about the same.

still waiting for a reply of the G-Mat guy. Hope theyll do those rubber mats in 6x3 for space.

Found those 4x6 neoprene mats.:

http://eustore.frontlinegaming.org/fat-mat%3A-space-6x4/dp/23

I guess making them 3x6 is always a possibility ...

Here is a comparison with the Deepcut pvc mats where you nicely can see the higher glossyness of the pvc.:

I have four types of mats. PVC, Mousepad material, felt, synthetic cloth (deep cut).

I like the felt from Hotzmats the best. Least slideable, easy to transport, lays flat, light.

I like the pvc the least - wrinkles and everything slides all the time.

The mousepad stuff is less slidey than PVC but more than felt and heavy and takes up more room/weight.

Deep Cut's synthetic cloth is less slidey than PVC, about as light as felt.

I believe if Hotz ends up making a felt 6x3, that is what i will be using. Until then, it will be Deep Cut.

Ordered the felt from hotmatz, I got a 45"X72" so almost 4x6 (also make a 90x72!!!!) then I ordered a 3mm plain neoprene sheet from here: http://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html?gclid=CNzF8-e74sMCFdcRgQodxGoATQ#colors

that comes 51"x83" and just going to use some fabric contact cement to lay them together

I guess if I didn't want stars on it a plain neo sheet would work too, which one can apparently order up to 4 inches thick!! I am trying to imagine a 4" wet suit right now