On 11/29/2019 at 5:37 PM, Snipafist said:

https://firmerterra.com/

It's not exactly pocket change, but a 6x4 lightweight table that collapses to a size that's easy to store and transport has been a godsend for getting in a game of Armada anywhere I need to.

Storing up small helps keep it unobtrusive in a closet when it's not in use, which is an advantage over the 6x4 (or larger) table toppers, which can be fairly thin but still take up 6x4 space up against a wall or whatever and are difficult to maneuver.

Can confirm, these are great. Use them for Armada and Legion at home.

Make your own, quick and dirty:

Make a table top for your gaming. This can be added to any table. Buy a cheap folding table. Buy a used folding table. Buy a used dining room table (people sell these cheap!).

Buy a sheet of plywood, mdf, whatever. Cut it at 3 feet, again at 3 feet, and then 1 foot segments (save these for later). Stick 2 simple, cheap window latches on the bottom (close to the outside) in order to lock the table together. Stick a couple small bumpers (scrap wood, whatever you got laying around, just something to guide table placement) on the underside so that it's easy to line the table topper up with the table. Bing, bang, boom. Now you have two boards that are easy to store away somewhere (3ft x 4ft each). They are easy to get from storage, carry, toss on the table, and lock together making an excellent gaming table. Toss a gaming mat of your choice on top and you are set!

Why 6ft by 4ft instead of 6ft by 3ft? That extra foot gets divided into 6 inch sections on either side that is perfect for your cards of your fleet.

Possible upgrades:

Extensions. Attach the 1 foot segments on the ends via folding leaf hinges. This gives you options. 6x4 gaming surface that can extend to 7x4 or even 8x4 giving you room on the ends of the table for tools, destroyed ships, drinks, snacks, whatever. It also allows you to reduce the footprint of the gaming surface back to 6x4 quickly and easily if you don't want to take the entire table down.

Apply a surface. Paint or spray a rubberized surface onto your table topper. Plastidip, flex seal, whatever you have or want to use. This will give you a nice uniform, rubberized surface. I used plastidip and sprayed it on in less than ideal conditions to give it a bit of a texture. You can play straight on this surface, or still use a game mat if you wish.

Paint it. Customize your table with a unique paint job. Using even a simple splatter painting technique you can create a really great star field for your space battles. Google splatter paint stars for all sorts of instructions.

You can go further than this and add on plush side railings, cup holders, and what not, but honestly that is all a distraction and makes storage and what not more difficult. It also eats up space on your table.

For less than $100 you can have a full size gaming table to handle all your miniature gaming needs and it can be easily packed away in a closet when you don't need it. Build it for your kitchen table, build it for a folding table that you can also break down and hide away.

I recently bought a 6x3 with folding legs but I have a little bit of buyer's remorse. If I were to do it again, I'd probably buy two 6x2.5' tables and sandwich them together. It might even be less expensive that way, and I'd have a one-foot buffer on either side of the play area. Oh well. What's done is done!

On 11/29/2019 at 9:18 PM, Pwmf said:

Again I use MDF, can get it cut into smaller sections for storage, mine are in 2' lengths with clips. Why would the US ban MDF?

OHS Laws in some places wont let you use it due to inhalation of glue dust causing health problems. people can now be fined in some places for not wearing face masks while cutting it

I was at home depot and they have pre cut 2x4ft boards of mdf. I was thinking of getting 3 and kind of going with my original idea, but building a frame that the boards would sit on. Basically use blocks in each of the 6 cup holders, then running something like 1x2in the short way to connect 2 cup holders, then running 1x2in the long way and have the boards sit on that.

It’s not secured together, but that’s it. 3 2x4ft mdf boards will sit on top. I was thinking of getting velcro strips to put on the top rails and undersides of the mdf to keep them in place. The boards will overhang the frame so adding edges wouldn't work. I want them removable for storage

This was my solution. 3 2x4ft 1/2 in mdf. I added another 1x2in rail down the middle for more support. The wood blocks on the short side side of the table just inside the frame, the ones on the long side on the outside of the frame so one all 3 are in, it doesn’t slide in either direction. Total dimensions are 4x6ft. I drew the main setup lines so i dont have to measure again.

If you havent nailed it together yet, turn the braces onto their sides

I did, the other post i just have the frame, but added a rail down the center for more stability. I would have wanted to turn the for strength purposes but didnt want to raise it that high.

1 hour ago, titojackson84 said:

This was my solution. 3 2x4ft 1/2 in mdf. I added another 1x2in rail down the middle for more support. The wood blocks on the short side side of the table just inside the frame, the ones on the long side on the outside of the frame so one all 3 are in, it doesn’t slide in either direction. Total dimensions are 4x6ft. I drew the main setup lines so i dont have to measure again.

We have been using the exact same MDF boards and they work great. For the roughly $20 you spend on them, you can beat the table space.

29 minutes ago, Fraggle_Rock said:

We have been using the exact same MDF boards and they work great. For the roughly $20 you spend on them, you can beat the table space.

Agreed. Fortunately the home depot near me had these pre cut were actually 2x4. Moving large pieces of wood in my car is tough so im glad i didn't have to get them cut. In hindsight, i should have run 2 pieces instead of the one down the middle, but i would have to redo the blocks underneath which i really dont want to do. Also on the longside of the table edges, there’s about 6-7 inches that overhangs and couldnt really handle someone really leaning on it. But the rest is fine. I considered just building a whole new table but for the price i paid, the table i have is really nice and armada is really the only reason for the alteration.

7 hours ago, titojackson84 said:

Agreed. Fortunately the home depot near me had these pre cut were actually 2x4. Moving large pieces of wood in my car is tough so im glad i didn't have to get them cut. In hindsight, i should have run 2 pieces instead of the one down the middle, but i would have to redo the blocks underneath which i really dont want to do. Also on the longside of the table edges, there’s about 6-7 inches that overhangs and couldnt really handle someone really leaning on it. But the rest is fine. I considered just building a whole new table but for the price i paid, the table i have is really nice and armada is really the only reason for the alteration.

Did you find that your 2’x4’ panels were actually 24” x 49”?

More like 24 1/8 in x 48 1/4 in or something like that. It’s slightly bigger but i’d rather that than too small. My gf suggested covering the top with a fabric, but with how tight i have the 3 pieces, i couldnt, plus i wouldn’t be able to take them off. I played a small game on the actual table, but didnt like how the pieces press into the table, like it was too soft. I thought about a game mat but they seem pricey. The table itself is solid and i got the frame and top pretty solid so things moving shouldnt be much of a problem.