Sunday, August 23, 2015

In A House In The Woods There Were Three Tables

When I drew my initial floorplan for this room reorganization I included a wargame table with the short end against the window so that 2 opponents could face each other across the table. When I started moving furniture around I found that the result didn't "feel" right so the next version had the gamer facing the wall. Yesterday it occurred to me that I had changed not only the positions of various things, I also changed some of the pieces and that the first table idea might work and with a larger small table than was originally proposed.


25mm OS Medieval Fantasy game.
More pictures and comments on Gathering of Hosts Blog.
(soon)

After long mental gymnastics over ratios and arm lengths I tried this improvised 40" x 56" table (10 x 14 x 4" squares if it were gridded). It felt a little narrow until I started playing and realized that with the 2/3 scale down I was using my medieval armies were 2 bow shots apart at the start. A very reasonable distance. The gridded version would have the same number of squares as the 5'x6' table I just tore down, just 4" rather than 6" ones.

As the game progressed I found the table size more than adequate for the game but found it hard to reach across. The oversize cloth was even more annoying than usual and I really missed my under table shelves. The main thing though was that the size and orientation fit without getting in the way or feeling awkward.

After the game I pulled off the cloth and the various bits propped up to hold the shape, raised the height then laid my 2 main boards down to be measured for trimming. While I was marking them it occurred to me that due to other changes, their 4'x5' layout was no longer as much in the way as it was when I tested one a week ago.

So I am going to  leave it in place for a week or so. If it doesn't get in my way I'll make it permanent otherwise I'll trim it to the size in the picture. So not a big table or the small card table size I had in mind but a medium size that I've used successfully before for a wide range of games. Might be the size that's juuuust right!

7 comments:

  1. Hope your tables are as beautiful as this one...this house in the wood is the paradise!

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    1. This old thing? 17 yrs old, with a face lift last year. But thankyou.

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  2. There's a story about a soldier who went to General Pershing after they had just built a camp. He asked the general where he should put the paths for the camp. Pershing told him not to bother for a week or two. After that time, he should look for where the grass was beaten down and put the paths there.

    Strikes me as similar to your very sensible approach.

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    Replies
    1. Struggle ad ee may, we are creatures of habit and the easy path.

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  3. Ross Mac,

    It sounds as if things are gradually coming together and that your table size is almost fixed.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Certainly glad for You ROSS that your Table for Wargames is sorted- at last and that You also have created working space too....Thankyou for Joining my Site- 'The TINKERTON Project'- very Glad to have You on board once again. Regards. KEV.

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