For some reason I have always had it in my head mouse-pad material gaming mats were the default option for wargaming play surfaces (I am guessing this bias comes from playing WH40K early on). Until recently I ran across a couple of posts online that showed off a cloth mat with styrofoam underneath to give the surface some defilade… I was hooked! My research led me to Cigar Box Battle Mats and Geek Villain, both offering some different and some same-ish options.
They had mats for everything I wanted except for a desert theme for my Iraq project. I wanted a landscape that was desert with patches of vegetation, a unique look. A nice printed mat would really complete that project so I was feeling pretty bummed. Giving one last scroll through the options, I gave a second look at a Cigar Box mat called Rattlesnake Ranch, bingo!


Since the mats arrived a few weeks ago, I have become a massive fan. The ability to change the ground elevation is a big deal in a war fighting sense. I love how both companies supply the mats in a 6×4 “Plus” size, leaving you enough fabric to cover the hills and while still maintaining the 6×4 foot board size. The print dpi/detail is fantastic, compared to my mouse-pad mats they are significantly better detailed. One issue I did run into was one of the mats ended up being a lot darker than I was seeing it on the website, not a big deal but something I will avoid next time by doing a little more research.
Anyways… you know what happens when you get a new toy, an excuse to play! Luckily I was able to get a game in this weekend to see how it looked! Here are some pictures of our Force on Force game with new mat;
While the dark marks are a tad too out of place for my liking, the mat ends up fitting in really well and finishes the project off nicely. Thanks for tuning in, take care!
Caqn see why you are pleased with the mats. That looks like a fantastic table set up.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete, hope your school studies are going well and you are the same.
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Thanks- all good here- bit limited with covid restrictions on the archives but am sure I’ll find a work around.
Hgope you are well too.
Cheers,
Pete.
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The mat and table look great. Looking forward to seeing more stuff!
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