Gaming mats

[Hurin the steadfast]

Hi!

I am thinking of buying a gaming mat and there is an option to have the deployment zones already printed in. I would like to hear some opinions on what people tend to prefer, gaming mats with or without printed in deployment zones.

Thanks!

[Jesy Blue]

I bought 2 maps without the deployment lines before I knew deployment lines were a thing.... regretted it ever since!

GET THE LINES!!

[le_wahou]

Without. The lines are too visible on the mats. They are useful on deployment. They can even be useful during game. But I hate to see them on pictures. If they were more integrated in the drawings and were not the first thing I see on picture, it would be perfect.

[CD1248]

It's a big help, especially when you flip Wedge deployment.

Also, if you're talking about Mats By Mars, their malifaux overlay has all the objective-related stuff marked out (centerline, Turf/Idol placement zones, etc) which can be a huge time save.

[santaclaws01]

The lines are super useful.

[Adran]

The one thing I will say is that the deployment zones in M3 are different to those in M2, so you might need to be careful you're not getting an old one

[LeperColony]

I don't get the lines, because I don't like the look.  But they sure are useful.  

Maybe some company will make designs with more subtle lines or with the lines somehow integrated into the aesthetic.  But until then, I feel buying a nice mat is somewhat underwhelmed by a bunch of spoiling white lines.  

[Jesy Blue]

All the ones I've seen are black or dark gray lines....

[LeperColony]

25 minutes ago, Jesy Blue said:

All the ones I've seen are black or dark gray lines....

I've seen both, and it's not like the dark lines address the point any better.  Generally, light back grounds have darker lines, darker mats lighter lines.  But in both cases, you get a bunch of ugly lines all over your mat.

If you just want a surface to set the table bounds or to protect miniatures, then it doesn't matter.  But if you're spending money because you like a mat's design, I personally find the deployment zone indicators too disruptive.

[CD1248]

9 minutes ago, LeperColony said:

I've seen both, and it's not like the dark lines address the point any better.  Generally, light back grounds have darker lines, darker mats lighter lines.  But in both cases, you get a bunch of ugly lines all over your mat.

If you just want a surface to set the table bounds or to protect miniatures, then it doesn't matter.  But if you're spending money because you like a mat's design, I personally find the deployment zone indicators too disruptive.

See, to me that's significantly less jarring than my December crew's snow bases on somethink like a desert board, and you're saving significant time every game not having to measure a bunch of stuff. The lines need to contrast a bit or else you can't see them easily from a distance.

[LeperColony]

12 minutes ago, CD1248 said:

See, to me that's significantly less jarring than my December crew's snow bases on somethink like a desert board, and you're saving significant time every game not having to measure a bunch of stuff. The lines need to contrast a bit or else you can't see them easily from a distance.

I don't find measuring the deployment zones as taking hardly any time at all, so the value I derive from the lines's convenience doesn't outweigh the aesthetic cost for me.

There's nothing wrong with anyone finding the math works out differently for them.  I'm just explaining why I don't buy mats with the indicators, as the OP asked.

[Hurin the steadfast]

Thanks for all your comments! I am thinking between these two swamp mats:

https://www.deepcutstudio.com/product/wargames-terrain-mat-swamp/

https://www.playmats.eu/mats/705-swamp-of-malifaux-playmat.html

I like the look of the deep cut studio one better, but without the markings as they are light-coloured. The Playmats one has the dark markings, thoough.  

 

[LeperColony]

I don't own any deep cut mats for Malifaux, but I own way too many 6' x 4' for Battlefleet Gothic and I can unreservedly recommend them.  The designs are great and the quality is top notch. 

[Paddywhack]

1 hour ago, LeperColony said:

I don't find measuring the deployment zones as taking hardly any time at all, so the value I derive from the lines's convenience doesn't outweigh the aesthetic cost for me.

 

I find it more useful during play for things like the center line. Though if the Scheme relies on the deployment zone, that can help to. I don't like having to measure those things in game especially if I haven't declared my scheme yet. But, either way is fine. Some mats are also better than others at making the lines usable, but not overbearing. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

One thing that will come up is often you want to know how close your model is to the centreline without having to measure (because then your opponent knows you have a centreline scheme). Or same thing with enemy deployment zone.

That is the biggest time I wish we had marked lines on the board. When the mere act of measuring basically reveals my scheme.

Of course, this can also be addressed by a bit of bluffing/measuring for schemes you didn't select. I've found measuring schemes one of the most effective methods for bluffing them.

EDIT: somehow missed Paddywhack covering this exact point xD

[Nikodemus]

What I sometimes do is I mark centrepoint/centreline and similar points of interest on the table if they're relevant to the scheme pool. Place a few small d6's, blank bases, little gems, whatever you happen to have extra.

[LeperColony]

50 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

One thing that will come up is often you want to know how close your model is to the centreline without having to measure (because then your opponent knows you have a centreline scheme). Or same thing with enemy deployment zone.

That is the biggest time I wish we had marked lines on the board. When the mere act of measuring basically reveals my scheme.

Of course, this can also be addressed by a bit of bluffing/measuring for schemes you didn't select. I've found measuring schemes one of the most effective methods for bluffing them.

EDIT: somehow missed Paddywhack covering this exact point xD

It also goes both ways.  Showing the deployment zone can help an otherwise unaware opponent realize you're near one.

At any rate, I don't argue that the lines are useless.  They clearly have utility.  Just not enough for me personally to justify the damage to the aesthetic.

@Paddywhack is right that some designs incorporate the measurements better than others.  What would interest me is a mat designed specifically for Malifaux that includes these elements simply as part of its detailing.

[noob]

https://matsbymars.com/collections/36-x-36-mats

They have the M3E overlays that work great.  Idk how the international shipping is but the quality is there.

 

[LeperColony]

15 minutes ago, noob said:

https://matsbymars.com/collections/36-x-36-mats

They have the M3E overlays that work great.  Idk how the international shipping is but the quality is there.

 

I like some of their designs, but I've never seriously considered them because I prefer neoprene over vinyl or cloth.

[santaclaws01]

15 hours ago, LeperColony said:

It also goes both ways.  Showing the deployment zone can help an otherwise unaware opponent realize you're near one.

Being near a deployment zone just gives them something to consider. Measuring for deployment zone is much more highlighting what you're doing, unless you have the actions to spare for faking it, which can still apply for when there are markings. But having the lines can let you know that a model with 6" move and leap is within range to get to the deployment zone and interact without needing to measure to the deployment zone, and a model being ~12" away from a deployment zone isn't flaging anything.

[LeperColony]

20 hours ago, santaclaws01 said:

Being near a deployment zone just gives them something to consider. Measuring for deployment zone is much more highlighting what you're doing, unless you have the actions to spare for faking it, which can still apply for when there are markings. But having the lines can let you know that a model with 6" move and leap is within range to get to the deployment zone and interact without needing to measure to the deployment zone, and a model being ~12" away from a deployment zone isn't flaging anything.

Yeah, as I've said three times now, the lines definitely have value.  People like them, and even though I don't use them, I do miss them.

I personally just prefer not to have them because I think they're ugly.  Now if someone were to design maps that happen to do a better job of incorporating the boundaries, I'd certainly take a look.

[(Keenan)]

Tournaments: lines. Casual: just the mat with no layout. 

[Pierzasty]

I got me a custom mat with lines - I found a design I liked but I wanted the table to be easy on the eyes and the lines were pretty jarring. So after I learned that they do have a multi-layer file and can modify just the lines, I paid a few extra $$ to make them less visible (we went through like 3 exchanges of "-Is this OK? -No, still too glaring, tone it way the hell down" )

(it was one of the Deep Cut Studio mats, IIRC with line highlights removed and the lines themselves at about 40% opacity)

 

[LeperColony]

On 8/10/2019 at 6:13 PM, Pierzasty said:

I got me a custom mat with lines - I found a design I liked but I wanted the table to be easy on the eyes and the lines were pretty jarring. So after I learned that they do have a multi-layer file and can modify just the lines, I paid a few extra $$ to make them less visible (we went through like 3 exchanges of "-Is this OK? -No, still too glaring, tone it way the hell down" )

(it was one of the Deep Cut Studio mats, IIRC with line highlights removed and the lines themselves at about 40% opacity)

 

Put up some pics when it arrives!  I might try the same if it fits my needs.

[naicigam]

#TeamLines all the way!