I'm still looking for some decent lightweight cloths with 6" grids.
I was idly browsing and found this Italian company: https://www.pworkwargames.com/en
They make mats in a variety of materials (including mousemat and lightweight synthetic cloth) and say that they can print grids too.
Their patterns seem possibly more suitable for skirmish than big battle, but I wondered whether anyone has had any experience with them?
Simon
Quote from: Colonel Kilgore on February 12, 2024, 12:20:52 PMI'm still looking for some decent lightweight cloths with 6" grids.
I was idly browsing and found this Italian company: https://www.pworkwargames.com/en
They make mats in a variety of materials (including mousemat and lightweight synthetic cloth) and say that they can print grids too.
Their patterns seem possibly more suitable for skirmish than big battle, but I wondered whether anyone has had any experience with them?
Simon
I used one in a DBA game at the Farnborough club a few weeks ago. Only 2' square, of course, but looked decent (it was the Mediterranean mat).
I have a 2 x 2' and a 3 x 4' coming from Italy, as one of the Farnborough club members was keen to put in a bulk order. It was at least good enough for me to be tempted to buy some (and I'm going through a 'notoriously tight'/reduction in hobby spending phase atm 😁 ). No grids requested, that I know of.
When and if it arrives via the scrutiny of Customs I'll try to remember to report back.
Thanks Martin, good to know.
I look forward to your review in due course!
And I always forget about that post-Brexit Customs duty... >:(
Simon
Quote from: Colonel Kilgore on February 12, 2024, 03:58:35 PMAnd I always forget about that post-Brexit Customs duty... >:(
Simon
Seems to be a lottery...we'll get stung, or we won't. TBA 🙃
Do you think Customs roll a D6 against a table to see whether to pounce or not...? ;)
Simon
I do remember years ago driving from Italy to France with a boot-load of vino.
The Italian Customs officers were literally flipping a coin as each car went past to see whether they should bother checking it.
Simon
Quote from: Colonel Kilgore on February 12, 2024, 05:10:01 PMI do remember years ago driving from Italy to France with a boot-load of vino.
The Italian Customs officers were literally flipping a coin as each car went past to see whether they should bother checking it.
Simon
Maybe they use the 'snooker method', and stop a red car, then a yellow, then a red, then a green, then a red...etc. looking for a maximum break ....
I hadn't thought of that, Martin - that would add another layer of complexity.
Presumably, to keep the travelling public on their toes, the Customs would try to roster a chess player (black, white, black, white...) alongside a snooker player?
Thus leading to a surge in the purchase of purple cars by professional smugglers?
Simon
Quote from: Colonel Kilgore on February 13, 2024, 07:46:09 AMI hadn't thought of that, Martin - that would add another layer of complexity.
Presumably, to keep the travelling public on their toes, the Customs would try to roster a chess player (black, white, black, white...) alongside a snooker player?
Thus leading to a surge in the purchase of purple cars by professional smugglers?
Simon
Pink is probably safe, unless you get an efficient customs officer looking for his big 147 break...
But yes, purple probably trumps it 🙂
Forgot to post as I was still trying to work out how to place a photo from what someone had added. What it gave me was unfettered access to my flickr account, so almost everything I have photographed that is wargame related over the last four or five years. Well the day is moving on and I have lots to do today.
Do you prefer preprinted grids Simon? The Geek Villain ones are lovely, albeit you have to cut them to size which feels like a waste. But if you just resign yourself to the fact you want a specific size and you cut your cloth accordingly 😂
I do prefer pre-printed grids, Sean, on thin, foldable material (not the neoprene mats, as they take up more space).
The ones I have are great but, without wishing to open the long-simmering debate, are hard to get more of at a reliable quality.
Simon
I will second Sean in saying that the Geek Villain mats are worth the extra effort to mark out and cut. The off cuts can be made into a coat of many colours??
martin :)
Off cuts work well as templates too, especially for woods and rough ground areas.
My go to gridded mats are mostly from DeepCut in Lithuania. They will provide custom sizes and custom grids. But they are of course in that wonderful free market called the EU. Incidentally, Brexit has kicked off something of a wargaming revolution in continental Europe with the Dutch, Danes, French, Spanish, Germans, Poles, Romanians, Czechs, Italians and Belgians all getting in on the act. Most of my wargames purchases in the last 6 months have been in the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania. A significant marker is that the Crisis show in Antwerp is returning this year. Previously, Covid aside, the organising club said it was not worth their while to hold it as most British businesses could no longer afford to attend.
e
Its great to hear of that silver wargaming lining in the Brexit cloud, Andy!
Simon