Is this the end of terrain tiles?

[Stewart 46A]

Have you seen TSS are selling their terrain tiles, sale to include
  'Total System Scenic' and 'TSS' brand names
  Polystyrene and Styrofoam tile ranges
  Foam cutters,
  Flocking machine and cabinet
  Stocks of polystyrene and flocks.
  Copy of website with email address and listed ranges.

Is this the end of terrain tiles?

[Radar]

Strangely Sally 4th appear to be expanding their Terra Blocks range. Which if you don't know about them they are MDF boxes (for want of a better description) which the purchaser puts their own foam and flock on.

[Mike6t3]

They are selling TSS as a going concern. I read that the current owners have suffered a combination of Health and Personal issues, so I imagine that is the motive.

[Leslie BT]

Are they getting near to retirement?

[martin goddard]

Tiles had a really good run in the 90s.
Now i  would rather buy  some betamax machines.
Tiles are big, delicate and hard to post.
No thanks.

[shedman]

When doing historical refights I find that bespoke tiles are invaluable as the placement of terrain is very important

I did get TSS to make me the terrain tiles for the battle of Magenta in 1859 using the map from the Bloody Big Battles ruleset

Without the tiles it would probably take 1.5 to 2 hours to set up the plateau, the canl & the roads - with the tiles about 20 minutes to put out the villages and the trees

[Colonel Kilgore]

shedman, that's a really good point.

I think too that placing "modular terrain" in this case (and similar instances) wouldn't have given quite such a good effect - either - that's a great-looking table!

Bruce Weigle's (and there are no doubt many others) take on this approach for exhibition games also gives fantastic-looking results:

https://wargamecampaign.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/bruces-terrain/

[martin goddard]

That table does indeed look splendid. Good use of tiles.
I remember the days when there would be two traders selling tiles at major shows. In fact the TSS stand was high as well as wide.
Not seen tiles at shows for many years.  I see lots of mats at shows now.  On tables and with traders.


I use scenery for shorter games and need to get it all set up in 15minutes .
I think terrain tiles have lost out to printed mats.i have a large collection of 2x2 (about 30) and 1x1 (about 50) tiles but find them inconvenient.  They are all in excellent condition.  Generic in terms of roads, rivers and other aspects.

I can do packs of 10  "1 foot" tiles for £18. Too big/delicate to post ,so would hand them over at a show or club meet?
Anyone here, in the market for them?  That is the acid test?

[Leman (Andy)]

I agree that printed mats are an advance on tiles. Mine all have various sized square grids printed on them for ease of terrain placement as much as game mechanics. I particularly like Bruce Weigle's 1871 rules and had a generic mat printed with an 8" grid to fit a 6'x4' table. As my figures are on narrower bases than Bruce's I use these squares as stand in 1' squares and a reduced size ruler. It enables me to get many of his large scenarios onto a 6'x4' table.



Not an 1871 game, but a Grant and Asquith scenario (designed for a 7'x5' table). One of the custom 'reduced inch' rulers is just visible at the bottom of the photo. This is the mat I will be using for Square Bashing with my 15mm figures on their big bases.

[NTM (Nigel)]

Just to let you all k ow TSS now back under new ownership

http://totalsystemscenic.com

[martin goddard]

I wish them luck!

[steve_holmes_11]

Those Kallistra chaps seem to still be bigging up their hexagonal terrain.

I can see the advantage of mats.
Foam is bulky, delicate and the bigger blocks offer limited configurations.

On the other hand, it was one of the best alternatives at its time.

Hey - who remembers sand tables?

[The Bane]

<snipped>
Hey - who remembers sand tables?

Oh boy I sure do. They were quite prevalent back when I was in the military (showing my age). Saw some mighty elaborate ones. Then bigger seemed to become better and I saw what I considered sand tables become a thing of the past and balloon into things as large as fields... well, no matter. Reflections of a prematurely old man. LOL

Best,
TB

[Leslie BT]

Sand tables, brilliant.  Especially when they were modeled and painted as well.

[martin goddard]

Sand tables ; groan. That's the sound of the floorboards!