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Cardboard Carnage
Skirmisher
43 Posts
    
Montana
 | | 11/18/2008 7:13 PM |
| | I want to order a 1" grid battlemat, maybe 3' x 4' or so in size? (whatever is an common size I guess), a friend of mine a few years ago had one in an old gaming group of ours, and it had the ability to use markers on it to draw temporary walls, etc., and then wipe it off later, but he messed up what type of marker was supposed to be used on it, and it was essentially ruined after the first game.
So my question is, can anyone tell me if they know any place making decent mats (nice thick material that will last awhile) and also what is the difference with dry and wet erase and what works best?
Thanks!
D. | |
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D-Rock Roberts
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11113 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 11/18/2008 7:44 PM |
| I use the Chessex mats. Squares on one side, hexes on the other. They tend to be very sturdy and transport very well. The markers you want to use on Battlemats are the Markers used on those slide projectors used in schools. Do not use dry erase markers on most Battlemats, they will leave permenant marks.
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Pathetic Earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void - without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe - anything at all - you would have hidden from it in terror. | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
2045 Posts
Portland OR
| | 11/19/2008 8:01 AM |
| | Chessex is nice but expensive. I had an old hex one and as long as your temperature doesn't change too much you're fine. After about a year in storage it didn't work nearly as well. Definitely use wet erase and ask your local gaming store which ones work well with what mat. The Expo we erase ones don't work well in our experience. I recently bought a 3.5 by 4.5 squares map at my local gaming store that came with a set of markers for it for $23. I'll look up the brand and let you know how it lasts. | |
Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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Cardboard Carnage
Skirmisher
43 Posts
Montana
| | 11/19/2008 9:53 AM |
| | Thanks for the replies! I'll check out Chessix today. I have to go into town next week, I'll stop at Office Depot and look for some WET erase markers, that is good to know that the dry erase won't work as well and can leave behind marks.
Thanks,
D. | |
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D-Rock Roberts
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kestrel.ca
Underboss
1687 Posts
| | 11/19/2008 4:48 PM |
| | We've used a Chessex battle mat weekly for the last 3-4 years now (and I'm not sure how long before that as that was when the guy who owns it joined our group). We use Staedtler Lumocolor non-permanent pens which work pretty well. Our mat is about 2.5' by about 4'. It would be nice if it were a little larger, but generally it works well enough. | |
Completed Trades/Transactions: 94 || Bad Trades: 3 (Chaotic Good x2, MackeyV) | |
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Cardboard Carnage
Skirmisher
43 Posts
Montana
| | 11/19/2008 7:16 PM |
| Thanks for the info! I found a FLGS in a city I'll be visiting on Monday who had one of the large Chessex mats (the double sided ones with grid on one side and hex on the other) they've set it aside for me and I'll be picking it up, just in time for the start of our first official 4e D&D campaign... I'm looking forward to it, I'm a big time 1e player and have a few years of 3.5 under my belt, but after reading through a lot of the new 4e rules I have to say I can't wait!
D.
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D-Rock Roberts
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Auric
Warrior
219 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 11/19/2008 7:49 PM |
| | I have a Paizo one that is double-sided, squares on both sides, and I use wet-erase on them. It has directions on it that say it will work with dry-erase and even permanent if you use a wet paper towel and let it set for a little. But I just use Vis-a-vis wet erase markers and they work great. | |
Trade references: http://www.maxminis.com/Forums/tabid/104/forumid/53/postid/801085/view/topic/Default.aspx
Trades on WotC: vandyfry, hothie. Cyriss | |
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ares71
Sergeant
448 Posts
Central Illinois
| | 11/20/2008 9:17 AM |
| | One thing that removes dry erase from the battlemats is "GM Tar and Road Oil Remover", available at any GM Dealer. Careful though, it can take the printed squares (or hexes) off too. | |
Completed Trades: drowdude, brooklynknight, Xikilm, King CroMag, VultureDoodle, Captain Harlock, Cha0tic g0od x2, Stabmastaarson, Kritter, Son of Cyric, Shadow Lord, ckissee, cavedweller, Trilistria, LabMonkey, qillan_dvra, Lady-Bast, agcooper1, Dwarven Emperor + dozens more (newest in system) | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
2045 Posts
Portland OR
| | 11/23/2008 12:28 PM |
| | Vis a vis is the brand we've had most success with as well after the manufacturer ones dry up... | |
Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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Rochtun
Sneak
98 Posts
Beavercreek, Ohio
| | 11/24/2008 2:25 PM |
| It sounds like you're set, but I thought I'd post anyay.
I bought the Crystal Castle mat at our LGS and it works great. Squares on one side and honeycomb on the other. Wipes off nice also. I also got a four color set of markers at the same time. Red, Green, Blue and Black that work great. The markers are Staedtler Lumocolor non-permanent.
Dry erase does not work on them I found out at the game I was running on Saturday. I wasn't paying attention to the guy at the end and he was marking arrows on my mat and now I have five arrows pointing in different directions. I will try the suggestion from ares71 about the Tar and Road Oil remover. | | | |
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Cardboard Carnage
Skirmisher
43 Posts
Montana
| | 11/25/2008 7:35 PM |
| | Thanks for the added info, those are the same markers my FLGS recommended to me, and I also have the 4-pack, so that is good to know.
Please let me know how it goes with removing those arrows, my friends battlemat is ruined from the same thing, he still have it to use the hex side though, maybe there is hope for him if it works.
D. | |
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D-Rock Roberts
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Rochtun
Sneak
98 Posts
Beavercreek, Ohio
| | 11/26/2008 6:35 PM |
| Here's an update on my mat situation. I found out the marker used to draw the little green arrows were Sanford Expo Bold Color Dry Erase. I started with household items to no avail. Dish soap did nothing. Rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) did nothing. Hydrogen Peroxide (I don't know why, I just saw it and thought "why not?") did nothing. My wife's finger nail polish remover (acetone) took some of it off. It's a little fainter now, but still there. The acetone also made the lines on the square leech a little, so I was afraid to continue to rub more acetone on t. I guess I'll go to the auto parts store and see if ares71's idea works with the tar and oil remover. | | | |
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Dordledum
Commander
3463 Posts
Netherlands
| | 12/05/2008 1:18 AM |
| I used wet-erase first, but that was a pain in the ass in sessions, with a sponge etc. Then switched to dry-erase, much better, but still took a lot of valuable game-time drawing and erasing.
Now I switched to flipover charts, 50 sheets per block, 25 mm squares, 26x40 squares per sheet. I can draw the entire encounter environment beforehand, just need to grab the correct sheet when the encounter starts. Saves a lot of valuable game-time.
D. | |
Member of the Bearded Devils
Champion of the Huge Spider (WotDQ 46/60), A New Umber Hulk (DoDe 57/60), and the Orog Fighter! | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
2045 Posts
Portland OR
| | 12/06/2008 1:35 PM |
| | Where do you find flipcharts with squares? I havn't seen them anywhere... | |
Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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Dordledum
Commander
3463 Posts
Netherlands
| | 12/08/2008 2:49 AM |
| Posted By Lord_rock on 12/06/2008 1:35 PM
Where do you find flipcharts with squares? I havn't seen them anywhere...
Maybe it's an European thing. Even the cheapest charts I've seen, have 1 inch squares on one side and are blanco on the other side. I ordered mine through my work, saving me a whole lot of money.
D.
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Member of the Bearded Devils
Champion of the Huge Spider (WotDQ 46/60), A New Umber Hulk (DoDe 57/60), and the Orog Fighter! | |
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11113 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 12/08/2008 10:09 AM |
| Posted By Lord_rock on 12/06/2008 1:35 PM
Where do you find flipcharts with squares? I havn't seen them anywhere...
The big office supply stores have 'em. Try Office Max or Staples.
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Pathetic Earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void - without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe - anything at all - you would have hidden from it in terror. | |
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Rochtun
Sneak
98 Posts
Beavercreek, Ohio
| | 12/10/2008 4:50 PM |
| | I'm back with an update. I finally remembered to get some tar remover like ares71 recommended. I have a Crystal Castle mat that didn't like the dry erase marker. I used Stoner Bug and Tarminator from our local auto parts store to try and remve the little green arrows. Just like ares71 said, it not only removed the arrows but also the lines on my mat. I tried to be careful, but the marker was used on or right next to the lines, so some of the lines are now gone. It's still better than having the green arrows I guess. I'll watch out for players marking my mat from now on. | | | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
2045 Posts
Portland OR
| | 12/12/2008 12:41 PM |
| | Staedelar(?) is also a great brand of wet erase for battlemats. | |
Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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Dordledum
Commander
3463 Posts
Netherlands
| | 12/15/2008 6:03 AM |
| Gotta be careful, Staedler (I think a German company) also has permanent markers which look very similar.
D. | |
Member of the Bearded Devils
Champion of the Huge Spider (WotDQ 46/60), A New Umber Hulk (DoDe 57/60), and the Orog Fighter! | |
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