Could table sizes be going up?

[Halandaar]

11 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

You said you grabbed it out of the garage or whatever.

that was your choice, one that I would have never made personally i didn’t have a large enough table

 

What point are you trying to make here? What difference does it make to you that I used to feel the need to use a 6x4 for games and now I don't? What you would personally do in the same situation is of absolutely no relevance to me.

 

Honestly sometimes it feels like you will pick an argument about literally anything. 

[Xenith]

People seem to be forgetting that the 5x3 was a "suggested minimum size" for a table. As usual, tourneys applied their own houserules and generally made tables a flat 5x3, or 60x44 whatever it was.

 

GW tuned the 9th ed missions for any size of table by measuring all points relative to the table centre. Thus, no matter how large the table, it could be 10ftx10ft, the objectives would always be the same distance from one another (excepting the missions where players can modify positions). A larger table allows other models to hang back, or tau gunlines to be at 36" away at all times, but they lose their agency on objectives, so yes, they can hang back and table the opponent, but will probably lose the game on VP. 

 

GW want to keep the game accessible, that's the whole point of 10th, so I don't see them going larger than the current kitchen table size. As ever, according to the rules, you can play 9th on whatever size of table you like, minimum 60x44, any other restriction, or only playing on those size tables is a houserule. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Xenith

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

11 hours ago, Xenith said:

People seem to be forgetting that the 5x3 was a "suggested minimum size" for a table. As usual, tourneys applied their own houserules and generally made tables a flat 5x3, or 60x44 whatever it was.

 

GW tuned the 9th ed missions for any size of table by measuring all points relative to the table centre. Thus, no matter how large the table, it could be 10ftx10ft, the objectives would always be the same distance from one another (excepting the missions where players can modify positions). A larger table allows other models to hang back, or tau gunlines to be at 36" away at all times, but they lose their agency on objectives, so yes, they can hang back and table the opponent, but will probably lose the game on VP. 

 

GW want to keep the game accessible, that's the whole point of 10th, so I don't see them going larger than the current kitchen table size. As ever, according to the rules, you can play 9th on whatever size of table you like, minimum 60x44, any other restriction, or only playing on those size tables is a houserule. 

'recommended' size is also how stores tend to set up their tables, so it goes back to the issue of people playing pick up games vs people with established gaming groups. in the former situation, what the current rules or rule books say matters very much, in the latter situation, it doesn't really matter at all.

[Sea Creature]

A lot of stores use masks to cover sections of older mats so there it doesn’t matter.

[Xenith]

14 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

'recommended' size is also how stores tend to set up their tables,

 

You're putting recomended in quotes, as if it's a quote - do you have a link? My rulebook says "minimum size". My local GW stores are still on 4x4 or 6x4 tables, same as their realms of battle White Dwarf battle reports are also on 6x4 or larger. Local hobby stores or tournaments that have switched only to 60x44 are free to do so, but to say it's recomended is a house-rule, and tourneys are specifically choosing the smaller tables, either through houserule, or miscomprehension. 

 

Either way, if it's the size that's been generally accepted, I don't see it changing. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Xenith

[WARMASTER_]

Not that much of a gamer but as it hasn’t been mentioned in the thread GW reduced the minimum gaming table size to accommodate for the fact that most people simply can’t for or don’t have a 6x4 table in their home [at least in the UK where the game is based] so they looked at the most common sized dining table sold and balanced up from that so no I really can’t see them moving back up after one edition 

[Marshal Rohr]

I never actually saw table sizes go down in 8th and 9th. 

[Emperor Ming]

I hope not, everyone I know got new mats

[Bung]

4 hours ago, KrakenBorn said:

Tournaments use the recommend sizes, the majority of the community use recommended sizes; if I or any of my friends turned up for a pick up game against a random who wanted to use 6x4 I know they would just say "Nah".

 

 

Maybe you should say the community youknow that only plays GW Games.

 

Most stores and people i know didnt saw off parts of their gaming tables / boards.

A lot of other games stuck to the 4x4 and 6x4 table sizes, so most didnt change.

It was / is way more convinient just to mark a smaller gaming area.

Like using some Tamiya masking tape in a gaming mat.

But most people in the stores i know Just use the normal sizes the store offers for GW Games.

[Grotsmasha]

I have *never* played a game of 40k on a measured board, every game I've played has been on either a kitchen table, a pool table, or a ping pong table.

To walk away from a game because the play size doesn't match GWs recommended size is something I'd never considered.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Grotsmasha

[bigtrouble]

I love how many varied ways people have of playing. The tournament scene drives a lot of the conversation, and I do follow competitive pretty closely, but I don’t attend events, and currently only have one regular opponent, and we play about monthly. We agreed to the 60x44 because it’s easier to play on, though we both have 6x4 sized tables. It’s nice to have a little extra space for dice, drinks books, etc. 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

19 hours ago, Xenith said:

 

You're putting recomended in quotes, as if it's a quote - do you have a link? My rulebook says "minimum size". My local GW stores are still on 4x4 or 6x4 tables, same as their realms of battle White Dwarf battle reports are also on 6x4 or larger. Local hobby stores or tournaments that have switched only to 60x44 are free to do so, but to say it's recomended is a house-rule, and tourneys are specifically choosing the smaller tables, either through houserule, or miscomprehension. 

 

Either way, if it's the size that's been generally accepted, I don't see it changing. 

 

 

as long as the board size isn’t absolutely ridiculous most people will accept whatever size they put into the rule book.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Grotsmasha
Removes Off Topic tangent

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

54 minutes ago, Grotsmasha said:

I have *never* played a game of 40k on a measured board, every game I've played has been on either a kitchen table, a pool table, or a ping pong table.

To walk away from a game because the play size doesn't match GWs recommended size is something I'd never considered.

I agree it seems absolutely ridiculous to just say no because of table size, but 60x44 with terrain on it can make it a struggle to put an entire 2000 point army on the table for some factions depending on the list, then it gets even more difficult to hide most let alone all of that army in or behind terrain to prevent getting alpha struck if you don’t go first.

 

that’s been one of my biggest frustrations with my guard army at these current common sizes.

[Dusktiger]

As has been pointed out, i'm leaning to believing they'll stick to the current 60x44 size, because of the reason for why GW reduced the sizing.  Since it makes it easier to play on smaller kitchen tables, and gets the more 'codex adherent' players to begrudgingly agree to play on that smaller board size because they see the numbers in the BRB and go with it.  And there's nothing wrong with that mindset either; people see an actual specified number in the book, and stick to that for the sake of consistency and avoiding people accusing foul play by making the table an odd shape to get some sort of advantage for their specific faction; whether the advantage is real or just perceived due to being out-played by your opponent that game.

 

I also imagine they have a substantial stock of paper, hardboard, and neoprene mats in the new size they'd like to unload at MRSP first before they consider another board size change again.  When those taper off, that'd be the more telling indication of a change happening again; as that was sort of hinted at when the Realm of Battle sets became harder to find as well.

 

In my case, i had built a table for the 6x4 Realm of Battle tiles, with a shallow trim around the entire table that kept the tiles from sliding around back in 7th.  And while i've thought of possibly redoing the entire thing and making it 60x44, having that extra 12 inches off to one side to stage reinforcements, your kill pool, dice/dice towers, your rule books, etc, is so convenient that it's kept me from actually going through with the idea.

 

My own table now imitates the ones at my LGS, where those were all made back in 5th to be 8x4 for apocalypse games.  those are all played down to 60x44 and the excess is kept for placing all your gaming accessories somewhere off the playing area.  And the gaming group that funds and maintains the terrain and tables have 6 FATMATs or whatever the current name is for that brand, with masking tape marking off the new playing dimensions in case they ever want to upsize to 6x4 again.

[Grotsmasha]

=] Posts Removed, Stay on Board Sizes [=

Edited April 24, 2023 by Grotsmasha

[Helias_Tancred]

I'm partial to 6'x4' ;) .....

 

 

[Galron]

That would be awesome. I know in my area all tables are still 6x4 and we have to block off sections of board every time we play which them makes the board look cluttered. I much prefer the bigger board just of ease of set up. 60x44? What tavern were the designers drinking at when they came up with those weird numbers? Every other game out there(that I play) including HH2 uses 6x4. So a return to the former table size would be highly appreciated.

[Stitch5000]

42 minutes ago, Galron said:

 60x44? What tavern were the designers drinking at when they came up with those weird numbers? 

It's to do with box and master carton sizes and the ability to print on folding card boards. 

[Emperor Ming]

So table sizes staying as they are then

[Dusktiger]

yes, looks like the announcement of what the 3 game sizes, 1000, 2000, and 3000pts, the table size recommendations are now 60x44 for games up to 2000pts, and 90x44 for games 3000pts.

[Bash]

4 hours ago, Dusktiger said:

90x44 for games 3000pts.

 

Seen a few lads talking about this becoming the new 'standard' game size but I am still dubious of it. 

6x4 is the standard for yonks and it's what I play most games on. Works just fine for 2k point games to my experience and doesn't massively favour melee or shooting so far. The terrain you use (both amount and placement) has a way bigger impact on how fair it is for melee or shooting. TBH though I just use whatever game mat we have and start setting things up. The only issue I've had is playing on very small tables but since you typically only play smaller 1000pt games on them, it's less of an issue. 

[The Unseen]

6x4 with modern 40k is fine... until you run into either not enough terrain, or the deployment where your edges are the short one. The distance between the deployment zones stays the same, but you're a melee army trying to break a gunline, that extra 6" of deployment zone depth can make a really big difference. But GW won't be making the board sizes go up, not when the whole point of the smaller board sizes is being able to use the Killteam/Boarding Action cardboard combined to form a table.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

9 hours ago, Bash said:

 

Seen a few lads talking about this becoming the new 'standard' game size but I am still dubious of it. 

6x4 is the standard for yonks and it's what I play most games on. Works just fine for 2k point games to my experience and doesn't massively favour melee or shooting so far. The terrain you use (both amount and placement) has a way bigger impact on how fair it is for melee or shooting. TBH though I just use whatever game mat we have and start setting things up. The only issue I've had is playing on very small tables but since you typically only play smaller 1000pt games on them, it's less of an issue. 

I don’t think that 3k will become the new standard but I’ll probably try to use that table size when I play 2k games.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

10 hours ago, Bash said:

 

mod please delete this double post

Edited April 30, 2023 by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

8 hours ago, The Unseen said:

6x4 with modern 40k is fine... until you run into either not enough terrain, or the deployment where your edges are the short one. The distance between the deployment zones stays the same, but you're a melee army trying to break a gunline, that extra 6" of deployment zone depth can make a really big difference. But GW won't be making the board sizes go up, not when the whole point of the smaller board sizes is being able to use the Killteam/Boarding Action cardboard combined to form a table.

And when you’re playing a gun line against a melee army 6” fewer is a big deal as well.

 

amount of terrain on the table is a non-issue.

 

players agree before the game starts on terrain. At a shop, add more, if the opponent refuses don’t play them.

 

at home if the host doesn’t have enough purpose made terrain, ask your partner to bring some. 
If they can’t or refuse to, use books, boxes, cans, bottles etc to make up the difference like old school poor hammer days.