I'm enjoying another Advent Calendar and hope you are.
I found Rich's thoughts on table edges really interesting and thought I'd add three comments to the conversation we're invited to have.
1. There have been a few wargames with a "rolling table" where one edge - usually the one behind the defender/in front of the attacker is added to the table as that behind the attacker becomes redundant. A great idea but not easy to do and the table only rolls 'one way'. If it started to roll off to the flank I'd get seasick!
2. Nearly all tables are oblong and games are either across the table or down the length of it. Three houses ago I had a square [6'x6'] table and that really posed a challenge to some players thinking. It also allowed corner to corner deployment with the middle of the table being the widest point when flanks could be in the air.
Square tables seem to be the norm for smaller games. Does anyone use a round dining table without pretending it's square? What about a triangular table where you're the persians and the Spartans are just defending the pointy bit. Christmas star shape anyone? Probably not.
3. Smaller games-tables [or rather game areas], for those with the space, tend to provide room for all the clutter of the rules, dice, coffee etc. What if instead we use it as an opportunity on a small scale to see what happens when the table edges disappear. Take Sid's proposed 18" square table. If the gaming space is the central 18" but the town is modelled on something much larger -say 4' square - the action can spill off grid and we can work out "so how does that work?". This experiment of course works with skirmishes but I think Rich had in mind -what happens to a whole army with open flanks and large rear areas etc? {What if in Sharp Practice you had a water cart but it was two tables away?]
4. Sorry I know I said three. When I envisioned what Rich was talking about I thought of the areas off table as being devoid of troops. What if that's not the case. Imagine playing Chain off Command and when you get pushed left or right of your assigned sector you find yourself in an ajoining unit's sector and they are even busier than you were because they are under a full scale tank attack. Suddenly getting back onto your own 'table' seems a lot more inviting than staying off table in that sector.
Thanks for the Calendar thoughts.
Merry Christmas to all here
Stephen [Duke of Baylen]
