Although you use way less models than a typical game of 40k (or even probably Antares), because you're dealing primarily with ranged, futuristic shooting weapons, it really wouldn't have worked to dramatically reduce the ranges of the weapons (it would have felt pretty weird). Because of that, a 4x4' playing size is the minimum amount the rules are written to allow, and a 4x6' area is what is recommended for the best games.
I know its kind of a bummer for people looking for smaller table sizes than 40k, especially since so many skirmish games that aren't based around modern day or futuristic combat are on those types of boards, but you'll have to trust me when I say: to make a game based around shooting work on a smaller table, you just have to reduce weapon ranges. Since the scale of the models are still 28-32mm, reducing weapon ranges just feels bizarre, because what you'd consider 'standard' 40k ranges are already really short-ranged compared to the ranges of real-life modern day weapons.
The other option is to leave weapon ranges appropriately long, but force players to cram an absolute ton of terrain on the table (like Infinity). While I appreciate Infinity's mechanics and the feeling that the density of terrain provides, I think for most people it is harder to make/accrue tons of terrain pieces than it is to find space for a 4x6' table.
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