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How do!

I’ll soon be in the market for a Proper Fancy Gaming Table. One of those with a lid for normal pedestrian usage, 6x4 (or there abouts) gaming area with all drawers and finglefangles and that. And ideally UK based because whilst I know this isn’t gonna be cheap? I’d rather not have to shell out for international shipping.

Any suggestions?

The exact same folding tables peddled for hundreds of monies by hobby companies can be found during picnic season at any big discounter (Aldi, Lidl, whatever you have up north) or at worst at home improvement stores.

EDIT: Oh you mean like a Sultan? Sorry, the pedestrian bit had me thinking you wanted a folding table.

Googling "gaming table uk" gives plenty of hits tho.

Yeah, something like a Sultan. But I’m not sure they’re going anymore?

Yes that was Geek Chic and they ded.

There's this place tho?
https://naturaltwentytables.co.uk/

Yeah that looks pretty good!

No point salivating too hard right now, as whilst there is a property that’s caught my eye, I of course need to wait until I’ve bought, then I’ll have an idea of what sort of space I have to play with.

This may be obvious, but remember you need a lot of extra space to fit a 6x4 table into. Once you account for chairs, furniture and just having enough space to actually move around, the size of room you need for a table that big is always a lot more than you think.

House I’m basing my likely purchase on has a dining room, 10’ wide.

Which sounds plenty, but of course with at least 4’ wide table? That’s just 3’ of clearance.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
House I’m basing my likely purchase on has a dining room, 10’ wide.

Which sounds plenty, but of course with at least 4’ wide table? That’s just 3’ of clearance.

Exactly. Add in chairs on either side, and probably some shelves or other storage at one end of the room too and it can suddenly make everything look very small. I think that size of room is likely OK, but I've seen a lot of very large rooms suddenly shrink to nothing after just a few choice pieces of furniture.

It also depends if this is going to be used as a dining room, or purely as a games room? If the latter then a lack of space around the table may not matter too much.

Probs mainly gaming, but also dining (hence wanting the cover).

It does of course help GW downsized their recommended table size to standard family dining table. Sure it means a dinky deployment zone, but space is space and can’t be changed as readily as rules!

Just an FYI - the standard GW board is not a standard dining table size. We were looking for a dining table around the time GW changed it and I measured every one we looked at just to check. They were all too narrow. I suppose there is a chance there are some out there that are the right size, but I didn't find any. The change in board size is entirely down to what fits in one of their bog boxes (or multiples thereof).

One of my friends got a Geeknson one in the UK and he seems really pleased with it

If you're looking at the kind of gaming table that has an interior recess for gaming on, and separate topper boards to lay on top to turn it into a dining table, don't forget to add in the dimensions of the outer rim.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Probs mainly gaming, but also dining (hence wanting the cover).

It does of course help GW downsized their recommended table size to standard family dining table. Sure it means a dinky deployment zone, but space is space and can’t be changed as readily as rules!

Don't forget that's only true for AoS and 40k. Specialist Games are still played on 6x4!

Honestly if you are looking for a gaming table your best bet isn't one of those companies that advertise their tables online.

A friend of mine got one by getting a local carpenter to build it with chairs and all. It was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper then any place else.

That's the way I went Commodus. Found it easier as made to specifications that I made so was exactly what I wanted plus it was much cheaper than specialist companies, more money left over to buy more toys.

Do you have a link? I’m not having any luck with Google.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
How do!

I’ll soon be in the market for a Proper Fancy Gaming Table. One of those with a lid for normal pedestrian usage, 6x4 (or there abouts) gaming area with all drawers and finglefangles and that. And ideally UK based because whilst I know this isn’t gonna be cheap? I’d rather not have to shell out for international shipping.

Any suggestions?

You're probably best off looking for local artisan furniture makers and getting quotes from them - if they're any good they shouldn't have any issue with the concept, and they won't be slapping a premium on top for having the word "gaming" in the product description. The end result will likely be higher quality as well.

Get the chairs you plan to use, then get a measurement of the combined height with you sat down on it and make sure whatever table you go for let you get your legs underneath

i've seen some that aren't ideal as the recessed gaming section has apparently just been added under a 'standard' table design without much though about how much space it's taking up

Another thing to consider is how accessorised they are. Sometimes really complicated looking tables with loads of bits to them can be a hindrance rather than a boon because in the end the accessories end up taking too long to steup; get in the way; take up too much storage or a bunch of other issues. They might even just not be a style that works for you.

Sometimes simple works better than complicated unless its something of your own design for your own needs.

Also consider height of things. A table that has a recess can sound neat, but how much stuff do you need to fit under there? A standard boardgame might be pretty easy and doesn't have to go too deep; but a wargame or even DnD can have some fairly large models and terrain - suddenly you'd need quite a bit of depth to store that and that's going to get really annoying if you've got to lean in over a big recess. Not to mention the more you recess the more chance you'll spill a drink over the edge of the recess into the playpit.

It might be easier to have a regular table that has parts you can attach to the outside. Stack or move the chairs out of the way and stand around the game table and use the extra space getting the chairs aside to have some additional parts on the rim of the table for dice/cards and whatever. Also consider height - a lot of eating tables are actually very low and that means a LOT of bending over when playing or constantly sitting down and standing up. A simple option to raise the table higher could be a godsend in making it a lot easier to play standing and not have to be stooping all evening.

I don’t think I’d ever be in a position where during HH or Epic I’d be looking to preserve the board overnight.

But, the sunken playing area may present handy, additional storage for most of my terrain, even if I need to lay it on its side.

Not terribly keen on cup holders and other sticky out bits overall. Nowt wrong with a coaster and not being a Clumsy Git. Plus I’ll also be getting a Pupper at some point, and don’t need the resulting goblin having things to chew on!

I went topper in the end. Got a poker style felt folding topper on top of an extendable IKEA table with a bunch of draws.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I don’t think I’d ever be in a position where during HH or Epic I’d be looking to preserve the board overnight.

But, the sunken playing area may present handy, additional storage for most of my terrain, even if I need to lay it on its side.

Not terribly keen on cup holders and other sticky out bits overall. Nowt wrong with a coaster and not being a Clumsy Git. Plus I’ll also be getting a Pupper at some point, and don’t need the resulting goblin having things to chew on!

See my thinking is if there's enough room to make a decent sized gap underneath the table for storage; isn't it easier to have draws or boxes on rollers underneath the table that you just slide out when you want to get access. When you've got to lean over the edge of a table to reach down into a container, the depth of that container goes down because of the angles involved (even more so if you're of a larger build width wise). Of course storage underneath depends a lot on the legroom you've got. Though you have to have some pretty decent legroom for an recess anyway unless its going to bump people's knees

Honestly, I would just google for some small business that could make it on order. You would end up having 100% what you want, for what you would pay to a large brand

If we're talking functionality, a sunken play area is a nightmare for checking LOS.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
If we're talking functionality, a sunken play area is a nightmare for checking LOS.

I think MDG is looking for a sunken area mainly for terrain storage, not for playing actual wargames in. The sunken areas in most gaming tables I've seen are actually very shallow, so I don't think they'd work for that. You could probably store all your scatter terrain and maybe a bunch of one-storey ruins. They're designed to allow you to keep a boardgame set up underneath the tabletop so they need to be shallow enough to access. I think the problem you'll run into if you make it bigger is that it eats into legroom under the table.

I agree that if you want the table to also serve as a dining table, it is better not to have under-table storage deep enough to hold terrain pieces.

Frankly, you will probably be better served by having a normal dining table and wall shelving units holding the terrain for storage. Dining tables with slotted or folding extensions are also an option if you want a smaller table for everyday use that can be expanded for playing games on.

Wee lasers can be used for LoS. It’s mostly to make the best use of available space. Having a larger than usual dining table, for me, is preferable to having a standard one and a separate topper I’d need to store somewhere else.

In terms of space, I’m looking at buying a Victorian/Edwardian “two up two down” type, albeit with extra rooms since added.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Wee lasers can be used for LoS. It’s mostly to make the best use of available space. Having a larger than usual dining table, for me, is preferable to having a standard one and a separate topper I’d need to store somewhere else.

In terms of space, I’m looking at buying a Victorian/Edwardian “two up two down” type, albeit with extra rooms since added.

The trouble is that a dining table has to accommodate people's legs sittting around it. Plus you need to accommodate different heights. You are tall, so the table height needed for you to comfortably fit your knees under the table when it has a storage box dangling down from it would be substantial. That may put the surface of the table uncomfortably high for shorter guests.

That's why seat cushions were invented

I'll also note that a gaming table, esp for wargames, wants to be higher anyway. A table that can rise up and down - up for games down for eating; would be superior IMO to one with a recessed middle for storage.

Sometimes a game just needs you to be mobile and not having to bend over all evening for 4-6 hours is a BIG boon

 Overread wrote:
That's why seat cushions were invented

I'll also note that a gaming table, esp for wargames, wants to be higher anyway. A table that can rise up and down - up for games down for eating; would be superior IMO to one with a recessed middle for storage.

Sometimes a game just needs you to be mobile and not having to bend over all evening for 4-6 hours is a BIG boon

If you are gonna perch shorter folk on a seat cushion, you need footstools too or its going to get uncomfortable...

A table with adjustable height somewhat alleviates the issues, but ultimately if you have storage of even 8"-12" depth the table will be less functional as a dining table. It is the trade-off of combining different functions.

A dining table with extendable sides (and adjustable height if really swanky) would be more practical, especially as wall mounted storage can be put above head height and still have enough room for terrain. MDG mentioned Victorian/Edwardian housing, those typically have high ceilings.