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 casvalremdeikun wrote:
What does $165NZ translate to for US prices? It definitely looks nice (though 4x4 is stupid size). If they make a 6x4 variant, I might pick it up.

About US$120.

http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=165&From=NZD&To=USD

 BrookM wrote:
Checking the site and doing price comparison, it would be the same price as a Start Collecting! boxed set.

Ah, so $85 USD. Not terrible, but still overpriced. I can get a FAT mat for only a little more and it is 6x4 (yay rhyming!). Still, it does look like it is constructed very well, and the image is pretty cool.

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
Still, it does look like it is constructed very well, and the image is pretty cool.

Personally. I think the image is its weakest factor. How many times are you going to want to run a scenario on a bridge over lava?

If they bring out some more down the way, with less extreme settings, I might be interested.

Its a bridge/road with mud either side. The mud has tyre tracks and areas of standing water with a reflection of the sky in it.

Stormonu wrote:Another swing and a miss by GW. They come so close, just to not quite get it right.

Maybe they should be doing market research to see what people want?

That Battlemat is pretty poor. That price for a 4x4?

The picture on it is stunning ! However, it would have been better without this specific setting, I agree.

I can't seem to find the box set through the UK store, anyone else found it?

Should go up in half an hour

Yeah, I pretty much agree with what other people have said about the mat. I'm sort of in the market for a mat at the moment but I want something as neutral (in colour and layout) as possible that I can pile my scenery on top of in whatever configuration I fancy. The GW one's too bright/specific for these purposes. Personally, I feel like with mats, texture but no objects that ought to be three-dimensional is the way to go.

The most exciting thing about GW bringing in mats is hopefully we'll no longer have to play on wobbly RoB boards in the GW store.

For home use, my 2 from gamemat.eu are amazing.

 Bottle wrote:
The most exciting thing about GW bringing in mats is hopefully we'll no longer have to play on wobbly RoB boards in the GW store.

For home use, my 2 from gamemat.eu are amazing.

I've played on the plastic boards a couple of times. Not really keen on them as a playing surface.

Those gamemat ones look pretty good! In fact, the wastelands one might be exactly what I'm after.

If you're into various small model count skirmish games, or RPGs, then a battlemat like this is an excellent addition to your collection.

Granted, the design is not everybody's taste, but look at the flipside:

I'm happy to make my own terrain, and other people are happy to splash out lots of money on terrain.

But if you have neither the time or the skill to make terrain, or the money to buy some of these more expensive plastic ready made terrain pieces, then a battle mat is a good niche product.

I'm also a fan of this kind of materiel and or approach in general, because my dreadfleet gaming mat is still going strong.

Personally. I think the image is its weakest factor. How many times are you going to want to run a scenario on a bridge over lava?

Couldnt agree more. Theres something to be said for a more generic terrain map, that you can build your own scenery themes on.

From the top of my head, I can think of a number of scenarios for using that battlemat:

1) A duel between two or more characters a la Star Wars

2) The bridge being the only escape route in a scenario, and you're holding off the enemy forces for as long as possible, so the refugees can escape or something

3) Destroying the bridge to prevent an enemy escaping

4) A rescue mission: somebody fell of the bridge, landed on a piece on concrete that is slowly sinking into the lava, and you've got 6 turns to recue them or something...and the enemy is attacking...

Use a bit of imagination here


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EDIT:

Having had a look at a proper photo of the mat, complete with models, It looks better than I thought. Not perfect, but definetly 3.5/5.

The lava adds an extra element of rolling on a dangerous terrain table or something. Perfect for spicing up small skirmish games.

Could find a use for this when playing ME.

The scenarios arent the problem, all of them sound cool. The problem is after running said scenarios a few times, they are going to get old real fast :(

*sigh* It isn't lava. It is reddish colored mud. You can see the tire/tank tread marks in it.

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
*sigh* It isn't lava. It is reddish colored mud. You can see the tire/tank tread marks in it.

It could pass for lava. Imagination is always a vital element for the hobby

And correct me If I'm wrong, but can't Landraiders handle lava? The fluff says they can handle anything else.

I haven't got a problem with the price, as from a discounter it would end up cheaper than something from Urbanmatz or similar. I do however find it inexplicable that a 40K mat hasn't been produced in the standard size for a 40k game. Mats can be folded over, or a section ruled off for smaller games. In addition it is far too game/scenario specific for me to buy for the sci-fi games I play [Infinity and Necromunda], which seems like a missed opportunity to sell to non-GW fans.

 tyrannosaurus wrote:
I haven't got a problem with the price, as from a discounter it would end up cheaper than something from Urbanmatz or similar. I do however find it inexplicable that a 40K mat hasn't been produced in the standard size for a 40k game. Mats can be folded over, or a section ruled off for smaller games. In addition it is far too game/scenario specific for me to buy for the sci-fi games I play [Infinity and Necromunda], which seems like a missed opportunity to sell to non-GW fans.

4x4 is perfect for kill team games, and seeing as kill team is not long out, it makes sense from GW's point of view.

And as I and many others have said, you could use it for other sci-fi skirmish games, of which they are many.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
*sigh* It isn't lava. It is reddish colored mud. You can see the tire/tank tread marks in it.

It could pass for lava. Imagination is always a vital element for the hobby

And correct me If I'm wrong, but can't Landraiders handle lava? The fluff says they can handle anything else.

They very well can, but molten lava wouldn't have tank tracks in it.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:


4x4 is perfect for kill team games, and seeing as kill team is not long out, it makes sense from GW's point of view.

And as I and many others have said, you could use it for other sci-fi skirmish games, of which they are many.

I wouldn't use this for Infinity [doesn't fit the aesthetic] or Necromunda [doesn't fit the underground nature of the game]. Also, 6x4 mats can be folded or ruled off for smaller than standard games. I just find it very strange that a company would produce a game specific mat in the wrong size for standard games.

Well for a start, it's the right size for kill team, nothing odd about that. And who knows, they might be releasing a 6x4 one next month.

 tyrannosaurus wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:


4x4 is perfect for kill team games, and seeing as kill team is not long out, it makes sense from GW's point of view.

And as I and many others have said, you could use it for other sci-fi skirmish games, of which they are many.

I wouldn't use this for Infinity [doesn't fit the aesthetic] or Necromunda [doesn't fit the underground nature of the game]. Also, 6x4 mats can be folded or ruled off for smaller than standard games. I just find it very strange that a company would produce a game specific mat in the wrong size for standard games.

I'm usually the first to criticize GW's strange decisions, but I'm in a charitable mood this morning, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Perhaps we're getting the other half of the mat sometime in the future?

It might make sense then. Yes, I know it's all speculation on my part.


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 casvalremdeikun wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
*sigh* It isn't lava. It is reddish colored mud. You can see the tire/tank tread marks in it.

It could pass for lava. Imagination is always a vital element for the hobby

And correct me If I'm wrong, but can't Landraiders handle lava? The fluff says they can handle anything else.

They very well can, but molten lava wouldn't have tank tracks in it.

Good point. I hate it when people are awkward

My solution: roll a D6 for it or something


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 General Kroll wrote:
Well for a start, it's the right size for kill team, nothing odd about that. And who knows, they might be releasing a 6x4 one next month.

Could be a strategy. A print on demand service with 10 battle scenes to choose from or something. Who knows?

It's all very well saying a "standard" game of 40K is on a 6x4' table, but 1. there's no mention of this in the actual rulebook, it's just an unofficial convention; 2. more people probably have a 4x4' area they can devote to gaming than a 6x4' one. Also, neoprene doesn't fold very well. Obviously, they've got to pick a size and they're not going to be able to cater to everyone with a single product, but somebody clearly decided they're more likely to sell more 4x4' mats than 6x4' ones. "GW not catering specifically to a certain segment of their market" doesn't necessarily equate to "GW are run by monkeys who will always make the worst possible business decision". Who knows, maybe they're testing the waters and there'll be different sizes down the line?

I saw the Battlemat this morning. It's pretty naff to put it frankly I think; the actual design looks really weird and tacky, and like many have said previously, its size has left much to be desired.

Your £50 would be better spent on an SC set, or 2 Bastions if you want some scenery.

The price for the mat seems in line with the other major sellers. Frontline is $75 for a 4x4, isn't available at 20% off and has high shipping.

I'm good with the price. I'm looking forward to seeing the entire line which I'm sure is coming. This one does match their bases they produced so that's a plus too.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
That Battlemat is pretty poor. That price for a 4x4?

The price is even more hilarious on the bundle with the mat, a couple of pipes and some shipping containers.

This is probaby a follow up release of the 40k Killteam boxed game last month. It fits that mode well and allows for some easy set up matches on a living room table. After a closer inspection of the texture last night the mat allows for several interpretations scenario-wise and we will find a good use for it. I consider painting city boards a lot of work and textured mats are the easiest way to get one game-ready. It is probably cheaper to print it on paper yourself, glue the sheets onto paper-card boards and then laminate everything. But getting a texture of this quality isnt easy, and printing not cheap. In the end this is more a matter of saving time or money. I cannot await unboxing videos to check the quality.

While I'm not convinced with this one if they will release more mats - with at least 4'x6' or a second mat, matching this city style - I will consider buying a set for a standard table. Same if GW would offer this 4'x4' mat in a bargain boxed set with other stuff like Death Masque did. This with some GSC miniatures, scenery and Imperial faction X, Killteam and 40k rulebooks plus some additional scenarios would probably sell well.

There are many manufactures though who offer good city mats and they go for about 80-90 EUR including shipping.

Currently I hope this will turn out to be a financial success for GW as I think there are some places in the 40k universe who would make for interesting game mats. Horus' Battle Barge, a Necromunda-like hive sewer, Necron tomb world, Ork Megagargant or Krooza interior, Imperial flyer hangar, Eldar Craftworld dome or the Webway to list a few ideas, which afaik have not been offered by other companies.

 insaniak wrote:
The price is even more hilarious on the bundle with the mat, a couple of pipes and some shipping containers.

They are very nice pipes and shipping containers though - I've found all GW terrain looks underwhelming online, but much more impressive and larger in person.

I also get my GW stuff at 20% discount, so the prices are a little more appealing to me.