What size tables do you use?

[Gallahad]

I'm curious what size tables most of you use when you play.
In my experience smaller tables (like a 4x4) tends to benefit elite armies like the NW because they can use the edge of the table to effectively guard their flanks.
Larger tables likely benefit FreeFolk horde armies since they usually outnumber and can get deploy wide enough to threaten a flank.

I personally prefer a larger table, because I find it makes deployment more interesting since you actually have a choice where a unit goes.

What are your thoughts?

 

[AutumnLeaves]

We pretty much exclusively use a 4x4, mostly 'cos it's easier to find space, and a 6x4 feels kinda empty.
I think FF are fine on a 4x4 at up to 40 points, but if we played larger games I might try to play on a 6x4.

 

[AlxRaven]

I’m lucky enough to own a 6x4 game mat, along with a table that can support it.

While I use the mat every time, we don’t always play with the full surface available. It’s been a pretty even mix of the full table for large point values and/or more than two players. 4x4 for smaller battles. And even sharing of the mat to have two battles going on at once on a 3x4 space.

 

[Gallahad]

I’m lucky enough to own a 6x4 game mat, along with a table that can support it.

While I use the mat every time, we don’t always play with the full surface available. It’s been a pretty even mix of the full table for large point values and/or more than two players. 4x4 for smaller battles. And even sharing of the mat to have two battles going on at once on a 3x4 space.

Do you find table size influences the games tactics or army play styles? As a Free Folk played I wouldn't be able to even deploy my army on a three point table

 

[stonehorse]

So far all my games have been 40pts, so played on a 4'x4' table. Sometimes it is hard to fit all the Freefolk on that size, especially missions that have a 6" deployment zone.

Looking forward to being able to do bigger games and play on a 6'x4' table, think that will add some very nice tactical options, allows faster units to not get hemmed in

 

[AlxRaven]

I definitely find that it influences both the tactics and the play styles. Even army size is a factor. Either in deciding what size field, or based on what field we are restricted to (in the case of having to share). I wouldn’t ever go above 30pts in anything where two people are sharing a 6’ side, whether that be 2 battles, or a 4 player battle. And, to me, 50pts starts to get kinda cramped on a 4x4 field.

We’ve had times where it’s been crowded enough that units have wasted activations because there was no where they could go, unless they wanted to back up. It even became a strategy to try and create that for the other player.

The other thing I do, if I feel it’s going to be cramped, is look at the units I plan on including in my army a bit differently. Suddenly that higher cost unit doesn’t look so bad. Or that extra NCU. Usually it’s a nice ranged unit that can hang back out of the way.

 

[Oakwolf]

We keep it to 40pts and 4'x4' seemed to be the best as otherwise we've figured that cavalry is too good dominant on a 6'x4' one.

No problems with Free Folk either.

 

[AlxRaven]

I haven’t played mine yet, but I think the Stone Throwers would benefit greatly from a larger field. Deploy them last, burying them deep in whatever corner puts them the furthest from opponents units, especially the mobile ones.

 

[stonehorse]

I haven’t played mine yet, but I think the Stone Throwers would benefit greatly from a larger field. Deploy them last, burying them deep in whatever corner puts them the furthest from opponents units, especially the mobile ones.

That will work very well, just be careful against the Freefolk, Jarl can be good at shutting down isolated units in corners.

 

[AlxRaven]

Very true. Likewise, Outriders under the Blackfish could cause similar headaches. Both would need to be taken into account, if they were part of the opposing force. Tho I will say that holding the Outriders back has not had a high success rate for me. Can’t speak to Jarl, as I dont play Free Folk.

But that all come down to knowing your opponent, yourself, and the battlefield. The deployment choices you make on a 4x4 field could be very different from the ones you make on a 6x4 fields. Even with everything else (players, armies, terrain, scenario, etc...) the same.

 

[AnorexicShark]

4x4, anything bigger can risk going rounds wothout ever reaching one another. I played a FF / bara game on a 6x4 and we finally reached each other round 4 lol

 

[AlxRaven]

4x4, anything bigger can risk going rounds wothout ever reaching one another. I played a FF / bara game on a 6x4 and we finally reached each other round 4 lol

Did you deploy along the 4’ edge?

We always deploy along the 6’ edge. That way the distance to the opponent is the same, you just have more room to spread out.

 

[AnorexicShark]

one of us did which causes it, was with a new player and didnt want to helicopter parent them but was also lowkey like "this will be remembered"

 

[AlxRaven]

one of us did which causes it, was with a new player and didnt want to helicopter parent them but was also lowkey like "this will be remembered"

Please tell me they were playing Jon Snow... lol

 

[DevlinBrightblade]

Have been playing 50 point armies on a 6x4 always enough room, a smaller army would on that size would at risk of easily being flanked..

 

[Maelstrom74]

i play with my grandpa on his 8 ball pool table lol so we could easily do 4x6 longways down the table, but we just dont have enough time on our hands so usually keep it 4x4 which fits perfectly aha. never tried a bigger game but ive always wanted to. pa is FF im NW and we have all the current bolton army units so theres that as an alternate army.

 

[Maelstrom74]

how many activations do you have may i ask? pa plays FF and usually has about 8 not including NCUs

 

[AutumnLeaves]

how many activations do you have may i ask? pa plays FF and usually has about 8 not including NCUs

Imo FF should have 7 combat units at a minimum, preferably 8+

 

[Maelstrom74]

Imo FF should have 7 combat units at a minimum, preferably 8+

aha i meant to reply to gallahads message saying that they use the free folk lol, thanks though

im still getting used to how to talk on this site...

 

[UbmoB]

Hi, I bring up this topic again because we are having some arguing/debate in my playing group, and we have two stances:


- One group says that the rulebook specifies that the OFFICIAL and unmodifiable tables sizes are 4x4 (120x120cm) or 6x4 (180x120cm aprox). And the bigger size can only be used in 50pts or larger games


- The other group claims that the rulebook text is more "open" or "unclear", and that never links the Standard size that mentions for 4x4 tablesize with a Game size, so one could think of the standard game as for 30pts for instance, and that for larger games its even more relaxed since it puts "Players May Wish".
For instance this group have been playing 40 pts games on 5x4 with good results, specially if we talk about space for maneuverability of the units


Do you consider that the two tablesize mentioned are fixed to certain game sizes and that no other size its applicable? If so, what size do you think that goes for 20/30/50/larger?


Its considered a house rule/unnoficial mode to use a 5x4 tablesize for 50pts games?


Thanks for your feedback!