Bloody Big Battles! on a tablecloth

 

A replay of the Bloody Big Battles! Vimeiro scenario gave me the opportunity to test the disposable tabelcloth approach to terrain. I thought I was buying paper tablecloths but they turned out to be plastic and semi-transparent. This actually turned out to be an advantage.

By placing the tablecloth over the printout of the scenario map, I was able to see exactly where the river, streams and roads were and to easily replicate their courses with masking tape. I didn't need to grid the tablecloth or draw on it, though I did choose to outline the hills with an indelible OHP pen to give them a distinct edge. This will be especially useful with multiple-level gradients.

Before applying the tape, I had stapled the tablecloth to the printout along one side to anchor it in place. On the night I just had to unfold the whole thing and everything was in place except the hills. 

Printout, felt hill and peeled-back roads layer.

I then peeled back the cloth, placed my pieces of felt onto the printout for the hills, and then put the tablecloth layer back with the roads etc neatly running over the top of everything. The terrain was completed with felt for the sea and village templates, and 3D buildings and bridges.

Thanks to the full-size printout, it was quick, accurate and easy both to produce the tablecloth layer in advance and to lay the hills on the night. Set-up time immediately before the game was reduced from 50 minutes to probably less than 20. 

This approach works well for me. The aesthetics could be better, but they could also be a lot worse! Of course, it increases the amount of pre-game preparation, but I should be able to cope with this if I limit new battles to one a month.