Star Wars: X-Wing

Started by Silent Disapproval Robot, July 12, 2015, 10:51:44 PM

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BanzaiCat

I decided I might next go for a star map of some kind, as playing on a table surface isn't much fun aesthetic-wise. I'm very disturbed, though, at how much these cost - upwards of $50 or more. I might try to make my own. I found this link, just in case it's something you're considering, too:

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2014/02/x-wing-diy-starfield-mat.html

Essentially you need a 3'x3' piece of black felt, some aluminum foil, white spray paint, bricks, and needles/thumbtacks/nails (something to poke holes in the aluminum). Probably about a $15 project if that much. Not quite the quality of a giant mouse pad, which I think most of these game maps are made to be, but this will be far and away better than a dining room table.

Silent Disapproval Robot

There are a couple of different playmats available for download at boardgamegeek.com  Check under the files sections for X-Wing and Armada.  You can throw the file on a flashdrive and take it to a local printshop and they'll print it out for you on a 3x3 sheet.

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/119370/star-wars-armada-playmat-1

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/106033/x-wing-playmats


BanzaiCat

Thanks SDR...I might do that. I'm also going to check some local fabric stores...some of them actually carry star-patterned cloth that might be great as a tablecloth to just throw over the table and play away. Lots of inexpensive options out there.

Bison

BC -  I found a 36X36 corkboard at Hobby Lobby for $20 (I still need to go back and buy it, but that's another story) and you can get felt black, blue, green, or whatever you want for a couple of bucks.  This is my plan.  A couple of tacks and I can change out the back ground.  Of course if you need a bigger space, I'm looking at you Armada then your out of luck with this option.

Silent Disapproval Robot

I broke my rule about only getting ships that appeared in the movies and bought the Most Wanted pack even though it came with two Z-95 miniatures as well as a Y-Wing.  I wanted another Y-Wing and ended up going for the pack because it came with some new ship stands and character and ship cards for Boba Fett/Firespray I as well adding in a new faction (scum).  I like that they included some non-aligned characters like Greedo and added smuggler/piratey type weapons and upgrades.  I don't like that a bunch of the stuff is for the Hawk-290 miniature which you have to buy separately from the pack.  (I ended up buying one of those as well....I suck).

Y-Wing (scum faction)



Z-95 Heathunter (scum faction)



Hawk



Greedo


BanzaiCat

Nice, SDR. That Hawk ship - I can't convince myself of whether it's sexy or ugly as sin. That Y-Wing looks great. I'm not sure about buying in to the Scum and Villainy wave yet or not.

I went ahead and splurged for the Tantive IV, Rebel Transport, and TIE Bomber. My 'me' purchases are done for now, especially considering my damned AC went out a few days ago and we've been sweating out our wait for a replacement coil for the damn unit. I wouldn't have bought them if I knew this was coming. :(

Regardless I'm excited to get these pieces. I'd like to get the E-Wing fighter and some more regular TIE fighters, but overall I think my collection will be relatively complete. The next thing I need to focus on is the play mat/cloth/fabric and then a storage case that will carry all this stuff. I have a Plano I'm using - one side for Star Trek Attack Wing and the other for Star Wars. No way all this other Star Wars stuff is going to fit in there, and I really want to protect this stuff, so I might go grab some foam and do some of my own molds to hold 'em.

BanzaiCat

Quote from: Bison on July 25, 2015, 10:20:28 AM
BC -  I found a 36X36 corkboard at Hobby Lobby for $20 (I still need to go back and buy it, but that's another story) and you can get felt black, blue, green, or whatever you want for a couple of bucks.  This is my plan.  A couple of tacks and I can change out the back ground.  Of course if you need a bigger space, I'm looking at you Armada then your out of luck with this option.

I thought about that too, but the more I consider this, if I can find the right fabric with a space background, I'll just buy it big enough to cover the table like a tablecloth. Might need to get my wife to sew two halves together to do it, but that would work for me, at least for now.

I'm going to avoid Armada for now. I'm well-vested in X-Wing Minis and don't need another version of crack.

GDS_Starfury

I found the weathering on the Falcon to be kinda heavy.  If I ever start buying these I see some repainting to be done.
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Nefaro


CSI has a sale on 3ft x 3ft battle mats right now (starfield ones), at $21.99 apiece.

I know that's the typical X-Wing sized ones.

http://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/215385

I use a pair of the regular black ones for gaming in general.  Been quite happy with them.   O0

BanzaiCat

I have to buy a storage case for all this crap before I even take some of my ships out of the packaging. Too many loose pieces and I don't want to risk anything breaking in a hard plastic case like the Plano that I currently have. So I gotta wait a little while.

The Tantive IV is disappointing to an extent. Beautiful model, awesome 'epic' ship, but it doesn't sit right on the stands. Most of the weight is at the back of the model so the front doesn't sit flush to the surface; it's imbalanced. I'll have to figure out how to rectify this, because it's annoying. I'm also annoyed I didn't see one mention of this in any Tantive IV reviews.

LongBlade

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on August 12, 2015, 06:41:47 AM
I have to buy a storage case for all this crap before I even take some of my ships out of the packaging. Too many loose pieces and I don't want to risk anything breaking in a hard plastic case like the Plano that I currently have. So I gotta wait a little while.

Before you go out and spend a bucketload on new cases try this for your planos: get some of that spongy material used to line cabinets for dinnerware and such.

http://www.amazon.com/Con-Tact-Premium-Non-Adhesive-Non-Slip-12-Inches/dp/B001AH8PLI/

Trim it to fit the top and bottom of the case. Sides, too, if you're really OCD. If you're really serious spray some contact glue on the plano before you put it down so it will stick.

That should protect your minis and save you a few bucks on cases.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

BanzaiCat

#42
Interesting, LB, thanks. I was actually thinking of getting some foam (3" packing foam, I think it is) from Home Depot to cut the shapes for each ship. Though the Plano I have isn't big enough to hold the Tantive or the Rebel Transport, or the Decimator.

I was looking at the Feldherr cases on Amazon; though the one I want is about $70, it could hold everything I own.

http://tinyurl.com/qc2vojv

Well, everything but the Decimator.

I found out a local hobby store does X-Wing minis gaming once a week and does tourneys once a month. I want to start getting into that, but not until I get my logistics/packing settled with this stuff.

The b-day is next week, maybe my wife will let me keep my acting check I'm getting for my current gig and spend some of it on myself, LOL.

If I can find the right materials I'd rather do it myself, though.

(By the way, the TIE Phantom kicks all kinds of ass.)


mirth

lalalalalalala! Not looking! Not reading! Not buying!
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BanzaiCat

The Phantom isn't that expensive, but it's a badass little fighter. Watch the video, mirth! WATCH EEEET

The Decimator is all kinds of awesome, like a flying mailed fist that can shoot anything in a 360-degree arc.

The Tantive IV is pretty cool, though the aforementioned mounting issue is annoying. I doubt I'll get either the Decimator or Tantive IV to the table, as the local shop doesn't do battles with epic ships, though I might find someone willing to go up against either, who knows.

I very much identify with SDR's posted cartoon...shit, I have too much of this stuff to just sit around and not play it.