# Transparent Battle Mats?



## jaerdaph (Nov 5, 2003)

Does anyone know of a company that makes transparent battle maps (1" grid)? Something that you can lay maps underneath?

Thanks in advance


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## francisca (Nov 5, 2003)

Chessex lists a "crystal" battlemat with 16mm hexes, no squares though.  
Click here


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## Nylanfs (Nov 5, 2003)

Actually I had an idea that is similar. At my work we use a LOT of a thick clear vinyl. I'm going to get a hobby knife and a compass and make a bunch of area effect clear templates so we can just lay them down and easily see who's affected.


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## Dimwhit (Nov 5, 2003)

jaerdaph said:
			
		

> Does anyone know of a company that makes transparent battle maps (1" grid)? Something that you can lay maps underneath?
> 
> Thanks in advance



That's something that probably wouldn't be worth the money. You could make one fairly easily. Just go pick up a roll of clear plastic covering (similar material you'd find on one of those small report binders with a clear front). Get a permanent market and a yard stick and you're in business!

That would be quite a convenient thing to have.


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## jaerdaph (Nov 5, 2003)

You know, since most of my maps have grids anyway, that's not such a bad idea.

Thanks everyone


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## Tewligan (Nov 5, 2003)

They have these for sale at my FLGS. I don't know who makes them, but they're hard clear plastic about the size of an 8.5x11" piece of paper, with black grid lines on them. I forget how much they were, but I remember thinking they were pretty overpriced considering how small they were - $15-$20, maybe? Anyway, I'll check on the company and price next time I'm there if I remember.


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## Tilla the Hun (work) (Nov 5, 2003)

I've purchased clear battlemats with squares (can't remember the company name) from online - but they were being discontinued.  Now, I have multiple layers on my game table   The terrain/regional map, the local combat map, the gridded overlay, and area of effect overlays 

I can't locate any clear battlemat with squares though.  Is there any real reason why hexes won't work??


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## Ahrimon (Nov 5, 2003)

I know that they make them.  Or that they used to make them anyway.  I have one that's about 36"x48".  It's about 10 years old.  Couldn't tell you who makes it off of the top of my head though.  I'll see about digging it out of the basement and checking.

Ahrimon


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## D'karr (Nov 5, 2003)

Deemer Games makes clear acrylic stiff boards.

See their webpage http://www.deemergames.com/product/index.htm


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## roytheodd (Nov 5, 2003)

Go the other route: transparent overlays. Go to an office supply store/university student store and you can get transparencies used for overhead projectors. You lay them over your mat and can draw and erase on them to your heart's content. Plus, you can have your maps predrawn on them. When the players are moving along corridors and rooms you can throw one on the grid mat and it's ready for tactical miniature usage right off. I found this idea on a thread about GMing somewhere on the web and it has changed the way I look at battlemats tremendously.


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## thalmin (Nov 6, 2003)

Ahrimon said:
			
		

> I know that they make them.  Or that they used to make them anyway.  I have one that's about 36"x48".  It's about 10 years old.  Couldn't tell you who makes it off of the top of my head though.  I'll see about digging it out of the basement and checking.
> 
> Ahrimon



Chessex used to make the clear mats, both Battlemat and Megamat sizes, in either square or hex. They didn't sell enough of them and were discontinued about 5 years ago.


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## beandip (Nov 10, 2012)

This guy sells high quality transparent dry erase boards/film.
I drew a grid with a permanent marker and large ruler. Im using it for D&D, putting it on top of maps.

http://stores.ebay.com/carls-industrial-salvage-store

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PETG-CLEAR-PLASTIC-SHEETS-020-x-24-x-48-8-sq-ft-/330807739354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d05ad83da


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## frankthedm (Nov 10, 2012)

Dimwhit said:


> That's something that probably wouldn't be worth the money. You could make one fairly easily. Just go pick up a roll of clear plastic covering (similar material you'd find on one of those small report binders with a clear front). Get a permanent market and a yard stick and you're in business!



A sheet of pegboard has holes 1 inch apart. Just Lay that on top of the vinyl and put dots of permanent marker to make the grid. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





This way the grid doesn't interfere with the lines you draw. I've seen some homemade grids where you have to fight the grid's thickness to draw a line or risk confusing those with weak eyesight. Just using dots at the corners means the only lines are the ones drawn on the mat.


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## Altamont Ravenard (Nov 10, 2012)

frankthedm said:


> A sheet of pegboard has holes 1 inch apart. Just Lay that on top of the vinyl and put dots of permanent marker to make the grid.[/IMG]




Good idea, and to make sure you don't, with time, erase the dots, make the dots on one side but draw on the other.

AR


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## falcarrion (Nov 12, 2012)

I use a piece of plexiglass that I put the grid on with a permament marker.


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