The Loose Association of Wargamers

1) Anyone know who sells Reaper paints - specifically the acrylic triads - at shows (Colours, SELWG and Warfare are the three I'm now looking at)? Or do they retail only by post?

2) What has anyone used as a gaming mat/cloth for naval battles? Happy to consider a trip to the local haberdashery to look at curtain/soft furnishing material. Looking for something around 9' by 6' to cater for all scales and types of scenario; none of the standard manufacturers make them that size, except for Terrain Mats which seem to be the Rolls-Royce of gaming mats (if their prices are anything to go by!!!).

Thanks.

Cerulean blue felt. But the best is hi gloss dark blue vinyl. Because that is the colour of the sea from 5,000 ft.

Thanks, Grizz - I had thought of re-painting my 6' x 4' gaming board dark blue and then just sticking terrain over it for land-based games (leaving "bare" bits for rivers, coast, etc), but decided I might want something bigger. I should probably have added that I'm not really looking to include aircraft, and the ships will be either 1:600 or 1:1200; also, theatres of operations will be predominantly The Channel and The Med/Adriatic, maybe the North Sea later.

There are a couple of companies that carry Reaper Figures, so they would be your best bet to ask, go to colours and ask them if they can get them for you by Warfare would be my advice.

OK, that sounds like a plan - thanks, Fredd.

Amazon uk also have them.

I used to use a light blue felt cloth from SA scenics (lost to nesting mice)but now use a navy blue double size flat cotton bedsheet bought from a 'cheap shop' called Factory outlet. I also have a couple of black ones for space games and our show setup.
I bought a Deepcut Studios 6 by 4 sea cloth - non specular sea blue colour with a wave pattern but they don't do custom sizes. Pricey but very nice.
You might try Tiny Wargames who do do custom sizes. You need quite deep pockets but their cloths are lovely.

Chris

My old naval gaming cloth was some dark blue leatherette which I bought from a fabric shop for about £8 a metre. It is only 52" wide though so you would have to use carpet tape to join it.

Mi amigo Richard uses a shiny nylon cloth for sea games, and keeps it crumpled up tight in a bag. The resulting ‘crinkly’ finish is very convincing.

Thanks everyone. I've just discovered we have an approximately 8' (and a bit) x 5' (less a bit) plastic tablecloth, in "mucky mid-blue", which we use for tables in the garden whilst eating outside. Subject to a rub down with some white spirit, it would serve more than passably well (and certainly didn't cost north of £50, which is what a seascape mat will cost).

Now it's just those bloody paints.....