Recently, our gaming group went from a standard sitting around a large table with pencil and paper to a more casual lounging around a coffee table with pencil and paper. I needed to rework the space in the guest house (currently my man-cave) so we ended up with the coffee table. I don't think it's a favorite accommodation but we've made due.
My long-term plan is to eventually get back to the standard table which I have been planning to customize as a gaming table.
So this past weekend, for the first phase of this project, I've reworked the coffee table into what would eventually be the stepped top to the main game table.
I started with a pretty nice garbage-picked coffee table (a major score!) and painted the tabletop black.
I created some 11 X 17 white on dark gray hex sheets and purchased some decoupage glue.
I next began gluing down the hex sheets. It was a little tricky lining the hexes up properly but after some careful patience things were starting to come along nicely. The trickiest part was that the printer had slight variations in the gray. I think if I were to do this again I may just buy a roll of hex paper from somewhere (but I'm such a cheap-ass).
I've got six sheets glued down and only three more to go!
Next, I trimmed the edges to give it a clean border.
A few coats of glue and some shellac later, I was ready to role.
Of course I tested the table out with some minis and Jenga block walls, and idea that I got from Jim over at Carjacked Seraphim.
When character sheets, beer and snacks and minis are all scattered about the same playing surface it gets quite cluttered. I want to separate the playing area from the 'snack' area of the game table. When I eventually move the above top to the actual game table, it will be raised up (see illustration below). The Hex table platform will not be permanently attached to the main table so it can be removed for other gaming purposes.
I'll keep you posted when I get to Phase 2!
