Although terrain boards and their creation can be fun, carrying around pieces of polystyrene or squares of MDF can be quite awkward. That’s where terrain mats come in, easy to carry, quick to put on a table and able to add an extra level of detail to games.
Javis Scenics, perhaps better known for railway modeling, have branched out into offering ‘terrain on a roll’, complete with texturing.
The mat shown here for review is entitled Desert Wargaming Battle Mat. It measures 48” x 24” and is covered with a sandy texture. It also has small rocks attached to it to provide additional ‘realism’.
Although the mat is much longer than it is wide, it would work well with 15mm or smaller miniatures. It could also work for 28mm skirmish level gaming. Backed with a thin card, it should also be possible to cut the mat into sections that may be used to create other tabletop layouts. Although the mat comes ready rolled, it should be possible to add weight with buildings or other terrain.
As an inexpensive alternative to other types of terrain mat, this is a viable option. It’s a ‘tabletop ready’ product, which saves time for the time poor gamer or terrain maker.
This Mat retails at £9.50 / €10.75 / $12.50.