Struggling to find the right table to play Warhammer? Looking for better options than your dining room table? Sick of kneeling on the floor or bending over to try to make the coffee table work? Well if any of that sounds familiar we are hoping this blog post will steer you towards the next level of game play.
Warhammer is not always the easiest hobby to get into. There is a lot to learn, a lot to buy, a lot of miniatures to build and paint and all of that has to happen before you ever play your first game. Once you are ready for that first battle, nothing is more disappointing than not having the right table to play on or the terrain to make it look cool. The first few times Harry and I played 40K we did it with unpainted miniatures, a not so strong grasp on the rules and an oval table with cans of soup and boxes of tissues for terrain. We had a blast that first time and we fell in love with the game but it got old quickly. By our third game we were hunting down options for tables, playing mats and buying real terrain. It’s amazing how those accessories can really elevate your gaming experience and make it that much more immersive and enjoyable.
Play Area and Table Size
The first thing to figure out is how large of a table you need. Personally, I want a table that has the largest playing area I might want to use so I don’t invest in something that I can only play some of the games on. Others may find that a table large enough to play one of the smaller games like combat patrol or Necromunda is perfectly fine and will meet all of their current and future needs. That’s a decision you will have to make. Below is a list of popular games and point totals and the table size you are supposed to play on.
For this article I am going to focus mostly on Games Workshop games but I will list other popular miniature wargames as well and what table sizes they use. I am doing that in case you play one of these other games, you may want to find a table that will work for all of them. Personally, I am looking for something I can use for a wide variety of miniature games as well as board games. I don’t want to have to look for another solution because the one I ended up picking doesn’t work with that particular game size. We haven’t Star Wars Shatterpoint yet but we want to!
- Necromunda doesn’t have a standard table size but common sizes are 22 x 30″, 44 x 30″, and 36 x 36″ with 36” x 36” being the most common
- Warhammer 40K Kill Team – 22” x 30”
- Warhammer AOS Spearhead – 22” x 30”
- Warhammer AOS Warcry – 22” x 30”
- Fallout Factions – 24” x 36”
- Marvel Crisis Protocol – 36” x 36”
- Fallout Wasteland Warfare – 36” x 36”
- Star Wars Shatterpoint – 36” x 36”
- Star Wars Legion (skirmish) – 36” x 36”
- Star Wars Legion – 36” x 72”
- Warhammer 40K combat Patrol – 44” x 30”
- Warhammer 40K Incursion (1000 points) and Strike Force (2000 points) – 44” x 60”
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar 4th Edition (2000 Point Army) – 44” x 60”
- Warhammer 40K Onslaught (3000+ points) – 44” x 90”
- Warhammer 40K Boarding Action – 47.8” x 55.4”
If we are missing any miniature games that you think should be on this list, please let us know.
As you can see by the list above, there are plenty of table options for smaller games. It’s not hard to find a table to Kill Team or a square table to play Star Wars Shatterpoint but it’s not always easy finding a table to play a 2000 point battle for 40K. While we listed all of the common games we could think of, we are going to focus on table options that meet those larger requirements.
Portable and Folding Table Options
These options are great if you don’t have a dedicated space for your games but they aren’t just for people with limited space. They also make a great option for anyone looking to travel with their gaming table and take that elevated experience with them to their local game night at a friends house or on a family vacation where gaming is part of the fun.
Plastic Folding Tables
This is probably going to be your easiest and cheapest option but perhaps not the most exciting. There are lot’s of companies that sell these tables including Home Depot, Uline and Amazon. I am not going to list all of the options because there are a ton but I will point out they have smaller ones that fold up and are easy to store that are perfect for the smaller games like Kill Team and Spearhead. They also have larger 6’ and 8’ long tables that aren’t wide enough for the bigger games but you can get two of them fairly inexpensively and put them next to each other. You can also get foldable versions of these larger tables to make storage easier
Heavy Duty Folding Tables
There are some event style tables that you can buy from catering websites that are 6’ x 6’ which can work as long as you are tall enough to reach every part of the table without too much trouble. These take up a lot of room when setup but give ample room for a playing space plus your books, ipad, extra models, die, die tray, etc… Not my favorite option but it is an option.
I am sure there are plenty of sources for these types of tables but I found the below table at Events Table.
Frontline Gaming Table
When we originally wrote this post we came across this table from Frontline Gaming but it had been marked as sold out. I was happy to read a recent blog post that it is back in-stock. As of this update (August 16, 2024) it is in-stock and available but the post I read said it would not be available for long so it’s worth checking out as soon as you can.
The thing that makes this table attractive is it’s built for the exact size you need for a 2000 point army of 40K and Age of Sigmar. It’s a folding table that is easy to store away when not in use or to take with you to events. Check it out at Frontline Gaming.
Yarro Gamefold Portable Board Game Table
The Gamefold is a great step up from the standard plastic folding tables and do their best to give you some of the features of more expensive board game tables at a very economical price. They are foldable and portable and were designed by a board game fan that didn’t have the space where they lived for a dedicated board game table. One table is not going to be good enough for the larger miniature games but they have a solution for that. You can buy two tables and some accessories to turn it into one big war gaming table.
In addition to the table itself, you can get cup holders and trays that connect to the outside rail so you can keep your drink off of your playing service. They also offer a certain level of customization to make it your own. These tables are very sturdy and fold down for easy storage. When we go away as a family, we are always taking board games and miniature games with us. It becomes part of our vacation. What I love about these tables is they will easily fit in the back of my truck OR in my Wife’s Mazda. I think I would even take these camping when we go as a family without too much worry.
Please note that as of the writing of this blog, I have no first hand experience with the Game Fold. I haven’t seen one in person. I have read a lot of positive reviews but haven’t talked to anyone personally that has bought one.
Game Toppers Game Tables
Game Toppers are another excellent option. They are going to be more expensive than the previous two options but they are high quality and can turn just about any table into a high end board game table. Up until recently they didn’t have a great option for larger miniature games but they recently launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for their newest table topper that is meant for games like Warhammer.
What I love about these table toppers is that they are portable and can be put on top of another table to make a really cool game table. Perfect if you don’t have a dedicated space but want to play in your dining room one afternoon. You can also get accessories like cup holders, dice towers, dice tray and component trays that attach to the side rail.
They have options to customize the way it looks in both the material it’s made from (or at least made to look like it’s made from) as well as custom art. This company is also known for making high quality game mats to put on top of the Game Topper.
The different models of Game Topper are named after characters in the Sherlock Holmes universe. They have sizes that work great for board games as well as just about any miniature wargame now that they have introduced the Mycroft with a 48” x 72” play area. In addition, you can remove the center of the table and make it a 48″ x 48″ table for those smaller format wargames. Pretty sweet.
Oh, and it’s important to note that if you don’t have a table you want to put your game topper on top of, they also sell leg kits to make your topper a full fledged gaming table that stands on it’s own.
Please note that I do not own one of these yet. The important word here is yet! I have seen them at Pax Unplugged and was impressed with the quality. I know the guys at the Secret Cabal podcast highly endorse them so having seen them in person, having seen mostly positive reviews and hearing what the Secret Cabal guys think of them, I am confident enough in their quality to recommend this as an option.
Check out all the options at Game Toppers
Professionally Built Dedicated Gaming Tables
I haven’t come across too many companies making Warhammer specific tables but there are a lot of companies making custom and pre-designed board game tables. A year or two ago it felt like there was only one or two options but now it feels like there are dozens. The only ones I have seen in person are the tables built by Wyrmwood. I can vouch that although they aren’t the cheapest options, they are very well made and get delivered with white glove service.
I think producing these kinds of tables en masse, shipping them across the country and maintaining quality must be a rather challenging endeavor. I make no excuses for poor customer service but what I will tell you is that I don’t have a ton of experience with these types of tables and there are a lot of mixed reviews about some of them. If you are going to go down this path, do your research. I found this particular Reddit thread on board game tables to be helpful.
Below is a list of the the companies I found that make higher end custom board game tables that you should be able to use for Warhammer and other miniature war games. Personally, I have been thinking of getting a smaller board game table from one of these companies for board games and getting the largest game topper to go over it when I want to use that table for Warhammer. I am an equal opportunity gamer, I play board games, miniature games and D&D and when I finish setting up my game room, I want to have the most flexibility I can to easily play as many games as I can in the same gaming area.
Please Note, as noted above, the only tables I have seen in person from this list were built by Wyrmwood. I can vouch for their quality but I have no experience with the other manufacturers.
Build Your Own Table or Hire Someone
In the end, a table for Warhammer doesn’t have to be overly complicated and an be built with 2” x 4”’s and plywood. A lot of the game tables you see at game shops are done in this fashion. It doesn’t take much. It’s one of the last options we are listing in this article but that in no way means we think it’s one of the worst options. It’s not. Depending on your budget and available space for a dedicated table, it can be one of the best options. Below is a list of some of the plans we have found online for building your own miniature war game table.
If you don’t have the skills or tools to build your own, that’s okay. There are people that will find the plans for a table they like and then contact a local carpenter or wood worker and have them build one for you. This gives you some extra options in terms of features, wood type and finishes and probably sames you on delivery since you are more than likely hiring someone that is somewhat local to you. Not sure who to contact? Put an ad out on social media and I bet you will find someone that knows someone that can help you create something that will work great.
There are a lot of plans out there, here are a few we found
Additionally, there is a whole sectoin of Board Game Geek that talks about building your own table. Here is a helpful thread that links to a bunch of tables people have built and how they did it. Keep in mind that this is all board game tables and not necessarily tables for miniature war gamers
Game Mats
No matter what options you go with; one you have the table the next step is to get a thematic game mat to go over the table. There are a quite a few companies making game mats and I am sure you can find plenty on your own but we wanted to give you at least a short list of some of the ones we have found that we would commend you check out
- Game Toppers – Whether you buy a Game Topper or not, they have an excellent selection of high quality game mats to choose from
- Frontline Gaming – This company makes a lot of cool things for miniature war games. They also put on quite a few game tournaments throughout the year for Warhammer that I am looking forward to attending
- Skirmish Mats – They make mats for the smaller format games
- Gray Matter Gaming – They not only make game mats for miniature war games but they also make all kinds of cool accessories and objective markers
What Option Am I Going With?
To be honest, I am not 100% sure yet. I am still exploring my options. We live in a ranch house and I am converting the basement into a theatre and game room. I think I am going to go with a decent sized custom board game table but may not get one big enough for every version for Warhammer. The problem with a table that is too big is it’s hard for everyone at the table to reach the peices and play whatever game you are playing. I may go with an average sized board game table for game night and get a game topper to go on top of it for when Harry and I play Warhammer. I should mention that I am part of a board game club that meets once a week and more often than not, we meet at my house. For portability and to quickly setup a second play area when we have more than the average number of people show up, I am strongly considering getting a Game Fold or two. Once I have decided, I will write a new blog with the setup we went with and will to to it from this post.
Summing it all up
In conclusion, there is no right or wrong way to go. You have lot’s of options and some that should meet just about any budget. Let’s face it, if you can afford to build a Warhammer army you should be able to afford at least one of these options.
Do you have an option, product or idea that isn’t listed in this article? If so, please either leave a comment or send us an email through our contact form and we would be happy to add it. We want this to be as comprehensive an article on this topic as we can make it.