DEEPCUT GAME MAT BOOKS

◗ deepcutstudio.com ◗ €34.90

Deep Cut Studios have created two map books for general role-playing or small skirmish actions. Each of the books features 24 different maps, each in two, A3 size pages. Like the Loke product, the page surface is covered in laminate that is compatible with water based or whiteboard markers and which can be wiped clean with a damp cloth or paper towel, however – and a comparison is inevitable – they are printed on a slightly thicker card. The maps have a 1 inch grid making a playable area of 16 x 22 inches for each map (so slightly wider but two inches shorter). They feature visuals and textures suitable for larger (ie ‘heroic’32 mm) miniatures but will do for any scale over 25mm to be honest.

The maps are usable, as I said, for general gaming (especially skirmishes) and the printing reminds me – unsurprisingly – of Deep Cut’s excellent printed cloth mats with much of the same sort of artwork (rivers and bridges, grassland, desert, snow etc) and many of them make me think of a small table top play area that requires terrain to be added (some of Deep Cut’s selection of pre-painted buildings, for example) rather than simply drawing on them, though that’s still perfectly feasible. Of course you could also use some of the Loke plastic overlays as well...

The Deep Cut books have wire bound spines and lay very flat. With rubber, cloth and PVC mats, plus pre-painted scatter terrain, buildings and trees, with these books they do seem to be set on a crusade to fulfill every single meed for table top scenery and coverings in a single‘onestop-shop’: not being able to meet my gaming friends aside, it’s a great time to be a wargamer!