After making the battle mat yesterday, and pretty much getting colour tones and coverage to my liking, the next step was apply a grid. While a square grid would have been relatively straight forward to apply, I wanted a hex grid for this project, which are not so easy to do.
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| The models on their 2x2 inch bases fit nicely into a 4 inch hex. |
I started by creating a hexagonal template using an old cardboard box. Two bits of cardboard stuck together in fact, to make it sturdier when used. Then using a brown permanent marker pen which helps the lines to blend in with the mat colour. I started from one edge to draw the hexes slowly working around the existing drawn hexes.
The one trick I found was to draw the line but don't worry about jointing the lines at the points of the hex. By doing this the inaccuracies, which do occur, are not obvious or are easily disguised.
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| template and permanent marker |
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| 2 hours later the completed battle mat |
I chose a hex which is about 4 inches wide. This allows my 2x2 inch square bases to fit quite comfortably in the hex. When all marked on the mat I get 13 hexes by 18 hexes on my 6x4 foot table.
Your hex applocation turned outt great! Clever idea on leaving the points unjoined.
ReplyDeleteI am happy with the end result. Not jointing the points allowed me to fudge the odd hex where necessary.
DeleteHi Peter,
ReplyDeleteVery clever method you have thought up to do the Hexagonal Grid- most accurate...will work well with your 6mm Heroics & Ros. Cheers. KEV.
Hi KEV. I am a few weeks away before I get a game played. Need some terrain and a few more units.
DeleteSuperb result, I have drawn several hex boards out and it is a nightmare to get this complicated shape to accurately grid a whole table.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit worried I would mess up my battle mat if I got the hexes wrong. So quite relieved to complete the hexes.
DeleteThanks.
ReplyDeleteLooks cool! The brown marker makes the lines more subtle which is nice too! ^_^
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThat is an excellent result, speaking as one who has also mapped out a couple of hex mats I know it's not easy and takes a lot of patience to get it right. I note that you worked from a single hex template? that also produced my best result as a latter attempt with multiple hexes did not result in such an accurate finish. Very well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Agree they are very time consuming.
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