Tutorial: New urban felt mat

I've already experimented a lot with felt mats. It's a great and really cheap way to get a lot of mats going. Having made multiple mats and smaller overlays, I can create lots of different setups. One of the pros of doing the mats myself, is everything can be made to fit together.

For the first urban mat go here and for flat felt terrain and grass mat - go here.

Materials

• Felt (80% viscose, 20% wool)
• Masking tape
• Cheap spray paints
• Magic Marker

Step 1: 

Mark out the roads with masking tape. The first time I wanted a city center. For this mat, I wanted less roads. I wanted it with room for a large industrial area, prison set up or harbor. 

I made sure one street would fit next to the other mat (allowing a 3'x6' or 3'x7' layout). Also made sure a road lead straight out the mat - for an easier going into a grass area. 

Step 2:

Paint it up! I used cheap spray cans from the hardware store. Grey on most of the board, black on the street. When dry I dusted some brown and black some places on the grey - for different nuances. Then gave parts of the street more black. 

Step 3:

Peel off the masking tape. Use a black magic marker (permanent marker) to draw on pavement on the lighter grey areas (covered before by tape). Also use the marker to add cracks in the asphalt here and there. 

Done - minimum work and another nearly free mat is all done and ready.

Storage
Easy, space saving storage with a pants hanger from Ikea.

Showcase

Here's a few regular and double setups using the new mat. Check out blog posts on all the shown stuff on the terrain hub.

A regular city setup on the new mat. 

Another city setup, this being the edge pf town. Using a small piece of green felt, to make a lighter 'end of town'.

A 3'x3' harbor setup, covering part of the new mat with a 1'x3' blue felt piece. Made room for this when I marked out streets with masking tape.

A larger harbor mat using the blue felt next to the map - for a quick 3'x4' map.

The two different urban mats put together for a 3'x6' playing area.

Notice the park on one mat. A small green piece of felt, added when a park is needed. Easily taken of for a completely grey map. 

And a 3'6' end of town setup. Using felt roads on my green mat, fitting the width of the street on the new map. 

The whole bang! Urban mat, grass mat, flat terrain: river, dirt road and asphalt road. 

Thanks for looking and please let me know what your think. The blog is all about good looking and cheap solutions. Wargaming on a budget and on a skill level for all. 

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