The 36 inch x 36 inch gaming table decision

Updated for a more realistic plan 

Those of you that followed by old blog, already know that I was thinking on downsizing to collections that could be played on a 36x36 playing area. Now that I came to the US I considered a bit whether to relax this. Considering my finances, space, the need for collections to travel, and lack of available time, I have decided to stick to it. Pretty much if your game cannot accommodate a 36x36 playing area, and a one to one-half hour gaming time, then it is not for me. That does not mean your game is bad. It probably is brilliant, but it is not for me (pretty please consider us poor smucks when designing games)

This has led to some more decisions on collecting miniatures inspired by Stillman's Rules (of Warhammer fame)

1) If you are not buying rules and miniatures as part of a group activity, do not buy rules if you already do not have a miniature collection for them. 

2) If you are starting a collection for your own amusement, always get a matched pair. You may eschew this rule only if you are guaranteed other players for at least one game a year.

3) You must have a collection for each rules-system you have paid money for. If you are not willing to do so, retire the rule-system.

3) 28mm miniatures will only be used with skirmish games or small scale tactical games

4) Said skirmish games must give a good game in one hour to one half-hour, on a 36x36 inch gaming area

5) Mass Battle games must give a good game in one hour to one half-hour  on a 36x36 inch gaming area

6) You many not go above 15mm for mass battle collections. 

7) You will make the effort to have good and aesthetically pleasing terrain options for that 36x36 inch gaming area

8) For historical mass battle gaming, you will build matched pairs for specific historical scenarios that can be accommodated on a 36x36. Make the appropriate terrain. 

9) Design scenarios for 36x36 table size. If you design a scenario for a bigger table size, be frank and clear to people that you will not playtest it. 

10) Any board war-game you buy must fit in a 36x36 playing area, and have a average playing time of one hour to one and half hour. This must be the central offering of the game and not just a auxiliary scenario.

Considering these rules, and taking a look at the various systems I paid money for, a plan for future purchases can be made. I summarize my thinking in this table 

Rules-Set	Collection	Matched Pair	Modifications for 36x36 Table	Budget
Altar of Freedom	6mm for Battle of Fort Donelson scenario?	Yes	None, stick to the scenario and make it nice.	50 USD
BBB	Greek-Ottoman 1897, 10mm Pendraken	Yes	2/3 Measurements or make scenario specific set-up for Velestino. Translate scenarios to 3x3 and only make 3x3 scenarios in the future (may make larger for other people)	Done
19th Century Wargaming			None
Tercios-Liber Militum	New Model Army 28mm, Warlord Miniatures (needs an opponent)	Yes	None, play Companies Lists or 500 points games	150 USD
BBB 1912-1922	6mm Greeks and Turks 1919-1922?	Yes	2/3 Measurements, or make only 3x3 Scenarios for own use (may make larger for other people)	100 USD for figures
Great War Spearhead			Stick to Divisional Level Actions
Basic Impetus	Known World Factions 15mm? 12th-13th Century Generic Feudal/ Harnic-Lythian Inspired 15mm?	Yes for Known World, no need for 12th-13th Century	Use 60mm Base Width	200 USD
DBA
To the Strongest
Mayhem
Rally Around the King
Knychte, Pyke and Sworde	Known World Factions 28mm, Perry Miniatures	Yes	Works fine at 36x36	100 USD
Saga: Age of Magic
Kiss me Hardy	1/4800 Scale Ships?	Yes		150 USD
Kill Team/ Warhammer 40k	Death Guard, 28mm Games Workshop	Not needed	Works Fine for Kill Team and Combat Patrol	100 USD
Labels: Italics: Planning phase Bold Italics: Some Progress Bold: Done Project Commercial rules I own that I know I will not play : 1859,1866, I Ain’t Been Shot Mum, Fleet Action Imminent , Might and Reason, Maurice, Lassalle 2, Perfidious Albion, Shako and Drum, Smoothed and Rifled.   Free Rules are not included here.

This adds up to about 850 USD (I rather over-price than under price, though I have a feeling many of the collections will be cheaper than I think) for miniatures, and say 500 USD for terrain, paints etc. If I budget 200 USD per year on the hobby (15 USD a month), then I can complete all these projects in the next seven year period. That should be the aim.

Of course as Old man Moltke said, no plan survives first contact, but still a plan, and especially a budget can help a lot. 

This plan has a couple of pros: it includes 28mm collections that can act as a gateway to get people to try the other games on their. It includes naval gaming options that I have found are always popular. And the collections should be mobile enough, that I can always take something with me when visiting war-gaming friends in Greece or Turkey.