The View from the Turret

Tablescapes by Secret Weapon Miniatures

Posted on 14Apr13 Updated on 14Apr13

Secret Weapon Miniatures launched a new Kickstarter campaign that has already funded in just its second day. It is for a new product called Tablescapes. Tablescapes is a line of 12 inch plastic terrain tiles that can be locked together to form semi-custom tabletop gaming terrain. Depending on the success of the Kickstarter we will see three or more tile theme sets produced with much more likely to come in the future. Secret Weapon Miniatures is being very receptive to customer suggestions and is doing its best to be accommodating.

We think this basic concept may very well be the future of miniature tabletop terrain. We initially got very excited about the Games Workshop Realm of Battle Gameboards but they seem to have dropped the ball since its initial release and, except for some very expensive Forgworld pieces, have failed to follow up on the initial design.

The basic issue of course is that gamers really do not need general plain terrain and hills out of such a product. Those basics can be useful but what gamers really need are unique 3D terrain features that are difficult to integrate into a standard terrain cloth based table layout. Thus things like trenches, sunken roads, broken ground, rivers and raised roads as well as more specific pieces like urban streets and sci-fi installation layouts are where these sorts of products really shine. Secret Weapon Miniatures is also augmenting the tiles with new resin terrain pieces as well.

Some have questioned the decision to produce 12 inch tiles but we think this was a smart move. The smaller tiles give far greater variety and flexibility to layouts and anyone who wishes to have a larger tile can simply glue together the 12 inch tiles in whatever configuration they wish. Thus one can quickly make 2′ x 2′ tiles, 1′ x 2′, 2’x3′ or whatever. The 12 inch tiles are also cheaper to produce and thus should allow for more options in the future.

We think Tablescapes has a bright future ahead.