Modular hex boards? Sell me one!

[nic-e]

I don't normally ask to be sold on something, I generally have no issue when it comes to buying things i don't need. 

But for a few years now I've loved the look and easy storage of Kallistras hex boards.

Pretty soon I'm going to be moving into what is likely a tiny studio flat with my other half, And as lovely as she is i highly doubt she'll be happy with me bringing my entire hobby collection with me.
So I'm thinking of going fully into 15 and 10mm and building for dragon rampant/SoBaH over the next year.

But i need to know what do people think of modular hex boards? Are they worth the investment? Do you find them useful for games that don't use the hex tiles as a means of measurement?
Every time I see them at shows I get more tempted but just need to know if they really are as useful as they look.

[Norm]

When I think of how much I have spent on table tops over the years ....the Kallistra looks a reasonable price.

I use mine for the hexes themselves and I am so used to grids (being a boardgamer ) that I actually find it hard to ignore the grid, though others have shown it is fine to just use it as a convenient terrain system without actually using the hexes themselves. So for me, a unit needs to be in the hex and it is fine, allow it to sit anywhere else and I immediately feel uncomfortable  - must just be a brain - eye thing for me.

I discuss hex terrain on my COMMANDERS website, where there some photos that may interest you.

LINK - http://commanders.simdif.com/hexing-a-table.html

[AndrewBeasley]

I use and have made hex boards for years.  Currently I am playing with (not on just testing) the old Heroscape boards for skirmish and other simple games (e.g. The portable Wargame series by Bob Cordrey).

For me they give

a) I like simple rules and movement fits hexes very nicely - I made a SciFi aliens vs humans on one board and hand carved the hexes in foam...  The rules where one page.
b) SOBH works well with hexes and has basic conversion details in the rules both 28mm and 15mm fit well
c) 15mm and smaller (I go down to 2mm or smaller) work well with the small hexes I use
d) Line of sight is clear
e) Movement is clear - just count
f) Facing is simple and hexes give you more options than square or offset squares

Drawbacks:
a) Range is always clear
b) Roads and 90deg junctions do not look right or work well
c) Rivers and roads have a tendency to zigzag
d) Buildings are rectangular and look a bit odd on hex bases. (Trees / woods look ok though)
e) Range can be a bit odd as you count longer distances
f) The area troops can fire into is dictated by the hex shape unless you want to get very awkward on how you lay this out.

A few ways to go

a) Make your own - I carved hexes into foam (not out of) and do not recommend it unless you really need to for some odd scenery.
b) Pre made foam hexes - the old Terrain Maker system from GHQ had quality problems with the edges and corners when I binned it.  This may have changed.
c) A recent kickstarter for hex templates looked neat but I did not want to cut foam for weeks
d) Mats with hexes on - either cloth or the Ogre board from SJG
e) Print your own paper plans - a lot of these have hexes as an overlay in the PDF and are a simple way to start at very low cost.  Some folk get them printed onto pvc banner material
f) Using hexes on card - Lost Patrol was a classic for this but have a look at https://www.rainnstudios.com for some great examples.  These are available in the UK
g) Sticking paper or card to foam board (paper both sides on 5mm foam) - I did this for a build the map game with micro tanks once
h) Heroquest tiles - expensive to buy on eBay now
I) Last and by not the least is the Hexon boards - not keen on the hills myself but most folk love them

Two other bits I've not seen but think may work are:
a) Using ply or MDF laser cut hexes (next years project for me)
b) Bigger fiam board hexes.  Someone used to sell them but I cannot find a link now.

If I was starting afresh, I would get a small village from RPGnow and print it at home with the hex overlay and give it a go.  OK the print cost is not low given the price of ink now but it lets you try skirmish games out first.  For larger games it's simple to take a green cloth and mark out the centre of hexes (rather than the outside) using chalk and try it again at low cost.

[nic-e]

Cheers for the feedback guys!

AndrewBeasley cheers! that's an amazingly comprehensive answer and I think you've just about covered all my questions!
I think I may invest in a handful of tiles for my 15mm skirmish games so i can have them for travel gaming now that you've cleared up some of the issues and gains you've experienced,

[madman]

RAFM still make/have on stock iron on hexes. I just purchased a few packages of 3" white hexes. They had at least an entire box of them still (white in 3" only and some 2" I think in both white and black). I also have on hand a lot of their 2" iron on hexes. I do not have or ever used the 1" hexes. The 2" hexes have a centre dot. This is useful when converting games such as ASL or Awakening the Bear which use a centre dot for LOS purposes. They originally made them in black and white. They are outlines only but neither too imposing nor too faint. The amount of product in a package of 1" hexes is supposed to cover a 4' square area. The 2" ones a 4' x 6' area and the 3" hexes an area 4' x 8'. Since they are iron on and strips about a foot wide I found it best to tape the fabric sheet down (I used a ply board) then tape each strip to the fabric taking care as pulling the paper backing sheets deformed the strips. Every package I bought gave a few extra feet to practice with. My best results were use the reccomended settings and just lay the iron on the sheets. DO NOT "IRON" THE HEXES ON, ie moving the iron around while on the sheets. Just lift and place. Yes you get some missed spots but if I remember correctly (did them 30+ years ago) the paper browned so you could see where you had been. Again ignore the urge to smear the iron around like when you iron clothing as you just smear the molten paint.

I presently have 2 sheets made up. A light blue (air plane use) with black 3" hexes and a dark green which I sprayed with various cans of paint to break up the monotony and give a bit of cammo or variable ground cover effect. One side of it is white hexes, very visible and good for keeping gamers honest or on their toes and the other side is black hexes both sides are 2". The black blends in well but you don't have to strain to see the grid. I was looking to get some 1" hexes to make up a medium to dark blue sheet for age of sail with 1/1200 but they can only be found on eBay for $$$.

I have printed out the low resolution scans of the maps from Awakening the Bear which are provided on the Academy Games web site. I printed some at 2" and 3" size. Using micro armour and infantry bases (one squad) of 1" square the 2" hexes limit you to one or two units per hex while the 3" will accomodate at least 4 units. At 3" the 6mm, 1/300. 1/285 buildings I have look good and I have some walls, fences etc. from Irregular which work well along the hex sides. The sides are just under 2" long.

Just my $0.02