Battle Mats & Grids vs. Miniature Bases
Comparing 2 standards across 16 specifications. 16 key differences identified.
Battle mats are standardized surface grids used in tabletop RPGs and wargames. RPG mats feature a standard 1-inch (25.4 mm) square or hex grid where each square represents 5 feet in game scale. Wargaming mats adhere to official table dimension tiers: 44×30 inches (Combat Patrol / Spearhead), 44×60 inches (Strike Force / Incursion), and 4×6 feet (classic large-scale battles).
Miniature bases are standardized plastic platforms used in tabletop wargaming (Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar) and tabletop RPGs (D&D) to define model footprint, line of sight, and melee engagement range. Official standards specify round bases from 25 mm (infantry) to 160 mm (monsters), and oval bases from 60×35 mm (cavalry) to 170×105 mm (large vehicles).
Specification Comparison Table
16 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standard TTRPG Grid Square
|
1.0 × 1.0 inch (25.4 × 25.4 mm) | — |
|
TTRPG Scale Ratio
|
1 inch = 5 feet (1:60 scale) standard D&D / Pathfinder | — |
|
Standard TTRPG Hex Grid
|
1.0 inch (25.4 mm) vertex-to-vertex / flat-to-flat | — |
|
Combat Patrol / Spearhead Mat
|
44 × 30 inches (1118 × 762 mm / 500–1000 pts) | — |
|
Strike Force / Incursion Mat
|
44 × 60 inches (1118 × 1524 mm / 2000 pts) | — |
|
Classic Full-Scale Wargame Mat
|
4 × 6 feet (48 × 72 inches / 1219 × 1829 mm) | — |
|
Common Mat Materials
|
Neoprene (Mousepad), Vinyl Wet-Erase, Cloth | — |
|
Small Infantry Round Base
|
— | 25 mm (classic Guardsmen, Gretchin) |
|
Standard Infantry Round Base
|
— | 28.5 to 32 mm (Space Marines, Orks, Sisters) |
|
Elite / Character Round Base
|
— | 40 mm (Terminators, Captains, Custodes) |
|
Heavy Infantry / Monster Round
|
— | 50 to 60 mm (Centurions, Dreadnoughts, Spawn) |
|
Large Walker / Monster Round
|
— | 80, 100, 130, 160 mm (Redemptor Dreadnought, Greater Daemons) |
|
Biker / Cavalry Small Oval
|
— | 60 × 35 mm (classic cavalry/bikers) |
|
Modern Outrider / Cavalry Oval
|
— | 75 × 42 to 90 × 52 mm (Space Marine Outriders, Gore-gruntas) |
|
Chariot / Monster Medium Oval
|
— | 105 × 70 to 120 × 92 mm (Large beasts, light tanks) |
|
Flyer / Super-Heavy Large Oval
|
— | 170 × 105 mm (Imperial Knights, Aircraft) |