Battle Mats & Grids vs. Playing Cards
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).
Standard playing cards are manufactured in rigid international dimensional standards. The two dominant global formats are Poker Size (2.5×3.5 inches / 63.5×88.9 mm, the universal standard for US casino gaming and TCGs) and Bridge Size (2.25×3.5 inches / 57.1×88.9 mm, narrower for multi-card hand holding), typically printed on 300–330 GSM embossed linen cardstock.
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 | — |
|
Poker Size Dimensions
|
— | 2.5 × 3.5 inches (63.5 × 88.9 mm) Standard US/Casino width |
|
Bridge Size Dimensions
|
— | 2.25 × 3.5 inches (57.1 × 88.9 mm) Narrow width (0.25" narrower) |
|
Tarot Size Dimensions
|
— | 2.75 × 4.75 inches (70 × 121 mm) Standard Tarot/Oracle card |
|
Mini-European Size
|
— | 1.73 × 2.68 inches (44 × 68 mm) Board game size |
|
Mini-American Size
|
— | 1.61 × 2.48 inches (41 × 63 mm) Board game size |
|
Casino Cardstock Weight
|
— | 300 to 330 GSM (Grams per Square Meter) |
|
Corner Radius Standard
|
— | 3.5 (0.138 inches) mm (standard 1/8" die-cut rounded corner) |
|
Standard Deck Count
|
— | 52 + 2 Jokers + 2 Ad Cards 56 cards per standard pack |
|
Finish Textures
|
— | Air-Cushion (Embossed Linen) vs Smooth Gloss |