Battle Mats & Grids vs. Card Sleeves
Comparing 2 standards across 17 specifications. 17 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).
Card sleeves are protective polymer covers manufactured in standardized millimeter dimensions to fit trading card games (TCGs) and board games. The universal matrix spans Standard Size (66×91 mm for MTG, Pokémon, Lorcana), Small/Japanese Size (62×89 mm for Yu-Gi-Oh, Cardfight Vanguard), Perfect Fit/Inner Sleeves, and Tarot Sleeves, measured in micron thickness grades (50 to 120 µm).
Specification Comparison Table
17 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 | — |
|
Standard Size (MTG / Pokémon)
|
— | 66 × 91 mm (fits 63.5 × 88.9 mm / 2.5 × 3.5" cards) |
|
Small / Japanese Size (Yu-Gi-Oh)
|
— | 62 × 89 mm (fits 59 × 86 mm cards) |
|
Standard Inner (Perfect Fit)
|
— | 64 × 89 mm (snug inner sleeve for double-sleeving) |
|
Japanese Inner (Perfect Fit)
|
— | 60 × 87 mm (snug inner for Japanese cards) |
|
Tarot Sleeve Size
|
— | 73 × 122 mm (fits 70 × 120 / 70 × 121 mm cards) |
|
Mini-European Size
|
— | 46 × 71 mm (fits 44 × 68 mm board game cards) |
|
Mini-American Size
|
— | 43 × 65 mm (fits 41 × 63 mm cards) |
|
Penny Sleeve Thickness
|
— | 40 to 50 microns (µm) / 1.5 to 2.0 mil |
|
Standard Gaming Sleeve Thickness
|
— | 100 to 120 microns (µm) / 4.0 to 4.7 mil (Dragon Shield/Katana) |
|
Polymer Materials
|
— | Polypropylene (PP), Acid-Free, No PVC |