How much terrain should a gaming table have?

The widely accepted standard is 25-33% terrain coverage for balanced play. GW recommends about 25% for Warhammer 40K. Less than 15% heavily favours shooting armies. More than 40% favours melee and assault forces.

What types of terrain should I include?

A balanced table needs: 2-3 line-of-sight blocking pieces (buildings, large ruins), 3-4 pieces of cover (walls, craters, barricades), 2-3 pieces of difficult ground (forests, rubble), and optional area terrain (woods, swamps). Vary heights and shapes.

Does terrain placement matter?

Yes, placement matters as much as quantity. Avoid clustering all terrain in the centre or one corner. Distribute terrain evenly across the table. Place some terrain in deployment zones. Alternate placement between players for fairness.

What is the best material for gaming terrain?

MDF laser-cut buildings (TTCombat, Sarissa Precision) are excellent value and easy to paint. Expanded polystyrene carved and coated with PVA for hills. Aquarium plants for jungle. Fish tank decorations for alien landscapes. GW terrain kits are high quality but expensive.

ModelCalcs

Terrain Coverage Calculator — Balanced Battlefields

Calculate recommended terrain piece count and coverage for balanced games.

Table Width (mm)

60 inches = 1524mm

Table Depth (mm)

44 inches = 1118mm

Terrain Coverage (%)

Terrain Style

How We Calculate This

Calculates terrain area and piece count from table size and desired coverage percentage.

Formula

Terrain area = Table area x Coverage %
Piece count = Terrain area / Average piece footprint
25-33% coverage is recommended for balanced play

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.