Micro Art gaming mat & Star Trek attack wing

I have just purchased a new3'x3' gaming mat from Micro Art as to play X-Wing and Star Trek attack wing on. Although I already have a decent space gaming cloth with covers most of my table, I needed something to define the smaller gaming area required for my now two core space games, which tended to use a 3 feet squared area.

After looking on ebay, I saw the one below, there are several others available but this was the cheapest, at £27 with free P+P I though t it was a steal.

The mat comes rolled up in a long tube like bag, which is a very nice touch, although the stitching is stronger than the material, which rips easily, so I just discovered.  The Mat is of a rubber design and is awesome (Que Lego people singing "Every thing is awesome"). I think this mat is going to make a big difference to our games, not only is it easy to carry, just roll it up and put it in its bag, the rubber grips the table and does not slip. The visual impact of this mat on our games is going to make it look a whole lot better. One slight down side is that the plastic bases of our ships can slide easily on the printed surface.

Micro Art Space Mat

Mat on table.

Star Trek attack wing: Test game

Having now got the Star trek bug, I have now expanded my fleet with a few OP prize ships, one of them being Bok's Marauder. So I decided to do a Enterprise Vs Bok game.

Boks marauder chasing the Enterprise.

With both ships totaling 40 points, Enterprise with Picard and Photon Torpedoes, whilst the Marauder was maxed out at 39 points with Bok, a crew member, Photon torpedoes and the thought control.  Bok and Picard headed towards each other at speed, Both ships first attack was with phasers, both ships loosing a shield.  The Enterprise tried to get round the marauder  but Bok countered and managed to fire torpedoes, unfortunately for Bok he missed, but the Enterprise took off another shield.

As the movement dials were placed Bok used the thought control and adjusted  Enterprises coarse, turning it towards the table edge, with Bok moving a slow ahead.

Enterprise running out of space , Literally.

Enterprise fired and took down the last shield on Bok's marauder and causing one hull damage, in return Bok whittles the Enterprise's shields down to nothing.  The Enterprise can now only do three maneuvers to get out of trouble, sharp 3 left or right and reverse.  Bok closes the gap with a 1 ahead and so Picard opts for a sharp 3 left and actually this where the game should have ended as the Enterprise overlaps the playing edge by 3mm and should have been destroyed by the fleeing the gaming area rule. But I play fair and nudge the ship back away from the Final Frontier. So now needing to do a green maneuver to get rid of the auxiliary power token from the 3 hard left. Bok trying to stay behind the Enterprise decides not to use his maneuverability to his advantage and chooses a maneuver that accidentally puts the marauder on a collision course with the Final Frontier.

Bok would need to do a reverse course next turn but unfortunately for him, Enterprise fives its aft phasers getting 4 hits, 2 of which are critical, Bok's helms man tries in vain to avoid the phaser fire, but the ship is vaporized in one hit.

Ops... With 4 hits Boks marauder vaporizes.

Star Trek Attack Wing: DS9 game.

DS9 in Cardassian hands, escorted by Cardassian ships takes on the might of the Federation and Romulan empire.

I bet he can't get the dice to land like that again.

Cardassian ships about to be obliterated.

DS9 explodes due to a combined barage from 3 ships, who then go on to blow each other up.