Wings of War Table

I recently finished making a gaming table for the Wings of War game. The project came out OK but I would definitely make a few changes.

Wings of War table with planes ready for action.

First of all, I'd purchase a different type of wood. I tried to go the cheap route and get the least expensive in the size I wanted. Unfortunately the wood proved to be less than ideal for the project. I'm not sure what kind of coating or residue was on the wood, but some of the paint would not set correctly during application. The blue for the river was especially difficult. I had to wipe of the paint several times after it clumped up and pooled. It was almost as if some type of oil was on the wood.

Notice the sheen in the blue river. Perhaps from an oily coating on the wood?

Also, as you can see from the side profile photo below, the wood is a bit on the thin side and is already starting to droop. I could get something a bit thinker or maybe even put some support rails underneath the table along the edges. Actually, this thickness might have worked but I suspect that the South Florida humidity played a role in the wood warping over time.

Even supported correctly, the wood is starting to bow and curve.

Secondly, I'd want the paint to be lighter to represent the fact that the features below are being viewed several hundred feet up in the air. Though I kept the nozzle a good distance from the wood to keep the pigments light, the effect just isn't what I had in mind.

Finally, I'd like to try putting in a few man-made features such as battlefield bunkers, hangers, and a few bombed out buildings. But just like the issue above, the most difficult part would be creating the features with the effect of seeing them from altitude. Spray paint will not work for such details I think so I'll need to experiment with options.

The full board completed and ready for action.

Even though it's not perfect, the table does the job it was intended for....playing Wings of War. Now I think I'll start on a playing board for some of my miniature games.