Devlog 3 – The Gameboard

Hey y’all,

In today’s log I want to talk about the gameboard, which is what really sets Beyond Space apart from other large army wargames. The gameboard is the foundation — the stage where every battle plays out — and it’s the vehicle that makes this whole experience possible. Without it, Beyond Space wouldn’t feel like Beyond Space.

This devlog will be the first of many focused on the board itself. Over time I’ll be showing different layouts, alternate builds, and eventually a more detailed version. For now though, I want to start simple and show off the most minimal, stripped-down version of the board — clean, affordable, and easy to make. Think of this as the “vanilla” version. It does everything it needs to do without adding anything extra, which makes it the perfect place to begin.

Tile Sets – A Quick Primer

The version you see here is called Tile Set 1. Tile sets are basically thematic versions of the gameboard — different looks you can choose from while still playing on the same rules foundation.

Edition 1 of Beyond Space will launch with two tile sets:

Tile Set 1 (this one): Minimal, stripped down, designed to be printed entirely in filament. It’s the most affordable way to 3D print the battlefield.

Tile Set 2 (Battlefield): A mix of filament and resin pieces, with sculpted details that create a much more immersive warscape. It takes things up a notch visually, but it’s also a bit more involved to make.

In this log, we’re focusing only on Tile Set 1. I’ll save Tile Set 2 for a future devlog, once I’m ready to show off its detail.

Why the Gameboard Matters

The gameboard isn’t just a pretty surface — it’s what makes Beyond Space work. It’s required to play because it replaces all the clunky, unfun parts of traditional wargaming. No rulers, no tape measures, no debates about fractions of an inch. Instead, the board structures the game so movement, positioning, and combat all stay clear, consistent, and easy to follow.

That’s the whole point: the board lets us strip away the busywork and focus on making decisions that are actually impactful. The result is a game that flows faster, feels more tactical, and stays enjoyable for both players from start to finish.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: “What if I don’t have a filament printer? Am I locked out of playing Beyond Space?” Not necessarily. I’ll cover that toward the end of this log, but first, let’s walk through what Tile Set 1 looks like.

Breaking Down Tile Set 1

So what you’re seeing here is the most fundamental version of the board. It’s made up of two key parts:

The Base – These interlock with each other to form a solid foundation.

The Topper – These slide into the bases and determine what kind of tile you’re using in each space.

That’s it. Those two pieces alone give you a ton of flexibility, since you can decide exactly which tiles to place where. Over time, that means endless customization and replayability — no two boards ever need to be the same.

In this example, I’ve set up the smallest version of the gameboard. Depending on the format, mode, and scenario you choose, the board can scale up much larger. But here, I built it in a rectangle layout to keep it simple for a showcase.

You’ll also notice the border running around the outside. This part is completely optional and purely aesthetic, but it does make the board feel finished and framed on the table.

Environmental Tiles

In this shot, you’ll notice a few raised tiles on the board. These are called Environmental Tiles, and they do exactly what you’d expect: they break up the battlefield by blocking line of sight and creating obstacles.

Gameplay-wise, that means units can’t just march in a straight line across an open field every game. You’ll have to work around these features, find firing lanes, or use them to shield your approach. Visually, they also add some flair so the board doesn’t feel too flat.

There will eventually be a variety of environmental tiles to choose from — wreckage, terrain, ruins, natural features — but even the basic ones add a lot to how the board feels.

The Board in Action

Here’s where everything comes together. Once you put models on the board, the scale and possibilities really start to make sense.

In these photos you’ll see some painted minis (and plenty unpainted, because I’ve been too busy to finish them 😅). Even with a simple rectangular board and a handful of raised pieces, the game starts to feel alive.

The hex layout gives structure to movement and positioning without cluttering the table. Environmental pieces create cover and chokepoints. And the border frames the whole scene so it looks contained and intentional.

Even at its most minimal, Tile Set 1 makes Beyond Space feel like a real battlefield — not just models scattered across a kitchen table.

For transparency: printing this entire board cost me around $70 USD in filament, not including the miniatures. That’s a small investment compared to the price of armies and boards in most other wargames, and it gets you a reusable battlefield you can play on forever and expand over time.

Accessibility – No Printer? No Problem

As I said earlier, the official Beyond Space board is designed for filament 3D printing. If you’ve got an FDM printer (like my Bambu Labs), it’s extremely affordable to make. But I know not everyone has one, and I don’t want that to stop anyone from trying the game. So here are three other ways you’ll be able to get a playable board:

Option 1 – Buy directly from me
I’ll be doing limited monthly runs of printed boards you can buy straight from me. I’m not a print farm, so these will be small batches and cost a bit more, but if you don’t have a printer and still want the official version, this will be an option.

Option 2 – Foam board version
This is the craft-friendly approach. With some basic foam, a few tools, and a stencil, you can cut out your own board at home. It’s cheap, lightweight, and surprisingly effective. I’ll provide guides so you can make one without trial and error.

Option 3 – Poster board + marker
The budget option. Grab a piece of poster board, draw the hexes with a marker (using a stencil I’ll share), and you’re good to go. It’s not 3D, but it works perfectly for learning the game and playing matches on the cheap.

The bottom line: if you’re curious about Beyond Space, there’s no barrier. You can start small and upgrade later if you fall in love with it.

Wrapping Up

That’s it for this first dedicated look at the gameboard. What you’ve seen here is just one example of what’s possible with Tile Set 1 — and over the coming months, I’ll be showing more layouts, different ways to build battlefields, and eventually Tile Set 2, which will be a more detailed, immersive option for those who want to push visuals further.

For now though, I wanted to start with the basics: the stripped-down version of the board that anyone can build, that still gives you a clean, functional, and tactical battlefield.

I’ll leave you with more images below so you can get a better sense of how it looks in different angles. If you have any questions, feedback, or just want to talk about the gameboard, the best place to do that is the Beyond Space Discord.

Discord: https://discord.gg/beyondspace

More soon.

-Ben