Quick answer

Choose the Nocturnal mat if you want a darker, city-at-night battlefield and the lower catalog price of USD 36.30; choose the Icey II mat if an icy wasteland theme suits your fleet and you don't mind paying USD 40.70 for that specific look.

Theme and table presence

The two mats set different scenes. Nocturnal depicts sleeping nocturnal cities, while Icey II shows an icy wasteland. Both are designed for Dropfleet Commander or any game with aerial dogfights over alien terrain, so the choice comes down to which backdrop you want under your ships. A city-at-night mat tends to feel denser and more built-up; an ice mat reads as open and stark. Neither is inherently more legible, but your fleet's paint scheme will pop against one more than the other.

Price versus specific look

At catalog prices, Nocturnal is USD 36.30 and Icey II is USD 40.70, both shown against a USD 55.00 comparison price. That makes Nocturnal the lower-cost pick if you are buying on budget alone. The trade-off is that Icey II's icy theme may be the better match for a winter or glacier-themed table. If neither theme is a strong fit, the cheaper mat leaves more budget for terrain or a second mat.

What the catalog does not tell you

The supplied product records list the theme, game compatibility, and the PlayerAid Border reference, but they do not give mat dimensions, material, or thickness. Those details matter for table fit and storage, so check them on the product page before ordering. This comparison therefore focuses on theme and price rather than surface feel, which cannot be judged from the catalog facts alone.

Trade-offs to weigh

  • Theme fit: Choose Nocturnal for a city-at-night look or Icey II for an icy wasteland. Match the mat to the story your fleet and terrain already tell.
  • Budget: Nocturnal is USD 36.30 and Icey II is USD 40.70 at catalog price, so Nocturnal saves USD 4.40 if the theme is not decisive. Put the saving toward a second mat or more terrain if you are undecided.
  • Readability check: Lay a few of your painted ships on a similar background before buying. Dark schemes can disappear on a dark space mat, while pale schemes can wash out on ice.

Product facts

  • TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Icey II Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat: Icey II is an icy wasteland landscape created by TT Combat, intended for Dropfleet Commander or aerial dogfight games over alien terrain. Pick it when you want a cold, open battlefield theme rather than a built-up city backdrop.

    TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Icey II Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat

    TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Icey II Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat

  • TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Nocturnal Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat: Nocturnal depicts sleeping nocturnal cities created by TT Combat and is also suited to Dropfleet Commander or aerial dogfight games. It gives you a darker urban-night scene at the lower catalog price of the two.

    TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Nocturnal Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat

    TT COMBAT: Dropfleet Commander Nocturnal Tabletop Wargaming Play Mat

Which mat fits your table

Best for

  • Players who want a dark, city-at-night space wargaming mat and the lower price
  • Dropfleet Commander fleets with bright or contrasting paint schemes

Not for

  • Tables built around a winter or glacier theme, where Icey II is the stronger match
  • Buyers who need confirmed dimensions or material before ordering, since the catalog does not list them