During playtesting of Starship!, we discovered that the Battlepole could be used for a variety of other games besides our sci-fi ones.  For example, Rod is using the Battlepole to play one of his latest game designs, Battle Over Berlin, a set of WWII air combat rules using 1/72 fighter models and the Battlepole.  It has also been handy for deploying aircraft and helicopters over ground battles, ranging from WWI to modern times (it has come in especially handy during the Chico Game Club's 'Nam games!).

The Battlepole consists of a base, an antenna, and a "nipple".  The base itself is heavy duty resin, and is heavy enough to support just about anything that the antenna can without tipping over.  Furthermore, the base has 22.5º arcs cast right into its surface, which makes turning and determining fire arcs a breeze!  And, the base is a mere 4"x4" square, which means that it won't take up a bunch of room on your tabletop.  The antenna is just that - an antenna.  It has six sections, which means that you can represent up to six levels of flight.  In Starship!, each antenna section corresponds to a Flight Band, for example.  In Battle Over Berlin, each section equals a certain range of elevation; you get the idea.  The nipple is a - well, it's a nipple - that fits snugly over the top of the antenna.  The top of the nipple has a hefty pin that you can insert into whatever model/figure you are placing on top of the Battlepole.  We recommend drilling a hole big enough for the pin for a truly sturdy connection.  You can choose to permanently affix the nipple to the model, or leave it "loose" so you can use the same nipple for multiple models.

Battlepoles cost $8.00 each,  but if you buy a Starship! model and a Battlepole together, you get the Battlepole for only $5.00 - what a deal!
 
Here are some pictures of the Battlepole in action!
 

 
 
 
 

Here's the Battlepole being used for WWII air combat!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
This poor excuse for a photograph shows an Fw190 sweeping around some cloud cover to get at that Meteor in the upper right-hand corner of the picture.  Meanwhile, a Spitfire tries to maneuver around behind the Fw190.  You can see the Battlepole bases and get an impression of the different elevations the Battlepoles can be used to create.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
The Battlepole can even handle large models such as this 1/72 scale B-17!  If the model feels wobbly to you and you are concerned with it following over, however, we recommend gluing a piece of card or thin wood to the bottom of the base for extra lateral stability.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
From this angle, you can see the nipple at the top of the Battlepole, where it inserts into the model.  For these planes, the nipple has been permanently glued in place to the model (but you can still remove the nipple from the antenna).  There is no reason that you have to glue the nipple in place, however.  In this case, it was done for convenience and additional stability.
 
 
 
If you have any questions about what the Battlepole is capable of, please drop us an email.