Moonrakers Platinum Neoprene Mats: Armory vs Dispatch Setup

By IV Studio — Shop Tend, Moonrakers, Veiled Fate, and Mythic | Published: 2026-10-14

Category: Reseñas de productos

Compare the Moonrakers Platinum neoprene mats for the Armory and Dispatch boards, learn how they change table setup, and decide which upgrades are worth adding.

Quick answer

The Moonrakers Platinum Neoprene Armory & Dispatch Mats replace the two most-handled board zones with a soft neoprene surface that makes cards easier to pick up. They are the right upgrade if you play Moonrakers Platinum Edition often and want a cleaner table setup. If you only own the base game without the Platinum boards, or you always play on a soft playmat already, you can skip them and put the money toward the game itself.

What the Armory and Dispatch mats actually change

The Armory and Dispatch boards are where players constantly reach for cards during a Moonrakers session. The Platinum Neoprene Armory & Dispatch Mats are two custom neoprene mats that sit over those boards and turn any table into a consistent gaming surface. The practical benefit is card pickup: on a hard table, cards can slide or sit flush against cardboard, but the neoprene gives just enough grip and cushion to lift cards cleanly. Because these are two separate mats, you can use one, both, or neither depending on your table space and how much you value that pickup feel.

How the Armory mat and Dispatch mat differ in practice

Both mats are neoprene and both are designed for the Platinum boards, so the difference is not material quality but role. The Armory mat covers the area where players acquire and manage cards, while the Dispatch mat covers the board where contracts and actions are resolved. In play, the Armory side gets more repeated card handling, so the pickup benefit shows up there first. The Dispatch side benefits more from keeping cards from sliding during negotiation and contract selection. If you are buying one at a time, start with the mat for the board your group touches most.

Where the Nomad Navigation Playmat fits

If you also play with the Nomad expansion, the Moonrakers: Nomad Navigation Playmat replaces the cardboard navigation board and keeps contracts off the table. It is a different upgrade with a different job: it is not part of the Armory and Dispatch set, and it ships outside the game box in a tube. The catalog notes that all mats will fit inside the Titan box, so storage is possible if you own that box. For a table setup that covers both the core Platinum boards and the Nomad expansion, you would combine the Armory and Dispatch mats with the Nomad mat.

Matching mats to the rest of your Moonrakers setup

The mats are an upgrade, not a requirement, so they work best when the rest of your components are already organized. Moonrakers Platinum Edition includes metal coins and a custom plastic insert that supports sleeved cards, which means the box already handles storage and component quality. Adding neoprene mats is about the play surface rather than the box. If you have not yet moved to Platinum Edition, the base game experience comes first; the mats assume you are playing on the Platinum boards.

Trade-offs to weigh before buying

Armory and Dispatch mats together: Buying both covers the two main card-handling zones and gives the most consistent neoprene surface across the Platinum boards. The trade-off is cost and table footprint: two mats take more space than one and only make sense if you regularly play on a hard table. Best value if you play Moonrakers often and want the full surface upgrade.
Armory mat only: The Armory board sees the most repeated card pickup, so a single mat there captures most of the practical benefit. The trade-off is that the Dispatch board stays on cardboard, so the table feel is uneven. A reasonable first step if you want to test neoprene before buying both.
Nomad Navigation Playmat: This mat solves a different problem by replacing the cardboard navigation board and keeping contracts off the table. It is not a substitute for the Armory and Dispatch mats, and it only applies if you own the Nomad expansion. Add it only if Nomad is part of your regular rotation.

Product facts

Moonrakers Platinum Neoprene Armory & Dispatch Mats: Two custom neoprene mats for the Dispatch and Armory boards turn any table into the perfect gaming surface, and the neoprene makes it easier to pick up cards from the Armory and Dispatch inventories. This is the core reason to buy: cleaner card handling on the two boards you touch most, without changing the game itself.
Moonrakers Platinum Edition: Moonrakers Platinum Edition is the base game and includes metal coins and a custom plastic insert that supports sleeved cards. The mats are an add-on to the Platinum boards, so this is the version you need for the Armory and Dispatch mats to fit your setup.
Moonrakers: Nomad Navigation Playmat: The Nomad Navigation Playmat is a neoprene mat that replaces the cardboard navigation board, keeps contracts off the table, ships in a tube, and fits inside the Titan box. If you play the Nomad expansion, this is a separate upgrade from the Armory and Dispatch mats, and it solves a different table problem.

Who should buy which mat

Best for

Players who own Moonrakers Platinum Edition and frequently play on a hard table
Groups that want easier card pickup from the Armory and Dispatch inventories
Owners of the Nomad expansion who want to replace the cardboard navigation board

Not for

Players who only own the base game without the Platinum boards
Groups that already play on a large soft playmat and do not need per-board surfaces
Buyers looking for a storage solution, since the mats are a play-surface upgrade