Modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly

Abstract

A modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly has two modules directly and releasably engageable with one another. A first of the two modules is a horizontally oriented floor module including a horizontally oriented frame having a laterally extending top surface, opposing first and second side surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface, and a frontside surface depending downwardly from the top surface and extending between the first and second side surfaces. The top surface, the frontside surface, and the first and second side surfaces are aesthetically textured. A male connector projects horizontally outwardly from one of the surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface and a corresponding female slot projects inwardly into an underside of the frame from another other of the surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly, comprising:
 two modules directly and releasably engageable with one another,   a first of the two modules being a horizontally oriented floor module comprising a horizontally oriented frame having a laterally extending top surface, opposing first and second side surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface, and a frontside surface depending downwardly from the top surface and extending between the first and second side surfaces, the top surface, the frontside surface, and the first and second side surfaces being aesthetically textured, and   a male connector projecting horizontally outwardly from one of the surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface and a corresponding female slot projecting inwardly into an underside of the frame from another other of the surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface.   
     
     
         2 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector projects horizontally outwardly from one of the first and second side surfaces and the corresponding female slot projects inwardly into an underside of the frame from the other of the first and second side surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector projects horizontally outwardly from the frontside surface and the corresponding female slot projects inwardly into an underside of the frame from one of the first and second side surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector is monolithically formed with the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the male connector is co-molded with the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second of the two modules is a second of the horizontally oriented floor modules, wherein at least one of (i) the female slot of the second floor module is configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of the first floor module in a friction fit manner or (ii) the female slot of the first floor module is configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of the second floor module in a friction fit manner. 
     
     
         7 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second of the two modules is a vertically oriented module, and wherein the frame further comprises a cradle opposite the frontside surface and extending between the first and second side surfaces, the cradle having a plurality of female recesses extending downwardly from an upper surface of the cradle and configured to selectively receive the vertically oriented module. 
     
     
         8 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the vertically oriented module is a vertically oriented, side wall module having aesthetically textured front and rear wall faces. 
     
     
         9 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the vertically oriented side wall module includes parallel first and second, vertical side surfaces, a generally linear lower side edge extending between the first and second side surfaces and an unevenly contoured upper side edge extending between the first and second side surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the vertically oriented side wall module includes a male connector projecting vertically downwardly from the lower side edge, and wherein one of the plurality of female recesses of the cradle is a wall interlocking recess configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of the vertically oriented side wall module in a friction fit manner. 
     
     
         11 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cradle is a first cradle and further comprising:
 a second cradle positioned opposite the second side surface and perpendicular to the first cradle, the first and second cradles forming an L-shape about a seam joining the first and second cradles,   the second cradle having a plurality of female recesses extending downwardly from an upper surface of the second cradle and configured to selectively receive the vertically oriented module, and   an L-shaped female recess extending downwardly from the upper surface of the first and second cradles and centered about the seam joining the first and second cradles.   
     
     
         12 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the vertically oriented side wall module is a corner wall module comprising:
 two vertical wall portions oriented perpendicularly to one another and forming an L-shape about a seam joining the wall portions, the two wall portions defining parallel first and second, vertical side surfaces, and a generally linear lower side edge extending between the first and second side surfaces in the L-shape,   a male connector projecting vertically downwardly from the lower side edge at each wall portion, and   an L-shaped male connector projecting vertically downwardly from the lower side edge and centered about the seam joining the wall portions,   
     
     
         13 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 one of the plurality of female recesses of the first cradle is a wall interlocking recess configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of one of the two wall portions,   one of the plurality of female recessed of the second cradle is a wall interlocking recessed configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of the other of the two wall portions in a friction fit manner, and   the L-shaped female recess is a wall is a wall interlocking recess configured to directly and releasably receive the L-shaped male connector.   
     
     
         14 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the corner wall module further comprises an unevenly contoured upper side edge extending between the first and second side surfaces. 
     
     
         15 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the vertically oriented module is a vertically oriented column having an I-shape in cross-section perpendicular to a vertical extent of the column, the I-shaped column having aesthetically textured front and rear surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 15 , wherein one of the plurality of female recesses of the cradle is a column interlocking recess shaped and dimensioned to receive the I-shaped column in a friction fit manner. 
     
     
         17 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the column defines an unevenly contoured top surface. 
     
     
         18 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second of the two modules is a floor endcap module comprising a top surface, an opposing base surface, opposing first and second surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface to the base surface, and frontside and rear-side surfaces also depend downwardly from the top surface to the base surface, each extending between the first and second surfaces, the top surface, the first surface, and the frontside and rear-side surfaces are aesthetically textured surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a female slot projecting inwardly into the endcap from one the surfaces depending downwardly from the top surface, the female slot being configured to directly and releasably receive the male connector of the first module in a friction fit manner. 
     
     
         20 . The modular tabletop gaming terrain assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a standalone cradle module, the cradle having a plurality of female recesses extending downwardly from an upper surface of the cradle and configured to selectively receive a vertically oriented module.