New Campaign Maps

Tactical map of battle of Eisenbach

There are three strategic maps and only one tactical map.  But the tactical map is by far the most important.

The strategic maps illustrate the background to the wargame, but the tactical map dictates the actual wargame table.

Each square on the tactical map is duplicated by a 2x2 foot scenic square on the wargames table.   9 map squares look the same as the 9 scenic squares which make up the 6x6 foot wargames table.

The centre of the table is also the centre of the wargames table.

There are 21 squares.   7 are hills.   The remaining 14 have different terrain on each side of the square.   There are 7 river sections, 9 blank and 12 road combinations.   These are sufficient to make up any table shown on the tactical map.

12” square felt indicates built up areas.   Green for farms and light brown for towns and villages.   Each village and farm is one square.   A town is two squares, and a city four  squares.

 

Wargames table at the start of battle of Eisenbach

Eisenbach is represented by the two felt squares in the centre of the table.   There is a village top right and a farm with hedge bottom left.   There are two fortified farms, one top left and one bottom right.  

2^nd and 4^th Russian corps are already deployed on the table, as they are on the map.  

2^nd and 5^th French corps are on the edge of the table, as they are on the map.  They will enter the table at the start of move 1.

I have used this type of mapping for about eight years.   There is a new tactical map for each phase of the campaign and they usually provide two to six battles to wargame.

The tactical map allows each player to know in advance the exact look of the wargames table.  He can manoeuvre to choose a battlefield in his favour, or to find a good defensive position is he is outnumbered.  

The table options are almost endless.

I try to make the strategic maps look like actual maps.  Distances between cities are correct to about 10 miles.   Terrain features are as close as I can make them.

But the tactical map is purely functional.   No attempt has been made to make them look anything other than a representation of how the wargames table will look.   All roads enter and leave a square in the centre, because that is how the scenic squares are make.   They may look too grid like, but they have to be so to show how the scenic squares will look on the wargames table.