First
Campaign Map
You
can use any type of map for the campaign.
However it should have sufficient information to allow you to transfer
any battles to the wargames table. This
is often the most difficult part of a campaign, particularly if there are more
than one player involved.
I
have found it best to make my own maps.
I can then include all of the detail which I will need to set up the
wargames table. Above is the map I used
in my first campaign back in 2008. As
you can see it is hand drawn, and not very pretty. But it does include the exact terrain that
will appear on the wargames table.
There is a grid at the top and side for movement reference. The number inside each square is the number
of the matching 2x2” scenic square which will be used on the table.
In
2009 I discovered a map making computer programme called ProFantasy CC3. It cost £30 and is the best investment I have
made. I am not very skilful but it even
made my maps much better. If you check
out their website you will see the professional looking maps which the more
skilled can make.
Map of Germany
I
use a number of different scale maps in my campaign, most are used for planning
and only one is used for campaign play.
The one above shows all of Germany, there is a similar one for
Spain. This map is made from an AA Road
Atlas and Google Earth. I drew a grid
on the road atlas with each square covering about 15 square miles. I then selected one city or town for each
square. The road system is
fictional. I connected capital cities
with a red road and regional towns with a yellow road. These are important for grand strategy
planning for the campaign. Each square
on this map represents one days march and one wargame table. The area outlined in white is the campaign
area for southern Germany.
Map of Southern Germany
Even
on a desktop monitor it is difficult to work on the maps of Germany and
Spain. So I made a smaller map for the
campaign areas of north, central and southern Germany and north and southern
Spain. The one above is the area of
southern Germany fought over by Third French Army and the Austrian Army. The detail is the same as on the larger map
of Germany, but easier to see and work on.
Each square on this map is also 15 miles, one days march or one wargame
table. The area outlined in white is
the campaign area for the Erlangen campaign.
Map of Erlangen campaign
area
This
is the strategic map used for the Erlangen campaign. It shows the same area but in more detail. Each square on this map is 5 miles and one
2x2 foot scenic square on the wargames table.
This map is used to create the tactical map which will be used for
campaign movement and setting up wargame tables
Tactical map of
Erlangen campaign area
This
is the tactical map used for all movement and transferring battles to the
wargames table. Each square has two
numbers. Top left is the campaign
movement reference number. Top right is
the number of the scenic square. The
map shows not only cities and towns, but also villages and farms. Woods and broken ground are also shown, plus
hills and rivers. When used in
multiplayer games this map can be used to select good defensive battlefields in
advance, or to try to force your opponent to defend a poor defensive position.
The
only way to get this sort of detail on your campaign map is to make it
yourself. By doing so you can ensure
that you not only use your model soldiers in sequence, but also your terrain. You will see that villages and some farms
have numbers. This refers to permanent
village and farm models. Other farms
are shows as wall or hedge. This ensures
that I use my model walls and hedges in turn.
There is nothing on the map which cannot be reproduced exactly on the
wargames table.
It
can be a lot of work to make this type of map, but it is well worth the
effort. And remember that they can hand
drawn if you wish.
Next
time I will cover the campaign rules
