Campaign Map
The main reason that I want to reorganise the
campaign is to allow me to have a level of command above the mini campaign
phase level. It is proving much more
difficult to achieve this than I expected, and I think this may be because of
the maps I use.
The whole campaign is designed around the
wargame, and in particular the maps are designed around the wargame table. This is particularly so for the campaign map
which I use to control each mini campaign phase.
Above you will see the one I used for the
Salzwedel campaign phase. This map is
used for campaign movement and transferring from the campaign to the wargames
table. Each square on this map is a 2x2 foot square
on the wargames table, it shows the actual scenery on the wargames table. The whole table is nine squares. I have outlined the table to Kladen on the
map. There are nine named towns on this
map, and each one is a wargame table.
North Germany Map
This map shows one of the five campaign areas,
this one in north Germany. Each square
is a wargames table. Kladen is the
square outlined in white. This is designed
to be used to control the campaign in north Germany, not each individual
campaign phase. It shows roads, rivers
and hills. The scale does not allow using
each corps. Only each army can be
shown, because the squares are so small.
Germany Map
This map shows all of Germany, and again one
square is a wargames table. This map is
used to show the three campaign areas in Germany, but they are not indicated on
this particular map. I have removed them
to highlight the small amount of space for each wargame table.
Europe Map
This map shows all of Europe. Each square is a mini campaign area, and
each area would contain nine wargames table.
Only Salzwedel is shown, which is the name of the mini campaign.
I want to keep the wargames table as the unit
of measurement for the whole campaign.
It will continue to represent one town, and one days march. However I will have to change the area map,
North Germany above, to allow much more space for corps movement.
The maps for north Germany, Germany and Europe
were all based on a detailed road map.
I wanted to show the major cities and towns, but to do I had to
compromise on showing the smaller towns which indicated the wargames
table.
To be able to plot corps movement on the three
larger maps I will have to find a way of showing the same information, but allow
more squares to include corps. This is
proving difficult at present
I’ll be very interested to see how you solve this conundrum.
ReplyDeleteGood luck,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment
I have already tried two or three solutions.
Each one seemed promising in theory
But once I started play testing I found problems
Getting it right at all three levels seems to be the problem
What works at an area level (ie north Germany) does not on the Germany map
But at least it keeps me occupied making maps
When I tell Jan I have found a solution she gives me a strange look
Which I only understand when I realise it is not working in practice
regards
Paul
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteI'm also very much looking forward to what you come up with. As a fellow campaign designer I would also be very interested in which ideas *don't* work, so please don't hesitate to share those too!
For me, one of the major design challenges in any units-on-a-map campaign is making sure you keep generating interesting battles. When you are maneuvering armies, you will naturally want to try and concentrate two or three armies against one enemy army. That may make for a good map game, but it may not lead to a very good wargame.
I have come to accept that some very artificial restrictions are sometimes needed to save the game from itself. Sometimes history helps a little though. For example, grouping multiple armies was very difficult because of logistics: armies on the march occupied a *lot* of road space while wagon trains and depots could only be so large before traffic congestion set in. Your mini-campaign supply system could possibly be translated to the larger scale somehow, restricting how many corps/armies one area can support?
I wonder what would happen if you draw your main (red) roads on the Europe map and work from there.
Hi Yuri
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments
We obviously have very a very similar approach to campaigns.
Like you, the reason I started the 1813 campaign was to provide interesting battles to wargame. And to achieve this required a lot of compromise, and a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve. I think I have done this with my current campaign system.
However after a lot of wargaming it does become tired. It tends to produce similar battles and follow a similar narrative for each campaign phase.
So what I am hoping to do is to inject new concepts without destroying those aspects of the current campaign which work well.
I am not sure how to achieve that, but I will know once I see it. I do have some ideas, but so far have not been able to graft them onto the current campaign
I experimented with just stating a completely new campaign, and even did a couple of play tests. But so far have always come to the conclusion that what I have works better than anything new.
I feel I am really close to improving the campaign, and really enjoying the exercise of trying to do so.
regards
Paul