Pages

Sunday 30 July 2017

A few experiments with my Heroscape hexes

As a result of the feedback I receive after my recent blog entry, I have conducted a few 'experiments' to see what units that have bases that are larger than a Heroscape hex would look like on them.

I used some of the Megablitz units that I have in my collection, all of which have slightly larger bases than they need so that magnetic strength markers can be fixed to the back edge of the unit base.

I began with a Russian Rifle unit which has a base that is 50mm x 35mm. (This is larger than the recommended size of a Megablitz Infantry base, which is 35mm x 35mm.)


I then used a Russian Light Artillery unit with a base that is 30mm x 60mm, ...


... followed by a Russian Anti-tank Gun unit with a base that is 30mm x 75mm.


I concluded with a Russian Tank unit with a base that is 40mm x 85mm.


You will note that I added some extra hexes to the last three 'experiments' to indicate the units' ZOC (Zones of Control) and/or the hexes that are adjacent to the hexes 'occupied' by each unit.

I found the results of these 'experiments' rather encouraging, especially as it would be quite easy to re-base some of my 20mm World War II figure collection onto bases that will fit within the boundaries of one or two Heroscape hexes.

This has given me something to continue to think about, and even if it ends up going nowhere, I am enjoying the process.

4 comments:

  1. Oddly enough, I have been experimenting with 2 hex horse & musket infantry units. Its encouraging but I'm not yet sufficiently inspired to invest the time and/or money to hex my table again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ross Mac,

      I look forward to reading more about your experiments.

      Luckily I have boxes full of Heroscape hexes, and I am looking at creating a permanent baseboard that I can lift on and off my wargame table.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. One of the consequences of thinking about gridded war games ha been to consider how my Napoleonics might 'fit'. This hasn't gone any further than my brain so far, but might well see the light of day.

    Consider my standard 24-figure infantry Division. A Divisional column occupies a 9cm x 8cm 'footprint' - easily contained within a 4"x4" (10cmx10cm) square cell. But what of the same division, deployed in line, say, for defence? It might then occupy two, three or four 'cells'. That seems to me no bad thing.

    My cavalry units (Brigades) do present a small problem, as, arranged 3 ranks of 4 figures they occupy an 8cm x 12cm 'footprint'; 2 ranks of 6 figures, it is 12cm x 8cm. Were I to go down this track, the Cav Brigades would have to be reduced to 8 figures, OR I'd have to endure the overlap.

    Although the latter would not be wholly satisfactory, I think I'd rather have the overlap in depth, rather than width, and arrange my 12-figure cav units in 3 ranks of 4.

    I also think that in a system like this, the full Division and Brigade columns ought to maintain an 'all round' interval of 1 cell (orthogonally only on a square grid).

    I'm tempted to expand this as a posting on my own blog spot. Especially considering that I received my copy of 'Developing the Portable Wargame a couple of weeks back.

    (I might be forced, in a separate posting, to suggest 'Army Lists' for my 11th Century Byzantines, as well... :-D)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Archduke Piccolo,

      You make a lot of very interesting points, all of which have given me something to think about.

      At present (and I must stress that as nothing is set in stone as yet) my current draft PORTABLE NAPOLEONIC WARGAME rules use units that fit into a Hexon II hex. I think of the individual units as being brigades/regiments, with three or four infantry units plus some artillery and possible a unit of cavalry grouped together as equalling a division. It works … but I have yet to consider the ‘problem’ of – for example – using a divisional attack column. That would certainly occupy more than a single grid area.

      If I moved over to 4-inch/10cm squares rather than hexes, I could do as you have done, and would be able to fit three or four infantry units or two cavalry units into a grid area … but I still could not get a whole division into one.

      This is something that I will certainly have to give some more ‘think time’ to over the coming months … but my current main project is to re-write my SCW book so it will have to stay on the back burner for a few weeks first.

      All the best,

      Bob

      PS. I've used the same words in my comment on your latest blog entry ... and I am looking forward to reading your Byzantine Army Lists for my PAW rules.

      Delete

Thank you for leaving a comment. Please note that any comments that are spam or contain phishing messages or that come from Google Accounts that are 'Unknown' will be deleted.