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Sunday 26 April 2020

A map for my Barbarossa Campaign: The start

During a lull yesterday (I was waiting for some paint to dry, I'd read and answered all my emails, and there was nothing worth watching on TV), I decided to begin work on a campaign map for my Barbarossa Campaign. I looked at all the maps that I have of the area over which the Barbarossa Campaign was fought, and they were either too detailed or lacked the sort of detail that I wanted. I finally settled on the maps in Bruce Quarrie's TANK BATTLES IN MINIATURE: 2 A WARGAMERS' GUIDE TO THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN 1941-1945 as the basis of the map I needed to draw.

I began by scanning in an image of the map showing the railway lines in western Russia.


As it is my intention to use a version of the simple campaign system that I featured in THE PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME book, I overlaid the map with a red 28 x 26 squared grid and printed it off


I then created a 28 x 26 squared grid in MS PAINT and using the printed overlaid map as a guide, I began to transfer the details onto my map.


The joy of a project like this is that it is one that I can come back to as and when I want to as well as allowing me to add the sorts of detail that I want included on my campaign map. I addition, as there is no deadline to meet, I can take as long as I like to complete it ... so it looks like a win-win project for me!

8 comments:

  1. Hi Bob,
    I assume that the Map is intended for a Campaign with your refurbished WW2 Armies- it is all coming along nicely. My Friend Greg Mc is encouraging me to make a MAP for my MARS 1860 Project - one difficulty is that we've only played one Scenario Game- and hence one 'Place Name' which to my mind is hardly condusive to making a comprehensive MAP- somehow I need to just base things on imagination and hope for the best with further battles being conducted. I like what you are doing. Best Wishes. KEV.

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    Replies
    1. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      You are spot on! The map is for my campaign, and I plan to use square to square movement for formations.

      If you get the chance, I’m sure that you’d produce an excellent map for your campaign. Judging by your modelling skills, a suitable map should be a doddle for you!

      All the best,

      Bob

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    2. Hi Bob,
      Thanks for the encouragement re: MAP. I look forward to seeing what you do with your WW2 Campaign - I assume that you may during these times 'Play Solo'. Best Wsihes. KEV.

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    3. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      Good luck with creating your own map. As you surmised, mine will be used solo.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  2. I have a few copies of RISK! that supply tiny infantry, cavalry and artillery pieces to represent the 1,5 and 10 piece armies. Using them you could play a strategic level campaign with this map alone. Combat ranges would be shortened of course but you could use those dice based combat variants you visited a little while back.

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    Replies
    1. Mr. Pavone,

      I actually did something like this some years ago. I used the figures from MEMOIR ‘44 and the map from LOTR RISK. I wrote about it back in 2012, and you might like to read the relevant blog entry here = https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2012/07/so-what-do-you-do-on-wet-saturday-in.html .

      All the best,

      Bob

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  3. Replies
    1. Geordie an Exiled FoG,

      I’m planning to do a series of blog posts that show how the map develops over time. In fact, the next stage will by on my blog later today.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

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