One of my regular blog readers is Maudlin Jack Tar*, and he recently sent me some ideas that he has had for the development of the Hare & Hounds board for use as a mini-campaign aid.
His design for the board looked like this:
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
He pre-set the terrain for each large square using the following method:
- Roll 2D10 dice, one for woods and one for hills for each Large square.
- The score indicates which small square is populated (e.g. D10 die roll score for woods = 3; D10 die roll score for hills = 7).
The D10 die roll score determines which type of terrain goes in each small square. For example, Woods = 3 and Hills = 7 would produce the following terrain:
- If both dice roll the same number no scenery is placed.
- If the die roll is a 10, no scenery of that type is placed.
- If there is a town in the centre of the large square and a 5 is rolled, no scenery of that type is placed.
He has also produced a set of campaign rules to go with his version of the Hare & Hounds board, and I understand that he intends to use them with a forthcoming Ancient mini-campaign.
Frankly, his thinking is already way ahead of my own as far as terrain generation is concerned, and I will be using Maudlin Jack Tar's version as a starting point for my own development of the Hare & Hounds board.
* Maudlin Jack Tar's blog is entitled PROJECTS AND PROCRASTINATION and I cannot recommend it too highly.
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Bob,
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting way of generating terrain for the H&H campaign map, and ideal if the map need bear no relation to any real areas or locations, although rather too much die rolling for my taste.
For my 1814 campaign, I would prefer to pre-prepare battlefield maps or select appropriate ones from a source such as those in Thomas's One Hour Wargames. I have several ideas to reflect the fact that one side is operating in its homeland whilst the other is advancing into unfamiliar territory, which I will put in my Compendium article.
Arhtur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI think that this simple system is ideal for an imagi-nation mini-campaign and I am looking to develop it.
The use of dice to generate terrain may seem a bit tedious, but in the absence of a 'real world' map to base the H&H board on, I cannot see a simple way to achieve something random without relying on pre-drawn terrain setups similar to those in Thomas's excellent books.
I think that your ideas are ideal for creating an H&H board for a 'real world' mini-campaign and I look forward to including them in the next Compendium ... possibly alongside Maudlin Jack Tar's and my own so that potential users can adapt the methodology to their own requirements.
All the best,
Bob
Bob - Thanks. Once I start my H&H Mini Campaign I'd imagine that the rough rules created to date will be modified and I'll keep you posted.
DeleteArthur - Although it does seem like a lot of dice rolling, the map illustrated only took about 15 minutes to construct in MS Excel - Although a 2d10 can be used, I actually just generated the numbers randomly using an Excel function so that I could populate the 3x3 grids as I made the map.
I decided I wanted to know the terrain for each large square before I started, but equally it might be interesting to find out the lie of the land as you advance / scout ahead.
Maudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI am working on the development of your idea and I have also used a MS Excel spreadsheet to ‘throw the D10s’ for me.
All the best,
Bob
That's a great terrain generator. Easily adapted for other uses as well by adding a roll for towns, but rolling it last and having no town if there is already terrain in the square. It can also be used for 6x6 with most of the feature being in the four square group, Rolling a d4 for which specific sub square.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteI have been working on a development of Maudlin Jack Tar’s ideas for a 3 x 3 H&H mini-campaign board and I’d be interested to see how you are adapting it for a 6 x 6 version.
All the best,
Bob
I'm painting some Axis and Allies 1914 figures for an adaptation of Men at Arms for the late 19th early 20th century. I plan on using Jacks system to generate the battlefields, with my town addition. I need to fine tune it then I'll post a battle report. In the meantime I might just do a post strictly on battlefield generation.
DeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteThat sounds as if it is a very interesting project. I’ve looked at using Axis & Allies figures as a potential source of wargame figures in the past, but never went anywhere with it.
Allthe best,
Bob
Bob -
ReplyDeleteThat looks a fine method of generating terrain. One need not generate to whole 'theatre' at once: just the areas where there are troops stationed at the outset. Dice for the other areas as and when the 'need to know' becomes imminent - just as I notice Maudlin Jack Tar has himself suggested.
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteI can see an ‘emerging terrain’ option being ideal for a Colonial wargame where a colonial force is entering unknown terrain to ‘punish’ a native army. The latter might have some idea of what terrain is in each large square whereas the former would only discover what is there when they enter the large square.
Lots of ideas for us to work with!
All the best,
Bob
A really sound campaign map generation idea from Maudlin Jack Tar, there 👍🏼…and the idea of ‘populating’ the terrain as you advance sounds ideal, especially for eras where geographical knowledge was minimal.
ReplyDeleteI also like Mark’s add-on of dicing for a town AFTER the woods and hills are positioned, with already filled squares leading to no town (though I might be inclined to aim for a 50/50 chance of dicing for a town in the first place, to avoid too many popping up, perhaps?).
Martin S.,
DeleteI think that this system could really be a useful tool for those of us who like mini-campaigning and it is generating lots of ideas for its development.
My own thinking includes a way of adding small settlements to the hills and woods-filled H&H mini-campaign board … and isn’t that different from your own idea.
All the best,
Bob