My terrain generator: Version 2: Feedback and improvement

Positive feedback is always helpful, and I've already had some in response to yesterday's blog entry.

In a comment, Patrick Walsh pointed out that the text regarding the river entry and exit points was open to a different interpretation from the example that I quoted. I read his comment with interest, and realised that not only was he right, but that on reflection I had tried to be a bit too clever and designed a mechanism that was unnecessarily complicated. I've therefore redrafted that section of the rules to read as follows.

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2.1: Direction of rivers
Unless the direction the river is passing through the battlefield is obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by throwing a D6 die twice. The first throw determines the river’s entry point and the second throw determines its exit point.

The first D6 die score is read starting from 1 in the top left-hand corner of the grid, going clockwise (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). The second D6 die score is read starting from the location determined by the first D6 die score, continuing clockwise.

For example, clockwise from 1 in the top left-hand corner of the grid, a D6 die score of 3 means that the river will enter the grid in the third quarter on the top edge the grid. A second D6 die score of 5 means that the river will exit the grid 5 quarters further clockwise round the grid, thus:

Rivers will take the most direct route from their entry point to their exit point, going around any hills and mountains that have already been located on the tabletop.

As a quarter might contain more than one grid area, the precise entry and exit points can be determined either by throwing a D6 die for each grid area that does not already contain a hill or mountain and the grid area with the highest D6 die score being the entry or exit point, or by mutual agreement between the players.

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I think that the end result is not only easier to understand, but is in keeping with the mechanisms used to locate hills etc. Thanks to the useful feedback that I received from Patrick Walsh, I think that I've ended up with a better terrain generator.

My terrain generator: Version 2

Over the weekend I did some revision work on the second version of my terrain generator, and I now feel confident enough to share it with my regular blog readers.

I have made quite a few changes which I hope will make the terrain generator easier to use and extend its usefulness somewhat. These changes include:

• Reordering the way in which each terrain type is generated so that hills and mountains now come first
• Trying to make the who process simpler
• Enabling the use of contiguous hills and mountains
• Enabling the use of contiguous areas of habitation
• Adding railways and fields

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When two opposing forces arrive in the same campaign grid area and prepare to fight, they will need to have some sort of terrain to fight over. This terrain generator will hopefully produce a viable terrain map that can be duplicated on the tabletop.

1: HILLS AND MOUNTAINS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there are any hills and mountains on the battlefield. (It is worth noting that there are relatively few battlefields that are totally flat and where there is no higher ground.) If there are any hills and mountains, then start here. If not, then move on to 2: RIVERS AND BODIES OF WATER.

Each hill or mountain occupies 1 grid area.

1.1: How many hills or mountains?
Unless the number and type of hills and mountains there are on the battlefield is obvious, this can be determined by throwing a D6 die. Unless otherwise determined by the rules, hills are one contour high and mountains are not climbable.

Open/Flat Terrain

• D6 = number of hills (e.g. D6 die score = 3; therefore, there are 3 hills)

Undulating Terrain

• D6 + 2 = number of hills (e.g. D6 die score = 4; therefore, there are 6 hills)
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill is two contours high.

Hilly Terrain

• D6 + 4 = number of hills (e.g. D6 die score = 2; therefore, there are 6 hills)
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill once it has been located.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill is two contours high.

Mountainous Terrain

• D6 + 6 = number of hills and mountains (e.g. D6 die score = 5; therefore, there are 11 hills and mountains)
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill once it has been located.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 3 or 4, the hill is two contours high.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill becomes a mountain.

1.2: Locating of hills and mountains
The location of the first hill is be determined by:

1. throwing a D6 die to identify the starting point on the left-hand side of the grid which will in turn determine where the first hill is located and
2. three D6 dice being thrown and their scores totalled to determine how many grid areas along that row from the starting point the hill will be located, counting along the row and then down and onto the second row if necessary.

Counting along a row and down to the next row on an 8 x 8 square grid.

Counting along a row and down to the next row on a 9 x 8 hexed grid.

The second hill is located 3D6 grid areas from the first hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the second row if necessary, as before. The third hill is located 3D6 grid areas from the second hill, and this use of totalled 3D6 dices scores continues until all the hills have been located.

If the counting along and down reaches the bottom right-hand grid area of the grid, the counting loops up to the top of the grid and the continues from the top left-hand grid area of the grid.

If there is already a hill in the grid area, the new hill is located in the next unoccupied grid area.
Once all the hills have been located in Hilly or Mountainous Terrain, the relevant additional dice throws take place to see if the hills are two contours high or are mountains.

1.3: Contiguous hills and mountains
It is normal for hills or mountains to form chains or ridges, and the following rules have been included so that players who wish to have a series of linked or contiguous grid areas that contain hills or mountains can do so.

When a hill has been located using the method outlined above, a second D6 die is thrown to determine if another hill will be located in an adjacent grid area.

If the second D6 die score is 1, 2, or 3, then the next hill will not be located in an adjacent grid area to the first, and the method outlined in 1.2: Locating hills and mountains is used to locate the next hill.

If the second D6 die score is 4, 5, or 6, then the next hill to be located will be in an adjacent grid area to the first. To determine which adjacent grid are the second hill is located in, another D6 die is thrown.

If the grid is a squared grid and the D6 dies score is 5 or 6, the D6 die must be thrown again. Only a D6 die score of 1, 2, 3, or 4 can be used to determine which adjacent grid square the next hill will be located in. (See relevant diagram)

If the grid is a hexed grid, the D6 die score determines which adjacent grid hex the next hill will be located in. (See relevant diagram)

If there is already a hill in the grid area, the additional hill is located in the next unoccupied grid area going clockwise.

This method is repeated for the second hill to see if a third hill is located in an adjacent grid area to the second hill … and so on until either the D6 die score determines that no further hills will be added to the chain or ridge or there are no more hills to be located.

Once all the hills have been located in Hilly or Mountainous Terrain, the relevant additional dice throws take place to see if the hills are two contours high or are mountains.

2: RIVERS AND BODIES OF WATER
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there is a river on the battlefield. If there is a river, then start here. If not, then move on to 3: ROADS AND TRACKS.

Each section of a river occupies 1 grid area.

2.1: Direction of rivers
Unless the direction the river is passing through the battlefield is obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by throwing a D6 die twice. The first throw determines the river’s entry point and the second throw determines its exit point.

The first D6 die score is read starting from 1 in the top left-hand corner of the grid, going clockwise (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). The second D6 die score is read starting from the location determined by the first D6 die score, continuing clockwise.

For example, clockwise from 1 in the top left-hand corner of the grid, a D6 die score of 3 means that the river will enter the grid in the third quarter on the top edge the grid. A second D6 die score of 5 means that the river will exit the grid in the second quarter on the left-hand side of the grid, thus:

Rivers will take the most direct route from their entry point to their exit point, going around any hills and mountains that have already been located on the tabletop.

As a quarter might contain more than one grid area, the precise entry and exit points can be determined either by throwing a D6 die for each grid area that does not already contain a hill or mountain and the grid area with the highest D6 die score being the entry or exit point, or by mutual agreement between the players.

2.2: Width of rivers
Unless the width of the river is passing through the battlefield is obvious, its width can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• D6 die score is 1, 2, 3, or 4 = the width of the river is one grid area.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = the width of the river is two grid areas.

2.3: Lakes
In some regions of the world there are many lakes. If the campaign is taking place in such a region and unless the number of lakes there are on the battlefield is obvious, the number of lakes can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• D6 = number of lakes (e.g. D6 die score = 5; therefore, there are 5 lakes)

Each part of a lake occupies 1 grid area.

The method used to locate lakes is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 1.2: Locating hills and mountains and 1.3: Contiguous hills and mountains above.

2.4: Marshes and swamps
In some regions of the world there are many marshes and swamps. If the campaign is taking place in such a region and unless the number of marshes or swamps there are on the battlefield is obvious, the number of marshes or swamps can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• D6 = number of marshes or swamps (e.g. D6 die score = 2; therefore, there are 2 marshes or swamps)

Each part of a marsh or swamp occupies 1 grid area.

The method used to locate marshes or swamps is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 1.2: Locating hills and mountains and 1.3: Contiguous hills and mountains above.

3: ROADS AND TRACKS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there is a road or track on the battlefield. If there is a road or track, then start here. If not, then move on to 4: TREES, WOODS, AND FORESTS.

The type of road or track will depend upon the geography the area the campaign is being fought over.

• Roads: Usually metalled (i.e. having a hard, weather-proof surface made from stone or tarmacadam), roads are found in areas where there tends to be more habitation or on strategic routes.
• Tracks: Usually unmetalled (i.e. having a surface made from compacted earth), tracks are found in almost all areas.

3.1: Direction of roads and tracks
Unless the direction the road or track is passing through the battlefield is very obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by throwing a D6 die twice (the first throw for the entry point and the second throw for the exit point) in exactly the same as the direction of a river is determined in 2: RIVERS.

Roads and tracks will take the most direct route from their entry point to their exit point, going around any hills and mountains that have already been located on the tabletop.

3.2: Width of roads and tracks
All roads or tracks are deemed to be no wider than a single grid area.

3.3: Roads and tracks crossing rivers
If a road or track crosses a river, it will do so by either a bridge or a ford. This can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• D6 die score is 1, 2, 3, or 4 = the river crossing is a ford.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = the river crossing is a bridge.

3.4: Roads and tracks going to villages and towns
If a road or track does not pass next to a village or town after they have been located on the terrain map, an additional stretch of road or track made be added to connect the village or town to any existing road or track. The road or track must take the most direct route from the village or town to the existing road or track.

4: TREES, WOODS, AND FORESTS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there are any trees, woods, or forests on the battlefield. (It is worth noting that there are relatively few battlefields where there are no trees.) If there are some trees, then start here. If not, then move on to 5: HABITATION.

The type of tree (e.g. palm trees, coniferous/evergreen trees, and deciduous trees) will depend upon the geography and climate of the area the campaign is being fought over.

• Palm trees: Usually found in tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, and hot climates.
• Coniferous/evergreen trees: Usually found in areas where there are cool or cold winters and warm summers, with well-defined seasons and at least four to six frost-free months.
• Deciduous trees: Usually found in temperate regions where there are cold winters and warm summers, or subtropical and tropical regions where temperatures do not differ greatly throughout the year, but where there is a pattern of seasonal heavy rainfall and periods of drought.

4.1: How many trees?
Unless the number of trees there are on the battlefield is obvious, this can be determined by throwing a D6 die and the results read from the relevant terrain type table.
Desert Terrain

• D6 – 2 = number of groups of trees (e.g. D6 die score = 3; therefore, there is 1 group of trees)

Flat or Undulating Terrain

• D6 = number of groups of trees (e.g. D6 die score = 4; therefore, there are 4 groups of trees)

Hilly Terrain

• D6 + 2 = number of groups of trees (e.g. D6 die score = 6; therefore, there are 8 groups of trees)

Mountainous Terrain

• D6 + 3 = number of groups of trees (e.g. D6 die score = 2; therefore, there are 5 groups of trees)

Forested Terrain

• D6 + 4 = number of groups of trees (e.g. D6 die score = 4; therefore, there are 8 groups of trees)

Each group of trees occupies a grid area.

4.2: Locating trees
The method used to locate trees is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 1.2: Locating hills and mountains and 1.3: Contiguous hills and mountains above.

Groups of trees can be placed on hills, but not on any other terrain feature.

5: HABITATION
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there are inhabited places on the battlefield. If there are, then start here. If not, then move on to 6: RAILWAYS.

They density and number of inhabited places will depend upon the geography of the area the campaign is being fought over:

• Desert, Mountainous, and Forested areas: These areas have few if any inhabited places, and those that do exist tend to be small.
• Cultivated and Rural areas: These areas tend to have several small inhabited places that are spread out, although there may be occasional villages or small towns.
• Urban areas: These areas have significant inhabited places, some of which may be large.

Types of inhabited places:

• Settlements can be single dwellings, small farms, or hamlets. They occupy a grid area.
• Villages comprise several dwellings, and often include places where trade takes place (e.g. shops and markets) and one or more places of worship. They occupy two contiguous grid areas.
• Towns comprise a significant number of dwellings and other buildings, including places where trade takes place, the location of local administration (e.g. town hall), and one or more places of worship. A town will occupy three or more contiguous grid areas.
• Cities comprise a very significant number of dwellings and other buildings, including places where industry and trade takes place, the location of regional or national administration (e.g. city hall), and several places of worship. A city will occupy five or more contiguous grid areas.

5.1: How many inhabited places?
Unless the number and size of inhabited places that are on the battlefield is obvious, this can be determined by throwing a D6 die and the results read from the relevant terrain area table.

Desert, Mountainous, and Forested areas

• D6 – 3 = number of inhabited grid areas (e.g. D6 die score = 3; therefore, there is no habitation)

Cultivated and Rural areas

• D6 = number of inhabited grid areas (e.g. D6 die score = 4; therefore, there are 4 inhabited grid areas)

Urban areas

• D6 + 2 = number of inhabited grid areas (e.g. D6 die score = 6; therefore, there are 8 inhabited grid areas)

5.2: Locating habitation
The method used to locate inhabited places is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 1.2: Locating hills and mountains and 1.3: Contiguous hills and mountains above.

If there is already something in a grid area, the inhabited grid area is located in the next unoccupied grid area. This is subject to the exception that settlements can be placed on hills that do not have trees on them.

6: RAILWAYS
After the Industrial Revolution, railways were built all over the world. As such, they became major routes for armies to follow as they made supplying the needs of the army much easier.

The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there is a railway on the battlefield. If there is a railway, then start here. If not, then move on to 7: FIELDS.

6.1: Direction of railway tracks
Unless the direction the railway track is passing through the battlefield is very obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by throwing a D6 die twice (the first throw for the entry point and the second throw for the exit point) in exactly the same as the direction of a river is determined in 2: RIVERS AND BODIES OF WATER.

Railway tracks will take the most direct route from their entry point to their exit point, going around any hills and mountains that have already been located on the tabletop. They may, however, divert from the most direct route in order to pass next to or through a village or town.

6.2: Railway tracks crossing rivers
If a railway track crosses a river, it will do so using a bridge.

6.3: Railway tracks crossing roads or tracks
If a railway track crosses a road or track, it will do so using a level crossing.

7: FIELDS
Fields are found in cultivated and rural areas, and usually near habitation.

The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether there are any fields on the battlefield. (It is worth noting that there are relatively few battlefields in cultivated or rural areas where there are no fields.) If there are any fields, then start here. If not, then your terrain map should now be complete.

7.1: How many fields?
Unless the number of fields there are on the battlefield is obvious, this can be determined by throwing a D6 die and the results read from the relevant terrain area table.

Cultivated and Rural areas

• D6 + 2 = number of fields (e.g. D6 die score = 4; therefore, there are 6 fields)

Urban areas

• D6 - 2 = number of fields (e.g. D6 die score = 3; therefore, there is 1 field)

Each field occupies a grid area.

7.2: Locating fields
Because fields are associated with habitation in cultivated and rural areas, they should – wherever possible – be located adjacent to a settlement or village. In other words, they should be regarded as contiguous with the settlement or village.

If there are an insufficient number of fields for each settlement or village to be allocated a field, the fields should be allocated randomly by throwing a D6 die, with a D6 die being thrown for each settlement or village and the fields allocated in order of D6 die score, highest score first. Any tied scores are thrown again. Once the fields have been allocated to a settlement or village, they are located using a D6 die and the method used to locate contiguous hills and mountains. See 1.3: Locating contiguous hills and mountains above.

If there are enough fields for each settlement or village to be allocated one each, this should be done by throwing a D6 die and the method used to locate contiguous hills and mountains. See 1.3: Locating contiguous hills and mountains above.

If there are more fields than there are settlements or villages, the additional unallocated fields are allocated randomly using the method outlined above.

7.3: Orchards, olive groves, and vineyards
In some regions of the world, fields may well be used as orchards, olive groves, or vineyards.

Whether or not a field is an orchard, olive grove, or vineyard can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• D6 die score is 1, 2, or 3 = the field is an open field.
• D6 die score is 4, 5, or 6 = the field is an orchard, olive grove, or vineyard.

To Russia and back

Yesterday, Sue and I got back from a cruise to the Baltic that took in visits to Norway, Denmark, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, and Germany. Despite some inclement weather, it was a great trip, and I have a lot to write about what we did and saw. Hopefully I'll be able to do that by the end of the week, but in the meantime we have a lot of things to do before I can devote the necessary time to write a copious blog entry about the cruise.

On the wargaming front, I did manage to do some work on a second version of my terrain generator during some of the sea days (i.e. days when we were not in port). The main changes relate to the order in which terrain is located (I have moved hills and mountains to first position in the order) and the addition of railways and fields. I've also tried to simply some of the the mechanisms used in the rules, and added rules of the pacing of contiguous terrain (e.g. to create a range of hills or an urban area that covers more than one grid area). Hopefully I'll be able to share that with my regular blog readers later this week.

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When we first went to St Petersburg, the 'cruise terminal' was a couple of large huts in the middle of the main dock area, and its road access went through a scrapyard! More recently, the local city government has built a much large and prestigious cruise terminal further from the centre of the city. As the photograph below shows, it can accommodate up to six cruise liners at a time.

Things have certainly moved on in the past ten years, and the whole place feels far more prosperous than it used to.

Using the terrain generator with my mini-campaign board: The results of my tests

So that a reasonable comparison could be made, I chose the same six examples as I used in my earlier tests.

• Undulating Desert
• Hilly Rural
• Flat Rural
• Mountainous
• Undulating Urban
• Hilly Forest

Undulating Desert

Hilly Rural

Flat Rural

Mountainous

Undulating Urban

Hilly Forest

My initial reaction was that the terrain generator works as well (if not better!) with the 6 x 8 hexed terrain grid as it does with the 9 x 8 hexed terrain grid or 8 x 8 square terrain grid.

What I want to do now is to put my terrain generator aside for a few days – or even weeks – to allow me time to assimilate what I have learned and decided upon what changes I want to make. This might mean that the publication of my PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME book will be delayed as both the campaign system and the terrain generator are integral to it ... but I'd rather get it right before I publish rather than rush it into print.

Using the terrain generator with my mini-campaign board: Why?

Way back in February 2015, I built a small wargaming board using the reverse side of a whiteboard as its basis. As the following photograph shows, it could accommodate a 6 x 8 grid of Hexon II hexes.

I subsequently used it to fight three mini-campaigns, BARBAROSSA, ...

... TROUBLE IN ZUBIA, ...

... and A WINTER-ISH WAR.

Looking back, it amazes me how varied the terrain on a 6 x 8 hexed grid could be, and it set me thinking about whether or not I could use my terrain generator (which had been designed for an 8 x 8 square grid or 9 x 8 hexed grid) would work with the smaller size of grid ... so I gave it a try!

Creating contiguous hills

One thing that the most recent map produced using my terrain generator threw up was the need for some adjustment to be made so that it was possible for contiguous lines of hills to be generated. On this particular map, three hills randomly ended up being placed next to each other, thus creating a ridge or line of hills, which is the sort of natural feature that generals look for when considering where and how to fight a battle.

I think that this would not be too difficult to do using the existing terrain generator rules. All I would have to do is to use something very akin to the rules regarding the location of towns (see 5.2) and 'cost' the additional hills either from the number already 'generated' or as some form of bonus.

It something that I want to think about including in the next version of my terrain generator.

Playing around with my terrain generator

In the section entitled Some thoughts about the terrain generator in my blog entry of Monday, 19th August 2019, I wrote:

'There are some people who might ask why I located the rivers first, and then the roads, when in the real world the hills will generally affect where rivers run, and roads are built. My answer is a simple one; I'm not trying to devise a system that shows how the terrain influences rivers and roads; I'm designing a system for generating terrain maps for wargamers, and as most armies use roads and rivers as their main axes of advance, it made sense to place them on the map first.'

Since then, I have had a bit of a rethink, and decided to try locating the hills first, followed by the river and/or road. I selected undulating, rural terrain that was also forested, and which had a track running through it. The result was as follows:

The effect of placing the hills first was interesting. The track should have run straight from the centre of the top edge of the map to the right-hand bottom edge, but because the line of hills was in the way, it had to go around them, making it a more interesting potential battlefield. I used a D6 die to decide whether the road would go to the left (a D6 die score of 1, 2, or 3) or to the right (a D6 die score of 4, 5, or 6) of the hills. The score was 3, hence the track went to the left.

A simple campaign system (Part 6): Testing the terrain generator

Since writing the draft terrain generator, I've tested its mechanisms to see what tweaks are required to improve it.

I chose the following types of terrain to test the terrain generator:

• Undulating Desert
• Hilly Rural
• Flat Rural
• Mountainous
• Undulating Urban
• Hilly Forest

Undulating Desert

Hilly Rural

Flat Rural

Mountainous

Undulating Urban

Hilly Forest

Observations
Doing these additional tests did throw up one or two points that need to be addressed. Firstly, I forgot to add railways to my arteries of transport, namely roads and rivers. Secondly, I need to rename settlements as farms or hamlets, and to make villages occupy two grid areas and towns three grid areas. Thirdly, I need to look at adding fields as an option for Rural areas and swamps to areas near rivers. Finally, I need to think about making roads and rivers a little less straight and making them enter and exit on the face of a terrain grid are not through the corner, especially as the latter will not fit in easily with terrain systems like Hexon II.

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For those of my blog readers who have been looking at my recent blog posting about my terrain generator and thinking 'that looks nice, but I don't have the skill or computer program to turn out maps that look like that', can I point out that I draw the maps out very roughly on a pre-printed grid thus ...

... before turning them into illustrations for my blog. This particular example took me less that five minutes to sketch, and I then used it to create the Hilly Forest map shown above.

A blank 8 x 8 square grid and a blank 9 x 8 hexed grid are shown below, and these can be copied by regular blog readers on condition that they are for personal use only. (It should be possible to copy them by right clicking each image and selecting the 'Save image as ...' option.)

An 8 x 8 square grid.

A 9 x 8 hexed grid. The rows of hexes have been numbered to help users count across and down when locating terrain on the grid.

A simple campaign system (Part 5): A terrain generator

First, a caveat. The following draft terrain generator for my proposed simple campaign system has been designed to work with my PORTABLE WARGAME rules (i.e. an 8 x 8 square or 9 x 8 hexed grid). The ideas contained herein are probably transferable to other sizes of gridded tabletop (or even to non-gridded tabletops) but they may require some additional work in order for them to do so.

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When two opposing forces arrive in the same campaign grid area and prepare to fight, they will need to have some sort of terrain to fight over. This draft terrain generator will hopefully produce a terrain map that can be duplicated on the tabletop.

1: RIVERS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether or not there is a river on the battlefield. If there is a river, then start here. If not, then move on to 2: ROADS AND TRACKS.

1.1: Direction
Unless the direction the river is passing through the battlefield is very obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown twice (the first throw for the entry point and the second throw for the exit point) and reference to the following diagram. The first D6 die score is read starting from 1, 2 on the top edge of the grid, and going clockwise (i.e. 1, 2, then 6, then 3, 4, then 5, then 1, 2 ... and so on). The second D6 die score is read starting from the the location determined by the first D6 die score, continuing clockwise.

Example 1: Reading clockwise from 1, 2 on the top edge of the grid, a D6 die score of 3 means that the river will enter the grid on the right-hand edge of the grid, and reading clockwise from 3, 4, a second D6 die score of 2 means that the river will exit the grid on the bottom edge of the grid.

1.2: Location
If the river enters or exits the grid along one of the edges of the grid, its exact entry and exit positions can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown twice (the first throw for the entry point and the second throw for the exit point) and reference to the following diagrams.

River entry/exit points on the top and bottom edges of the grid .

River entry/exit points on the left-hand and right-hand edges of the grid .

Example 2: In the previous example, the river will enter the grid on the right-hand edge of the grid and will exit the grid on the bottom edge of the grid. A D6 die score of 4 means that the river will enter the grid towards the top right-hand edge of the grid, and a second D6 die score of 1 means that the river will exit the grid in the middle the bottom edge of the grid.

1.3: Width
Unless the width of the river is passing through the battlefield is very obvious, its width can be determined by the use of a D6 die and the following table:

• D6 die score is 1, 2, 3, or 4 = the width of the river is one grid area.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = the width of the river is two grid areas.

1.4: Example
A river enters the grid from the top right-hand corner of the grid (D6 die score = 6) and exits on the bottom edge of the grid (D6 die score = 2). It is not necessary to determine where the river enters the grid, but it exits towards the left-hand side of the bottom edge of the grid (D6 die score = 4). A D6 die score of 1 means that the river will be one grid area wide.

When applied to an 8 x 8 square or 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The river on the example 8 x 8 square grid .

The river on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

2: ROADS AND TRACKS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether or not there is a road or track on the battlefield. If there is a road or track, then start here. If not, then move on to 3: HILLS AND MOUNTAINS.

2.1: Direction
Unless the direction the road or track is passing through the battlefield is very obvious, its entry and exit positions can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown twice (the first throw for the entry point and the second throw for the exit point) in exactly the same was as the direction of a river is determined in Stage 1.

2.2: Location
The method used to locate roads and tracks is the same as that used to locate rivers. See 1.2 above.

2.3: Width
All roads or tracks are deemed to be no wider than a single grid area.

2.4: Roads and tracks crossing rivers
If a road or track crosses a river, it will do so by either a bridge or a ford. This can be determined by the use of a D6 die and the following table:

• D6 die score is 1, 2, 3, or 4 = the river crossing is a ford.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = the river crossing is a bridge.

2.5: Example
A road enters a grid from the top edge of the grid (D6 die score = 2) and exits on the right-hand edge of the grid (D6 die score = 3). It enters towards the left-hand side of the top edge of the grid (D6 die score = 3) and exits towards the bottom of the right-hand edge of the grid (D6 die score = 6).

Because the road crosses the river, a D6 die score is used to determine the type of river crossing. It is a ford (D6 die score = 2).

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The road on the example 8 x 8 square grid .

The road on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

3: HILLS AND MOUNTAINS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether or not there are any hills and mountains on the battlefield. (It is worth noting that there are relatively few battlefields that are totally flat and where there is no higher ground.) If there are any hills and mountains, then start here. If not, then move on to 4: TREES, WOODS, AND FORESTS.

3.1: How many hills or mountains?
Unless the number and type of hills and mountains there are on the battlefield is very obvious, this can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown and the results read from the relevant terrain type table. Unless otherwise determined by the rules, hills are one contour high and mountains are not climbable.

Open/Flat Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = no hills.
• D6 die score is 2 = one hill.
• D6 die score is 3 or 4 = two hills.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = three hills.

Undulating Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 or 2 = one hill.
• D6 die score is 3 or 4 = three hills.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = five hills.
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill is two contours high.

Hilly Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = two hills.
• D6 die score is 2 or 3 = four hills.
• D6 die score is 4 or 5 = six hills.
• D6 die score is 6 = eight hills.
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill is two contours high.

Mountainous Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = two hills and one mountain.
• D6 die score is 2 = three hills and one mountain.
• D6 die score is 3 = four hills and two mountains.
• D6 die score is 4 = five hills and two mountains.
• D6 die score is 5 = six hills and three mountains.
• D6 die score is 6 = seven hills and three mountains.
• Throw an additional D6 die for each hill.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 3 or 4, the hill is two contours high.
• If the additional D6 die score for a hill = 5 or 6, the hill becomes a mountain.

3.2: Location
The location of the first hill is be determined in by:

• The use of a D6 die to determine the starting point on the left-hand side of the grid which will in turn determine where the first hill is located and

• Three D6 dice being thrown and their scores totalled to determine how many grid areas along that row from the starting point the hill will be located, counting along the row and then down and onto the second row if necessary.

Counting along a row and down to the next row on an 8 x 8 square grid .

Counting along a row and down to the next row on a 9 x 8 hexed grid .

The second hill is located 3D6 grid areas from the first hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the second row if necessary as before. The third hill is located 3D6 grid areas from the second hill, and this use of totalled 3D6 dices scores continues until all the hills have been located.

Once all the hills have been located, any mountains can be located using the same method, counting from the location of the last hill placed on the tabletop.

If there is already something in a grid area, the hill (or mountain) is located in the next unoccupied grid area.

3.3: Example
The terrain is undulating. A D6 die is thrown, and it score of 6 determines that there are five hills on the tabletop. An additional D6 die is thrown for each hill, and the scores = 1, 4, 5, 1, and 6. This determines that the third and fifth hills will be two contours high.

To determine where the first hill will be located, a D6 die is thrown, and the score is 2. The starting point on the left-hand side of the grid is therefore row 2.

Three D6 dice are thrown and the dice scores (1, 3, and 6) are totalled (10). This means that the first hill will be locate ten grid areas from left-hand side of the grid, counting along row 2.

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The first hill on the example 8 x 8 square grid. Because there was already something in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grid squares (i.e. the river), the hill was located in thirteenth grid square from the start point .

The first hill on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

To determine where the second hill will be located, three D6 dice are thrown and the dice scores (2, 3, and 4) are totalled (9). This means that the second hill will be located nine grid areas from the first hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the next row if necessary.

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The second hill on the 8 x 8 square grid. Because there was already something in the ninth grid square (i.e. the river), the second hill was located in tenth grid square from the first hill .

The second hill on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

To determine where the third hill will be located, three D6 dice are thrown and the dice scores (1, 1, and 5) are totalled (7). This means that the third hill will be located seven grid areas from the second hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the next row if necessary. (Note that the third hill is two contours high.)

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The  third hill on the 8 x 8 square grid. Because there was already something in the seventh grid square (i.e. the river and the road), the hill was located in eighth grid square from the second hill .

The  third hill on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

To determine where the fourth hill will be located, three D6 dice are thrown and the dice scores (2, 2, and 2) are totalled (6). This means that the fourth hill will be located six grid areas from the third hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the next row if necessary.

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The  fourth hill on the example 8 x 8 square grid. Because there was already something in the sixth and seventh grid squares (i.e. the road), the hill was located in the eighth grid square from the third hill .

The fourth hill on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid .

To determine where the fifth (and last) hill will be located, three D6 dice are thrown and the dice scores (3, 4, and 5) are totalled (12). This means that the fifth hill will be located twelve grid areas from the fourth hill, counting along the row and then down and onto the next row if necessary. (Note that the fifth hill is two contours high.)

When applied to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The fifth hill on the example 8 x 8 square grid.

The fifth hill on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid. Because there was already something in the twelfth and thirteenth hexes (i.e. the road), the hill was located in the fourteenth hex from the fourth hill.

STEP 4: TREES, WOODS, AND FORESTS
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether or not there are any trees, woods, or forests on the battlefield. (It is worth noting that there are relatively few battlefields where there are no trees.) If there are some trees, then start here. If not, then move on to 5: HABITATION.

They type of tree (e.g. palm trees, coniferous/evergreen trees, and deciduous trees) will depend upon the geography and climate of the area the campaign is being fought over.

• Palm trees: Usually found in tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, and hot climates.
• Coniferous/evergreen trees: Usually found in areas where there are cool or cold winters and warm summers, with well-defined seasons and at least four to six frost-free months.
• Deciduous trees: Usually found in temperate regions where there are cold winters and warm summers, or subtropical and tropical regions where temperatures do not differ greatly throughout the year, but where there is a pattern of seasonal heavy rainfall and periods of drought.

4.1: How many trees?
Unless the number of trees there are on the battlefield is very obvious, this can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown and the results read from the relevant terrain type table.

Desert Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = no trees.
• D6 die score is 2 or 3 = one group of trees.
• D6 die score is 4 or 5 = two groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 6 = three groups of trees.

Flat or Undulating Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 or 2 = two groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 3 or 4 = three groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = four groups of trees.

Hilly Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = two groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 2 or 3 = three groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 4 or 5 = four groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 6 = five groups of trees.

Mountainous Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = three groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 2 or 3 = four groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 4 or 5 = five groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 6 = six groups of trees.

Forested Terrain

• D6 die score is 1 = four groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 2 = five groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 3 = six groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 4 = seven groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 5 = eight groups of trees.
• D6 die score is 6 = nine groups of trees.

4.2: Location
The method used to locate trees is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 3.2 above.

Groups of trees can be placed on hills, but not on any other terrain feature.

4.3: Example
The terrain is undulating. A D6 die is thrown, and it score of 5 determines that there are four trees on the tabletop.

To determine where the first group of trees will be located, a D6 die is thrown, and the score is 3. The starting point on the left-hand side of the grid is therefore row 3.

Subsequent 3D6 dice throws are:

• 1, 2, and 5 = 8
• 2, 3, and 4 = 9
• 1, 2, and 6 = 9
• 2, 4, and 6 = 12

When these totalled dice scores were applied in turn to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The four groups of trees on the example 8 x 8 square grid. Because there was already something in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth grid squares (i.e. the road), the fourth group was located in the fifteenth grid square.

The four groups of trees on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid.

5: HABITATION
The campaign grid square should give some indication as to whether or not there are inhabited places on the battlefield. If there are, then start here.

They density and number of inhabited places will depend upon the geography of the area the campaign is being fought over:

• Desert, Mountainous, and Forested areas: These areas have few if any inhabited places, and those that do exist tend to be small.
• Cultivated and Rural areas: These areas tend to have a number of small inhabited places that are spread out, although there may be occasional villages or small towns.
• Urban area: These areas have significant inhabited places, some of which may be large.

Types of inhabited places:

• Settlements can be single dwellings, small farms, or hamlets. They occupy part of a grid area.
• Villages comprise several dwellings, and often include places where trade takes place (e.g. shops and markets) and one or more places of worship. They occupy a grid area.
• Towns comprise a significant number of dwellings and other buildings, including places where trade takes place, the location of local administration (e.g. town hall), and one or more places of worship. A town will occupy at two contiguous grid areas.

5.1: How many inhabited places?
Unless the number and size of inhabited places that are on the battlefield is very obvious, this can be determined by the use of a D6 die being thrown and the results read from the relevant terrain area table.

Desert, Mountainous, and Forested areas

• D6 die score is 1, 2 or 3 = no settlements.
• D6 die score is 4 or 5 = one settlement.
• D6 die score is 6 = two settlements.

Cultivated and Rural areas

• D6 die score is 1 = one settlement.
• D6 die score is 2 = two settlements.
• D6 die score is 3 = two settlements and a village.
• D6 die score is 4 = three settlements and a village.
• D6 die score is 5 = three settlements and two villages.
• D6 die score is 6 = three settlements, two villages, and a town.

Urban areas

• D6 die score is 1 = two villages.
• D6 die score is 2 = two villages and a town.
• D6 die score is 3 = three villages and a town.
• D6 die score is 4 = two villages and two towns.
• D6 die score is 5 or 6 = three towns.

5.2: Location
The method used to locate inhabited places is the same as that used to locate hills and mountains. See 3.2 above.

If there is already something in a grid area, the inhabited place is located in the next unoccupied grid area, subject to the following exceptions:

• Settlements can be placed on hills and in any grid area that is is less than 50% occupied by a river or road.
• Villages can be placed in any grid area that is is less than 25% occupied by a river or road.
• One or more of the contiguous grid areas that make up a town can be placed in any grid area that is is less than 25% occupied by a river or road.

Locating towns
Because towns occupy more that one grid area, and the grid areas that form the town have to be contiguous, the first town grid area that is located forms the starting point for the location of the second of the town's grid areas. The location of the town's second grid area can be determined by throwing a D6 die.

• If the grid is a squared grid and the D6 dies score is 5 or 6, the D6 die must be thrown again. Only a D6 die score of 1, 2, 3, or 4 can be used to determine which face of the town's first grid square must abut the town's second grid square in order for the town's grid areas to be contiguous.
• If the grid is a hexed grid, the D6 die score determines which face of the town's first grid hex must abut the town's second grid hex must abut in order for the town's grid areas to be contiguous.

In both of the above instances, if there is already something in that grid area, the second of the town's grid areas is located in the next unoccupied grid area going clockwise.

5.3: Example
The terrain is cultivated and rural. A D6 die is thrown, and it score of 4 determines that there are three settlements and a village on the tabletop.

To determine where the first settlement will be located, a D6 die is thrown, and the score is 2. The starting point on the left-hand side of the grid is therefore row 2.

Subsequent 3D6 dice throws are:

• 5, 6, and 2 = 13
• 1, 3, and 5 = 9
• 4, 6, and 6 = 16
• 1, 3, and 4 = 8 (This determines the location of the village)

When these totalled dice scores were applied in turn to the previous example of an 8 x 8 square or a 9 x 8 hexed grid, the result is as follows.

The three settlements on the example 8 x 8 square grid.

The three settlements on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid. Because there was already something in the thirteenth and fourteenth hexes (i.e. the river), the first settlement was located in the fifteenth hex from the starting point on the left-hand side of the grid. This, in turn, had a knock-on effect on the locations of the second and third settlements.

The three settlements and a village on the example 8 x 8 square grid.

The three settlements and a village on the example 9 x 8 hexed grid.

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Some thoughts about the terrain generator
The system outlined above looks far more complicated that it actually is to use ... once you get the hang of it. It isn't perfect by any means, and still need some polishing ... but as the two worked examples show, the system does produce gridded terrain maps that can be reproduced on the tabletop without too much trouble.

There are some people who might ask why I located the rivers first, and then the roads, when in the real world the hills will generally affect where rivers run, and roads are built. My answer is a simple one; I'm not trying to devise a system that shows how the terrain influences rivers and roads; I'm designing a system for generating terrain maps for wargamers, and as most armies use roads and rivers as their main axes of advance, it made sense to place them on the map first.

The choice to use D6 dice to randomise the locations of the various terrain features was made after I had experimented with using D8 dice to generate coordinates on my 8 x 8 square grid. Using D8 dice worked ... but for some reason the resulting maps looked wrong. Furthermore, I could not find a simple way to generate a ninth coordinate for my 9 x 8 hexed grid. (I could have used a D10 and ignored the 0, but it seemed like an extra complication that didn't add much to the system.) In the end, the choice of D6 dice made sense, and as the resulting examples show, it seems to have worked.

One interesting point has emerged from the examples. The final 8 x 8 square and 9 x 8 hexed maps look very different from each other. That is a result of the impact of having an additional eight grid areas on the latter and the way that the grid areas on the maps tessellate with each other. I have yet to try the system with an offset square grid as I don't tend to use one, but it is something that other wargamers might wish to play around with.