Yesterday I attempted to scan the French and Prussian sections of the Waddington’s CAMPAIGN board game, but as my scanner is only designed to scan documents up to A4 in size, this prove impossible. I gave the matter some thought ... and in the end I decided to create my own version of the map sections using MS Paint.
I started by drawing a suitably-sized 12 x 13 square grid and then transferred the terrain details from the French section of the CAMPAIGN map onto it. The resulting map looked like this:
It took me some two hours of trial and error to create this map, but once I had, I was able to use what I had learned to create a map of the Prussian section of the game's board in less than thirty minutes.
I then spliced the two together to create a campaign map.
I am rather pleased with the end result ... and I think that I could easily develop this map (or something very similar to it) for my Belle Époque project.
Just after I had written this blog post, I realised that I had made one or two errors on my maps. Rather than quickly ammending them, I have left them 'as is' to show the current state of play. However, I intend to correct my mistakes later today, and hope to publish the 'improved' (amd corrected!) maps later this week.
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It is only now, looking at the original map all these years later, that I realise what a brilliant piece of design it is. Unless you are Great Britain and want to use the Royal Navy.
ReplyDeleteTrebian,
DeleteIt was the design of the map/game board that appealed to me.
I’d like to add some rules for the UK to be able to deploy the Royal Navy, but I want to get some basic campaign rules play-tested first.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteI like simple, practical campaign maps. I am sure once you have started using it you will quickly find ways to improve and enhance the map.
Transferring from the map to the table can be a problem if the map is too detailed, but without detail of hills and rivers the table can be very bland.
I found the best option is to have two maps. One (the strategic one) similar to your current map. Then a more detailed one (the tactical map showing hills, rivers, villages, woods). Obviously the two must cover the same area. So for example one square on the strategic map would cover the same area as say four on the tactical one.
I look forward to seeing how it develops
regards
Paul
Thistlebarrow (Paul),
DeleteThe map/game board reminded me of your maps, although they do have far less detail.
For the time being, I intend to use the terrain generator I developed some time ago for any battles that take place, but if I do adopt this style of map for my Belle Époque project, I will need to add more detail … and - as you suggest - I will probably have to a strategic and a tactical map.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
DeleteThe terrain generator would certainly work. But the advantage of a more detailed tactical map is that you can pick a good defensive or offensive battlefield before you transfer to the table. It adds a lot to the scope and enjoyment of the campaign movement. This is particularly true if you are a solo wargamer, when you have the time to enjoy the campaign and do not have to worry about unfair advantage over your fellow wargamers when you run the campaign itself.
regards
Paul
Thistlebarrow (Paul),
DeleteI know that you are right (after all, you’ve had a lot more experience creating and fighting campaigns than I have had!), but this is very much a learning curve for me, so I’m going to take small, incremental steps on my way to achieving my final goal.
All the best,
Bob
Hello there Bob,
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely looking work for sure! I would think the danger maybe in trying to add too much additional material which would edge out the simplicity of the original. For the Belle Époque period would you consider adding a road/rail network between the cities and the capital?
Ian Russell Lowell is going to send me all his unfinished expanded Campaign stuff which I will share with you when I get it.
Having the maps electronically means that plotting hidden movement would be easy with some basic coordinates - the fog of war indeed!
Inspiring stuff Bob and just goes to show what can be done with a little imagination.
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteI am really enjoying the process of drawing these maps, as I am learning quick and easy ways to produce this style of map.
Once I’m satisfied that I have a style of map that works as well as a simple set of campaign rules, I will then begin to think about developing a map (or maps) for my Belle Époque project. They will include more detail (such as major roads and railways) … but not too much, so that it doesn’t become an unwieldy behemoth.
All the best,
Bob
Looking very good, Bob. Just begging for some armies to begin marching across it….🙂⚔️⚔️.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the colours are more appealing than the Waddingtons original, which is a tad dark.
Martin S.,
DeleteThanks for the complimentary comments, especially about the colours I have used. These are standard ones from the MS Paint palette.
I hope to begin play-testing my campaign rules on the CAMPAIGN map/game board as soon as I can.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteAs ever you have provided a source of inspiration and ideas. Waddingtons campaign is a lifelong favourite. I had been casting about for a suitable map type to start pulling together a typically overambitious idea. I am unashamedly knicking/plagiarising your thoughts!
S&F
Mike
Mike C (Mike),
DeleteSo you are also another CAMPAIGN aficionado! There are a lot of us about … and if my ideas help you to get your campaign off the ground, that will be great!
S&F,
Bob
Bob, I am so going to copy this map! Good work.
ReplyDeleteMike Taber,
DeletePlease do ... but you might like to wait until I have completely re-drawn the whole thing. I am currently doing so, and hope to make the map available in sections sometime within the next week.
All the best,
Bob