As I have not mentioned my Belle Époque project for some time, I imagine that it will come as little or no surprise to my regular blog readers to discover that this project is currently stalled.
Now, I could come up with all sorts of valid reasons why this has happened, but to be truthful, the project has reached a point where it really should be coming together and a conclusion should be in sight, but I just could not seem to get the enthusiasm together to push things forward ... and in particular, to create the maps that I need. I had hoped that taking a break would help, but it hasn't.
So, what could I do to overcome this impasse?
What I chose to do was to begin by looking back at one of the things that inspired me to begin this project, namely, John Ruddle's garden wargames. One paragraph stood out:
'John's garden was laid out to represent six countries: Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, and Turkey, and areas that include Flanders, Africa, Arabia, and Northern Italy are regularly fought over. The actual layout was in no way geographically accurate, with the lawn acting as the 'sea', the paths as 'rivers', and the various flowerbeds and rockeries as the countries.'
My Belle Époque imagi-nations almost coincide with John's even though I have called them by different names:
- Austria = No Belle Époque project equivalent ... as yet
- France = The Republic of Burgundy
- Germany = The Kingdom of Schwarzenberg
- Great Britain = The Commonwealth of Britannia
- Turkey = Sultanate of Khakistan
- India = The Principality of Hyderapore & Emirate of Khyberistan
- North Africa = The Khedivate of Zubia & the Sultanate of Sahel
- South Africa = The Kingdom of the Obele & the Kingdom of Ashona
- Arabia = The Sultanate of Harabia
- Northern Italy = The Principality of Stalbania
Although my project is not going to be a garden wargaming one, I decided to look at the layout of our garden to see if I could get any inspiration for an imagi-world map.
A (very) rough sketch map of our garden. The house and patio are to the left.
Although the layout of our garden is not suitable for 'conversion' into a Belle Époque imagi-world map, it certainly made me think that a U-shaped layout – similar to that seen on some model railway layouts – had distinct possibilities.
A map of the famous final version of P D Hancock's Craig & Mertonford model railway layout. It took up a room that was approximately 14' 6" x 10' 6" (4.4m x 3.20m) (© P D Hancock)
After a brief period of time – during which I entertained the idea of building a permanent or semi-permanent model railway-like terrain for the entire Belle Époque imagi-nation project – I decided that it would take up far more room than I would ever have access to, even if we moved house to a much bigger home. (It was, however, something that I would have loved to have done; in other words, to replicate a quarter-sized, indoor version of John Ruddle's garden wargames.)
So, I decided to start with a U-shaped layout for my imagi-world map and add to it.
A simple working diagram that shows the relative positions of the various imagi-nations to one another.
The result wasn't quite U-shaped, neither was it like our garden ... but the relative positions of the various countries seemed to work.
I now had a starting point for my imagi-world map ... and I began thinking of adopting a style of map for each country that is similar in style to the one that I used when I produced a version of the PORTABLE WARGAME rules that I could use to fight SHAMBATTLE-style mini-campaigns.
The map I drew for the play-test of the version of the Portable Wargame rules that I developed to fight Shambattle-style mini-campaigns.
The terrain as seen from the Blue City end of the tabletop battlefield.
The terrain as seen from the Blueburg/Red City side of the tabletop battlefield.
The terrain as seen from the Redton end of the tabletop battlefield.
I think that each imagi-nation's map could comprise a number of these 8 x 6 hex grids. For example, by using six of the hex grids it is possible to create a map that is 16 hexes x 18 hexes:
I now have a starting point from which I can now move forward with regard to the maps I need for this project ... and more importantly, my enthusiasm to do so seems to be returning.
I am glad that your project is progressing. Ironically, I have just spent the last hour playing with AI to produce a template approach to creating both campaign maps and gridded battlefield terrain layout. The suggestion I got were certainly interesting and thought provoking! If you are interested, drop me mail and I will ping you a Word copy of the AI chat
ReplyDeleteIan Dury,
DeleteCheers! I have tried using ChatPT to draw a campaign map, but the results were not as good as I hoped they would be. If you are having more success than I am using AI, I'd be very interested to see the results and I will email you a request as soon as I can.
All the best,
Bob
A model railway layout like that will not only take up a lot of space, but will also need a lot of time to complete. I've been fascinated by large layouts and wanted to use all the walls in my hobby room for around the wall layout. Since then I've realised that it will take a lot of time to complete such a layout. So, I've scaled down and have less ambitions to make a smaller layout and something more realistic and manageable.
ReplyDeleteRoger,
DeleteYou are absolutely right about the amount of time and space creating such a layout would have taken ... but I can imagine that the end result would have been something special!
As you might have gathered, I am now taking a somewhat easier and scaled-down path ... but I can still dream!
All the best,
Bob
I'm so glad to see this progressing again. Better still is you found your gaming muse again. Looking forward to seeing future developments. Remember, if you are having fun you got it right.
ReplyDeleteWEK 3,
DeleteThe solution was - in retrospect - staring me in the face. Once I stopped worrying about finding a solution, it became obvious.
Such is life ...
All the best,
Bob
I'm glad you seen to have found a way forward. I like the general layout of your imaginations world, it looks to produce some interesting combinations. Your method is similar to the one I use when drawing maps, general layout of the continent with mountains and major rivers then the general location of the various countries in pencil. Then I start drawing with ink. I looking forward to the progress on your project.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteCheers! I must admit that I have always been impressed by your maps, and your explanation of the process you use to create them is really helpful.
All the best,
Bob
Your not quite a U shaped Campaign Map is interesting Bob. The Northern Nations/rivals will need strong Navies if they wish to establish colonies in the South.
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteThe layout seems to work without being too complicated ... and the need for nations to have navies gives me a great excuse to build lots of model ships!
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
ReplyDeleteAt least you have retained enough interest in the project to put in a fairish amount of thought and to progress with developing the settings. The thing looks very promising already, simple, but effective. The thing looks appropriately vast!
Sometimes I think it as well to let a stalled project 'lie fallow' for a while, and let the juices roil and bubble until the appetence bursts forth foaming with zeal. Or something. Hence the lack of progress with the 'Little Great War', even though everything is in place (more or less), and I have two land battles to write up, and all the armies are there, organised to Hellenbak.
Who knows what psychological obstacles shove their way before the unwary progress of wargames campaigns?
Just lately I've been adding finishing touches to the armies - in particular the High Command of my 'War of the Imperialist Succession' armies - yet another article to be added to my blogspot backlog. Now, there, I do have to do something with the maps...
Cheers,
- and eager to see more of the Belle Epoque -
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteI'm hoping that its not going to be too vast a project ... but I hope to some put some flesh of the bones of the maps over the next month or so.
I think that it is inevitable that one's enthusiasm for projects will wax and wane over time, and stepping away every so often makes lots of sense. (The only exception to this seems to be Thistlebarrow and his Napoleonic Wargaming! He has maintained his enthusiasm for his project for many years.)
I look forward to seeing your 'War of Imperialist Succession' armies in use in the future.
All the best,
Bob
Fascinating to see your thinking Bob and l am pleased that your project is moving forward for you..
ReplyDeleteTradgardmastare,
DeleteCheers! I really have a far more positive attitude to this project now, and all I have to do is to maintain that.
All the best,
Bob
The enthusiasm is the main thing. These things are done for amusement and recreation and if they aren't providing that, than what's the point?
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
DeleteVery true! It's very tempting when one is retired for one's hobbies to become a bit too much like work ... and not all work is amusing or recreational.
All the best,
Bob
My own efforts sort of stopped a while back and when both the 42mm figure manufacturers closed it sort of made any future progress unlikely. Then I found Old Glory had a small range and were selling it! Well, had to, didn't I, some things you don't have any choice in...
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteWell done for finding an alternative source of 42mm figures! It's a scale I've thought about using myself over the years, but never got around to it.
Good luck with your revived project!
All the best,
Bob
Interesting reading about your thought processes Bob, and how one step leads to another. The development of the design is really interesting.
ReplyDeleteNundanket,
DeleteCheers! I am currently playing around with ways to create the maps. I could produce my own hex grid templates ... but there are also hex drawing programs out there that would speed up the process that I am currently looking at.
All the best,
Bob