Re: (TFT) More on maps

["Jay Carlisle" <selfinflicted_wounds@boardermail.com>]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: pvk@oz.net
> 
> Our TFT campaigns used a LOT of campaign maps.....

<Mighty SNIP>

This is good stuff.

My thoughts on the matter have to do with useful scales and the problems inherent with trying to "Fix" a scale or set of scales.

A 'Pirates' treasure map is likely to be what I call "conceptual". (I'm thinking 'Yellow Beard' here, "Stagger, stagger, fall, crawl....)
Also "Silver Dragon" and "Golden Unicorn"

I still advocate hexes for several effects.

Since Martial Wizard is on the Job Tables and I'm concerned with a good mass combat system that scales properly I have to deal with things like a 'Batalion' of wizards casting wizards wrath for example. Off the bat they have 2 options. A 'Rain' of single missles, or a MIGHTY MISSLE OF VAST DESTRUSTION! 
How mighty?
That has to do with my obsesion to try and "catch" what 1pt dam actually MEANS.
Anyhoo the Hex/Megahex thing is GREAT for explosions.

A hex as a "Well defined area of measure" set at certian scales can tell you 'at a glance' a back of the envelope guestimate of the available Arces/Blocks available.
This is useful if your trying to define how much farmland needed to support Alexandria (First 1,000,000 population city).
This works on a Civilization (Sid Mires) level with Hex-as-tile and also allows for mass combat issues like Siege. (as in "I've driven your population within the walls of your city. I now camp upon your fields. How will your people eat?")
Also in a Steven Wolfram 'A New Kind of Science' kinda way, over long periods of Downtime Hexes can serve as "cells" for things like forrest growth, etc...

That's why I'm trying to advocate a Map Standard.
Have the same number of Hexes, and have a standard orientation, (sts = north to south). Also have the Battle Map/Arena Map set up modularly so you can add as many maps as needed.
(I assume that once a chit/player has gone 'off map' then the thing has become "abstract"...)

Lord I babble.... (lol)

I like the thoughts.

Jay

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