Method to register PC and NPC positions

[Marc]

Bon dia!

I’ve just begun a new Twilight:2000 campaign with a veteran group of players. After the first gaming session, the general opinion was that it would be better to try another way to represent the positions and movement of the PCs and NPC, with the objective to make the things more fluid. For he moment we use the traditional “pen and pencil� method, with the help of an dry-erase board. I’m preparing counters fort he next adventure, too.
What method do you use? Counters or miniatures? Hex maps? Something different that will mean a revolution for the overcharged GM’s?

Thanks!!!

[Mohoender]

None, in fact. I never like to use any kind of representation out of pure imagination for RPG. I describe the scene, players visualize it, and I try to be as precise as possible (anyway I have the last word ).

Seriously, the idea behind it is that in the middle of an action, things are always a bit confusing and always on the move. Papers and pencils are taking out fluidity. Of course, they are useful when planing an action if you have time to plan. I use them often in case of planing. The problem with this is that the action often evolves in a different way or too quickly. If you take time to plan, oops, you're dead!!

As GM I keep tracks of what my players are doing and I rely on everyone's honesty (usually it works). In my experience, papers and pencils make things more confusing as they are often contradicting your authority as GM. When a player is obviously not playing by the rules he has a strange tendancy to take a leak on minefields and to run bare hands in front of T-72's companies (giving a nice warning to his fellow honest players ).

[jester]

I have used miniatures with a hex map, toss on some small buildings or even blocks painted to represent buildings and there you go

Of course for alot of things like snipers that are well concealed and have not been detected by observation are not placed on the board.

[spielmeister]

Hi!

In our group, we've used many ways to keep track of pc/npc positions in a firefight. Our default setting is the simple pen/pencil and paper method. sometimes, we used hex paper or graphing paper to get the distances right, particularly if we are gaming a long distance firefight with a lot of manuevering.

Sometimes, we revert to minis. Many of us have accumulated a whole slew of models and minis in other hobbies and we tend to use these liberally in our games. However, we found out this works best when we have a really large gaming table to put terrain, etc. Somehow this gets to be fun too as nothing quite beats the sight of a mass attack of 50 minis rushing prepared positions of our intrepid pcs. For terrain, we either use what we have (mostly old Warhammer 40k scenic ruins) or even the odd soda can or book.

I guess it really depends on your gaming group's style.

[weswood]

I normaly use figures in any FtF games I've played. Hidden enemy don't get placed on the board until spotted.

Over the years I've amassed a huge collection of 1/72 scale plastic figures, some I've had for over 30 years. I've got everything from stone age warriors to modern soldiers and terrorists. A slew of model & die cast vehicles for support if I can ever get a FtF game going. I've even cobbled together a scale Vistula Krolowa for kicks.

As far as terrain, a circle on a piece of paper for a hill, a pencil works for a dragon, whatever is handy.

[Targan]

I have reasonable abilities in whipping up quick maps for players if pure description isn't enough. If there is a major op coming up involving a set position that I know the PCs will have to defend or attack I might make a detailed map in advance. I always take care to cover up or not draw in features that the PCs can't initially see.