Do you make your own maps?
 

I may make up some of my own maps using Google Earth, MS Picture Manager, and MS Powerpoint.

Such as these base line images of Kalisz.

Area overview

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...aliszLarge.jpg
Town Center
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...liszcenter.jpg

Kalisz Rail system Large overview
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ystemLarge.jpg

Kalisz bridge Large Overview
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ridgeLarge.jpg

Kalisz bridge small
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ridgesmall.jpg

The Bight
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ilwaybight.jpg

Kalisz Railyard Large
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...lyardLarge.jpg

Kalisz Railyard small
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...lyardsmall.jpg

Kalisz Rail Station Large
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ationLarge.jpg

Kalisz Rail Station Medium
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...tionMedium.jpg

Kalisz Rail Station Small
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ationsmall.jpg

Krakow Area
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...KrakowArea.jpg

One of my players in my high school campaigns sent me a street map of Krakow after he'd enlisted and gone to Berlin. My subsequent games there had a lot more detail. That, of course, was before the Web.

So far, I still hand-draw maps on the battlemat.

I use Google Maps a lot, but all my playing at the moment is online (RPOL) so it is easiest that way...

If I were to GM face-to-face now, I would also use Google Maps as my 'plan' for an area. It obviously shows the 'real world' at a point in time, and is nicer than anything I can come up with on my own from a blank page. If I do it all myself, I always forget things (hedgelines, trees, random buildings, etc.).

I do the same when I am doing tabletop wargaming too, for the same reasons.

May I be mean on using google maps. I agree it's a terrific tool but absolutely awful when it comes to T2K. Back 20 years ago, the various locations simply didn't look like they do today.

My own place was basically above an empty valley when it is now full of business and constructions. It's even worse in China or in Eastern Europe. Building that were full of people are now abandonned while others have been built. Many military bases have been closed and dismantled. Population in rural russia has declined in a dramatic way...

Take Lisbon as an exemple. It had only one bridge over the Tage. The Vasco de Gama bridge was only achieved in 1998 and not even started before the Twilight War.

Forum on Poland
 

This website might also interest you even if most pictures are too recent

http://polandsite.proboards.com/inde...splay&thread=3