How do you do fire fights? Maps?

[Michael Lewis]

This will be my first time playing TW 2013. How do you do fire fights? Do you use a map? A grid? I've never ran a rpg where distance is such a factor. I'm used to fantasy type games where distance is not a factor.

I started looking at google maps at Kalisz and looked for an interesting place to start. I liked this starting point scene http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.php?t=2882

I feel like I'm putting way too much effort into this.

What do more experienced GM do?

Michael

[Chris]

I use an old 1 inch square grid D&D map that is inside a poster frame so I can write on it with wet / dry erase markers. I use a 10 meter (~30 feet) per square scale outside and a 2 meter (~5 feet) scale inside. PCs and important NPCs have painted 1:72nd scale minis. Others use unpainted minis or dice... I have a whole handful of large Red D6s with the Yellow Star for generic Ivan and several end to end to make an improv tank or APC.

For a fixed battle, I'll draw up a map of the area before hand on gaming paper like I did for the POW camp assault in my blog at the bottom.

For indoor maps, I'll sketch out a floor plan and use piles of dice to indicate features such as beds, tables, whatever.

Outdoor maps are looser. I sketch in major terrain features in a general way. "This is an area of woods, this is a ridge, here's the road, and any wrecks." But I don't detail trees or dips or whatnot. I assume if you're in the right area you can grab cover behind a tree or fold in the ground.

Anyway that's my system... YMMV

[Chris]

I just had another thought... two in one day!

I remember from playing Traveller with the LBB you used range bands rather than a grid. Take a sheet of lined paper and designate every line as 10, 25, 50 meters or whatever and handwave any lateral distance among the group as you're really only concerned with range to the enemy. This only really works with open terrain and road chases as you're not concerned with terrain and goes completely to pieces with area effect weapons, but it might help speed up small arms and chases.

Chris, again

[Cdnwolf]

I use a free program called autorealm.

http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/

[Michael Lewis]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

I use a free program called autorealm.

http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/

Thanks, but we don't have access to computer screens when we play.

[Cdnwolf]

Originally Posted by Michael Lewis

Thanks, but we don't have access to computer screens when we play.

Ummm you can print off the maps...

[Michael Lewis]

So with a 1in=10 meters scale, would vehicles be 1 inch? I have the TW vol 2 boxed set which came with cardboard cut outs of tanks and such which are 1 in. and people which are 1/2 in.

What size would buildings be around?

Michael

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Michael Lewis

So with a 1in=10 meters scale, would vehicles be 1 inch? I have the TW vol 2 boxed set which came with cardboard cut outs of tanks and such which are 1 in. and people which are 1/2 in.

What size would buildings be around?

Michael

I use those vehicle counters too! The counters you have are intended for the GW outdoor scale where one inch squares were 8 meters. The men and vehicles aren't actually as big as the counters indicate. I choose to use 1 square = 10 meters because it is much easier to count range on the fly.

If you have those, you should salso have a sheet of buildings, emplacements, and rubble. Buildings are as big as their counters.

I almost never use the people tokens, they're too light and hard to maneuver for me... fumble fingers.

[headquarters]

I draw maps on paper. I used my Old squad leader maps before, but once or twice used its kinda used up with that particular group.

I also print out maps I find online sometimes.

Mostly its ink on paper though. And borrowing the kids crayons to indicate wooded areal or wetland etc.

Grid paper or graph paper is preferred. We sometimes use 20mm minis,but as someone said the map gets quite big when you have ranges over 100 yards.
Drawing on the map or using some sort of marker is our solution.

Looking forward to our next FtF . Trying out a new type of map.