SPMBT Maps for the Campaign

[Double Deuce]

FYI - I plan to use the map Generator to create my base maps (without Roads, Water and Buildings). Aldso, I plan to chnage the date to October. This will go with the 6 months at war (satrting in May) scenario. Besides I like the autumn foliage in the game better. :laugh:

Anyway, for those of you wanting to get a feel for the terrain in the campaign you can use the map generator with these settings.

NOTE: These are subject to change based on my review of real terrain in the different areas of the map. Below is for closer to the West German/Austrian Borders regions.

West German vs Austria (Oct 1984) Summer
Base Map ID # 500
Urbanization - 000
Hill Density - 006
Max Hill Height - 004
Hill Base Size - 004
Stream/Marsh - 001
Tree Level - 001
Orchard Level - 000
Grass Level - 100
Field Level - 005
Rough Level - 020
Mud Level - 000
River Trees - 000
River Marsh - 000
River Mud - 000
River Rough - 000
Road Code - 003
Ter Mod Code - 003
Lakes - 000
Marsh - 000
Arid - 000
Savannah - 000

[Pannonicus]

I have tried it, they are pretty cool. I like the fact that there are no wider open spaces than 1-1,5 km at most, therefore WP tank guns will not suffer as much from lesser accuracy as they would do in the desert or open steppes.

[Double Deuce]

Looking at some different parts of the intended campaign area there are some varying terrain types. Along the border with Austria and Czechoslovakia it is more hilly while further west along the Danube it is considerably flatter. I will be using different templates to better represnet these different areas.

I am also currently building the campaign area in TOAW-COW in case we go with the hex version of movement.

[Double Deuce]

Just an update!

There is a bug in the Map Generator that is going to interfere with my ability to fairly quickly produce the base maps I will need for use with COCAT if we go that route.

When you are deep in the Map Generator where you set the critera (Urbanization Level, Max Hill Height, etc) to generate random maps you cannot save the map from there (you will get a CTD), you have to back out to the main Map Editor screen. This means you have to reset the criteria #'s for each map before you generate it (I need maps without roads and buildings for the base maps). In my case that will be at least 20. :o

CAMO has assured me the patch will fix it BUT I do not know when that will be released.

For now I can do them but it will be slow and then they all have to be manually edited to add in the buildings, roads and such.

[Double Deuce]

Map Update!

I have all 20 base WinSPMBT Maps in final review and editing. All roads and rivers should join up from mapsheet to mapsheet BUT I need to screenshot and print them out for final tweaking.

This will give us a 32x30 km Operations Area. Layed over top of these WinSPMBT Maps will be a 16x15 hex grid for conducting movement. I am also working on the final rules (Draft).

[Artur]

Gentlemen,

I have a proposal regarding forested areas. Forest hexes should be created with rough hexes. This way movement in forested are will be heavily restricted. Thos who play the Combat-Mission series know that there the forests are more realistic-no armor can go through them. This way you can still go through but very very much slower. The excellent M4Jess at SPWaW Depot has made an Ardennes PBEM scenario with this technique it really gave back the feeling of fighting in the forests. It kept all armor road-bound.

I know as a future WP commander this is actually against our interest, but it gives a more realistic gaming experience. Of course you do not have to make all forests so dense :).

Artur.

[Pannonicus]

I second that idea! DD, does your last post mean, that we will do it hex-based instead of COCAT manouvering?

[Double Deuce]

I second that idea! DD, does your last post mean, that we will do it hex-based instead of COCAT manouvering?Yes. We will use COCAT to get the BIG picture and make it easier for most to see where everything is BUT all "Official" movement will be via the forums.

[Temujin]

Does this mean the campaign map we will use is going to be made up of the 20 SP maps, zoomed out of course, or will we have a different map representing the area.

[Double Deuce]

Does this mean the campaign map we will use is going to be made up of the 20 SP maps, zoomed out of course, or will we have a different map representing the area.What I am looking at doing right now is using the 20 SP Maps zoomed out AND they will have hex grid laid over them (each hex covering a 2x2km area of the BIG map). The hex grid will help determine movement and battle involvement.

[Temujin]

What I am looking at doing right now is using the 20 SP Maps zoomed out AND they will have hex grid laid over them (each hex covering a 2x2km area of the BIG map). The hex grid will help determine movement and battle involvement.
Sounds like an excelent idea, it will help planning to have a bit better idea of the layout of the tactical areas.

[Double Deuce]

I really like how the "Zones" in the Island Civil War kind of kept things organized. While I know its less "accurate" than Red Snow's complete reliance on COCAT, I think it will help keep more people involved AND make things flow a lot smoother. Being able to provide specific intel, list out the actual units involved and track battle brieifngs all in one thread is the key to making this more enjoyable for everyone.

[Artur]

I am one of the people whu advised DD to use hexes :D. I think Hexes are a good compromise between realism and zones. They still make movements detailed enough but they are much easier to calculate with.

Is the forest idea accepted?

Artur.

[Temujin]

Having a rough idea of what geographical features to expect, other than just, wooded, wooded with river, clear, clear with road, etc is going to make it very very much more interesting and help make more detailed plans of movement and all that.

On the surface it would sound like it means more wordage when orders are written up, but i think it will actually cut it down. At least the way i was writing them, i'll have to check the island threads to see if it was all that differrent from how the others did it.

[Double Deuce]

Having a rough idea of what geographical features to expect, other than just, wooded, wooded with river, clear, clear with road, etc is going to make it very very much more interesting and help make more detailed plans of movement and all that. What you will have is a giant screenshot of 20 interconnected SPMBT Maps (the actual maps) with a large 2x2 km hex grid layed over it for movement tracking. Basically the hexes will replace the zones from Island Civil War.

This way I can crop out several 2x2km hexes as needed to make the actual battle area instead of everything going on in one zone or hex.

[Double Deuce]

OK, I have a working DRAFT of the 20 SPMBT Maps pasted together into a single 32x30km in jpeg format. Its about 5MB in size though so is too big to attach here but I will upload it to my personal site and put a link here for anyone wanting to look it over.

Please know its still needs editing to make ALL roads and water connect accurately from section to section. It also have a makship hex grid oerlaid giving a 16x15 operational maneuver grid. Still not sure this will be large enough given the forces/units.

[Double Deuce]

OK, here is the zip file with the DRAFT MAP. Be advised its about 4.8MB even though its zipped.

You can get it HERE ---> NATO vs WP DRAFT Operational Map (http://www.combat-campaigns.com/spmbt/nato_wp/tools/NATOvWP_Map.zip).

[Tanker]

That's huge! I'm assuming there will be place name labels and grid coordinate numbers in the final version.

[Double Deuce]

That's huge! I'm assuming there will be place name labels and grid coordinate numbers in the final version.Yes, there will.

[Pepper]

Wow. Just wow.

That's a great job there.

[Double Deuce]

Just to keep everyone updated on my Map progress. I found a few matching errors on 3 maps where roads were not exactly lined up (as well as 1 river). These have been corrected BUT I need to screenshot them, resize, etc and recheck. Once this is done I'll add some larger urban areas and "pretty up" the terrain so it looks like it flows more realistically.

[Double Deuce]

OK everyone, the still evolving NATO vs WP Campaign Website is still being added to. I have just added the actual DRAFT WinSPMBT Maps for download and review. I have also added a screenshot of the 20 maps pasted together.

You can see what is up so far HERE (http://www.combat-campaigns.com/spmbt/nato_wp/)!

I will be taking volunteers to edit some of these maps soon. I will need some realistic urban areas added and some of the other terrain tweaked to look better (more smooth). Once this starts I will give any volunteers specific maps to work on and an idea of what I want done with it so you are not going in blind.

[Temujin]

I volunteer, thats if its not to technical, any idiot can do it sort of thing.

[Pannonicus]

OK everyone, the still evolving NATO vs WP Campaign Website is still being added to. I have just added the actual DRAFT WinSPMBT Maps for download and review. I have also added a screenshot of the 20 maps pasted together.

You can see what is up so far HERE (http://www.combat-campaigns.com/spmbt/nato_wp/)!

I will be taking volunteers to edit some of these maps soon. I will need some realistic urban areas added and some of the other terrain tweaked to look better (more smooth). Once this starts I will give any volunteers specific maps to work on and an idea of what I want done with it so you are not going in blind.

I can help as well.