Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 12:45:20	In my current campaign, I've been using 1 fighter lead figure to represent the 4 adventurers and whenever I encounter a monster, I use 1 wraith to represent whatever monster I'm fighting.........these are placed on the module map....so my question is how can I represent the actual 4 players and monsters, they won't all fit on the mod. map......I do have a blank battlemat....can I use this w.out drawing the dungeon landmarks on it??? I have more figures, I'd like to use them as well.....what do you guys do??cheers...
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 12:51:56	yes. with the battle map each square can represent a square on the dungeon map. or it represent 1/4 of a square if you want to scale it for all 4 figures. or it can represent...whatever you set as your scale.
#3 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 13:00:00	So when using the battlemat, just visualize the dungeon walls, etc??
#4 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 14:00:18	So when using the battlemat, just visualize the dungeon walls, etc?? right. and still describe how tall they are. or material or sturdiness. sometimes a 10 ft wide passage is not really exactly 10 ft wide. b/c the walls are 1 ft thick or so...
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 14:03:09	so if 1 square is 10 feet and the dungeon hallway is 20 feet across, I have to cram my character and monsters in 2 squares across and fight it out.....ie visulaize the dungeon...right??
#6 kengar Dec 07, 2004 14:05:51	I use minis and scenery a lot in my games. If by "battlemat" you mean a Chessex battle mat. I recommend getting some wet-erase markers and using them to draw out the walls etc., but only for combats or encounters where exact positions are important. Don't map out the whole dungeon -even as you go- that's the players' job. When the fight is over, just erase the map with a wet paper towel and let folks use their imagination for the rest of the time.
#7 kengar Dec 07, 2004 14:08:49	so if 1 square is 10 feet and the dungeon hallway is 20 feet across, I have to cram my character and monsters in 2 squares across and fight it out.....ie visulaize the dungeon...right?? You can always shift the scale slightly and "zoom in". Make a square on your mat = 5' (to borrow from d20). So there are four (2x2) "tactical" squares per map square. This is an easier scale to work with if you're using standard 25-28mm minis (Reapers, etc.). Most games that emphasize tactical/miniatures play (3.X, GURPS, Savage Worlds, etc.) ususally put each square (or hex) at 5-6' across.
#8 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 14:13:28	I think my battlemat has a porus texture unfort....thanks for the advice!
#9 Elendur Dec 07, 2004 17:43:50	I just print out a bunch of 1" grid paper and draw on it.
#10 varl Dec 07, 2004 20:22:03	so if 1 square is 10 feet and the dungeon hallway is 20 feet across, I have to cram my character and monsters in 2 squares across and fight it out.....ie visulaize the dungeon...right?? Right, though I recommend using 1" squares that equal 5' each. It's a little more accurate scale wise and helps with movement. If you're pressed for space, however, higher scales will help. I also recommend wet erase markers for detailing room sizes. I use plexiglas cut into grids, so I don't have to worry about water. :D
#11 zombiegleemax Dec 07, 2004 20:36:23	If you have a Chessex battlemat, use overhead markers only (that's what they say also). I recommend using black only. Comes right off with a damp napkin or towel. Depending on what you're trying to do, 1sq = 10ft is ok. For battles, I usually zoom in (1sq = 5ft). For other things, 1sq = 10,000km works also.
#12 zombiegleemax Dec 10, 2004 18:14:43	Cheap battle board: Take one dry erase board (from an office or school supply store.) _Very_ carefully, use a straight edge and razor knife to scribe a grid of 1" squares on it (or if you're very handy you can set up a fence and use a circular saw with a thin kerf blade set to 1/16" depth.) Hold the knife at an angle so you're making an actual cut down into the pressboard, rather than just scratching the surface. Run a good permanent black marker over the etched lines, immediately wipe up any excess with window cleaner. Once the indelible marker dries, you can scribble dungeon walls all over it with dry erase markers or fabric crayons (like grease pencils, but not as oily) and then wipe it off. For 25to30mm figures (which you are probably using) a 5' per square scale looks and works best. - Bill Rathman who can't imagine running some scenarios without figures
#13 zombiegleemax Dec 10, 2004 19:10:16	Can I print out hex paper? Large hexes?? That'd be easiest I think......I'll have to pull out my battlemat
#14 Elendur Dec 11, 2004 7:25:45	The advantage of paper is you can save rooms if you are going to use them again, rather than having to wipe them out.
#15 zombiegleemax Dec 11, 2004 13:50:41	Is there a hex download, I may have one, have to check....
#16 gleepwurp Dec 12, 2004 22:47:39	AD&D and the Basic Rules I grew up with (holmes edition) reccomended a scale of 10 feet in the real world equals 3 inches on the tabletop. Recently 2 inches has become the standard and thats what I am using now. It makes the figures scale pretty well. I usually draw a rough outline of where the PCs are and have them place their figures upon it. Thus when suprise attacks occur or traps are sprung we all know where everyone is... We draw on the mat with an overhead projector pen -- wipes right off with a napkin or rag.
#17 kengar Dec 13, 2004 9:55:29	Is there a hex download, I may have one, have to check.... http://www.incompetech.com/beta/plainGraphPaper/
#18 robertfisher Dec 13, 2004 11:54:49	Cheap battle board: This is what I did: Create a 8x10 1" grid in your favorite drawing program or word processor with table support. Print four copies. (Or however many you want.) Trim the excess paper from the margins. Take them to your favorite office/copy store & get them laminated. (Most stores can laminate anything letter sized or smaller for a very reasonable fee. Heck, the little lamination machines are pretty inexpensive themselves.) While at the office store, pick up some dry erase markers. Paper clip the laminated sheets together to form a battle board. When the combat moves off one edge, remove one from the other side, erase it, & move it to the edge where it's needed. It has its advantages & disadvantages...
#19 zombiegleemax Dec 16, 2004 11:42:02	Sometimes if im just to lazy to draw out the scenery on the map i just use cards and pennys and things to represent scenry on my battlemap it works fairly well.
#20 zombiegleemax Jan 10, 2005 2:22:28	Back in the day when dnd first came out we only had miniatures to represent the player characters. So being ingenius we used quarters, nickles, dimes and pennies to represent the monsters(not very scary fighting dead presidents). Now I use a chessex battlemat and my extensive collection of metal miniatures. I thought about using the dwaven forge stuff (which is really beautiful)...... But I discovered that it was limited to the pieces you had and was very time consuming to set up (they also require alot of room for storage). I also considered the Hirst castle molds... also beautiful and even more time consuming as you have to cast your own bricks and assemble them, however they have the flexiblity to build a great number of different things. All in all the most practical, most cost effective, most flexible, easiest to use and store method is still the battlemat. Maybe one day I will build a Helmsdeep with the Hirst Castle molds, when I retire cause it looks fun, but for now its the battlemat. I still use pennies to represent monsters when I dont have enough miniatures, but that is only one in about 200 encounters. Unfortunately, Metal Miniatures have gone the way of the beta max. This is a shame because the detail of the plastics is not remotely comparable. Perhaps wizard of the coast will take a que from Games Workshop and produce multipart plastics that can be painted (but then I have a better chance of finding GRUUMSH's missing eye then that happening). Then again this makes my collection even more valuable then before.
#21 gleepwurp Jan 10, 2005 9:44:07	Reaper Minis still makes good metal minis --- they are just a little taller than my old Grenadier minis but make my old Ral Parthas look rather puny... There are several other companies still making metal minis but I like the Reapers best. Sandra Garrity (who has been involved in mini sculpting for a good many years) sculpts a lot of Reaper character minis. Another company, Old Glory Miniatures, sells a full range of historical and fantasy minis -- all metal --- at very reasonable prices. I don't mind plastic minis but the current WOTC sculpts are not my favorites, stylistically, and I hate the random packaging. I also enjoy painting minis as a relaxation activity.
#22 zombiegleemax Jan 11, 2005 13:16:24	whatever you do dont leave anything drawn on the matt it soaks in. We now live with an anchient battle drawn on perminatly. Minatures rule we use all sorts from new DnD minis too anchient warhammer models. Chazmon