Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (
More info?)
In article <3KCdnRs14752jN7fRVn-rA@rogers.com>, Lattes,
bumpin_removetoemail_@rogers.com Varfed out the following in Timo
speak...
> Hey all, just wondering how you all deal with this with your gaming groups?
>
> We do totally random for all with 'blind' armies (ie: bring your army to
> the table then we choose)
>
> Would love to hear input
>
Well, depends on what the plan is. If it's just a quick or
impromptu game, generally we just use some dice roll up terrain for each
sector or area of the board. However, I'm tinkering with using a free
program called Inspiration Pad Pro - which is a nifty little number/text
generator with all sorts of uses, including random terrain generation
(customized to your own terrain selection). It's a straight forward
program and if I can fiddle with it and start to master the basic works,
anyone ought to be able to do so.
http://www.nbos.com/
(The link to IP Pro is at the bottom and it's a free program. There's
also sample random name generators, and some other cool toys for it.)
Depending on what we feel like - we generally lay out the terrain first,
and then pick our armies. If we want a bit more challenge, we pick
forces first and then layout the terrain.
If we're playing a specific scenario, then we tend to randomly lay out
the basic terrain, like hills and a few small foliage clumps, etc. Then
we're a bit less random about ruins, builds, etc. And last come
objectives, bunkers, and other specific requirements of the scenario.
Since both sides are usually involved in the placement, things tend to
work out fairly evenly in distribution.
And if it's a 'story' driven game, then the terrain and at times the
forces used by both sides are predetermined by one player or a referee
or neutral 3rd party.
Most of the time we tend to use what we consider to be a 'moderate'
amount of terrain - which would be 0 - 4 hills (might be stacked or
individual) 0 - 2 forest/foliage areas (can range from small to rather
large as we use felt patches to define the boards of the jungle or
forest area) 0 - 3 ruins corners on a basic 2 x 2.5 foot table section.
(My standard gaming table is 6.5 x 5 foot.) This typically results in a
nice 'quarter' or sector with both some LOS blocking cover and open
lanes of fire. After that is the 'extras' which include small
individual foliage clusters, artillery craters, obstacles and razor
wire, rubble piles, ammo crates and oil drums, etc. This stuff is
basically the 'eye candy' or window dressing for the battle field.
Again, if we decide it's a battle taking place in an un-inhabited area,
ruins are rare, and hills and jungle more common, if it's a ruined sub-
urban area, lots of ruins and rubble, and far fewer hills and trees.
And every once in a while, just for grins and giggles we like to test
out GW's theory of 'The more the terrain - the better the game' and go
nuts with the terrain.
Seriously, check out the IP Pro generator program. There's also
Kelpie's (a.k.a. Dogboy here on RGMW) random terrain generator program
which makes top down perspective maps for the gamer and can be
customized with images of your own terrain. It's also a free program
and rather nice as well.
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~healer8/index.html
Hope that helps,
Myrmidon
--
"I'm already impoverished from buying wargames minis,
and I'm too knackered for riotous living..."
-- Moramarth
RGMW FAQ:
http://www.rgmw.org
Or...
http://www.sheppard.demon.co.uk/rgmw_faq/rgmw_faq.htm
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram