# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Board Game Mapping >  Axis & Allies Miniatures Map

## Xaviar Eldor Eissturm

I try to create a axis & allies map, but have some problems with it. I use TheGimp and Inkscape (if necessary).



1) i've some problems to create forests. May be some one could give me some advices?
2) can you give me some reply?

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## NeonKnight

Looks good, I tried my hand making an A&A map, but I did mine with CC3, so, sorry, can't give much help.

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## Gamerprinter

Using a hex grid is great for regional maps. However, it seems your roads, towns, and forests are forced into their shape by the grids around them. Your map appears to have been created by one of those hex tile based mapping programs, except as you say, this is created in GIMP and Inkscape. So consider a natural freeform shape to your terrain features.

When I map, I place the grid as the very last thing. I do sometimes use a grid to help maintain scale throughout the process for complex maps, but I pre-create my grids and apply them as needed, usually at the end only, most of the time.

I suggest using the grids to help determine scale at this stage, but otherwise forget they exist and create your towns, roads and forests without any forced limitation. If your forests extended beyond the edges of a given hex and partially into other hexes creating a more random shape you would have great improvement. Apply this to your towns and roads, as well.

Your implied Hex limitation is too obvious and completely unnecessary. It is distracting.

Of your two forest samples, I prefer the one to the right of the other, though if your forest edge was rougher, the outline forest might still work. Colorwise and town/building quality look good!

GP

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## NeonKnight

> Using a hex grid is great for regional maps. However, it seems your roads, towns, and forests are forced into their shape by the grids around them. Your map appears to have been created by one of those hex tile based mapping programs, except as you say, this is created in GIMP and Inkscape. So consider a natural freeform shape to your terrain features.
> 
> When I map, I place the grid as the very last thing. I do sometimes use a grid to help maintain scale throughout the process for complex maps, but I pre-create my grids and apply them as needed, usually at the end only most of the time.
> 
> I suggest using the grids to help determine scale at this stage, but otherwise forget they exist and create your towns, roads and forests without any forced limitation. If your forests extended beyond the edges of a given hex and partially into other hexes creating a more random shape you would have great improvement. Apply this to your towns and roads.
> 
> Your implied Hex limitation is too obvious and completely unnecessary.
> 
> Of your two forest samples, I prefer the one to the right of the other.
> ...


Except, Axis & Allies is a miniature game played on a HEX gridded map, so unfortunately, the terrain must be constrained by the grid. Artificial I know, but for the game to be played, that is how it has to be.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aa/welcome

and

For example maps
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x...le/ah20051121c

Here is the excerpt of Page 25 & 26 of the rulebook for A&A Minis, detailing the HEX terrain.

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## Gamerprinter

I have played Axis & Allies, primarily the board game, rather than the online version, and I understand the pieces for units work in hexes.

Thus using the hex grid is necessary for the game. Still, I really feel forcing map elements to the grid is unrealistic and takes away from the game. The game still works properly if the map was more authentic and still using the grid.

Just an opinion. Of course, if those are the rules, then those are the rules.

GP

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## NeonKnight

Yeah, on the whole most things can be done without constraining ones self to the HEX except for a few minor things:

Bluffs

&

Hedgerows.

Those two items only seem extremely confined to HEXES as the rules for them specifically mention them running along a HEX edge.

Mostly though, an terrain feature must fill most of the hex for that hex to be considered that terrain. The DOTs in the center of the hexes are used for determining Line Of Sight (you check from centre of one hex to centre of another hex), and if it crosses a hex of LoS blocking terrain, a piece cannot see another piece.

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## torstan

First of all I would tone down your grass colour. Desaturate it a little and drop the lightness. At the moment it is a little too fluorescent.

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## Xaviar Eldor Eissturm

Uhh!

Moin,

i am surprised to see so many replies. Thanks!

@NeonKnight: A&A-Maps with CC3? Have you some pictues?
@GamePrinter



> it seems your roads, towns, and forests are forced into their shape by the grids around the


You're right. I also see this problem, but the reference maps are ... very synthetic? (right word?). I will rethink about my next steps.

@torstan: on my screen its not so bright. I make a notice for me to remeber your hint.

But at all: has no one a good (mini-)tutorial to make a forest? I hate my own forest (its ugly).

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## torstan

Best bet is to browse around the regional map section and find a forest you like. Or find an example on the wider web. Then point to it and ask how it was done. I'm sure someone here will be able to recreate the look for you using gimp.

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## NeonKnight

> @NeonKnight: A&A-Maps with CC3? Have you some pictues?


Here:

http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=859

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## Xaviar Eldor Eissturm

Another map of me

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## slackingisnotacrime

Hi!

I know that this is an old thread but I just had to post my images! Enjoy! All Photoshop baby!



For those of you that want to use all that Extended Range that does not get blocked....



And those of you that like a little more of a challenge...



And

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## Hoel

You have improved quite a bit from the first to the newest post.
The craters look a bit shiny thou. You should take the highlight down a notch and maybe go over the edge with a bit of grungy mud....

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## slackingisnotacrime

> You have improved quite a bit from the first to the newest post.
> The craters look a bit shiny thou. You should take the highlight down a notch and maybe go over the edge with a bit of grungy mud....


Thanks for the advice... But I'm a newbie here.

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## Gamerprinter

Actually, Hoel, is a new member as well, perhaps more technically skilled one, but a noob just the same.

Hoel, maybe you should explain specific tools and brushes, that Slacking isn't aware.

SINAC, that's what I'm calling you (your name is too long  :Razz: ) - anyway, the repeating pattern in your forest is a bit strong. You need a larger sample or an overlay rough shape containg the same texture fill, but moved slightly to help hide that repeating pattern.

Also, when you post a map, click the "Manage Attachments" button beneath the text editor. This will open a menu allowing you to upload files from your computer, or via a link from elsewhere online. It will produce a thumbnail linked to its full size. So you don't have to post large, but reduced views of your maps. Its preferencial that you do it that way.

Also, we have a thing called "Rep" for reputation. For posting some nice maps in your first posts, I'm giving you REP! Welcome to the Guild!

GP

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## Nomadic

> Actually, Hoel, is a new member as well, perhaps more technically skilled one, but a noob just the same.


I think he meant that Hoel had confused him for the topic starter when he is actually a brand new member.

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## slackingisnotacrime

> I think he meant that Hoel had confused him for the topic starter when he is actually a brand new member.


DING DING DING We have a winner!

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## Nomadic

> DING DING DING We have a winner!


What do I win?

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## Steel General

a nice, big cookie?

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## Hoel

Gimme my cookie! 
Let's just say that i need to pay a little more attention to who are posting.
I just look at the map and go wooo! and write something.
AAAAnd it could actually have been someone who had to get a new account and chaged the name totally...
Anyway. I want some A&A minis!

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## Vandy

<< Slight Thread Hijack  >>

Perhaps y'all might like to try these fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies?



Regards,

Gary

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## Kihmbar

I've never played A&A Minis, but I do play Squad Leader.  The terrain/LOS rules are similar, so perhaps you could do a similar thing with A&A Minis maps.  In addition to allowing terrain to flow into adjacent hexes (which is most common), ASL sometimes gets around terrain rules by using historical special rules.  Historically accurate maps sometimes will create an unusual terrain type or an unusual combination of terrain types.  This is because historically there existed more than one terrain type in a hex.  If you are trying to recreate a historically accurate map, then you could take this option - make special rules describing how to play with the unusual terrain type or unusual combination of terrain types.  However if you are not trying to recreate historically accurate terrain, I would not recommend this approach.

Also, if you are looking for different terrain types - the VASL Map Cabal site has the Squad Leader versions of the terrain types.  The terrain art there might be worth looking at when making patterns for woods/grain/marsh/whatever.

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## slackingisnotacrime

> Also, if you are looking for different terrain types - the VASL Map Cabal site has the Squad Leader versions of the terrain types.  The terrain art there might be worth looking at when making patterns for woods/grain/marsh/whatever.


Thanks for the info... I'm currently looking into using Sketch Up for all my buildings. My next attempt will be to create a 'City Fight' map for Axis and Allies. A kind of Stalingrad/Fall of Berlin map that could be used for either scenario. It's kind of daunting... I don't have any proprietary mapping software other than Photoshop and Illustrator. So it's all scratch built, and all my art/graphic design skills to be put into full effect. I know it's going to be hard. Nothing that is worthwhile is easy.  

Wilco out!

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## ravells

> I've never played A&A Minis, but I do play Squad Leader.  The terrain/LOS rules are similar, so perhaps you could do a similar thing with A&A Minis maps.  In addition to allowing terrain to flow into adjacent hexes (which is most common), ASL sometimes gets around terrain rules by using historical special rules.  Historically accurate maps sometimes will create an unusual terrain type or an unusual combination of terrain types.  This is because historically there existed more than one terrain type in a hex.  If you are trying to recreate a historically accurate map, then you could take this option - make special rules describing how to play with the unusual terrain type or unusual combination of terrain types.  However if you are not trying to recreate historically accurate terrain, I would not recommend this approach.
> 
> Also, if you are looking for different terrain types - the VASL Map Cabal site has the Squad Leader versions of the terrain types.  The terrain art there might be worth looking at when making patterns for woods/grain/marsh/whatever.


Hey Khimbar, do you know my friend, Trevor Edwards? He used to run the Squad Leader tournaments in the UK. I think he goes by the nick 'Hedgehog' on the ASL boards.

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## Kihmbar

> Hey Khimbar, do you know my friend, Trevor Edwards? He used to run the Squad Leader tournaments in the UK. I think he goes by the nick 'Hedgehog' on the ASL boards.


I'm not familiar with Trevor Edwards, but then again I don't usually surf the ASL boards.  I've got an active ASL group around here in case I have a question concerning the rules.  I intend to go to ASLOK sometime, but the biggest tournament I've been to so far is the Winter Offensive.

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## Gabe69velasquez

> I try to create a axis & allies map, but have some problems with it. I use TheGimp and Inkscape (if necessary).
> 
> 1) i've some problems to create forests. May be some one could give me some advices?
> 2) can you give me some reply?


These should be of some inspiration, 
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/maps

also Google Earth printsceen snapshots are good.

Here is a 8x11 test image of cut and pastes from the wizards maps:

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## MadCartographer

Check out Hex Map by Heavy Metal Software:

http://www.heavymetalpro.com/

Very nice Hex map making program.

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