baldrick0712
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Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Mon 06 Dec 2021, 20:18

I can't find anything in the rules about travelling if you don't have a map. I'm assuming it's taken as a given that the PCs have maps of Poland? If not, how would you handle it - blind movement? E.g. just tell them what sort of terrain they're in and what they can see in the distance (neighbouring hexes) and don't mention names of towns? [EDIT] Maybe only tell them the name of a town if they enter it or are on a road leading into it (road signs)?
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Mon 06 Dec 2021, 20:58

I assume that the intel report handout is something that not only the players have, their characters have it as well and there is a map in that intel report.
“Thanks for noticin' me.” - Eeyore
 
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omnipus
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Re: Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Mon 06 Dec 2021, 23:17

The rules for navigation mention that characters with a map or compass get a bonus to their roll, and reference the gear list on page 129. However, on that page, only compasses are mentioned, not maps (so whatever bonus they give is left to imagination). This creates a sort of gray area. The game does not seem to assume that you have any of these things. (It also is very lenient on your chances of success even if you don't. Personally, I would give at least a -2 penalty to trying to get anywhere specific unless you have a map or very clear directions/easy landmarks to get there) Conditions would make maps and compasses extremely valuable (much more valuable than guns, I'd say, which can be found everywhere!) for travelers. Any sensible soldier would cherish and never lose theirs. Hard to imagine an officer or NCO that wouldn't have prioritized some sort of map of the area, especially during a major operation.

I do think that you could have a lot of fun with this, though. Most characters will be at least trained in land navigation, but going anywhere without a map or first-hand area knowledge is extremely challenging. And, as the saying goes, "the map is not the territory" -- what reality in front of you looks like can often not seem to resemble the map at all. I've done a fair amount of land nav in my time and it's something that's pretty easy to mess up and a very perishable skill. Most of us take the extreme convenience of GPS for granted these days, but stressing the difficulties of navigation in a world without it could sure be interesting. If you were playing with a VTT, you could impose strict vision limits and fog of war around areas the characters are located or presumed to know. A character (or NPC) with area knowledge becomes gold. Rumors about mere travel routes become very valuable. Tagging along with someone else who claims to know where they're going could be critical.
Author, Central Poland Sourcebook -- now available on DriveThruRPG
 
Oddball_E8
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Re: Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Tue 07 Dec 2021, 08:15

I'm gonna start off my characters with a map (1!, one!, no more) but if they somehow lose that, then they're SOOL.

However, they do not get a compass.

Also, as for navigation, I'm gonna flip the bonuses for these upside down.
You don't get a bonus for having a map and compass.
You get a disadvantage for not having them.

So if you're rolling for navigation to get somewhere specific, you'll need a map *and* compass to roll normally.

No compass? -1
No map? -1
No map OR compass? -2

(Although, having a local that's familiar with the area could give you +1, for example... even without a map and compass, that would almost offset the disadvantages)
 
naash
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Re: Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Tue 07 Dec 2021, 22:06

IMO, if your PC are military guys, whatever is their branch, they should be equiped with compass (1 every two PCs) and at least 1 map for the group.
Compass, firelighter, knife, are standart equipments for soldiers on the field.
They might be part of their everyday kit.
 
maxmcgloin
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Re: Are PCs Assumed to have a Map?

Thu 16 Dec 2021, 23:42

There are different types of maps. The scale and purpose make a big difference. A 1:25000 map with terrain and contour lines is very different from a 1:100000 marked not for navigational purposes. Maybe they have a captured Russian map, an old map from WWII. Heck maybe someone has a copy of Lonely Planet. An example of how maps might impact a military operation is Grenada. https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/ ... economist/

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