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