GHQ Models Forums

Okay, I am new to this gaming system. I was wondering about how to convert maps to hex's? Is their any type of program you guys use or do you have any other tips or suggestions. I would like to try to scan some maps and then set them up to print on sheets of paper for templates.

Thanks for all your help.

[quote="dkolojek"]:?: Okay, I am new to this gaming system. I was wondering about how to convert maps to hex's? Is their any type of program you guys use or do you have any other tips or suggestions. I would like to try to scan some maps and then set them up to print on sheets of paper for templates.

Thanks for all your help.[/quote]

There are sites where you can pull different scale hex grids on the web; scan the map, than paste the grid over as a transparent layer. Haven't done it in a while, but when I did, it was really easy.

I've used the system that GHQ has explained in a couple of past Tacnews Newsletters (included with orders) Here's the short version

1] Photocopy a sheet of hex paper onto a clear plastic transparency
2] figure out how much 'ground' is 1 hex, (Exp - if your rules ground scale is 100 yds/inch, then 1 hex = 400 yards)
3] Photocopy the best map of the battlefield from a book, topo map, etc, at the correct reduction/enlargement so that 400 yards on the map is same size as 1 hex on the transparency
4] Overlay transparency over the map - slide it around until the most important terrain features (waterways, major roads) fit into the Terrain Maker system - when it's good, tape the transperncy in place onto the map.
5] I normally then take a blank piece of hex paper and re-draw the map, showing hill hexes, stream hexes, woods hexes, town hexes, etc.
6] from there, you can make a list of each hex type, and sit down at the workbench and mass produce the hexes, and then assemble the jig-saw puzzle on the table.

I've used this trick to copy some of my favorite battlefields, like big chunks of Gettysburg, the area areound Hougemont @ Waterloo, and some others.

Hope that helps!

Hey dekolojek,

I was looking around on some of the Yahoo gaming forums and found the "mapgridder" program that you can use to superimpose a hex grid over a scanned map. Or just print out blank hex sheets. Works pretty well. Here is the link on the Spearhead forum.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Spe ... 20utility/

One method I used with Geo HEX and could be used with Terrain Maker is to draw the hexes in your collection on the computerand note the number of tiles you have of that type. You can lay out the hex grid and have an accurate map of hidden movement.

I did this on paper in the 90 was a real pain. Fortunatly the tiles were much much larger than Terrain Maker. I bet it would be a lot easier on the computer.

I work from contemporary maps and hand draw them onto hex paper. Once I locate the actual battlefield, I calculate the proper ground scale and adapt it to fit my table, which is 5'x8'. On real maps, that covers about 1 1/2 x 2 miles, or 2x3 kilometers.

Here's a couple of examples from my website.

The airdrop onto the western end of the battle for Crete.
The historical map : http://www.nzetc.org/etexts/WH2Cret/WH2CretP002a.jpg

And the game map : http://www.freewebs.com/gupiao/Maps/Crete/Maleme.jpg

And the tank engagement at Prokhorovka from the battle of Kursk.
The historical map : http://www.freewebs.com/gupiao/Maps/Pro ... orovka.pdf

The game map : http://www.freewebs.com/gupiao/Maps/Pro ... %20Map.pdf

Hope this helps.
Bill

I forgot about this previous post of mine in the scenario topic. From topo map, to hand drawn hex map, to hex terrain. This should give youa good idea on how to proceed.

http://www.ghqmodels.com/forum/viewtopi ... sc&start=0

I would like to play this scenario one day!!