Sunday, February 18, 2018
What do you think the best scale is for hex maps?
What do you think the best scale is for hex maps? According to Delta's D&D Hotspot, the original Outdoor Survival map can be inferred to have a scale of 1 hex=3 miles (see http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2012/02/damn-you-gygax-part-3.html for details). I've seen D&D and OSR hex maps commonly use a scale of either 5, 6, or 10 miles per hex.
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ReplyDeleteI like a six mile hex. It's six miles center to center, seven miles between far corners. It's almost exactly 32 square miles. that makes it easy to eyeball real distance and area. Three-mile hexes are OK too. Od&d says five-mile hexes, but those are not as elegant.
In my opinion, 30 miles in a day on foot is sheer folly. You could do it, but you couldn't keep it up for more than a couple days. Since the numbers are based on Outdoor Survival, and these particular numbers presume optimal conditions for movement (that quickly deteriorate), they make sense for the source material but not D&D. Therefore the tables as presented fall apart for me immediately.
However, dividing those numbers down a ways makes things seem more realistic. The ratios make sense but the mileage doesn't.
Please recall that underground movement rates are incredibly slow, even if the party hustles along without regard to monsters and traps.
I would say even 18 miles a day is pushing it for low-encumbrance foot across virgin terrain. 18 miles is a long way, day after day. Imagine the blisters! Sticking with the six-mile hexes, 12 is good for low-encumbrance guys. But 6 is probably better if you have anyone in metal armor. On a road, you can add a hex either way.
So... six mile hexes, with an honorable mention for three mile hexes.
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ReplyDeleteScott Anderson pretty much nailed it I think. As I get older I become more and more convinced that we DMs should avoid the terms miles and kilometers and simply explain movement in terms of "hexes per day". Mountain and swamp hexes count as double, roads and horses let you move an extra hex or two. Keep it simple... unless there is a chase or a race that compels you to drill down into the details to see who is fastest.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDelete3.27 light years. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTraveller has an influence on my answer...
I'm partial to 5 miles per hex, as that's the default scale for the Judges Guild Wilderlands setting, which I've used since I started playing in 1980-1981.
ReplyDeleteBut I've also seen the scale of 13 miles to the hex, to make a given setting bigger and more expansive. Don't you use 13 mile hexes in your Majestic Wilderlands, Rob Conley?
Jon Hershberger I expanded the hex scale to 12.5 miles. Or more precisely 5 leagues with each league equal to 2.5 miles equal to 1 hour walking across level terrain.
ReplyDeleteI was influenced by Harn as they had most complete and sensible rules for outdoor travel at the time (late 80s)
This was prompted by two thing. My original were going to fall apart so I redraw the maps (again the only choice for the late 80s) and my players though the scale was larger due to how I presented things. So I made it actually larger.
Justin Stewart The original scale of the Outddor survival map was five miles per hex. Page 17 The Underwold & Wilderness Adventures OD&D.
ReplyDeleteAs for what is best it is my opinion that anything between 3 miles per hex to 15 miles will do for overland travel. Also the physical printed size of the hex also maps. I prefer to use 1/2" to 3/4" hexes. Typically I use 5/8" hexes.
ReplyDeleteIt basically boils down to how much area do you want a letter size map to cover. And how much detail you want to show at that level.
I use four scales of maps.
My campaign maps of 5/8" hexes with each hex being equal to 12.5 miles or 5 hours walking.
2.bp.blogspot.com
or
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBZIfoEOoqw/UbUrIJmMw8I/AAAAAAAAIbk/DdbSOueY4XQ/s1600/Nomar_Campaign_2013.jpg
My regional map with 2.5 miles hexes about 3/16" inches with a larger 12.5 mile hex grid imposed on top of it.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f2v1T-gDnK0/WTYGNRLS_nI/AAAAAAAAOtc/zQI7tgMRHMQLFb2b91azM0bsEO8Yc5SegCLcB/s1600/Virdistan%2BRegion%2BRev%2B03.jpg
My local area maps which are drawn around 1" = 50 to 100 yards. Typically a city map.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y68hIXF0D_E/UA4TX671fUI/AAAAAAAABms/e_sk2eK1b-Y/s1600/Abberset.jpg
Finally my dungeon or building maps which are drawing at 25 feet (or 50 feet) to inch.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mFjy4EWzmtg/S52efFRDvZI/AAAAAAAAAwk/UI4rqyWpPi0/s1600/Bandit+Cave.jpg
While the exact scale differs I think I am safe that most referee use these four levels of maps.
For outdoor mapping I favour 24 miles hexes because of the ease of dividing them by 2, 3, 4 or 6, while translation of other maps is easily fudge-able if going from 100m/inch to 96m/inch.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it would all be much easier if E Gary Gygax et al had had the courtesy to have been born in Canada, and written the rules using the metric system, but just as with many other minor pecadillos they can be forgiven that minor shortcoming (although having to convert frames of reference inside of my head by a factor of 1.6 is a pain, much like the occasional American tourist still ends up getting a speeding ticket when they don't look closely enough at the signs and think that 100mph is a reasonable speed limit).