So, during the Christmas break, I started setting up my 6mm Operation Barbarossa campaign on the map table, and quickly realized that setting up was going to take much more consideration than I previously thought.
After spending nearly two weeks re-reading the lead-up to the offensive, considering what historical aspects to include, and where I could reasonably deviate from history without skewing things too badly, I set up the forces for the start of the game.
I'm using the game maps from GDWs Fire in the East with custom made unit counters for the campaign. I finished laying out the counters, set a number of small wood blocks around the edges of the map, and laid an acrylic sheet over the south half of the map. I no sooner let go of the plastic, and maybe a hundred counters lifted off of the map and stuck to the plastic hovering 3/4 of an inch above the map.
"Oh, darn."
I lift up the plastic, tilted it a bit, and the counters slid down the plastic with a goodly number falling into a pile near the southern edge of the map.
"Crap."
So I sprayed an anti-static spray on the second sheet, laid it across the northern half of the map, and it happened again.
"Huh."
So now I have thousands of little men and tanks in the basement, eagerly awaiting their doom, while upstairs in the GHQ, a reserved, "Ummm?", is holding up the offensive.
The three cats who live here are fond of high places, and keeping them off of the table is simply not an option. So, at the moment, I'm considering my options.
Sounds like an ambitious and fun project. You hav my sympathies about cats destroying paper war-games. At 61 I'm finally blessed with a dedicated war-games room which works if I remember to close the door and keep the cat out. Cats, eh? Cheers, Michael
ReplyDeleteThanks. The cats seem to tolerate me, as long as I don't get in the way too much.
DeleteOh dear! Have you thought about doing the ng the map electronically? We've converted quite a few games into PowerPoint (map scan as background, counters as gif) for remote games. Iirc there are already Fire in the East scans on BGG. Or maybe there is a Vassal or Cyber board module for it?
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll have to look into the digital options.
DeleteI second the possible use of VASSAL or Cyberboard for the maps. Why use the FITE maps and not the counters that come with the game? Are your custom counters at a higher level of organization?
ReplyDeleteI was looking into a digital method, then it occurred to me that I didn't really need to see the map when covered, so just used some lauan plywood to cover it, when not in use.
ReplyDeleteThe custom counters match the unit names and TO&E of the Barbarossa 25 campaign booklet, just making it easier to track. Additionally, my game counters are still unpunched, though I could have just reproduced them as well.