TheRPGSite

Hey RPG Site,

I've recently been thinking about Hex maps, and using them both at the Exploration/Travels scales as well as Combat scale. This was inspired by my current attempt to create "OSR" rules for Earthdawn 4th Edition, a few blog posts on hex-crawling that I've recently re-read, as well as the excellent "Delving Deeper" resource site (just found it this week, and it crystallized some of these ideas). Inspiration, for those following along:
Delving Deeper: http://ddo.immersiveink.com/dd.html
http://bloodofprokopius.blogspot.com/2011/08/holmes-cook-movement.html
https://muleabides.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/hexomancy-making-the-perfect-maps-for-adventurer-conqueror-king

So, I've been bugging out on the math for hex-grids for the last few weeks. I think I may have come across something that may really works well with any game, and now want to get feedback and new eyes on it - before I go ahead and whip up a set of Hex maps like the ACKS ones linked above.

This idea started with the Earthdawn combat scale. Movement is given in Yards, and a human has a Move of 12 (Dwarf:10, Elf:14). While reading all of the OSR blogs about movement, I noticed how close this is to the "outdoor" combat scale that served as the base of the underground combat scale, and the movement values of the different races & troop types. I saw an opportunity to easily convert characters/monsters from other OSR games by simply taking the same Move in inches to Earthdawn Yards for combat encounters.

The ED4 rules also recommend that if using a hex map for combat, use a hex scale of 2 yards from side to side. I was meditating on this and some key phrases jumped to mind:

"Combat Scale is 2 Yards per hex, 6 Seconds per Round."
"2 Moves per Round (if running). This mirrors oD&D 2 Moves per 10 Minute Turn."
"If using 'cost to enter a hex' rules, ED combat scale is 2 Move points per Clear Hex. A character can have a Move pool equal to the old-school inches value."
and then, suddenly!
"Each map presented to the players should scale in time-space so that 1 turn (length depending on which play cycle we are in) is composed of 2 movement-phases, each consisting of spending points from the Move pool listed on the character sheet. A Clear Hex will always costs 2 move points."

I've been running numbers for a few weeks and think I have solved this design proposal. The intent is to come close to OSR move rates in a unified manner to aid in converting adventures/other material. Here it is...
[Notes about comparisons to human 12" movement from OSR games will appear in brackets].
*An alternate version that uses a square grid at combat scale is presented at the end.

I appreciate any comments.

A Unified Map/Turn System for OSR Games
Key rules: A Clear Hex always costs 2 Move pts. 2 Moves per Turn. Turns are any period during which a player chooses an action for his character, or the party as a whole agrees to a course of action.

Time and distance scale are given on each map. Encumbrance is handled per your game's rules (usually halves Move pts when encumbered). Other rules, such as Earthdawn's Sprint Talent, or Mounts, may grant additional Move pts. The "Party Move pool" is determined as appropriate for each scale, usually set at the slowest character's Move pool.

Difficult Terrain - terrain, weather, obstacles, local environmental hazards, etc, will affect movement costs. Each hex noted with one or more asterisk will costs 1 additional Movement point per asterisk to enter. A list of common terrain/obstacle types and their additional costs will be made, such as light hills(+1)/light forest (+1), heavy hills(+2)/heavy forest(+2), light hills & heavy forest (or vice versa) (+3), swamps/mountains (+4), etc. The GM may add additional costs for weather, rivers, obstacles, etc.

Trails/Roads cause the (+1) hexes to be considered Clear and grant a (-2) cost modifier to everything above a (+1) hex - while traveling upon them. If the GM allows, Roads may grant additional 2 or 4 Move points per Movement segment (depending on Road Condition) @ Overland Exploration scale or above. [Human 12" + 4" Road Bonus = 36 miles per day = 4.5 mph, a "Military Quick Step".]

The turn/map scales follow. All the above rules apply to each scale, so the player doesn't have to re-learn how to move about the world when the GM changes map and Turn scale.

Random Encounter Checks: Roll once "per Turn" when playing at Underground Exploration scale and above. Random Encounters occurs on 1 in 6 chance. Adjust as normal for your game type for noise or other circumstances.

   Combat Scale*

• 2 yard Hex scale (1 Mp = 1 yard on clear terrain).
• 6 second Turn scale (also referred to as a "Combat Round").
• [A human with Move 12 moves 12 yards (36 feet) and takes an action, or Runs for 24 yards (72 feet) in movement. This is the same as oD&D outdoor movement. This is 3 times the rate of oD&D indoor movement. Compared to d20/Pathfinder Combat move of 30"/run of 60" this is 120% (+1/5th).]
  

   Underworld / Outdoor Exploration Scales**

• 10 yard Hex (1 Mp = 5 yards on clear terrain).
• 10 minute Turns (must rest 1 turn after 5 turns of exploration).
• Running abandons mapping, doubles Move pool per Movement, -2 to all Per tests. Running through very rough terrain may cause the Harried modifier.
• [The following numbers take into account resting 1:5 Turns. Human 12" Mapping Speed = 120 yards (360 ft) / 10 min Turn = 2.0455 MPH. Running Speed = 240 yards (720 ft) / 10 min Turn = 4.09 MPH]
  
• [Compare oD&D human 12" , 2 moves per turn @ 10 ft scale = 80 yards (240 ft) per Turn.]
  
• [ This new scale is 1.5 times faster than base game examples. I personally like this as my approach is to emulate in order to have easy conversions. I will still use the normal "You move 10/20/30 feet down the corridor" phrasing for underground exploration, moving a party marker every 10 yard (30 foot) hex.]
  

   Overland Exploration (Surveying Scale)

• 2 furlong (440 yard) Hex (1 Mp = 1 furlong = 1/8 mile = 220 yards on clear terrain).
• 1 hour Turns (must rest after 8 hours or invoke your game's Fatigue rules).
• [Human 12" * 2 moves = 24 furlongs per hour = 3 MPH. Perfect. Lines up with nearly all old school references that have 2 moves overland at a bigger scale.]
  

   Overland Travel (Local Scale)

• 2 mile Hex (1 Mp = 1 mile on clear terrain).
• 8 hour Turn, must rest after 8 hours or invoke your game's Fatigue rules.
• 1 move = a "4 hour watch" (2 per turn), three 8 hour Turns or 6 "watches" per Day.
• [Human 12" * 2 moves = 24 miles in 8 hours = 3 MPH.]
  

   Overland Travel (Campaign Scale)

• 24 mile Hex (1 Mp = 12 miles on clear terrain).
• 1 fortnight (2 week) Turn, movement rates include need to rest 1 day after every 6 days of movement.
• 1 move = 1 week. At this scale, "Company/Faction" level play is possible.
• [Human 12" * 2 moves = 288 miles in a fortnight (8 hours a day, 6 days a week) = 3 MPH.]
  

--------------------
Alternate Grid Map Scales
   *5' Combat Scale

• 5 foot grid square scale (1 Mp = 2.5 ft on clear terrain).
• 6 second Turn scale.
• [A human with Move 12 moves 30 feet (10 yards) and takes an action, or Runs for 60 feet (20 yards). This is the same as d20/Pathfinder Combat movement.]
  

   **10' Underworld / Overland Exploration Scales

• 20 foot grid square w/ 10 foot grid lines (1 Mp = 10 feet on clear terrain).
• 10 minute Turns (must rest 1 turn after 5 turns of exploration).
• Running abandons mapping, doubles Move pool per Movement, -2 to all Per tests. Running through very rough terrain may cause the Harried modifier.
• [oD&D human 12" , 2 moves per turn @ 10 ft scale = 240 ft (80 yards) per Turn. This is 1.364 MPH mapping, 2.727 MPH running.]
  

--------------------

From here, I need to make notes of all of the various travel methods (mounts, caravans, etc), and how many "Move" points each has. This will allow me to have a scale for determining things like Airship or Riverboat speed in combat. Or even "Exploring" in an Airship.

One last note - Where is the 6 Mile Hex?
The 6 mile hex really inspired me to start thinking about this, and I've decided that Overland Hex Maps will be keyed (terrain/difficulty & special locations) by the 6 mile Hex. Movement Hexes will be presented with dashed lines (2 mile or 24 mile). This allows simple partial-6-mile-hex movements when the movement scale is the 2 mile hexes. I've got a start on the hex-maps to match these scales, so we'll see how it works out.

Btw, the Barsaive (Earthdawn) Campaign area is the area of Ukraine through the Ural Mountains in central/eastern Russia, and Earthdawn Airships are given a speed of 300 miles in a 16 hours double-shift (a Move rate of 75!). So I'm going to be covering a lot of ground with these maps.

Again, comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Too much wall of text?

I've gotten a couple comments over on the Earthdawn forum.

I'm still working out details, so everything here is in a rough state. For example, I've been considering (based on feedback from another forum) just collapsing the cost to move to multiples of 2 - Clear(2), Rough(4), Very Rough (6), Dangerous (8), Very Dangerous (10). Also re-working the Trail/Road portion.

I dont know earthdawn well enough to understand the implications during play.  It sounds good, but that's me speaking out of ignorance.

Thanks. I'm actually aiming for a system-agnostic mechanic with the map scales (I've edited the intro slightly, thanks).

Imagine any D&D clone where movement is by foot/mount/vehicle. Every time it's your Turn to move somewhere in the game-world, you always have X Move pts (yours, the party's, or the vehicle's), and a Clear Hex of whatever scale costs 2.

I actually have a huge amount of map data to parse (I have used digital satellite heightmaps of the Black Sea area to make a version of Barsaive) and I expect my players to crawl/sail/fly all over it, so I was also going for something that scales cleanly.

So it's sort of like a hex based movement mechanic with movement points like those used in hex based consim games?  I don't see why that wouldn't work.  It seems to work for a counter representing a unit, so why not a character.  Games like Squad Leader/Advanced Squad Leader did it with one counter = one soldier.

I don't play boardgames.

Thank you for the comment. This system actually requires no physical props, but I can see how the presentation reads a bit board-gamey.


The core of it is: Movement on any scale in the world uses a "unified" mechanic, so that at each scale the players & GM can use a familiar mechanic to track how far they can move and what else is possible in the Turn timeframe:

"Now we are doing 8 hours of overland travel, all terrain is Rough(4) due to brambles and ravines. What do you want to do?"

"Now you are crawling through the Tomb of Terrors, all terrain is Rough(4) due to slime mold, bits of body parts, and gore everywhere. First 10 minute turn - What do you want to do?"

"Initiative! The goblins start nocking their bows from across the chasm. Crossing the tattered rope bridge counts as Rough(4) each 2 yards. *turns to highest initiative roll* What do you want to do?"

Given RPGs birth out of tactical wargames, I think it's a fine fit if tracking movement per turn is part of what the players are there to do at the table.  My preference is for more free form and abstract approaches.  I only worry about actual speed and metres or feet covered when time is of the essence (like in a chase or something).

You have X movement points and hexes have a movement cost depending on their terrain is a time tested functional game mechanic.  So if it's what the participants want to be doing at your table, it should work fine.