Hex map sizes?

[Ivan Sorensen]

So for those of you who like to use hex maps for games, including ones that aren’t normally on hexes, how large are your hex maps?

I’m thinking of adding Hex-options to a few games, but I am not sure if people use something like “2 inches to the hex” or more like 6 inches or what.

Likewise, do you use large hexes, where multiple figures fit or smaller ones?

[Angel Barracks]

hmmm not sure, whatever size the Kallistra ones are, that is a nice size I reckon.

[Ruarigh]

Although I play hex-and-counter board wargames, I don’t really play miniatures games with hexes, tending generally to convert hexes to an appropriate measurement for miniatures games. That said, my terrain is all GHQ Terrainmaker hexes, which are 4″ across flat to flat, so that would be an ideal measurement to convert me to using hexes for my miniatures games. One caveat is that I don’t have a lot of space, so any conversion that I tried would have to fit on a 6’x4′ table or smaller, and I imagine that even that is luxury compared to the space available to some.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

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[Ivan Sorensen]

Good point, though I suppose the conversion wouldn’t have to be 1-to-1.

f.x. with your 4″ hexes, you could have a scale of 6″ to the hex, and then have the game fit on a slightly smaller space, which might be a benefit.

[Ruarigh]

Yes. Depending on basing standard, figure scale, etc. you could reduce 6″ to 4″ to reduce the playing area. There’s flexibility in scaling that way. You might need to rethink blast templates and other area effects to make them fit the hex scale.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

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[MartinR]

I play on Kallistra hexes, they are 10cm. I also use hand drawn grids in various sizes, anything from 6cm to one foot.

The main thing in converting to a grid is not to have lots of fiddly little difference in move distances and ranges. Something like Spearhead translates very well.

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Phil Dutré]

I use regularly Kallistra hexes (10cm across).

For some games I use smaller hex sizes.

It really depends on the rules framework and the unit footprint. I found that rules are kept simple if 1 indivisible unit game-wise (whether that’s a full regiment or a single figure) occupies 1 hex and vice versa. If you allow multiple units per hex, or multiple hexes per unit, you need to start taking all sorts of things into account. Hex size then usually follows from that.

BTW, look at my blogpost for converting the Lion Rampant engine into hexes. Some useful insights 🙂

http://snv-ttm.blogspot.be/2015/12/lion-rampant-hexified.html

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