www.mastersofthefield.com

Stu · Guest

Hey Hawks,

What you have got going here is really good. Now managed to play a few games on the server against various members and have really enjoyed them even though I got trounced! I have got lots of historical maps that I have designed for use when I play over LAN connection; I have reduced the troop numbers so that they will not crash on the net. (One of the pluses of LAN is that you can have really, really, massive battles, downside is you have to carry your entire computer to your mates house) Maps range from war of Austrian and Spanish succession through to American war of independence and Napoleonic period. I would like you guys (especially the map makers) to take a look at them and give me your opinions. What would be the best way to make them available to you (in laymen�s terms please as am I only just competent when it comes to these computery things!)

Cheers guys keep up the good work!

Stu

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

You could try zipping each map separate using winzip and sending them to me at the following address:

william.humphrey@nuth.nhs.uk

I will make them available to the guys.

Yours SW

Guest · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks SW have sent you three maps: Blenheim, Salamanca and Assaye. When I design a battle I try to capture the spirit of the conflict being fought. I research the terrain and troop dispositions although I only gather an overview. The maps may not be the fairest in the world (but hey thats war) and if they wont give you a 50/50 chance of winning, but victory although nice is not everything and I tend to play simply cause I enjoy the game.

Let me know what you think? If they are any good I have a whole folder full of more of them!

Cheers

Stu

Stu · Guest

Sorry SW I think mailing them to you failed as they are too large even compressed! any other ideas?

Stu

[HWK]axlethehawk · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 12:31 am Post subject:

WElcome to the hawks forum Stu and it's great to hear that you also love to create maps.

AS for fighting unbalanced maps, we do this regularly, cause many of our maps are "just that" and we love the challenge ( though some of the hawks are simply sadomasochists when it comes to going up against the challenge )

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[hwk] axlethehawk ( DIPLOMATIC LIAISSON )

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

Send me an email at: william.humphrey@nuth.nhs.uk

I will explain how you can upload them to geocities web-space

Yours SW

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

I've just been to geocities to get your maps, when I donloaded them there was nothing in the zip files, they are only 1kb zips.

Could you upload again

Yours SW

Stu · Guest

Hey SW

sent u an email; dont know why maps wont load into folder?? compress them and there all there but it wont seem to work! what do you reckon???

Stu

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

I have the maps mate, Bud has uploaded them and I will be having a look at them asap. They can't be pubblished at the hawks site, because you are not a hawk, but I will make them available to the guys.

PS you should consider joining!!

Yours SW
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Stu · Guest

Hey

Finally got the maps to you hope they were worth it! There are few points to note with them. Blenheim needs some more troops (it was the first one i tested for the net and I was overly cautious about crashing) and assaye may need some upgrades for the british.

To play them sportingly in Blenheim te french should not move up to form a new defensive line at the stream. In Assaye the maharatan infantry should not be moved forward directly behind their artillery and the artillery should fire roundshot from the start and not wait to deliver grape. It seems totally impossible to win (it was 4:1 in the real thing) however, two units of dragoons can easily route one of the large maharatta cavalry brigades and the maharatta infantry are russian C17th musketeers who will route after a single volley from the british fusiller.

One problem with joining the hawks SW i am amazingly good at getting beaten (like field marshal jourdan who was apparently nicknamed "the anvil" because he got beaten so much) we will have to arrange a game. I have lots and lots of other maps that I can give you if these ones go down well amongst the troops altough they may need testing.

Stu

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

I like your maps mate, you show some good map making potential. I would like you to download Trenton, Zorndorf, Lodi Bridge and Portuguese Coast and look at the standard of these battle maps. This is the standard I would like you to pursue if you are serious about making maps, you are already more than half way there. Liaise with myself, Bud Drake and also Ugeo if you want to master map making. You need to learn the bitmap editing technique which allows you to produce a battle from an actual historical map.

Keep playing against the hawks mayte learn the fighting strategies, ask the guys which is the best way to attack or defend on a map, mater playing on a specific map, then pick on a hawk who you think will fall into your trap and get a victory.

Yours SW
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Stu · Guest

Cheers SW

Zorndorf is an absolutely amazing map, both asthetically pleasing and extremely well balanced and researched. I played theo the other day and it was the most enjoyable game I have had to date and the closet run thing. It has made me extremely interested in the seven years war period. Hats of to bud and the drake.

I really enjoy map making so I would like to improve, I have experimented with the bit map editor but with little success. Tips and advice would be much appreciated. Another problem I have is troops; firslty I am not sure how many can be placed without running the risk of crashing, I find that the game crashes more readily when there are large numbers of cold steel troops (like English civil war pike formations) all engaging at once. Also research wise how do you convert OB's into troops on the map as the ones I find tend to list every regiment in an army and not necersarrily all took part etc... so help on that would also be much appreciated. One final thought, has anyone ever tried to make a naval battle map? i attempted trafalgar and the editor crashed before I had even placed a single ship of the line (must be all the water) although I doubt it would make for a great battle as all the formations would soon be lost. In the new cossacks game I would like to see proper naval battles out at sea with formations and ships that wont sink to the depths of the ocean after a few broadsides. Cheers for the positive comments and keep that advice flooding in!

Stu

[HWK]axlethehawk · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:47 pm Post subject:

Look forward to your maps Stu and catching you on the fields of honour very soon m8.

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[hwk] axlethehawk ( DIPLOMATIC LIAISSON )

SirWilliam · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 195

Hi Stu

You may also use the public forums, especially hawks message board and historical map making. Start posting questions about map making and the guys and myself will answer them.

Yours SW