tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post1249112381056875999..comments2023-04-26T02:25:00.179-07:00Comments on The Frothy Friar: Battlemats: Bane of the Imagination?The Frothy Friarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-17119196347628816132010-01-25T21:28:41.166-08:002010-01-25T21:28:41.166-08:00I have just started a 4e campaign for my son (two ...I have just started a 4e campaign for my son (two sessions of that sent me screaming for the OSR, but that's another tale). I am somewhat appreciative of the battlemat, but do regret that the game seems to have degenerated into some sort of unholy love child of Heroscape and Magic: the Gathering. <br /><br />It takes me forever to set the dang thing up if there is any terrain involved. <br /><br />Combat does seem to run more smoothly, once you get it started. But that might have more to do with the more rigid rules concerning what actions can be taken (standard, move, minor, free) than the positioning on the board.<br /><br />When we used to play, there was sort of an understood front line, a mid range line and way back / fleeing area. Pretty much anyone could attack anyone if they were in the same area, and ranged attacks could hit the adjacent area. Once you were engaged, you were expected to fight that opponent unless (possibly difficult or dangerous) action was taken to move to another target. It seemed to work fine, although there were some bad arguments from time to time.<br /><br />I might try that again to speed things up.Rob Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15010160743074297211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-50446167308039683572010-01-25T16:00:05.560-08:002010-01-25T16:00:05.560-08:00Never used battlemats but we used minis. Basically...Never used battlemats but we used minis. Basically as you did, to keep straight who was fighting who and relative positioning. No detailed tactical movement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-56126889275976660072010-01-25T15:14:02.021-08:002010-01-25T15:14:02.021-08:00I've been debating using minis in my Swords &a...I've been debating using minis in my Swords & Wizardry campaign but I think it would bog things down. We've kept the combat abstract and it's worked fine and the game kept flowing. As fun as it may be I think I'm sticking to using just our imagination.bliss_infintehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433733609487959653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-77143663080346560522010-01-25T14:57:22.163-08:002010-01-25T14:57:22.163-08:00Never used em, for AD&D. I just kept up with w...Never used em, for AD&D. I just kept up with where everyone was, in my head. They would ask, when necessary, I would answer and there was no problem. The trick is, never introducing them to that bloody thing. A lost cause, nowadays.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192212467523179768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-60749467511968969262010-01-25T14:06:29.292-08:002010-01-25T14:06:29.292-08:00Ah well, you see, back in 1979 when I first starte...Ah well, you see, back in 1979 when I first started playing (my first system was 1e) the group of friends I joined used the cardboard dungeon floor tiles/plans by Games Workshop and of course if you used them, you used figures, which we did. So our use of figures and 'tiles' long predated the advent of 3e. <br /><br /> I've commented on another blog about this, so I won't dwell on it, but not using figures was asking for trouble as arguments were always going to break out about who was where, who could reach what, what was in the way. Perhaps one day, I'll have to try a figure-less combat just to see what it was like. <br /><br />As for battlemats, when my former employer closed offices last October (thanks, Gordon!) I..ahem...liberated a whiteboard and a couple of marker pens and have this in storage for the day when I do a cave-based dungeon and things need drawing out that can't be represented by cardboard squares.Daddy Grognardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559857164172090739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-9184888274380654002010-01-25T14:03:48.369-08:002010-01-25T14:03:48.369-08:00I wish I could remember what it was like to play w...I wish I could remember what it was like to play without a mat. I remember when graph paper was even a luxury let alone a nice vinyl, erasable mat.The Frothy Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-6106125800296546132010-01-25T13:01:07.328-08:002010-01-25T13:01:07.328-08:00You're speaking my language.
I'm torn bet...You're speaking my language.<br /><br />I'm torn between the visual interest and accuracy that battlemats and colorful minis provide, and the speed and unfettered imagination of a mini-less combat.<br /><br />I prefer the latter, but many swear on the former.Aaron E. Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789462075611254929noreply@blogger.com