Reeses Mill Almost Done

Proxy maps are pretty easy to make. Reeses Mill is almost done. The map is uploaded under the campaign maps section. There are a couple of fine points to complete on the TC2M modded map, but I expect to have it finished and uploaded tonight.


I am trying to decide which map to do next in the projected "combat zone" of the campaign map.  I want to make an original map using a USGS topographic map for Short Gap, which will take some time.  I might also use USGS map for Bethel Church, which will have South Branch Mountain running through the middle of the map north to south.


I might try to run off to quick maps using proxies by the end of the weekend.  I will probably use a WAR IN ARKANSAS map to quickly put together Markwood Church (just west of the Burlington Objective) and then look for some other map I can quickly convert into Meadow Run to the south of Burlington. I'll save the original maps using USGS topos for April: Short Gap, Bethel Church, Patterson Creek Depot (with Frankfort Ford),

Reeses Mill Started

Work has started on Reeses Mill. As I mentioned earlier, it is not an accurate representation of the area. For the topography, I am converting the Williamsport map.  The road network is being designed to correspond to the Hotchkiss map and sim needs, rather than the roads that are visible on current maps of the area.  Reeses Mill is not likely to have much strategic value, but it could potential have some small clashes. One never knows what direction a simulation will take once players start issuing orders...

Frankfort Map Done

The Frankfort Map is completed and is now available for download. I will be taking a short break from map making, but the next up will be Reeses Mill. It will not be an accurate topography for the area. I will probably use the Sequatachie or Wilson's Creek map as a base to start and then adapt from there.

I ran a test on Frankfort. It is very easy to defend against advances from Short Gap and Patterson Creek.

What's Taking So Long....

THE WINTER WAR hasn't started yet. Five members of the shrinking TC2M command simulation community are busy with another simulation (Seven Points). One of the challenges of the Baltimore and Ohio Winter (BOW) simulation is that I didn't have the key maps prepared ahead of time. I decided to create a map for Bath in the middle of the simulation for a tactical engagement, and the simulation lost a lot of momentum. For TWW, I am using the time taken by the Seven Points simulation to finish some more key maps where there is likely to be contact during the simulation.

Recruitment for TWW players has not started yet, but an announcement of the upcoming simulation was made on the Madminute Games Forum.

There is a possibility that our current simulation (Seven Points) may even go into another engagement, the third of a series that started with Elysburg. TWW will not launch until the end of the series.

Maps on Deck...

Sheetz's Mill is completed and posted.  Frankfort (current day Fort Ashby) will be next, with the topography based on this map:

After Frankfort is done, I intend to fill out the "Patterson Creek Line" with Reeses Mill and Patterson Creek Depot. Reeses Mill is less likely to be a major strategic point of contact, so I will probably use a proxy map and not try to represent the actual topography.  I will probably use a USGS map to build Patterson Creek Depot, but not to scale because I want to include Frankfort Ford on the same TC2M map. The railroad and telegraph poles are tedious though, so I may just rework Green Spring Depot into Patterson Creek. I have not decided yet.

 

Once the Patterson Creek line is completed, I will move back to the area immediately surrounding Romney. The low density areas will include Bethel Church and Fort Van Meter.  Fort Van Meter is a fort colonial period block house across the river from and slightly north of present day Sector, West Virginia.

 

Also on deck are Markwood Church and Meadow Run, areas around Burlington, which is one of the objectives in the simulation.

 

In tactical simulations, flanking moves are made on the same TC2M map. It is hard to effectively turn a flank.  In a campaign simulation, players can flank an enemy position by moving units around through other localities and entering on roads on the flank or rear of the enemy. Outposts, picket lines, screens and scouts are critical in preventing such a movement. The TC2M maps for areas around objectives could potentially see some action during the simulation.

 

 

New Maps

A few new maps have been posted as the campaign theatre starts to fill out. 

Okonoko: Okonoko has a ford across the Potomac in the northeast corner of the campaign theatre.  This ford allows an eastern approach to the Old Town Maryland via the Potomac Turnpike, or a northern approach to Lowell's Cross Roads going the other direction.

Donaldson: Donaldson is a village between Springfield and Green Spring Junction. There are no crossroads here, just a village on the Green Spring Road.

Neffs: Neffs lies on the Northwest Turnpike between Mechanicsburg Gap and Burlington and has two important crossroads. Moorefield Junction is on the eastern side of the map with the Purgitsville Pike leading south towards Moorefield. (I made a slight alteration to an earlier version of the campaign map in order to place Purgitsville on the Purgitsville Pike.)  Neffs has a north-south junction leading to Sheetz's Mill (present day Headsville) to the north and Flats to the south. Neffs is located on a section of Patterson Creek Mountain and the village is on the ridge dominating the approaches by way of the Northwest Turnpike.

Sheetz's Mill: Sheetz's Mill (Headsville) is under construction and nearly done. There is a large hill near the village of Sheetz's Mill that dominates a ford on Patterson Creek. It will make a tough defensive position for blocking movement between Mechanicsburg Gap and Paddytown. The locality map has been posted already and the TC2M modded map files should be posted this week.

I had expected to use proxy maps, but Donaldson, Neffs and Sheetz's Mill are all fresh and original maps, based on USGS topographic maps. (Okonoko was made from the Green Spring Depot map and is not based on a topographic map for that area.)

Manual Posted

The manual for THE WINTER WAR is completed and has been posted for download.  Quite a few maps have been added, both as minimaps for study and as playable TC2M modded maps.

Rebranded! (Again)

BOW II was re-branded as the ROMNEY Command simulation and now is in the process of being re-branded again as THE WINTER WAR.  Work continues on the rules, manual and associated maps. Some members of the TC2M command simulation community (myself included) are currently involved in the Elysburg - Seven Points command simulations. THE WINTER WAR will begin after that. More updates will be coming soon.