12 x 8 and then 24 x 24

For pretty much all of my table top games I will be fighting on a playing area of 12 x 8 hexagonal tiles. I would have preferred 13 x 9 as this is the standard Command and Colours sized battlefield but my table will not run to the extra row of depth. 12 x 8 it is then and by a happy coincidence this is a nice multiple of 8 x 8 sized area derived from the ideas pioneered by Bob Cordery in both his Portable Wargame and his Morschauser based predecessor. Essentially it is the size of a chess board and a half.

I have a number of ideas beyond the use of a single 12 x 8 playing area - particularly using maps for plotting moves and thereby generating a tactical game. The approach I am looking at involves the use of 6 table maps each of 12 x 8. These can be arranged so that the total area mapped is 24 by 24 hexes and so the standard 12 x 8 table area will fit very nicely within the map as the action unfolds. The 24 by 24 map will be drafted as though it was a large playing area with all of the appropriate terrain duly positioned.. The forces involved will move at their standard table move rates on this master map and battle will be joined when the opposing forces have sight of one another.

This idea is very much in mind for use with a mini campaign and at this stage the first step will be to source a 24 x 24 grid for designing the area to be fought over.