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Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

reetings designers,

A recent discussion of the game Rogue Planet made me start thinking of alternate ways to do movement/range measurements withot using the traditional ruler approach. Here are a few ways I have heard about:

1. Rogue Planet use the width of Three fingers for measuring
2. Squad Leader (IIRC) uses a move until interrupted method
3. Dexterity games like Flick'em Up have you flick something to determine distance moved
4. Battlelore and Command and Colors (IIRC) and other board games use Grid maps
5. Cobblestones and Kobolds uses the width of playing cards
6. Mercs used a standardized stat card with movement indicators on it
7. Last Night On... board games (which I have heard referred to lately as the "Dudes on a board" genre or wargames) use maps with irregular movement shapes on it
8. Ganesha games use the pre-made measuring sticks
9. Gaslands and X-wing have templated movement
10. Maneuver card and turning templates like Aeronautica Imperialis and Dystopian Wars

I am sure there are more, so help me fill in the gaps...

I personally have used 1, 3, 5 and 10 for my own rules. 1 I have used for area of effect more than movement. 3 was for shooting and movement. 5 was for range and movement, and 10 was for turning during movmement.

What has been your experience with these types of systems, and is there a method you prefer? Why?

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Made in gb
Mighty Vampire Count






UK

Prefer tape measure or grid (can be irregular if that fits the game)

I find pretty much everything else finicky and gimmicky.

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Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






SoCal, USA!

Ruler or pseudo-rule (card edge) is the best for free-form.

   
Made in gr
Thermo-Optical Spekter





Greece

The tape measure is the best way to implement movement if you want to avoid it for a plethora of reasons the pseudo measuring tape (the movement stick) is the best implementation, although it is gimmicky and problematic especially if you do not provide it to the players as a product (like FFG) but depend on the players to make it themselves.

I was never hot on the "standard game card" as movement but mostly because of how awful Mercs implemented it on their system one could use the cards as a pseudo grid and be fine.

Personally I love grids either even or uneven for non tape measure usage.
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






SoCal, USA!

The game card as measurement worked fine for Pirates of the Spanish Main, where a 120' long ship ends up being about 2" long. Yes, the ships should actually be smaller than the tiny, tiny dice to match ground scale, but then the models wouldn't look as impressive.

   
Made in us
Ork Boy Hangin' off a Trukk





I've played Crossfire. That system you move in a straight line until you either stop voluntarily, come up to a terrain feature, or you are stopped by enemy fire. Shooting ranges are LOS. The only measuring is for artillery and smg close range, IIRC, and those use base widths. The system is IGOUGO, but a failure (missed shot, rally fail, & enemy reactive fire) switches the active player.
   
 
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