Tokens
“The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
Why Use Maps, Minis and Monster Tokens?
Maps, miniatures and monster tokens are the tangible, visual feast for your combat encounters. They communicate important tactical and environmental information visually, and thus instantly, in battle.
Efficiently organize and ready your maps, miniatures and monster tokens before combat and you’ll save time before and during play.
Master the Battlefield
Great map organization means understanding how best to make use of the three most common, physical and reasonably affordable map options: poster maps, dungeon tiles and erasable battlemats.
Use these core battlefield props wisely to speed up your game.
Poster Map Advantages
+ Easy storage + Zero prep time
+ Usually stays in place + Easy to see the action + Full color
+ Themed to location or environment
+ Easy to enlarge or minimize by folding or adding more maps to the table + No confusion over the details of the Combatscape: location and
Tile Advantages
+ Easy to see the action + Full color
+ Themed to location or environment + Highly customizable Combatscape size
+ Highly customizable and easy-to-blend themes
Erasable Map Advantages
+ On-demand, fully customizable Combatscape creation + Stuff
Things to Avoid with Poster Maps and Dungeon Tiles
− Avoid letting the map or tiles silently describe the entire environment. Visuals and detailed art are fantastic and quick ways to communicate the Combatscape, but make sure you highlight the most important features and highlight the location’s theme and atmosphere
− Avoid maps or tiles whose theme is a poor fit for the current Combatscape. Use coins, similar tokens or paper to create fog of war, fold the map in half, or add small decorative dungeon tile dressing to your poster maps as a combined solution
Things to Avoid with Erasable Battlemats
− Avoid drawing every Combatscape on-demand – its great versatility doesn’t mean you should waste time pausing the action and creating the combat area every time a fight breaks out
− Avoid complex Combatscapes with many terrain features. Images and features drawn by hand are less clear and readable compared to poster maps or tiles.
Tips for Poster Maps and Dungeons Tiles
• Place your poster maps or tiles on the table before play: stack expected earlier encounter location maps on top, and later encounters underneath • Use thin sheets of felt or cloth, found in craft stores, to prevent movement
of maps or tiles
• Use sheets of white (or any color) paper between poster maps to hide larger Combatscapes below, or create a “fog of war” on the top map or set of tiles
Tips for Erasable Battlemats
• Draw out your encounter area as much as possible before play
• Use multiple pre-drawn battlemaps stacked on top one another to speed along to the next Combatscape
• Clean yours regularly and often so it stays clear and reusable
• Watch for and limit smudging on the map, your hands, any sheets and other surfaces
Miniatures & Monster Tokens
Like the three common map choices you have, minis and monster tokens present you with a tough choice as well. Which are easiest to use for their intended
purpose of quickly identifying your Combatscape monsters?
Miniatures Advantages
+ 3D, typically full color monster and NPC representation + Huge available selection, both plastic and metal
+ Easy to handle and move, similar to chess pieces
+ Easy to physically add condition markers, rings or stickers
+ Combat is easier to learn for people who play board games or miniature war games
+ Excellent for GMs and players who are visual learners
+ No confusion over the details of the Combatscape: location and positioning are clear
+ Easy to adjudicate visibility, line of sight, cover and ranges
Miniatures Disadvantages
+ Overuse and excessive handling of miniatures, especially in non-combat situations
+ Time- and space-consuming to store, organize, find, carry and set up + Cumbersome and heavy for the mobile GM to carry
+ Might hamper both GM and player improvisation: “If it's not on the map, it doesn't exist”
+ Risk of constant questions or concerns in games where facing matters + Risk of slower combat due to time spent physically moving miniatures + Encourages a wargame or board game atmosphere rather than an RPG
atmosphere
+ A collection of miniatures is expensive to build
+ Requires a significant amount of space to store and set up, especially with larger monsters
+ Requires a table or similar large, solid surface for proper display and balance
Monster Tokens
A more recent lower-cost and lower-encumbrance alternative to miniatures is the illustrated, full-color cardboard monster token.
Some games use the same art from their bestiary sourcebooks for a nice, unified and integrated touch. This makes the tokens easier to find and match to the monsters you want to use.
The only significant drawback is the 2D vs. 3D models that miniatures offer. Remember you can make use of coins of different sizes, poker chips, small pebbles or stones or other similarly sized tokens or markers in a pinch to represent Combatscape features and monsters.
I’ve used pennies for minions, to extend or cut off cave tunnels on a poster map or set of tiles, and to outline an airship’s deck. And I’ve used quarters for that same ship’s cannons or to indicate large rocks, pits or double-doors in other encounters – creating a Combatscape in a pinch!
Cover the Earth
Congratulations! You’ve learned some of best ways to take advantage of maps, tiles, miniatures and tokens in your game to save set up and combat time. You’ve also learned what time-wasters or drawbacks to avoid when using them.
Next, you will learn what it means to roleplay for tactical advantage! Chapter 4 is here, and you’re ready for learn new ways to finish your combats faster – and it starts by learning to “attack” with your social skills!
Resources
You’ll find more at Roleplaying Tips: Mapping Tips: Planning Your Map Saves Time, Dungeon Tile Mastery: 9 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Tile
Collection and 27 Great Prop Ideas To Enhance Your Games.
And even more at Leonine Roar: Mapping Options Deathmatch, D&D 4e
Condition Markers & Condition Cards, The Monstrous Vignette in 8 Quick Steps, and D&D 4e: Top 12 Ways to Stop Sounding so Damn Metagamey.