Hi,

I was planning on starting a new MSH game next week. However, I seem to have lost my maps and fold-ups.

So has anyone got any guides on how to run MSH combat and action sequences without using maps? Working out ranges, chases and areas of effect could be especially awkward. And having the maps printed from PDFs is out of my budget right now.

EDIT: I'd really like ideas or suggestions on how the rules could be modified to allow for play without using maps. Digital tools for mapping and drawing out maps won't really work with my group.

- Richard

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rcosgrove
Hi,

I was planning on starting a new MSH game next week. However, I seem to have lost my maps and fold-ups.

So has anyone got any guides on how to run MSH combat and action sequences without using maps? Working out ranges, chases and areas of effect could be especially awkward. And having the maps printed from PDFs is out of my budget right now.

- Richard

A pack of graph paper is especially cheap. Some Hobby stores offer a large laminate piece of graph paper that can be used over and over with washable/dry erase markers. These are the two cheapest options I know of. A third option is digital tools and maps with tablets and computers. A dry erase easel or chalkboard from an art set could serve in a pinch as well.

Thanks.
I was thinking more on how the rules could be adapted for map-less play, rather than substitutes for the supplied maps. Sorry, I was unclear.
I've used sketches in other systems, but I'm no draftsperson.
And I tried to use MapTools with this group, but using it for mapping was more hassle than it was worth in the end. I will be using it for bookkeeping though.
- Richard

There's this really cool app called Virtual Tabletop that you can use with tablets. You can add the maps png and character png to the program. It's pretty awesome of you have a big tablet

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CykusX
It's pretty awesome of you have a big tablet

Or a laptop to use as your visual aid.

But maps aren't necessary. Just describe the scene to your players and use basic game terms to describe relative positions and maybe make notes with a pencil and paper to keep track of the numbers. "(villain) is 5 areas away from you and you can only move 3 areas per turn. 1 turn moving toward the villain + 1 more turn to attack with a charging attack. Villain gets hit and slammed 2 areas away (pick a direction, or let player describe what they want to try to knock the bad guy into); You can move up and attack again in the next turn." And so on and so on.

You can definitely do it that way, too. Speaking of maps, why is the map selection so poor? Most of these modules have their own unique maps (Lone Wolves, Time Trap, etc) but they're nowhere to be found on the site

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CykusX
There's this really cool app called Virtual Tabletop that you can use with tablets.

I've tried similar software in the past. With my group it caused more problems than it fixed for tabletop games, rather than online.

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Speaking of maps, why is the map selection so poor?

There are maps are in the module PDFs. If you have Photoshop, Affinity or GIMP you can import specific pages of a PDF and convert them to JPEGs or PNGs.

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Thrudjelmer
Just describe the scene to your players and use basic game terms to describe relative positions and maybe make notes with a pencil and paper to keep track of the numbers.

Ugh. Math. *weeps quietly*

- Richard

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rcosgrove

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Thrudjelmer
Just describe the scene to your players and use basic game terms to describe relative positions and maybe make notes with a pencil and paper to keep track of the numbers.

Ugh. Math. *weeps quietly*

I know, right? But at least it's basic math. One of the great things about the FASERIP system being so simple compared to other superhero RPGs is that when you need to do extra math for bookkeeping purposes, at least it's not too high maintenance or stacked on to lots of rules crunchy maths for all manner of stuff.

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Thrudjelmer
One of the great things about the FASERIP system being so simple compared to other superhero RPGs is that when you need to do extra math for bookkeeping purposes, at least it's not too high maintenance or stacked on to lots of rules crunchy maths for all manner of stuff.

The group I'm playing spent two years playing GURPs. The maths to that gave everyone headaches, but the GM, who's something of a math wiz, was all "Oh, the rules are really simple."

Anyway, I decided to print the maps. I got some 160gsm card and printed off the Basic and Advanced Set maps, split into tiles, on my laser printer. Then I taped the tiles together. Also printed some fold-ups. That'll serve for now. If they get really into the game, I'll get the maps and some foldups printed full-sized at a printers.

- Richard