Geomorphic mapboard

Last updated April 03, 2019

A geomorphic mapboard is a game board that can be configured in different ways and reused to create different playing surfaces.^[1] The mapboards are made geomorphic by using identical features along the edges of the maps, so that any two may be paired.

History

The concept was introduced in PanzerBlitz , though the number of configurations was low. This is the moment when "geo-morphic" gets in wargaming its peculiar meaning. The back of the game box described among the contents a “three section ‘Geo-Morphic’ mapboard which can be rearranged to form dozens of different terrain configurations”. Geo-morphic was there used in the established sense of "resembling the earth and its surface features." But several gamers thought that "can be rearranged to form dozens of different terrain configurations" was the explanation of that unusual adjective, and from then onward the possibility to rearrange pieces became part of the definition of "geo-morphic" among wargamers.^[1] Even game publishers started using the word with this new meaning on their printed material, so that the use became whidespread and somehow "official" in the hobby community.

PanzerBlitz is a tactical-scale board wargame of armoured combat set in the Eastern Front of the Second World War. The game is notable for being the first true board-based tactical-level, commercially available conflict simulation (wargame). It also pioneered concepts such as isomorphic mapboards and open-ended design, in which multiple unit counters were provided from which players could fashion their own free-form combat situations rather than simply replaying pre-structured scenarios.

Many tactical wargames use geomorphic mapboards, and they also appear in Robo Rally , Magic Realm , and occasional other games.

Tactical wargames are a type of wargame that models military conflict at a tactical level, i.e. units range from individual vehicles and squads to platoons or companies. These units are rated based on types and ranges of individual weaponry. The first tactical wargames were played as miniatures, extended to board games, and they are now also enjoyed as video games.

Magic Realm is a fantasy adventure board game designed by Richard Hamblen and published by Avalon Hill in 1979. Magic Realm is more complex than many wargames and is somewhat similar to a role-playing game. It can be played solitaire or with up to 16 players and game time can last 4 hours or more. The game board is a type of geomorphic mapboard constructed of large double-sided hexagon tiles, ensuring a wide variety of playing surfaces.

The concept is embraced by Advanced Squad Leader (ASL), which has 60+ geomorphic mapboards as of 2006^[update]. ASL increases this flexibility with the addition of "overlays" to permit further changes to the playing area.

Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) is a tactical-level board wargame, originally marketed by Avalon Hill Games, that simulates actions of squad sized units in World War II. It is a detailed game system for two or more players. Components include the ASL Rulebook and various games called modules. ASL modules provide the standard equipment for playing ASL, including geomorphic mapboards and counters. The mapboards are divided into hexagons to regulate fire and movement, and depict generic terrain that can represent different historical locations. The counters are cardboard pieces that depict squads of soldiers, crews, individual leaders, support weapons, heavy weapons, and vehicles.

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Historical Advanced Squad Leader (HASL) are additional modules for the tactical wargame Advanced Squad Leader intended to depict historical events using maps produced from terrain maps, and featuring linked scenarios called Campaign Games. This article only lists official products produced by Multi-Man Publishing and Avalon Hill.

Squad Leader is a game system depicting tactical combat in the Second World War. The game and three additional gamettes are open-ended, a trend in tactical board wargaming beginning from the 1970s and most notably seen in Avalon Hill's highly successful PanzerBlitz. The use of geomorphic mapboards and counters representing small tactical units gave the game great flexibility and the potential to recreate a wide range of situations.

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References

1 2 Angiolino, Andrea; Sidoti, Beniamino (2010). Dizionario dei giochi (in Italian). Bologna: Zanichelli. p. 440. ISBN 978-88-08-19349-0.

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[Zanichelli-1] 1 2 Angiolino, Andrea; Sidoti, Beniamino (2010). Dizionario dei giochi (in Italian). Bologna: Zanichelli. p. 440. ISBN 978-88-08-19349-0.