Sally 4th has been offering a series of great looking game mats / cloths for some while and over the last six months or so we have been working on a system of terrain overlays for woods, marshes, settlements, rivers tracks and roads. Some times we have a scenario in mind, that requires a set terrain layout, but sometimes it is handy to have a system to randomly generate a plausible landscape to game over.

I have put together a PDF download that describes the system that I use. Click here to download a copy.

The 6’x4′ base terrain clothes and the terrain overlays for tracks, roads, rivers, woods, marshes and settlements are all available as add on’s to the ‘For the Glory of Rome’ Kickstarter. You don’t need to buy any Romans, you are more than welcome to just pick up some terrain items. I think the system is good for Ancients through to Napoleonic’s and of course Fantasy!

You can click here to take a look at the specific items on the For the Glory of Rome Kickstarter

We start with a blank canvas with this Sally 4th 6’x4′ game mat. The mats are available with or without the crosses that mark them out into 1′ squares. I like these as I enjoy playing Infamy, Infamy and it is good for there terrain generation system as well as our example and ‘To the Strongest’ that uses square based movement and combat.

I have randomly determined the side of the table the river enters and exits, and then how far along each edge these points are. I rolled a ‘4’ for the entry point, so placed the marker 4/6th of the width of the table and rolled a 3 for the exit point, so placed the marker 3/6th of the length of the table.

A river made up of sections cut from the fabric river overlay has been placed between the two markers.

Markers 1-6 have been placed marking 2′ sections for easy placement of terrain features.

The dice roll for hills indicated that there would be two hills, and that they would both be placed in section ‘2’

Two hills approx 12″ across have been placed in section 2.

We determined that there would be six woods and rolled a 1,3,5,5,5,6 for there placement.

Wood overlays have been placed in those locations.

One area of marsh / broken ground was rolled for and placed in section 2.

Two settlements were rolled for to be placed in sections 1&6.

A dirt track has been placed joining the settlements then heading north across the river by means of a small Ford. Model trees and buildings have been placed on the terrain overlays. The models can be moved around within these areas, or even temporarily removed if required as the boundary of the terrain feature is marked by the terrain overlay.

Looks like the Romans have arrived and have improved the roads, building a straight road North & South across the landscape!

I’m really pleased with how these fabric terrain pieces have worked out. They are easy to use, clearly mark out terrain boundaries, do not take up much room , are very light and look great.

For more information, click here to take a look at the Kickstarter campaign.