Making Scenario Maps with PowerPoint

Just a quicky today folks.

I've created a short (ish) video on how I use Microsoft PowerPoint to create my scenario maps.

Since I'm the farthest thing from an artist and can't create jaw dropping maps I looked to an easier way to build out my scenario maps ... using PowerPoint.

So in the spirit of sharing my lack of skills I've put up a video that hopefully you'll find useful ... unless of course you are an artist.  Embedded version below ... and link below that ...

You can watch this video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTrylQB2lIM

You can download the scenario template file here:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/sthajkew0v10ggj/scenario_template_sotek486.pptx?dl=0 (this is also in the new downloads widget on the right side of the blog, bottom of the list)

Battle Report - Shevardino Redoubt

This past Saturday I went over to Dan Kerrick's house in San Jose to play test the Shevardino Redoubt scenario that Dan will be running at KublaCon in later May.

It was a tough slog up to the redoubt for the French and in the end we had to make some scenario adjustments.  Specifically:

• Increase all French brigades to 5 infantry units across the board.
• Add a second French artillery battery (large).
• Treat the cover save from the redoubt as a normal cover save (5+) instead of a fortified cover save (4+).

Overall though, it was an enjoyable game and very close to what the scenario needs to be.  In the end the Russians scored a victory by a significant margin - 30 to 15 VPs.  At about turn 7 it was looking like the French may pull it off due to them having broken the Russian Jager units and put a hurting of a few musketeer units, the steady and distributed hits on the French units meant that things went bad quickly in turn 8 and 9 with many broken French units.  The remaining French units didn't have the strength to carry or even contest the redoubt after being pushed back in several melees.

With the adjustments made to the scenario (updated the original post) I think we are all set to host the game at the convention.

Pictures below.  I'll note that this was both a play test - but also that Dan is furiously working to finish basing the Russian forces - so you will see that the Russian bases are incomplete.  That will be resolved shortly and certainly before the convention game.

Below are pictures of the redoubt built for the scenario.  Technically much fancier than the real one, but a little indulgence is acceptable in wargames.  The core model for this is from Grand Manner, but it was cut in two places to straighten it out.  Some green stuff and a little sculpting later the redoubt just had to be painted and finished off.

There you have it folks ... now if I can just squeeze in a play test of my Little Round Top scenario for ACW we'll be all set for the convention later this month.