Editing an existing map: Resizing problem

[PongoDeMer]

I recently downloaded the 'Water, water, everywhere' scenario and I am now making changes to the map (Walcheren.map) with the editor. I am changing the scenario to include the historical assault on Westkapelle. Unfortunately though, the left hand margin of the map is only two sea hexes away from dry land. I need at least 14 hexes of sea room in order to do this. I have tried using the re-size facility, but all this does is to add more land hexes to the right hand side of the map when of course what I want is more sea hexes on the left instead. Is there any way of doing this without having to re-do the whole map from scratch?

Thanks in advance,

Pongo.

[Jason Petho]

Yes, it is possible, but if you have created a scenario based on the current map, it will need to be recreated.

For the map:

1. Open the map you want to edit.

2. SAVE A COPY, in case you break it!

3. Resize the map. If it is 40x40 now and you want to add 16 more hexes, then EXTENT --> RESIZE --> WIDTH 56 and HEIGHT 40 .... Press OK.

4. The map will be resized, with the new hexes on the right.

5. Now you have to shift the map so your new hexes will be on the left.

6. To shift, EXTENT --> X SHIFT 16 and Y SHIFT 0 (This means you are shifting the map to the right 16 hexes, but not shifting the map up or down). Press OK.

NOTE: (if you add a negative value "-10", it will shift left)

7. The map will be shifted as you requested.

8. Save and start editing.

Hope that helps.
Jason Petho

[PongoDeMer]

Thanks for this Jason.

I fully realise that I am going to have to build the scenario from scratch, but I am determined to do so as there some characteristics that make this battle unique. 1) The landing at Westkapelle was one in which the supporting naval forces did not lob shells from a distance but instead got up-close and personal, duking it out with the shore batteries at almost point blank range. (The cost was horrendous.) It will be an interesting challenge to reproduce this using John Tiller's Campaign engine.

2) This battle strongly reminds me of one of those Pacific atoll fights with heavily defended islets surrounding a central lagoon - albeit with chilly November weather - and that is how I want to depict it. Unfortunately though in the existing scenario, Walcheren is depicted as a solid land mass with a marshy middle. Here is where the main challenge lies. The flooded middle needs to look flooded. However, it needs to be impassable to both armour and infantry and impassable to Buffalo, EXCEPT by the historical route that a dozen of them took to Middelburg, which forced the final surrender. My main problem is that Buffalo can happily move through both deep and shallow water hexes, and while I need plenty of water, I still need to to deny movement. Am I right in assuming that Buffalo cannot traverse marsh hexes? Is there any other terrain or hex side that would impede them?

Thanks (again) in advance,

Pongo.

[Jason Petho]

You can use a cliff hexside to deny movement. You'll have to watch with that though, or any units at all may not be able to cross, just depends on how you place them.

We are rebuilding West Front (Campaign Series: West Front II), it will be having a whole plethora scenario design options coming with it. You can follow along on the Campaign Series: Middle East forum to see what we're doing with the engine and the new features we're including. Unfortunately, CSWFII is still a couple years away.

Jason Petho