Final Showdown in the Rafters

[Palanan]

We ended our last session with the party on the brink of storming a hunting lodge, currently occupied by a band of renegade elves. Because the layout covers several vertical levels, I need some way to physically represent the setup for the upcoming fight.

There are three levels in play: the ground floor of the hunting lodge, with a firepit, common room and kitchen; the upper floor, a long hall serving as a combination trophy room and sitting room; and the rafters supporting the peaked roof, which cross the open space above the long hall of the trophy room.

The renegades have barricaded themselves in the long hall, and there are at least two archers up in the rafters, where they can’t be easily reached by melee fighters. They will be raining down covering fire from the rafters while the other renegades cover the two casters (psychic and oracle) at the far end of the trophy room.

Right now I’m thinking that I’ll need to build some sort of three-dimensional model for this scenario, since otherwise it’ll be too confusing to have miniatures perched on clear plastic dice boxes or whatnot, the way we usually do when a character is climbing, flying, or otherwise off the ground. Can anyone recommend a game product, whether folding paper, thin cardboard, etc., that could cover this situation?

Ideally I’m looking for something I can print out, cut and glue together, and then place minis where appropriate. I’ve seen products like this before, but my google-fu is failing me now. Has anyone used anything along these lines?

[DrMotives]

Could you work out 2 maps with matched sets of X and Y axis? If everyone understands that both maps represent the same space at different elevations, maybe the multi-map solution could work.

[Zaq]

Could you work out 2 maps with matched sets of X and Y axis? If everyone understands that both maps represent the same space at different elevations, maybe the multi-map solution could work.

This is my suggestion as well. Maybe use color-coding to make it very clear what maps to what, but it's very likely that this will be the most efficient solution. Especially with a three-level arena. I suppose someone better at crafty stuff than I am could likely rig up a functional two-level 3D battle grid, but easily seeing, accessing, and moving minis around the middle level of a three-level structure seems like it's going to be not terribly possible.

Alternatively, use a computer for this one fight (I personally prefer a physical battle map most of the time as well, but this is a special one-off case for a special one-off fight, right?) where you can have the different elevations be different layers than can be turned on and off or made transparent.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by DrMotives
Could you work out 2 maps with matched sets of X and Y axis? If everyone understands that both maps represent the same space at different elevations, maybe the multi-map solution could work.

For three different levels this would be too difficult, since we’d be trying to work out whose position on one map had line of sight on someone else on another map, etc. At this point a physical model seems like the simplest and most intuitive approach.


Originally Posted by Zaq
Alternatively, use a computer for this one fight….

This wouldn’t be feasible, since I don’t have the 3D mapping skills necessary to pull it off. The hunting lodge is part of a larger compound, so I’d have to model the entire compound in a 3D environment, which is something I don’t have the background to do, much less the time.

And I'm not sure how this would work in practice, since I’d have to turn a laptop back and forth on the table. I appreciate the suggestion, but it’s not going to work in this case.

.

[tstewt1921]

You could map it out normally drawing in the rafters or whatever they need then if they are up in the rafter add a dice or something for the mini to prop up knowing they are on level 2 or 3, then if they are on the ground level put them on the ground.

[Dragolord]

I don't suppose that you could build some sort of set-up with three platforms on extending legs, so that the irrelevant ones could be lifted up when they aren't needed?

[MesiDoomstalker]

For three different levels this would be too difficult, since we’d be trying to work out whose position on one map had line of sight on someone else on another map, etc. At this point a physical model seems like the simplest and most intuitive approach.

Coins. Do 3 maps, with matched x/y axis with mini's placed appropriately on their respective maps. If at any point, one needs reference two maps at once, place a coin on the map the mini in question isn't on. Boom. Now you can figure line of sight across elevation. I think you are over-complicating things; either in how you have pieces interact with different elevations or how the who scenario is set up. Take a step back and look at it from a different angle. Look for simpler, direct solutions.

[Florian]

For three different levels this would be too difficult, since we’d be trying to work out whose position on one map had line of sight on someone else on another map, etc. At this point a physical model seems like the simplest and most intuitive approach.

Normally, one map is enough. You just need to color code the individual levels/elevations on it and then place minis one something of a matching color (coins, discs, dice..) to track on which level it moves.