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So, I've been thinking a lot lately about using a hex map for 4e instead of a grid. I think it would work really well. Bursts and blasts would appear round, instead of squares. All the silly 'banana charges' would make more sense. Plus, hex maps are way better for figuring out ranges than grid maps. The only drawback I can see right now is that I like to make my maps in excel. Does anyone know of a good, free program which will draw dungeon maps in hexes? Also, can anyone else think of any major drawbacks to playing with hexes rather than grids?
I suppose if worse came to worse, I could draw them maps freehand, scan them in, then overlay the hexes over them. That seems like a lot of work.
So, I've been thinking a lot lately about using a hex map for 4e instead of a grid. I think it would work really well. Bursts and blasts would appear round, instead of squares. All the silly 'banana charges' would make more sense. Plus, hex maps are way better for figuring out ranges than grid maps. The only drawback I can see right now is that I like to make my maps in excel. Does anyone know of a good, free program which will draw dungeon maps in hexes? Also, can anyone else think of any major drawbacks to playing with hexes rather than grids?
I suppose if worse came to worse, I could draw them maps freehand, scan them in, then overlay the hexes over them. That seems like a lot of work.
I DM with a hex map, and it works great. The only unforeseen problem is that by RAW it's impossible to flank in a narrow corridor. I solve this thusly: simply being two hex-sides away from an ally is enough to flank. In other words, you don't have to be 180 degrees opposite your buddy to flank; you only have to be 120 degrees removed.
Hexes are the default in GURPS, and the biggest problem is drawing maps using standard squares, and then using character movement with hexes. The easiest solution to this, since I like dry erase, is to use a plexiglass sheet, using a paint template from the following link.
http://www.litkoaero.com/page/LAI/PROD/GGT/GGT001
Then you can use a wet erase battlemat or paper map underneath it.
Note: I haven't actually tried to use the paint template, but in theory it should work.
One issue that my group had when I ran a game with hex maps was that a few had a bit of trouble figuring out how to count the distance. It was just adding a bit of time to each movement or such that I didn't really want to add to the game at that point. I believe that we would have calculated it faster eventually after several weeks, but it wasn't something I wished to deal with.
The other issue that I had was that my large and huge miniatures didn't fit as well into hexes as I wished.
Pretty sure Unearthed Arcana for 3.0 had rules for running with hexes probly would help with converting stuff. As for maps, I'm pretty sure there's been mention of mapping/drawing programs in either the Stolen Lands product and/or GM reference threads since the overland maps for the AP are in hexes.
The other issue that I had was that my large and huge miniatures didn't fit as well into hexes as I wished.How did you handle this? I'm guessing: Large creatures = 4 hexes in a box shape, Huge creatures = 7 hexes? Or was it large creatures = 7 hexes and huge creatures = more.
I hadn't used huge minis in the one game, I only ran with large creatures. I did what you suggest and try it with 4 hexes in a box shape. It was a bit hard to denote though which 4 squares it was occupying with a round based mini. I ended up using a piece of paper under the mini to clarify which hexes I was putting it in.
Here is a link the the Unearthed Arcana Hex rules in the SRD (mentioned above) which includes examples of what hexes a large or bigger creature should occupy (which I probably would try out if I did this again.