Re: Are Minatures or maps required for gurps?
 

I have occasionally used maps and miniatures approach, but quite often I do not. In recent years, rather than miniatures, I've switched to free paper miniatures which I download (and modify in Paint) from juniorgeneral.com (such as these). I print them on card stock and tape them to 1" slotted wooden hex bases from Litko. For maps, I use colored rolls of http://www.gamingpaper.com/index.php. Paper building miniature sets from W23 or Drivethrurpg are great, but I also just small boxes, wooden blocks, etc. for terrain. If I need something specific, I make it with air dried clay, or draw it on the gaming paper.

Re: Are Minatures or maps required for gurps?
 

I think it depends on the type of game you are going for. I am avid Tactical Board gamer, and play games such as: TSR's Sniper Special Forces, SPI's City-Fight, and Patrol. However, I have been eyeing GURPS to give a nice round RPG with some tactical fighting - almost making a hybrid chess sort of game.

Re: Are Minatures or maps required for gurps?
 

GURPS is the one system where I can run combat either with complely narrative positions or strict hex grids and both feel perfectly fulfilling.

In my current campaign, I can build full sets for some encounters and run others without so much as a sketch of the area, during the same stretch of dungeon - I've even switched between the two in the middle of a fight. transistioning between the two is extremely smooth.

There is nothing wrong with using miniatures in GURPS, but it's first and foremost a matter of preference, not of necessity.

My campaign blog has some pictures showing off miniatures use in GURPS, although I'm using square grids: archonshiva.com/blog/spire
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Re: Are Minatures or maps required for gurps?
 

My group uses map tools. I as GM find it extremely helpful. I put NPCS stats on the tokens & that helps me a lot.
Also my players are very tactical and like the exactitude of the maps.