Really Big Monsters and Hex Maps

[Gnome]

We use legos to represent all characters on the hex map, which is generally helpful with posture, facing, dropped weapons, etc., but it's also useful for big monsters. We just build a base that fills whichever hexes the GM wants filled, determine which of those is the front hex, and go from there.

Large creatures should get lots of automatic slams as they move, which I would rule can only be dodged (based on B392: "This gives the small figure a chance to get out of the way. If it fails to do so, it will probably be knocked down!"). The rules for multi-hex figures are a bit sketchy in my opinion, actually. I wish they would be clarified somewhere (the next DF monsters book perhaps? A man can dream...).

And yes, the PCs in my game did take down a dragon that was probably worth 1500+ points, though I didn't count. A Flight spell on the fighter and a critical hit to the dragon's brain were all it took (though one PC was killed in the process, and without that lucky crit it could have gone either way).

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

The hex map would be difficult to use on a traditional scale, as others have said, if only because the massive 10-hex long dragon couldn't do anything interesting and still stay on the map. I would probably pull things out to a 1 hex=5 yards scale and use that for 'close-in' dragon-fighting. I'd then make the dragon take up two hexes to make its turning radius, flanks, and rear still apparent exploits to the PCs. This also means that in general a PC has to take a full move to shift just one hex, which might emphasize use of cover and terrain for the PCs.

I wonder if you could employ two maps: one at a larger scale for the monster/ship/whatever, and one zoomed in for the characters. The small-scale map's position on the large-scale map would be marked. The big thing moves on the large-scale map, while the small things move on the small-scale map.

Hmm... I also wonder if you could invent some kind of "acceleration scale" map, where the size of the hexes and the size of the big thing scale with the current speed of the combatants.

You'd have to have multiple small-scale maps if the small things weren't all bunched together.

For extreme abstraction, perhaps an alternative would be to consider the group of small things as a swarm attack on the big thing. Kinda sucks for your tactical options if you're one of the small things...

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by safisher

I like paper miniatures from Junior General:
http://www.juniorgeneral.org/JClick.php?UID=11064

Try this site also
I particularly like the dragon; just need to print it twice as big to match 25mm figures...

[Gnomasz]

Originally Posted by Gnome

We use legos to represent all characters on the hex map, which is generally helpful with posture, facing, dropped weapons, etc., but it's also useful for big monsters. We just build a base that fills whichever hexes the GM wants filled, determine which of those is the front hex, and go from there.

I second this, but I have to admit that Legos can be distracting to some players. But the minis fit well to 1hex/inch scale.

I would represent on figure (the base) only the Close range of the Big Monster. It surely has some limbs with far greater Reach, but representing it along with rules for Striking at Weapons (p. B400), i.e. directly in front of the creature, would look silly.