Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Maps of Naval Battles?

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Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :

Anyone know any sites with maps of naval battles as they progressed and stuff? I've been doing a Google search with a few results. Like these:

http://british-forces.com/world_war2/Campaigns/north_cape.jpg http://british-forces.com/world_war2/Campaigns/bismarck1.jpg

Aren't these neat? And (hint hint) wouldn't it be great if we could eventually work up something like this for some of Starfleet's historical engagements? Like Wolf 359, for example?

Mark

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"Why build one, when you can have two at twice the price?"

- Carl Sagan, "Contact"

Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

What's to map? Starships line up near Wolf 359, starships are quickly vaporized near Wolf 359. The end.

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Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

I've been working on a few maps like that to go along with my History of the Earth-Romulan War that I've been working on with Masao.

At the moment I've only got one finished, the attack on Station Salem One. (In my timeline, that's the E-R War equivalent of Pearl Harbor.)
http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/history162/map4-1.jpg

I'm also working on some for the Battle of Hell's Gate and the Battle of Cheron, and maybe a few more if I have the inspiration.

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Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :

Sol: Well, the ships obviously attacked in several waves (re: "Emissary"). I'd like to map those waves, possible formations of the ships (see my post on the Wolf 359 Graveyard), tactics, used, etc. I mean, you can't just say that "six ships engaged the Bismarck and one was destroyed before the Bismarck was sunk", can you?

Mark

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"Why build one, when you can have two at twice the price?"

- Carl Sagan, "Contact"

Posted by Gaseous Anomaly (Member # 114) on :

MinutiaeMan: Shit hot. In the word of everyone's favorite punching bag: GREAT IDEA!!

gonna read it later though

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Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Well since the method of displaying ship distances in Trek is out-the-fucking-window (ships at five hundred thousand kilometres distance are spotted with the naked eye), a map showing the courses of the ships would be oh so hard to ascertain. A location of the battle, yes, a direct display of turns and twists, doubtful.

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Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

Yes, but Masao and I are working on different principles (for the Earth-Romulan War, anyway). He started with the idea of warp-capable missiles with a range of up to 5 AU or more. Combine that with the use of ship formations rather than individual ships, and the map will work reasonably well.

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You know, you really should keep a personal log. Why bore others needlessly?
The Gigantic Collection of Star Trek Minutiae

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

Nice idea! I assume you will be using Director/Shockwave? If you need help with conceptualization, advise.

Have you thought of using a perspective grid, ribbon paths for the ships, and simple rotating arrows for the ships themselves (which then have "pop-up" screens to show actual ship engagements). I could propably help with the grid itself (see my galaxy map grids), to achieve a Starfleet look - al'a TCARS.

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Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

Woah... that's a lot more than I could handle! I'm strictly a 2-D guy. Would be nice to have stuff like that, but I really can't handle anything like that.

Though if anyone else wanted to try... I'm working on a detailed account of the Battle of Hell's Gate right now, and I hope to get it finished in the next few days. If anyone would like to try a 3-D map of the battle, that would be great!

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You know, you really should keep a personal log. Why bore others needlessly?
The Gigantic Collection of Star Trek Minutiae

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

1: What is the Battle of Hell's Gate?
2: With a properly designed grid, this would be a 2d project. I will send a grid when it is finished.

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Faster than light - no left or right.

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

The Battle of Hell's Gate is one of the battles during the Earth-Romulan War. Masao and I have been working on a thorough story for months. It was the biggest battle of the war -- supposed to be a major Romulan offensive into the heart of United Earth territory, but things went wrong and the UE destroyed pretty much the entire fleet, and the rest of the Romulan ships self-destructed.

You can read more about this stuff here: http://www.starfleet-museum.org/ http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/history162/romulan.htm

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You know, you really should keep a personal log. Why bore others needlessly?
The Gigantic Collection of Star Trek Minutiae

Posted by Daniel (Member # 453) on :

Erm, just a comment. If you want to get real nitpicky, space battles should be mapped in 3D since, well, space is three dimensional. Sorry to be a spoil-sport.

[This message has been edited by Daniel (edited March 14, 2001).]

Posted by NeghVar (Member # 62) on :

Just my thoughts...

Most 99.5% of Star Trek combat takes place in the same relative two-dimensional plane...does this not make 3D battle maps not really necessary?

Frankly, I would rather have cool 2D maps, than confusing 3D maps.

Art

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Erm, just a comment. If you want to get real nitpicky, space battles should be mapped in 3D since, well, space is three dimensional. Sorry to be a spoil-sport.

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Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

Mark:
I am emailing you my concept. Since the background TCARS is still confidential, please do not post.

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Faster than light - no left or right.

Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :

David: Got it. Will reply soon.

Mark

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"Why build one, when you can have two at twice the price?"

- Carl Sagan, "Contact"

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd resurrect it because I finally finished another of my battle maps and wanted to know what you guys thought.
http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/history162/map4-3.htm

I can also post my preliminary text account of the battle if anyone's interested, although it's not completely finished yet.

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

I love it.

'bit dark though. Could you try using the same colors as a standard Okudagram battle scene?

BTW: The cone idea was brilliant.

Use of shading would allow cone to appear 3d.

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

Thanks for the idea -- a 3D cone definitely would make a bit more sense. (I'm trying to think 3D here, but when you're drawing 2D, there's only so much you can do.)

quote:
BTW: The cone idea was brilliant.

Again, thanks! The idea is that at the end of the first engagement, the bulk of the Romulan ships (red) got away and used sensor countermeasures to avoid detection for a while.

As for the color scheme... I'll see what I can do to brighten things up a bit. But at the same time I want the grid and surrounding space to remain unobtrusive to the main info -- the fleet movements.

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

BTW:
Do you read any Honor Harrington?
Your mapping is too good for standard Trek tech - but right up David Weber's alley.