Has anyone used a zone grid for tracking distances in this game? What I am thinking is having a gid with 4 to 5 inch squares and each square would be a range zone. If you are in the same square as someone then you are engaged, 1 zone away and you are close, 2 zones is medium, 3 zones s long, and more than that is extreme.
Zones
I've tried it. Seems to work about the same as dumping counters between figures.
One of the annoying things about this game is multiple "tokens" for long and extreme range and anything that brings more sense to that is helpful.
What actually works in that regards is "Targets". If you had a clear plastic sheet with an engagement "target" on it, you could just lay that on the table. Interaction between two different engagements is kind of silly though. Anybody check out what Star Wars stole and improved upon from WFRP? What's their movement system?
jh
Another thought on this is what we do in MAPTOOL WFRP3 games (www.rptools.net).
Engaged is any figure in contact with another figure's base. Close is anything not in contact, but within 30'. Medium is 30-60. Long is 60-90, Long2 is 90-120. Extreme 1 is 120+, etc.
This can simply be played on a grid. The beauty of abstract combat however is not having a grid, as players tend to stop roleplaying and stop using their imaginations when they are staring at 3e stuff on the table/screen. They start asking uncreative, minaitures-boardbgame questions like: "Can I make a 5' shift to the left and get behind the carriage without provoking an attack of opportunity?"
jh
Thanks for the feedback. I am comfortable with a grid but prefer the D&D 4e rules over 3e. I initially though of converting to a standard 1 inch grid but decided I wanted to keep the more abstract ranges.