Terrain Analysis Tools

[CptSwampy]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if there is a mod/tool out there that will allow us to print out a map while/in setup mode. Not a full detailed graphic, but a simple map with 5 colors or less showing the major terrain and man-made features (Contour lines, water, roads, villages, marshes, etc). No units or other temporary features should print out.

This would greatly enhance our commanders' ability to complete a thorough terrain analysis before positioning our forces. Also, my S2 informs me that this feature will assit them while working up the likely enemy courses of action, and allow them to do their MCOO overlays.

It would assist my S3 shop in tracking the battle as they could post updated friendly positions and suspected/known enemy positions throughout the course of the action.

Let me know if someone has made this. Even a black and white representation of the terrain with contour lines would help, but I would recommend the five color system such as used on military 1:25,000 maps.

CptSwampy

[Blackhorse]

During setup go to view 7 or 8 and hit printscreen. This saves a .bmp to your clipboard. Open up a paint program, paste, and away you go. For larger maps, you'll have to do a series of these and stitch them together. You can use photoshop or paintshop pro to add countour lines (althought I suggest you get a terrain mod that shows elevation) Once you've done it a few times, you'll see it's an easy and painless process.

[CptSwampy]

Thanks for the replies,

But... hitting printscreen to take a screen shot of the map won't do. To do proper overlays for the situation map in the S2/3 shop, we need a map with contour lines at the very least. The "printscreen" solution is too busy and doesn't give us an accurate idea of elevations so we can figure out likely enemy mounted and dismounted avenues of approach and plan our fires to cover the deadspace.

I've tried to get our Arty FOs to give us a copy of the maps they are referring to when they call for fire, but they won't give them to me!

Thanks though! Hopefully some smart guy will write a mod that does this. It would have to look at the raw map data and build a completely new 5 color military topographical map from it. Otherwise, BTS... please do this for a patch or for CM2!!!

CPT Swampy.

(Have to go buy some more transparencies to plot the MCOO for my latest PBEM battles...)

[Olle Petersson]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CptSwampy:

... hitting printscreen to take a screen shot of the map won't do. To do proper overlays for the situation map in the S2/3 shop, we need a map with contour lines at the very least.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> :confused: If this is a problem for you, then you use the wrong grass/snow terrain mod.

If you use one where there's a clear visual difference between each elevation level this isn't a problem.

Cheers

Olle

[CptSwampy]

I understand that you can see elevation differences on the "print screen," but my S3 needs actual contour lines in order to do sectionals, cross sectional diagrams of the terrain, that assist in placing our guns/units.

Really, even a black and white map with just the contour lines (and a notation of the interval) would be usable, but I would guess it wouldn't be too hard to adopt the standard 5 color scheme and show water, manmade obstacles and the like.

:cool:

[gengisjon]

Olle, what mods do you recommend to provide the clearest map?

Thanks in advance.

[Olle Petersson]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gengisjon:

Olle, what mods do you recommend to provide the clearest map?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>To get an extremely high visibility map (but not very fun to use in play) I'd recommend this:

It's called War Room Terrain Mod and is available here: http://www.angelfire.com/games3/CMCP/file.html

The colour tone is a little too blueish for me, and I haven't used it myself, but it seems perfect for the purpose.

Cheers

Olle

[Wolf^]

I'd say you should try Wolf's hi-contrast mod.

[Wolf^]

Here's my mod in action with the coming new "Shadow" treebases.

[Olle Petersson]

Hey Wolf^

Your mod is great for use when playing the game (I think that's the base for what I'm using, although I've added more red to the higher ground), but the War Room mod is better for map making.

Cheers

Olle

[Stixx]

Although not really on the subject of Terrain viewing.

I altered Wolfs original hi-contrast grass and put in alot more green. I find it great for terrain viewing plus being easy on the eye.

It's obviously no where near as good for terrain viewing as the war room grass al the same i like it.

[CptSwampy]

Thanks for all the replies. I thought I would be the only person batty enough to want to print out a map and wargame before I set up my units.

Of course, I'm still hoping someone smarter than me comes out with a mod or patch that allows us to print a map specifically for that purpose, with contour lines and all... and not force us to switch back and forth between terrain mods that "sort of" allow us to see relative elevations.