Von Fauster Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 My wife says I confuse my "wants" with my "needs". Hogwash: It's about WWII; It's about Combat Mission- therefore, it's a NEED: I'm looking for a website or something that has period maps or diagrams of WWII battlefields, to help in the creation of accurate scenarios for CM. Specifically, I want to design a campaign based on the battle in the Hurtgen Forest (September 1944 - February 1945), but although I've found text descriptions of the battlefield, I've never actually seen a map of the thing, which makes accurate placement of roads and rivers difficult. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Try Moon's website at www.gamesofwar.de he may be able to help you. In many of the more remote areas, using current maps should also be no problem, just turn some of the minor roads from metalled into dirt roads. ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L.Tankersley Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 I think that Martin T. (aka Moon) [i won't butcher your last name attempting to spell it from memory, Moon] had links to small-scale WWII topo maps on his site at www.gamesofwar.de -- you might try there. DOH -- too slow. ------------------ Leland J. Tankersley [This message has been edited by L.Tankersley (edited 08-14-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted August 15, 2000 Share Posted August 15, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by L.Tankersley: DOH -- too slow. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Harharhar!!! Turewicz is the name. ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted August 15, 2000 Share Posted August 15, 2000 I've spent a small piece of my time trying to find such "historical" maps to no avail. For the most part they almost impossible to find and most certainly do not come for free. And only real maps like this I've found are being auctioned off at ebay.com. They are usually pretty pricey though and generally of insufficient scale to properly map a CM level game map. They are the real thing though. I've seen several German one's that were actual military maps produced and used during the war. They looked really cool, but too pricey for level of detail they could provide. Anyway, you might get lucky and find something over there over time that would be worthwhile to acquire. Mikester out. [This message has been edited by Mikester (edited 08-15-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bailey Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 One place that you go to get highly detailed topography of the Hurtgen forest is the Official US Army History of the Second World War. The Series is called "US Army in World War II." The series has about 10 books in it; I am not sure which one covers the Hurtgen. The series is great because it is loaded with fold-out photos of the ground taken from the air. Although evaluation change is hard to evaluate, you can see every tree and house on the battlefield. Since it covers the entire war in the ETO, owners of all the whole series have literally thousands of very historical maps to build for hundreds of small unit engagements. Your local library (if its good) may have this series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaakko Harlas Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by James Bailey: One place that you go to get highly detailed topography of the Hurtgen forest is the Official US Army History of the Second World War. I am not sure which one covers the Hurtgen.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Huertgen forest is covered in the volume titled 'The Siegfried Line Campaign' by Charles B. MacDonald. For a complete list of the books go to http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/catalog/WWII-Pubs.htm Apparently the maps which are included in these books are also available separately, in portfolios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bailey Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 >>>"Apparently the maps which are included in these books are also available separately, in portfolios." The maps from the series, while of excellent quality, are operational in nature and therefore of little use for CM battles. Its the aerial photos of the battlefield that are of real value in CM map making. They give you an unparelleled understanding of the terrain, second only to walking the ground in person. You can only get these photos if you have the entire book. I wish I had a scanner, I could scan the photos and give them away to ambitious map makers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maastrictian Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 Is there an equivelant book written by the British government? --Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bailey Posted August 17, 2000 Share Posted August 17, 2000 Good question Chris, Anyone know of an offical British History of WWII? My guess would be "yes" but I have never seen it or heard of it. Curious to find an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted August 17, 2000 Share Posted August 17, 2000 JB, I'm pretty certain varioius regiments in the British Army had their own unit histories written. Don't know much about the details though, or where you can get a hold of them. There are quite a number of English chaps here on the board though so I'm certain someone can "enlighten" us. Mikester out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael emrys Posted August 18, 2000 Share Posted August 18, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jaakko Harlas: Huertgen forest is covered in the volume titled 'The Siegfried Line Campaign' by Charles B. MacDonald. For a complete list of the books go to http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/catalog/WWII-Pubs.htm Apparently the maps which are included in these books are also available separately, in portfolios.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> You can occasionally come across some of these volumes in used book stores. I've picked up several of them that way. One thing to be careful of though, a few years ago they were reprinted by BDD Promotional Book Company, Inc. The texts are complete as near as I can tell, but the bound-in maps inside the back cover have been deleted. The books are priced about half what the originals go for, but without the maps their value to the reader/gamer is significantly reduced. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael emrys Posted August 18, 2000 Share Posted August 18, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mikester: JB, I'm pretty certain varioius regiments in the British Army had their own unit histories written. Don't know much about the details though, or where you can get a hold of them. There are quite a number of English chaps here on the board though so I'm certain someone can "enlighten" us. Mikester out.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Can't claim to be English, but Her Majesty's Stationery Office is approximately the equivalent of our Government Printing Office and I believe handles this kind of thing. I don't have an address, but I bet a web search would turn it up. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted August 18, 2000 Share Posted August 18, 2000 http://www.hmso.gov.uk/ What you are looking for are two volumes of the official history, written by a guy called Lewis, IIRC and entitled 'Victory in the West'. The Canadians have Stacey, 'The Canadian Army 1939-1945' The maps are not very detailed though, and Stacey is a bit less than objective. UK divisional histories, look at Delaforce, Patrick. Maps are patchy in between. ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertram Posted August 18, 2000 Share Posted August 18, 2000 I have the Victory in the West books from Lewis. He is very stringy with maps, most are operational or strategic, not of any use for CM (used them for some TOAW I was working upon). The smallest units he talks about are regiments generally. Bertram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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