The Mapboard

Map illustrations

SGS Winter War map is oriented North to South, vertically. Some areas which would be far away from the current map if geography was proportionally represented are replaced by Off-map Boxes. This is the case, for instance, of the far north of the country (above the Arctic Circle, e.g. Petsamo or Murmansk regions).
SGS Afrika Korps map is oriented East-West horizontally. Some areas which would be far away from the current map if geography was proportionally represented are replaced by Off-map Boxes. This is the case, for instance, of the peripherical areas such as Italy (Axis “home) in the north, the deep Sahara regions like Fezzan or Kufra in the south, or Sudan and British Africa. Closer to the theater, islands such as Malta, Creta or Cyprus.
SGS Halls of Montezuma map is oriented East-West horizontally. Some areas which would be far away from the current map if geography was proportionally represented are replaced by Off-map Boxes. This is the case, for instance, of the nearby areas such as Eastern USA (United States “home) in the northeast, the vast empty regions of the Great Plains or Llano Estacado in the center, the Rocky Mountains or California regions in the west, or the seas around America, as far as Cape Horn in the south.

Refer to illustrations 4.2a and 4.22 to follow the explanations. Regarding the more detailed terrain effects, see in this section. Other elements and explanation are also presented in the next sections of this manual.

SGS Winter War map

Sea Regions 1 usually have blue tones (depending on style) and can only be entered by air or naval units. The move cost of sea region is a standard 1 per region. Planes can fly over them (unless specific prohibition in some scenarios).

Minor River 2: they are in general a light blue graphical border between two land regions, shown as a more or less large blue line between those regions. Most of the time minor rivers cost one movement points to cross, unless they are bridged. They provide usually a bonus to the defender on the first round of battle versus a crossing attacker.

Mountain (or rough) regions 3 are usually shown with an explicit look and cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit.

Marshes Regions 4 showing an explicit decoration (icons or pictures). cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit or breakthroughs. They are often difficult terrains, i.e. limiting the stacking of land combat units in them (6 maximum, while there are otherwise no stacking limits)

Clear / Plain Region 5: have no particular effect on movement (1 PM / region) or combat (no effect).

Forest or Deep Forest Regions 6 are usually shown with an explicit look and cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit.

Structure 7: are located on regions and show their name and content (ports, airports, fortifications – the latter with their value in a diamond symbol). The name plate is colored as per the controlling side. When a star is displayed, it means the structure controls brings VP. When units are inside a structure, the light background circle behind its symbol becomes colored. More details can be seen by right-clicking on the structure (see 7b). When clicking on a structure, you enter it (useful to see content and proceed to load/unload operations, in particular in harbors and airports).

Roads and Railroads 8: those transportation networks, when present, reduce the land movement cost of a region to a flat ½ PM (or even 0 for railroads) as long as the land move is done through a friendly region with such a transportation network. The full terrain movement cost must be paid when entering an enemy region; even it has roads or railroads.

Region details 9: are accessible for every region, just by right-clicking on it (don’t do on units’ stacks or structures though), the window thus opened giving more useful details (name, terrain, income, owner, value in VP, etc…). You can also use the explorator button on the minimap.

Border between Regions 10: their style may vary but aside from rivers (and mountain ranges sometimes); they have usually no impact on the game. Rivers crossing and landings from the sea however have a strong impact on movement and combat.

SGS Afrika Korps map

Wadis 2: they are in general a light blue-green graphical border between two land regions, shown as a more or less large blue line between those regions. Most of the time wadis cost no movement points to cross, unless during rain or mud (handled by cards). They provide usually a bonus to the defender on the first round of battle versus a crossing attacker.

Steppes 4 and Clear Region 5 have no particular effect on movement (2 MP/region) or combat (no effect), but stacking is limited and supply can only flow through it if there is a trail or a road present. Clear Region with Road or Trail 6 have, in addition to allowing supply, a lower move cost of 1 MP/region.

Rough, Desolate Hills 3 / 18 and Mountains 10 regions are usually shown with an explicit look and cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit.

Shifting Sands 7 and Sands Dunes 17 regions are usually shown with an explicit look and cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it for some units (unsuitable for vehicules). They also usually provide a bonus to the defender. Armor superiority, breakthrough and pursuit are usually forbidden there. Shifting Sands are mostly present in the Quattarah Depression sector.

Ridges 8: have an extra cost on movement (+1 MP to cross) and combat (defender gets a bonus against crossing units).

Oasis 9 and Cultivated 14 regions behave like clear terrain but have a much better foraging value, allowing a higher level of sustainability for units. This is all the more true in the cultivated region of the fertile lower Nile valley in Egypt.

Trails 11: are in quite a few regions on the map (while roads – see below – are mostly concentrated alongside the coastline) and their main purpose is twofold: they usually reduce the region’s terrain move cost by 1 and they allow supply to flow through terrains that would otherwise not allow it.

Clear and Major Roads 6: this transportation networks, when present, reduce the land movement cost of a region to a flat ½ PM as long as the land move is done through a friendly region with such a transportation network and along its path. The full terrain movement cost must be paid when entering an enemy region; even it has roads.

Wet Marshes 12 and Nile Delta Regions 19 showing an explicit decoration (icons or pictures). cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit or breakthroughs. They are often difficult terrains, i.e. limiting the stacking of land combat units in them (6 maximum, while there are otherwise no stacking limits)

The Nile 13 is not enterable by any land unit, but can be flown over by air units. It can be crossed by land units only at some key points, where roads and railroads are present. Those points represent the actual bridges or ferriers that are need to cross the big river. They are usually located in or adjacent to region with towns and cities. The Suez Canal works the same way.

Unplayable 15 regions are usually shown striped. They cannot be entered by any game piece, ever.

Offmap Boxes 16 regions are vast areas usually located rather far away from the visible part of the map, but usually interesting staging points or supply sources for the various sides. They also play some role in game’s events and sometimes hold structures with interest (such as airbases).

Urban 20 regions are very few (Cairo, Alexandria, etc…) and work like the cultivated regions for supply. They usually hold roads and/or railroads and are often supply sources. They strongly favor defenders in battle.

Structure 21: are located on regions and show their name and content (ports, airfields, fortifications – the latter with their value in a diamond symbol). The name plate is colored as per the controlling side. When a star is displayed, it means the structure controls brings VP. When units are inside a structure, the light background circle behind its symbol becomes colored. More details can be seen by right-clicking on the structure. When clicking on a structure, you enter it (useful to see content and proceed to load/unload operations, in particular in harbors and airports).

Railroads 22: this infrastructure, when present, reduces the land movement cost of the region to a flat 0 provided that the region is friendly controlled AND that the movement takes place along the railroad. Only the Commonwealth can use railroads in this game (the railroads are considered as major roads for Axis units, as they lack the rolling stock required for full use of railroads). The full terrain movement cost must be paid when entering an enemy region; even it has roads or railroads.

Region details 23: are accessible for every region, just by right-clicking on it (don’t do on units’ stacks or structures though), the window thus opened giving more useful details (name, terrain, income, owner, value in VP, etc…). You can also use the explorator button on the minimap.

Border between Regions 24: their style may vary but aside from rivers (and mountain ranges sometimes); they have usually no impact on the game. Rivers crossing and landings from the sea however have a strong impact on movement and combat.

SGS Halls of Montezuma map

Coastal 1, Sea 2 and Ocean Regions 3 usually have blue tones (depending on style, Ocean is usually darker) and can only be entered by naval units. The move cost is usually 1 (coastal), 2 (high seas) or 4 (Ocean) per region. Lakes and large navigable rivers (like you find in the Mississippi delta) are equivalent to coastal for game purposes.

Minor Rivers 4: they are in general a light blue graphical border between two land regions. Most of the time rivers cost 1 movement point to cross, unless there is a bridge or ferry (see some roads graphics nearby, or a city). They provide usually a bonus to the defender on the first round of battle versus a crossing attacker.

Navigable Major Rivers 5 are not enterable by any land unit, but can be sailed through. They can be crossed by land units only at some key points, where roads and, sometimes cities, are present. Those points represent the actual bridges or ferries that are need to cross large rivers. They are usually located in or adjacent to region with towns and cities.

Prairie or Steppes 6 and Clear Region 7 have no particular effect on movement (2 MP/region) or combat (no effect), but stacking is more limited in the former, unless there is a trail or a road present. Regions with Trails or Roads 8 have usually either a lower move cost (less 1 MP/region) or a road connection that reduced the entry cost to 0.5 MP.

Hills 9 and Mountains 10 regions are usually shown with an explicit look and cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit.

Deserts Regions 11 show a yellowish aspect, and cost more in movement points than the average land region, but are also limiting stacking and, most of all, survival to lack of supply (forage of 0).

Forest 12 showing an explicit decoration (icons or pictures). cost more in movement points than the clear land region. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit. Deep Forest and Jungles 13 cost even more movement points and have low stacking.

Marshes – Swamps Regions 14 showing an explicit decoration (icons or pictures). cost more in movement points than the average land region, and thus may even stop it. They also usually provide a bonus to the defender and prevent pursuit or breakthroughs.

Desert trails 15: are in a few of the desert regions on the map and their main purpose is twofold: they usually reduce the region’s terrain move cost by 1 and they allow supply to flow through deserts that would otherwise not allow it.

Roads 16: this transportation networks, when present, reduce the land movement cost of a region to a flat ½ PM as long as the land move is done through a friendly region with such a transportation network and along its path. The full terrain movement cost must be paid when entering an enemy region; even it has roads.

Unplayable 17 regions are usually shown with a wooden background. They cannot be entered by any game piece, ever.

Offmap Boxes 18 regions are vast areas usually located rather far away from the visible part of the map, but usually interesting staging points or supply sources for the various sides. They also play some role in game’s events and sometimes hold structures with interest (such as cities and ports).

Structure 19: are located on regions and show their name and content (ports, fortifications – the latter with their value in a diamond symbol). The name plate is colored as per the controlling side. When a star is displayed, it means the structure controls brings VP. When units are inside a structure, the light background circle behind its symbol becomes colored.
More details can be seen by right-clicking on the structure. When clicking on a structure, you enter it (useful to see content and proceed to load/unload operations, in particular in harbors).

Region details 20: are accessible for every region, just by right-clicking on it (don’t do on units’ stacks or structures though), the window thus opened giving more useful details (name, terrain, income, owner, value in VP, etc…). You can also use the explorator button on the minimap.

Border between Regions 21: their style may vary but aside from rivers (and mountain ranges sometimes); they have usually no impact on the game. Rivers crossing and landings from the sea however have a strong impact on movement and combat. The dotted red lines in Mexico are also borders that indicate separation between Mexican provinces.

All terrain effects are explained in this section.