PROPORTIONS & DISTANCES
One of the main issues in wargaming is the correct proportion of the measurement of distances on the battlefield, as on the gametable.
In order to try to solve this problem I studied the books and essays regarding the frontage of a battalion, and then simply reproducing at a 1 to 1 ratio (1 real man = 1 papersoldier) the battalion and thereafter calculate the real proportion of the distances.
I read that during the Napoleonic period (it was the easiest topic where to check, and by the way very similar to XVIII and XVII centuries warfare) the actual width that a soldier occupied in the formation. I read that theoretically each man occupied the very tight frontage of 0,50 cm!.
I tried by myself to pose like a marching soldier and my frontage was 85 cm.
It is then evident that marching elbow to elbow on a uneven terrein would inevitably created spaces between each man, not cosidering the gaps between platoons.
It is then easy to calculate that a fighting soldier in those epoches occupied a frontage between 80 and 90 cm and till a maximum of 100 cm. I read that a 130/120 men line of men occupied about 100 m as frontage.
In order to try to solve this problem I studied the books and essays regarding the frontage of a battalion, and then simply reproducing at a 1 to 1 ratio (1 real man = 1 papersoldier) the battalion and thereafter calculate the real proportion of the distances.
I read that during the Napoleonic period (it was the easiest topic where to check, and by the way very similar to XVIII and XVII centuries warfare) the actual width that a soldier occupied in the formation. I read that theoretically each man occupied the very tight frontage of 0,50 cm!.
I tried by myself to pose like a marching soldier and my frontage was 85 cm.
It is then evident that marching elbow to elbow on a uneven terrein would inevitably created spaces between each man, not cosidering the gaps between platoons.
It is then easy to calculate that a fighting soldier in those epoches occupied a frontage between 80 and 90 cm and till a maximum of 100 cm. I read that a 130/120 men line of men occupied about 100 m as frontage.
Therefore, I calculated that a 1202 men line, corresponding to 100 m wide frontage gave an average of 80 cm wide/per man. I put then togheter 125 papersoldier, and forced the frontage that I wanted to have just a 45 cm wide, correspondig to 100 m wide in reality.
The following step was calculating 42/12o = 0,35 cm (or 35 mm). This is the distance that every papersoldier must keep from the following papersoldier.
The following step was calculating 42/12o = 0,35 cm (or 35 mm). This is the distance that every papersoldier must keep from the following papersoldier.
I decided to make stand of 5 papersoldiers (5 x 0,36 = 1,75 cm) that has to occupy a frontage of just 1,75 cm. In order to do in this way I printed on thick paper sheets green stand with at the top of each a little line to exactly indicate where the papersoldier should be glued
Then I trimmed around the stand just leaving the top lines and starting to glue the papersoldiers exactly on the hight of the line.
Once I glued all 5 papersoliders in 1,8 cm I tirmmed off the white band and reduced the "tail" i.e. the base of the last papersoldier. When you put one stand next to the other then you can put the second one upon the tail of the first one, limiting the frontage.
So calculated, the problem of the distance and proportion even at 1 to 1 ratio is solved:
42 cm = 100 m
420 cm = 1 km
840 cm = 2 km
1.050 cm = 2,5 km
42 cm = 100 m
420 cm = 1 km
840 cm = 2 km
1.050 cm = 2,5 km