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[Char13magne]

Weird question, so does anyone have/know of any REALLY DETAILED WWI (1914, beginning) deployment maps (Troop or naval deployment) for any/all nations OR any detailed region-based maps of 1914 Europe (hopefully with good resolution/zoom).

Also kind of a weird request, but if anyone knows of a good way to make/update map markers for troop deployments, that would be extremely helpful as well (currently using the tortoise-speed "ms paint")

Like this, but with more zoom capacity/detail/regions;

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Pretty much like Paradox interactive's maps, but with a zoom function and in picture form. And hopefully cleaner.

[RedKing]

Not off the top of my head but I can probably find some.

[Char13magne]

The bottom one would be nice if I could get it to zoom more. Anything you can find would be great!

[RedKing]

Wikipedia has a decent map of NW Europe in 1914 and the opening stages, with force deployments listed at the Army Group level.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Stabilization_of_Western_Front_WWI.PNG

[Char13magne]

I'm looking more for a strategic view blank regional map, the deployment stuff helps, but I need a template on which to add other things

[LordBucket]

I need a template on which to add other things

Not sure of the precision you need, but one possible solution:



That's a screenshot from the 90s PC version of Axis and Aliies Iron. I'm sure google would be happy to provide you with download sites. Once you have the game you can zoom around the map and take screenshots as you'd like and fit them together in any configuration you want. Graphically edit out troops images and territory names, then reapply them in the configurations you want.

The images you'd end up with won't be as precise as your examples, but they'd have the advantage of having a uniform look and feel for the entire world.

if anyone knows of a good way to make/update map markers for troop deployments,
that would be extremely helpful as well (currently using the tortoise-speed "ms paint

I do most of my graphic work in windows paintbrush. Gimp, photoshop and other tools have gradients and shading features that it lacks, but for basic editing I find that it's generally much faster because it has so much less overhead.

If you do the above, just copy the raw unit images and copy and paste them onto your maps as you please. The game also had a rather nice troop movement arrow you could probably use too.

more zoom capacity/detail/regions;

The Axis & Allies maps aren't terribly precise, but you could do the same basic thing with other maps. If you want a uniform look at various zoom levels, you're probably going to need to graphically edit a single map to remove names and features, do the zooming yourself and reapply them.

[LordBucket]

Actually...why not use google earth? There will be a slight distortion because it's a 3d map, but play with the zoom levels, historical settings etc. do some graphical editing to rearrange any borders you need and you should be able to get just about anything at any zoom level you want:

[Char13magne]

I like the idea of using google earth, but I have 2 questions.

1) What do you mean by graphical editing, and how do I go about doing that?
2) Is there any way to add "models" to represent troop locations (army corps, naval vessels, fortresses, etc)

[Heron TSG]

Here you go, this map is from shortly before the war.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Depending on your definition of 'troop dispositions', John Bull might count? I dunno.

[Char13magne]

Barbarossa, lolz


I've been doing stuff like this, but if someone has a way to use actual army markers (as in those squares and rectangles that are used on deployment maps) instead of the funny looking bubble markers that come with google earth, then that would be appreciated.

[LordBucket]

I like the idea of using google earth, but I have 2 questions.

1) What do you mean by graphical editing, and how do I go about doing that?
2) Is there any way to add "models" to represent troop locations (army corps, naval vessels, fortresses, etc)

Step 1: Take a screenshot



Step 2: Clean it up



Step 3: Acquire a generic unit graphic template, then reduce it to black and white and clean it up a little. Resize/fit as necessary, and put the images inside a circle to provide contrast:



Step 4: Copy/paste, dropping the units into the territories as desired. Apply color and/or horizontal flipping to indicate troop affiliation:




You'll probably want spend more time making unit icons than I did, probably make them uniform in size and leave a space at the bottom to indicate a number of units rather than duplicating images like I did. But that's the basic idea.

All graphic work done in windows paintbrush.

[Char13magne]

I was hoping to be able to put markers on google earth itself, rather than saving screenshots and then working on them. Significantly easier and less time consuming (and time is an issue in this case), but if that's the only way I can do it then okay.

[10ebbor10]

snip

You do know that the borders were moved after the first great war right. Google Earth maps are a completely inaccurate representation of WWI Europe.

[LordBucket]

You do know that the borders were moved after the first great war right. Google Earth maps are a completely inaccurate representation of WWI Europe.

You did notice the part where I said, "do some graphical editing to rearrange any borders you need" right?

No? Here, let me quote it for you:

play with the zoom levels, historical settings etc. do some graphical editing to rearrange any borders
you need and you should be able to get just about anything at any zoom level you want:

[Digital Hellhound]

I... think you'll find the borders have changed a lot after the rearranging post-WWI, too.