It all started with the campaign map!
This is the map I drew up for the campaign. It was scanned into my computer as a BMP file.
The next step was to load the map into GridMap. GridMap is a utility that comes in the Berthier package. It allows a grid to be overlayed over your map image and each grid square assigned a terrain type. Here is the Marnon map being marked up in GridMap.
The result was then saved in GridMap as a outline Berthier campaign file called Marnon.bth This is how the resulting terrain map looks in Berthier. The default GridMap colours were subsequently modified in Berthier. In the bottom right corner is the square from which the Saracens sail to invade Marnon.
The next step was to start building the campaign up in Berthier. The Campaign Options were set up first.
I won't go through all the options being set here (you can read up on them in the Berthier manual) but some of the things to notice are -
The next step was to set the types of units to be found in the campaign, and set the effect terrain has on the movement of each type of unit. This is done in the Effects Table.
The movement rates (in squares per movement phase) were determined from careful reading of the original Marnon campaign series. Things to note are -
Finally the individual Orders of Battle for both sides are set.
The first thing to do is to think about the relationship that will hold between campaign units and units as they appear on the tabletop. In this case I have decided to record campaign units size in terms of number of men (as was done in the original Marnon Campaign). Under the tabletop rules the basic manoeuvre element is a single base of figures. So I have decided for this campaign on the equivalence
100 men in the campaign unit = 1 base on the tabletop
So for example the Fernhan Foot unit of 300 men in the campaign will appear on the tabletop as 3 bases.
The Orders of Battle were then entered for both sides from the Edit > Order of Battle screen.
Saracen Order of Battle
Marnon Order of Battle
Points to note here -
Finally to illustrate how units are issued orders in Berthier here are the opening moves for both sides.
The Saracens moved first in this campaign. Their first move is to embark units onto their fleets. Here is Toghrul Khan embarking his command onto the Turkish Ships (1) fleet.
Meanwhile on the Island of Marnon, Bentwood has ordered the Crossbowmen in Oxleaf Castle to patrol the western side of Marnon. The order is being issused using the Locality map display. The Crossbowmen are being ordered to move from Oxleaf Castle back to Oxleaf Castle (737) via the Amnon Bridge (433) over the Amnon River i.e. they are a scouting patrol out of Oxleaf.
The Marnon campaign files for Berthier can be downloaded clicking here.
If you get a download page when using this link you will need to click on the download button.