Map Symbols for Overland Maps? (non-hexagon)

[howandwhy99]

What Non-Hexagon symbols exist for overland maps in wargames and for early D&D?

For example,
dot = town or village
circle = city
square = fortress
etc.

Checking AD&D Land Adventures I find these different types of overland terrain:
Plain
Scrub
Forest
Desert
Hills
Mountains
Marsh

I can color different terrain types, but what awesome symbol sets exist for us non-dungeon map makers? I'm assuming wargames and cartographers have some historical precedent here.

[coffee]

Here's a tactical map for a wargame, reproduced from it's 1967 origin:

Battle of Hawley's Toll Bridge

And here's an example of a wargame campaign map:

Dakla River Campaign


These can get you started, but ultimately it would be up to the individual gamer to research and design his own maps (or find/adapt some real world map, whether using a hex grid or no).

[kesher]

That Dakla River Campaign is a great read!

[howandwhy99]

Oct 2, 2015 7:05:36 GMT -6 coffee said:

These can get you started, but ultimately it would be up to the individual gamer to research and design his own maps (or find/adapt some real world map, whether using a hex grid or no).

Oh, I know it's ultimately up to me, but I was hoping to find a contingent of game maps with different practices for stuff like component notation on them to help me out.

Your stuff definitely helps. And it's a real study on what it means to make a good module. Thanks!

[howandwhy99]

Right now I'm focusing on line maps like any traditional dungeon map. Terrain is easier to do be color, but elevations are harder. Plains, Hills, Mountains, maybe broken lands, but that's it.

Topographic elevation lines are usually too much to redraw as the game changes them IMO, but I want something to be there in part.

Also, I imagine I will need a large list of symbols to refer to location elements in the game. I already have been told about city & rural area symbols. Also river crossings, fords, and rapids. Bridges too I imagine are important. All that kind of stuff is good. The best suggestion so far is Harn Atlas, but it's topographic design is too much as I said. I need this to work as an "at the table" malleable/trackable game board.