"How Many Map Types Do I Need?" Topic

I think it is really dependent on the period, style and scope of the tabletop battles/rules.

In my experience with mechanized warfare, the tactical battles represented at 1 to 1 level and using WYSIWYG terrain, I've needed between dozens (60-70) and hundreds.

It could be done with far less in earlier periods and higher command or representation levels.

I'll go with the Titan boardgame array of tactical maps = 11 types.

Sort of depends, doesn't it?

Are your trying to create a universal terrain generator for any battle in any geological/climatological region? I assume we're suggesting a computer program/application of some sort?

So what you need is a branching series that starts with gross general things like climate zones, then narrows down a bit to prominent geological conditions which occur in such zones, then to terrain itself.

So, you'd want Arctic/Antarctic, tundra, targa, temperate, tropical, equatorial, arid, semi-arid, volcanic, glacial valley, river valley, mountains (by type and age as Rocky versus Appalachian), piedmont, deciduous forest, conifer forest, old growth forest, young growth forest, moor, desert, swamp, marsh, bog, fen, river delta, tributary junction, wide river, "young" river (smaller, heavy rapids/rocks), stream, brook, lake, loch, fjord, sea, gulf, bay, etc..
And then you'd want possible details within such an area, which could be numerous, but would depend in the "parent" area, and so forth.

But of course, all of that depends on whether said terrain is tactically significant or not, which in an of itself also supposes tactical level and representation— a single tree is important at a skirmish level. At a mass tactical battle level, it would be ignored.

So my answer is "other," because I don't know what you're trying to achieve, or the level of battle representation you're designing for.

Parzival, when you accuse me of thinking to introduce a computer program into wargaming, you wrong me deeply.

Actually, the idea was (and is) a stack of paper maps. If "crossroads" is a terrain type, I pull a random map from the "crossroads" section, and roll for orientation. Same with "mountain pass." The alternatives are mapping out the entire campaign area down to the level of detail I'd need for a tabletop--very time-consuming--or a set of terrain-generation rules. I've never been too happy with such, but I like battlefield maps, and keep all I can find.

A skirmish/RPG campaign would certainly be different, though I'd leave those to the dungeonmasters. Surely otherwise the level of representation would affect the size of my area rather than the number of terrain types? And perhaps saying "temperate" was too broad a hint?

But please let us know when you have the campaign area mapped down to individual trees, and whether those trees are conifer or deciduous. And remember to designate oaks separately as dropping leaves later in the season.

I have long used the "Warfare in the Age of Reason" maps. You roll percentile dice and set up whichever map comes up. Add 20 to your roll if in difficult terrain. So, you need 120. But since it's already made, I don't worry about it. We just modify the terrain a bit depending on the period.