RELEASE NOTES FOR MAP 502, version 3.0. 2/20/99 Map 502 is a 6 km. x 12 km. multi-terrain map which has been specifically designed for amphibious Marine landings, as well as to provide a widely varied landscape in the course of a single game. It has been drawn with a somewhat "liberal" style in terms of its adherence to the 100-meter grid pattern, favoring natural-looking treelines and contours over a checkered design that clearly shows the changes in the underlying map code. (Personally I just don't cotton to "staircase maps"). Players should be aware that while the drawn features are *generally* accurate, it might be wise to use the LOS tool for maneuvers that require pinpoint deployment. Version 3.0. is an enlarged version of the original Map 502 (v. 1.0.1) that was released in the Spring of '98 and has some added new features, which are listed below. New Features: More ocean has been added to the west. Closest point from western edge to shoreline is just over 3500 meters. A "landing strip" has been added along the far western edge of the map (designated by red dots). This narrow strip of ocean has been coded as clear land terrain, representing the various ships and carriers from which an heliborne/amphibious assault may be launched. (Helos, for example, may go back and forth making return trips to this area to pick up various non-amphibious units.) An LOS block has been placed along the eastern edge of this strip to replicate the horizon line, so that units in the red zone cannot be seen from the enemy on shore or by approaching enemy amphibious vehicles. Three setup zones have been created for the OPFOR side (east) as designated by red lines for setting up "reinforcements." LOS blocks have been coded on the outside of these red lines to prevent the U.S. from spotting or killing reinforcing units prematurely. The largest of these reinforcement setup zones is along the eastern edge of the map, with two smaller zones in the north and in the south. The port town has been filled in with more urban terrain. The piers jutting out from the town are now coded as clear terrain, not water, so they will provide a good landing area for amphibious units. Mountains are now reduced slightly in terms of movement cost (from "barely penetrable" to just plain "slow as hell"), but they are still slower than cities and woods. The edges of the mountains are still extra-slow, to replicate a cliff-like rise in elevation. Trees/brush on top of the mountain terrain are as slow as the cliffs, (rough 4). Other features: The light green areas and beaches are low ground. The dark green areas are high ground. The patch of dark-green trees in the northwest, at vic 060058, is meant to be a continuation of the high ground. Areas of ground with boulders strewn about is considered "rough terrain." The terrain along the rocky bluff along the shoreline north of the port (vic 040050) has higher, more protruding boulders than other areas, however, causing some random LOS blocks here and there. (Units maneuvering in this area are assumed to be weaving between the big rocks). To the far east is a mountain range, designated by the rough, brown terrain. In game terms this terrain is still a continuation of level 1 terrain (since TacOps only has 2 levels of elevation), however its movement cost is very high. In fact, most of the range is even slower than moving through woods or urban terrain. Around the edges of the mountains where it meets the (visually) lower ground, it is slower still! This is meant to simulate a very steep incline which of course would be more difficult to travel across, whether going up or down. It is also extremely slow wherever there are bits of woods and scrub along the top of the range. In the central part of the mountains is a dirt road, which is somewhat uneven in its movement cost. Where it passes through clear terrain it is coded as a road, where it passes through rough terrain it is coded as clear terrain, and where it passes through the mountains it is coded as standard rough terrain (which is still two levels faster than the mountains themselves). It should be pointed out that there are places where the path "narrows" quite a bit, and movement may slow down for part of a turn as the unit negotiates between pixels that are coded as mountains. If moving quickly is important, it is a good idea to keep all the waypoints as close to the path as possible, and not stray! The mountains also feature numerous, random LOS blocks here and there, reflecting the jaggedness of the rocky terrain. In the south is a fairly large swamp, or marsh (depending on the region you're scenario takes place in) as represented by the tall grass and patches of water. Here and there the water is deep and will stop any non-amphibious vehicle from continuing forward. In such cases, the vehicle will have to negotiate around the obstacle. Most of the clumps of tall grass in the swamp are LOS blocks (providing concealment, but not cover). The river has one or two places where the banks come very close and almost touch, making it easy to ford. The island/rock/sediment in the river to the north is coded as a small patch of land, though the slightly smaller island in the south is still considered water. There is a base (or refinery, or special weapons plant, whatever you want it to be) located at 065035, which is primarily coded as a town with a circuitous road inside. Around it is a barbed wire fence, which will slow down movement considerably.