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Downtown firefight terrain generator

Introduction

The core game includes basic guidelines for how to set up your gaming terrain, but for the
most part leaves this up to the player. The idea was that since terrain collections vary so much,
I was worried that people would feel alienated by requiring a bunch of pieces they don’t own.

I suspect I also subconsciously assumed that setting up terrain is something “everyone knows
how to do”.

That’s of course nonsense: A lot of players are either new to this type of gaming or new to
miniatures at all. Additionally, a lot of players enjoy the ritual of rolling up elements of the
mission to come and creating a gaming table can be a part of that mini-game.

This terrain generator then serves to solve the problem while also retaining some narrative
freedom.

The generator is aimed at a semi-urban semi-industrial setup which has proven to be the most
popular Five Parsecs battle eld, though additional generators could be created very easily.

Note that this does NOT include rules for “weird terrain” for the sake of simplicity, though this
could be added in the future. The aim is that once you have generated your table, you can
proceed with the game normally.

I have not given intended sizes for terrain pieces since this will depend on your gaming table. A
2x2 foot table will need smaller pieces than a 3x3 foot table. If your nal table feels too sparse,
there’s a good chance your terrain pieces are too small.

To use the generator, simply work through each step in turn:

Step 1 - Quarters and sectors

The table is divided up into four quarters and each quarter is then divided into four sectors of
roughly equal size (for a total of 16 sectors). If you wish, you can mark the sectors in any
suitable manner but eyeballing it is ne as well. It does not have to be exactly precise.

You should also nd the approximate center of the table and put a small marker or die there.

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Step 2 - The center

The center of the table always contains a notable terrain feature. Roll 1D6 on the table below
and place this feature so it partially covers the center of the table. It does not have to be
exactly aligned over the middle, as long as part of the feature covers the center marker.

Example:
I roll a 5 indicating a cargo area. I have a collection of shipping containers that I arrange in a
rough square, with the corner covering the center of the table.

1D6 Feature

1 Large structure or facility.

2 Cluster of industrial items such as barrels, machinery or similar.

3 Open space surrounded by fencing, barricades or low walls.

4 Landing pad, loading bay or similar open space with some scatter terrain.

5 Cargo area with containers, crates, civilians vehicles or similar.

6 Single large structure or two medium structures.

Step 3 - The quarters

Work through the quarters one at a time in any order you like.

For each quarter roll 4D6 and view the table below to determine what features will be present.

Once you have selected all four features they are then placed in that quarter. Note that you do
not roll sector by sector: Roll all four dice at the same time.



Place the features using one of the two methods listed below:

Method 1
The four features are arranged as you see t within the quarter, placing features near each
other to help create an evocative table.

Method 2
Each sector must have one of the rolls at least partially within it. A feature can straddle two
sectors.

The size of features can be selected based on what you have available but should not be
longer and wider than the size of one sector and most can be smaller.

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1D6 Feature

1 Linear obstacles such as a fences, railing or barricades.

2 Building. If multiple buildings are present, they should be placed near each other or can
be traded for a single larger structure.

3 Open ground with a few incidental items (sign post, boulder or similar). If more than one
area of open ground exist in a quarter, one of them should be a hill.

4 Several pieces of scatter terrain spread out such as boulders, barrels, vehicle parts or
similar.

5 Open ground with single central piece such as a statue, tree or similar.

6 Industrial or urban terrain such as shipping containers, a cluster of barrels or a large

civilian vehicle.

Example:
For the rst quarter I roll a 1, 2, 4 and 5. I pick out a length of wall, a colony building, some fuel
barrels and a robot I have sitting around.

I put the building in the center of the quarter with the wall extending o one corner. The fuel
barrels get strewn around the “front yard” of the building with the robot being placed a bit from
the building to look like it’s a machine they use regularly.

Step 4 - Final evaluation



Once you have placed everything on the table take a moment to step back and evaluate
things. If the table feels too open, add a few more smaller pieces to clutter things up.

If things feel cluttered, you are usually going to be just ne: The game improves by having a lot
of terrain to crawl around between.
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