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# A package to make Hex'n'Counter wargames in LaTeX
## Version 0.2.1
This package can help make classic [Hex'n'Counter
wargames](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wargame) using LaTeX. The
package provide tools for generating
- Hex maps and boards
- Counters (called *chits* since TeX have already taken *counters*)
for units, markers, and so on
- Counter sheets
- Order of Battle charts
- Illustrations in the rules using the defined maps and counters
The result will often be a PDF (or set of PDFs) that contain everything
one will need for a game (rules, charts, boards, counter sheets).
- The package uses [NATO App6](#nato-app6 "Section below") symbology
for units.
- The package uses [TikZ](https://github.com/pgf-tikz/pgf) for most
things.
- The package support exporting the game to a
[VASSAL](#vassal-support%20'Section%20below') module
## Sources
The sources of the package are kept at
[GitLab](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex)
## CTAN
The package is available from
[CTAN](https://ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/wargame) in the
directory `/macros/latex/contrib/wargame`. As of this writing, the
package has not hit any of the major distributions (e.g.,
[TeXLive](https://tug.org/texlive/index.html)).
If you get the sources (`wargame.ins`, all `.dtx` and `.py`) files, then
to install do
latex wargame.ins
pdflatex beach
pdflatex city
pdflatex light_woods
pdflatex mountains
pdflatex rough
pdflatex swamp
pdflatex town
pdflatex village
pdflatex woods
(You need to use `pdflatex`, `xelatex`, or `lualatex` - plain `latex`
with DVI output will not work)
Then copy the relevant files to your TeX tree (e.g., `~/texmf/`) as
mkdir ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame
cp tikzlibrary*.tex ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp wargame.sty ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp wgexpor.sty ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp city.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp light_woods.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp mountains.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp rough.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp swamp.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp town.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp village.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp woods.pdf ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp export.py ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
cp svg2tikz.py ~/texmf/tex/latex/wargame/
To generate the documentation, after having done the above, do
pdflatex wargame.dtx
makeindex -s gind -o wargame.ind wargame.idx
pdflatex wargame.dtx
pdflatex wargame.dtx
pdflatex symbols.tex
pdflatex compat.tex
pdflatex compat.tex
(You need to use `pdflatex`, `xelatex`, or `lualatex` - plain `latex`
with DVI output will not work)
You can install these into your TeX tree with (e.g., `~/texmf/`)
mkdir -p ~/texmf/doc/latex/wargame/
cp wargame.pdf ~/texmf/doc/latex/wargame/
cp symbols.py ~/texmf/doc/latex/wargame/
cp compat.py ~/texmf/doc/latex/wargame/
If you want to generate the tutorial document, do
cd tutorial
pdflatex game
pdflatex game
If you also want to make the tutorial VASSAL module, do (also in
`tutorial`), do
pdflatex export.tex
../export.py export.pdf export.json -o Game.vmod \
-d "Example module from LaTeX PnP game" \
-t "LaTeX wargame tutorial" -v 0.1 \
-p patch.py
## Download from GitLab
- [Zip file of package and support
files](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/download?job=dist)
- [Browse content of
package](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/browse?job=dist)
- [Documentation](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/public/doc/latex/wargame/wargame.pdf?job=dist)
- [Tutorial](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/public/doc/latex/wargame/tutorial.pdf?job=dist)
(and associated VASSAL
[module](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/public/doc/latex/wargame/Game.vmod?job=dist))
- [Table of
symbols](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/public/doc/latex/wargame/symbols.pdf?job=dist)
- [Compatibility](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/public/doc/latex/wargame/compat.pdf?job=dist)
To install, get the ([zip
file](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/wargame_tex/-/jobs/artifacts/master/download?job=dist))
and unzip into your TeX tree, for example
mkdir -p ~/texmf
(cd ~/texmf && unzip ../artifacts.zip)
on Un\*x like systems.
## Tutorial
See the [tutorial](tutorial/README.md "Link works on GitLab only") page
for more
([here](https://ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/wargame/doc/tutorial/)
if you browse from CTAN).
## Examples
Below are some print'n'play board wargames made with this package. These
are not original games but rather revamps of existing games. All credits
goes to the original authors of these games.
- WWII
- Eastern Front
- [Battle for Moscow](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/bfm_tex)
- [Hell's Gate](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/hellsgate_tex)
(private)
- [Unternehmung
25](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/unternehmung_tex)
(private)
- Western Front
- [D-Day](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/dday_tex) (Avalon
Hill classic)
- [Paul Koenig's Market
Garden](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/pkmg_tex)
- [Paul Koenig's
D-Day](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/pkdday_tex)
- Pacific theatre
- [First
Blood](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/firstblood_tex)
(Avalon Hill International Kriegspiel Association classic)
- [Malaya](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/malaya_tex)
(private)
- Africa
- [Afrika
Korps](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/afrikakorps_tex)
(Avalon Hill classic)
- [Battles of El
Alamein](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/boel_tex) (private)
- Modern/Speculative
- [Strike Force One](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/sfo_tex)
- [Kriegspiel](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/kriegspiel_tex)
(Avalon Hill classic)
## VASSAL support
The packages has the script [`export.py`](utils/export.py) to generate a
draft [VASSAL](https://vassalengine.org) module from the defined charts,
boards, counters, OOBs, and so on. More about this is given in the
documentation.
The script will generate a first draft of a module, which then can be
edited in the VASSAL editor for the final thing.
Alternatively, one can provide a Python script to do more on the
generated module, such as defining starting positions, fixing grid
layouts, and so on. Using such a patch script, one can get an (almost)
final module. This means, that even if one makes changes to the original
content, it is easy to remake the module without much need for the
VASSAL editor.
An example of this is given in the [Battle for
Moscow](https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/bfm_tex) project, and of course
in the [tutorial](tutorial/ "Link works on GitLab only")
## NATO App6
The package supports
- All air, equipment, installation, land, sea surface, sub surface,
and space command symbols, including amplifiers and modifiers
- All friendly, hostile, neutral, and unknown faction frame. Undecided
faction frames can be made by specifying `dashed` line styles.
- Some, but very few, other kinds of symbology.
Here are some references for more information on the NATO App6 symbology
standard.
- The [Wikipedia
page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_Joint_Military_Symbology)
on NATO Joint Military Symbology
- The [NATO
page](https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/ap-details/1912/EN).
If this does not work for you, then try to go to the [standards
page](https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards) and put in and
write in `SYMBOLOGY` in the *Document Title Contains Words* field
and press *Start*.
- Other LaTeX package for making NATO symbology
[XMilSymb](https://github.com/ralphieraccoon/MilSymb)
## Copyright and license
(c) 2022 Christian Holm Christensen
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
4.0 International License (CC-BY-SA-4.0). To view a copy of this
license, visit [CC](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) or
send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042,
USA.
### Some comments on copyright
*Caveat*: I am not a lawyer.
Note that this license applies to the `wargame` package as such. What
you generate using the package is *not* required to be licensed
according to the *ShareAlike* clause of CC-BY-SA-4.0. That is, you can
license your materials *any way you want*.
However, that copyright rights on games is not as prohibitive as you may
think (see [this thread on
BGG](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/493249/)). What you *can*
copyright is original, artistic expression. That is, the copyrighted
work must not be a copy of something else (originality) and must be some
form of expression. One *cannot* copyright ideas, only their expression
in so far as it is *artistic* (i.e., not a trivial expression that
anyone knowledgeable within the field can do with rudimentary effort).
So you *can not* copyright your game mechanics, for example, only how
you described them. You *can not* copyright a title (but you may be able
to claim trademark on it). You *can* copyright the wording of the rules,
the graphics that you use, and so on.
This also means, that you are essentially free to make your own version
of previously published game, *as long as*
- you do not copy existing text
- you do not copy existing graphics
- you respect any kind of trademark claims
However, it is advisable to contact the copyright holders of the
previously published game to avoid
[SNAFU](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAFU). If in doubt, seek
professional help.
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