Military Battles and campaigns from the Library of Congress

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/milhome.html

Mainly a good source for US maps. There is a lot there and it is worth a good trawl. I used some maps for an ACW game a few months back which I wrote up here http://www.kriegsspiel.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=195&Itemid=49

How to use maps from the Library of Congress site.
=======================================

You can download the maps in a strange format (jpg 2000), which I managed to convert to a gif or jpg.
You can take a gif/jpg down to a print shop & get it printed on an A0 sheet (I used a branch of Staples)
(but do an A4 test run to make sure the conversion is good, not all were for me & I ended up paying for 1 blank sheet!)


My instructions are:

DIY Instructions if you wish to download and convert maps in this collection for yourself:
1) Download the map in jpg200 format from this http://memory.loc.gov/gmd/gmd388/g3881/g3881s/cw0489000.jp2 link on the above page
(well that is one map, there are lots of others on http://memory.loc.gov, I rather like the look of the Atlanta campaign map series, I would say they are at the Army operational level)
2) Download an install irfan viewer (http://www.irfanview.com/)
3) Download and install irfan viewer plug ins (also http://www.irfanview.com/)
4) Open the downloaded file in irfan viewer.
5) Save it using Save As... in gif or jpg format (or any other you feel is good, in fact I would do several formats in case one doesn't print).
PS the conversion took my clanky computer ages, don't panic.
6) Take converted map file (on memory stick/CD etc.) to print shop.


I recently watched 'Gods & Generals', they took a lot of trouble to make the film authentic, & the maps Lee & Jackson were shown looking at there were not too detailed!

Hi Richard,

I have found the map used by Jackson for his Shenandoah campaign and
it is cracking in the level of detail.

Now I know the trick for getting it printed I will see what I can do.



Thanks for the hints and tips.

Of the map shown, how much of the map did you use for your game?

Cheers

Mark Jarvis

==================================================================
Thanks for the instructions on this Richard. One question - how is it
possible to size the map to get the required scale. I am thinking of
the need to take a section and then get this at 1:7500 or 8000 or 10000
as required.

Tim Carne
==================================================================
What scale is map in that you want to use for example if the map is
1:25000 and you want to get to 1:7500

divide the 25000 by 7500 to get 3.33333 and multiply by 100 to get the
percentage increase of 333.333%

Ian Jackson
==================================================================
My concern is not the maths rather the behaviour of the software. I
have had problems before where I thought the map would print at
1:8000 based on the editing on the screen and saving the file but it
did not behave as expected. I was using one of the more routine
graphics / imaging packages. Just curious to know how to make this
work without too much trial and error.

Tim
==================================================================
It depends on the software you are using to a degree
as an example
if the software has the image at 300 dots per inch and your printer is
printing at 600 dpi there will be a size differnce
check that the printer and image are at the same DPI
check that the printer software is not fitting to page to allow for non-
printable boarders if your software allows print full bleed (prints
without margins)
if you are still having problems some software prints non square pixels
as square
create a 8in line in both verticle and horizontal axis using the same
software print using the smae settings as used normally
measure the the lines
if the software prints the line as for example 7.5in by 9in scale the
imahe by
106.66% (for the 7.5in axis) and 88.88% (for the 9in axis)

Ian Jackson
==================================================================