Most 5th edition WRG ancients battles involve bow fire and this requires two kinds of measurement; range and angle. Range is relatively easy to determine with a ruler, but angle involves the use of a protractor. An ordinary protractor is difficult to use because it is rarely large enough to adjudicate the angle without some kind of "human" measurement such as laying a ruler on the protractor, etc. This requires use of two hands, sometimes three, and can lead to "discussions" and delays. The construction of a plastic template can solve these problems. The template will fulfill a number of functions including: measurement of 45 degree and 22% degree angles; full and half range for foot and mounted bows; surprise sighting within 100 paces; units within 150 paces; range for slings and staff slings; routing friendly elephants within 50 paces; horses within 100 paces of an elephant; unfriendly cover within 100 paces, and range for light hand-hurled weapons. TOOLS AND MATERIALS The materials you will need will cost about a dollar and the template can be made in less than 30 minutes. (NOTE: the instructions given here are for 15mm gaming. For 25 mm gaming, double all linear measurements, but NOT angles.) 1. a sheet of plastic 4 inches by 12 inches by .080 inches thick. I used grey ABS sheet available at most hobby shops. 2. a sharp hobby knife 3.A black felt-tip waterproof marker 4. a protractor 5.a metal straight-edged ruler. I use Dual-Rule ® flexible non-skid with a cork backing. It is absolutely the best ruler for cutting ABS or styrene sheet. It has inches and millimeters and can be used for cutting figure bases, terrain or the template. MARKING THE TEMPLATE Figure 1 shows how the template is cut out of the 4 by 12 sheet. The dotted lines show the plastic sheet as purchased. The solid-line triangle is the completed template. First, determine line AB. It should be 12 inches when you purchase the plastic sheet. However, measure it to be sure. This line can be used to measure infantry bows, staff slings, even mounted crossbows. Next, mark angle BAC with the protractor. It should be 45 degrees. Mark line AC. Now, measure angle ABC at 22 1/2, degrees. Mark line BC. You have now defined triangle ABC. Cut the plastic along lines AC and CB. If you have never cut plastic sheet, here's how. Lay a metal straight-edge along the line you want to cut. Slowly, but firmly, run the knife along the line. Remove the ruler, and carefully run the knife along the groove you created with the first cut. Do this a few times until the cut is deep. Bend the plastic along the line and it will snap easily. Thicker plastic takes a little longer. Next, mark the following lines: line AD should be 7 1/2 inches and denotes 150 paces line AE should be 5 inches and denotes 100 paces line HB should be 9 inches and denotes 180 paces the mark at F gives half range for infantry bows. Lines AF and BF denote 120 paces the mark at G gives half-range for mounted bows. Lines GB and HG denote 90 paces. line CJ should be 2 inches and denotes 40 paces You might want to mark paces on the template for the various lines or give them each a different color. USING THE TEMPLATE The most valuable use for the template is to determine firing arcs for bowmen. The key lines are AC and BC. To measure 45 degrees of arc, place line AC along the flank baseline of the firing unit. Line AB will give range and tell you whether the target is within 45 degrees. Use the same method to determine 22% degrees, but use line BC. To measure on the left or right flank, just flop the template. Figure 2 shows how to use the template. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. 2 #2 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1980 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com