Map scale help.

I am trying to get some kind of scale for my RPG map.

I was thinking of adding a scale to the map of a "days march" or as a weeks march with 7 notches (more for me to do the timing than anything).

To get some perspective im finding it hard to figure out exactly how far the medieval military could march in one day. Ie using the "roads" of the day how long would it take from say Bath to london?

Anyone an expert in this kind of thing?

this article may help..

http://www.hyw.com/books/history/Logistic.htm

it mentions 5-10 miles a day overland and about 20 using rivers/the sea.

Hope this helps

Mike

Thanks. :)

I found another site with this:


It says they would cover this in 5-6 hours which is i guess the optimum distance vs exhaustion at that speed.
(plus they had to build a wooden fort when they got to their campsite!!)..

Romans were 'ardcore. Mabe i should go for an average of 15 :/

Do you thing that sounds right for average terrain for an RPG?

10 miles a day... embarrassing really, considering the Roman army had to march 18 miles in 5 hours.

You might need to consider that an army moves much slower than an individual when it comes to carting all the food and equipment required. I doubt your average RPG hero needs to feed thousands of people each day as well as build a Roman Fort at the end of each day's march.

Perhaps you could go for a walk 1 weekend and see how far you can get in 4-5 hrs?

Lol, True. Although the average RPG character always seems miraculously able to carry an kings-armory worth of weapons, armor and junk with them :D

I have managed about 30 miles in one day before with a medium rucksack (bristol -> weston super mare) however this did take more or less all day (8-9 hours?) with rests.

and if you are a dwarf character expect to take longer than a lanky long legged human ;)

or a stilt walker with stilt crutches ala land striders from dark crystal iir them guys were going at a fair speed on those things in the henson workshop carpark