My players are embarking on an island hopping military campaign. The players (and their Orc mercs) are landing on enemy occupied islands and neutralizing enemy hardpoints so allied forces can land and take control. Pretty narly I know.
Anyway I sail alot so I took a 30 year chart book off my friend's boat of the Channel Islands (in Cali). The book is weathered and yellowed, stained with fish blood, grease and sea water. Its got elevations, under water hazards, camp grounds, high/low tides, what type of flora to expect, the works. The players ask "So the hobgoblin (warlord/officer) we hired with the orcs, he's going to handle all the planning right?" I reached into my bag, pulled out the chart and a compass, flopped them on the and said "You guys plot are plotting ship's courses and picking your landing zones." They dove in and bickered like flag officers for the rest of the session on how to approach the first island, where they're landing zone was going to be and how to take the hardpoints on the island. If you had heard the arguing you would have thought you were in a planning session for D-Day.
