A geomorphic mapboard is a game board that can be configured in different ways and reused to create different playing surfaces. The mapboards are made geomorphic by using identical features along the edges of the maps, so that any two may be paired.

History

The concept was introduced in ''

PanzerBlitz ''PanzerBlitz'' is a tactical wargames, tactical-scale board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1970 that simulates armored combat set in the Eastern Front (WWII), Eastern Front of the Second World War. The game is notable for being the first tr ...

'', though the number of configurations was low. This is the moment when "geo-morphic" gets in wargaming its peculiar meaning. The back of the game box described among the contents a “three section ‘Geo-Morphic’ mapboard which can be rearranged to form dozens of different terrain configurations”. Geo-morphic was there used in the established sense of "resembling the earth and its surface features." But several gamers thought that "can be rearranged to form dozens of different terrain configurations" was the explanation of that unusual adjective, and from then onward the possibility to rearrange pieces became part of the definition of "geo-morphic" among wargamers. Even game publishers started using the word with this new meaning on their printed material, so that the use became widespread and somehow "official" in the hobby community. Many tactical wargames use geomorphic mapboards, and they also appear in '' Robo Rally'', '' Magic Realm'', and occasional other games. The concept is embraced by ''

Advanced Squad Leader ''Advanced Squad Leader'' (ASL) is a tactical-level board wargame, originally marketed by Avalon Hill Games, that simulates actions of squad sized units in World War II. It is a detailed game system for two or more players (with solitary play ...

'' (ASL), which has 60+ geomorphic mapboards . ASL increases this flexibility with the addition of "overlays" to permit further changes to the playing area.

References

Board wargames {{wargame-stub