General printing question

rzg6f · #1 January 28th, 2015, 05:39 AM

Can someone help me to print out deck plans?

My hard drive is full of old FASA bundled deck plans, LBBs, etc in PDF and I need to print a few out for a new game. Not to mention that I'd like to print out the AHL deck plans.

The problem is, I am not sure how to scale Adobe Reader to print out in 15mm scale, just like when we could buy them "out of the box" of so long ago. I have a color laser printer but I do not wish to burn toner, even in greyscale, trying to get them right.

A follow on question related to that is if it is possible to scale 28mm deck plans. I purchased a few nice ones off of RPGDrivethru without realizing some companies were now designing deck plans in other scales than 15mm.

I'm sure this is a question that has been answered a million times or I'm just a luddite when the solution is obvious, but if anyone could help out, I would really really appreciate it.

**aramis** · #2 January 28th, 2015, 10:54 AM

AHL use poster mode... at 100%

rzg6f · #3 January 28th, 2015, 11:52 AM

Thank you Aramis

elbmc1969 · #4 January 28th, 2015, 02:21 PM

Scaling 28 mm to 15 mm:

15/28 = 0.5357, so you want to print at 53.57%, assuming that the original files will print at their "real" size. If you need to scale the originals to get them to print at the correct size, multiply the two scaling factors to get the final print size %age. For example, if you have to print the originals at 80% to get them the right size for 28mm, then you print them at 0.8*0.5357=0.42856 or 42.856% for correct 15mm scale.

The higher-end versions of Acrobat include a measuring tool with a lot of functionality under Tools > Analyze > Measuring Tool. With the measuring tool open, right-click the document in the Acrobat window to bring up a context menu. You can set the scale for the measurement (for example, 1mm = 1mm).

Short of that, I really recommend printing a single page, with as little black on it as possible, in draft mode. This will use the minimum ink possible. Then just measure carefully and figure the scaling factor.

rzg6f · #5 January 29th, 2015, 01:54 AM

Wow, thank you, that will help - I've burned too much toner experimenting, I should have asked for assistance in the first place. Thanks again

**aramis** · #6 January 29th, 2015, 03:40 AM

You're most welcome.

infojunky · #7 January 29th, 2015, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rzg6f

Can someone help me to print out deck plans?

My hard drive is full of old FASA bundled deck plans, LBBs, etc in PDF and I need to print a few out for a new game. Not to mention that I'd like to print out the AHL deck plans.

The problem is, I am not sure how to scale Adobe Reader to print out in 15mm scale, just like when we could buy them "out of the box" of so long ago. I have a color laser printer but I do not wish to burn toner, even in greyscale, trying to get them right.

15mm nominal ground scale is 1/100th, so with that the old 1/2 inch grid of AHL and the Fasa deckplans will work at 100% kinda. I would print them at 120% for a end result of a 15mm grid (1.5 meters at 1/100th).

A vast majority of newer figures and vehicles are scaled to fit 1/100th, hence my choice of it as a standard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rzg6f

A follow on question related to that is if it is possible to scale 28mm deck plans. I purchased a few nice ones off of RPGDrivethru without realizing some companies were now designing deck plans in other scales than 15mm.

These I would print at 60%. (Note, I have All of the Skeletonkey Games eFuture tiles, and printed them out at 60% and they are dead on 15mm grid. I also mounted all them on foamcore for extra durability.)

Patron Zero · #8 February 2nd, 2015, 05:58 AM

My thought would be making use of a local office supply-copy center's print center, most have over-size output machines with 36" wide capacity, such does produce the scale needed a possibility in a one-sheet format.

infojunky · #9 February 2nd, 2015, 07:42 PM

One of the question I keep thinking of with prints; Color or Black and white?

Patron Zero · #10 February 4th, 2015, 04:34 AM

Depending on your budget or needs, perhaps a set of each where applicable would be useful, might I suggest that you consider having deckplans you may frequently use be laminated for your convenience and extended play.

Also if there is a ship your players will most be aboard, consider up-scaling said deckplans to accommodate 54mm figures, such allows the use of plastic army men (or others) and the addition of 'set decoration' with other items.