Tactical Map & Measurements Guide — Iron Nest Wiki

Launch Version / Updated: August 6, 2026

The tactical map table is the heart of the Iron Nest. It is your only window onto the battlefield — you never see the targets, only their plotted positions. Understanding the grid, the tokens and the measurement tools is the difference between a clean kill and twenty minutes of wasted shells.

The Grid System

The map is a 20×10 grid of large cells, referenced like a spreadsheet:

Columns run A–T, left to right
Rows run 1–10, bottom to top (row 1 is the bottom)
A cell is referenced by column then row, e.g. K5, R8, F10

Each large cell is divided into its own 10×10 sub-grid:

Sub-cell coordinates start at 0, not 1 (e.g. 0:4, 9:0)
A full coordinate combines both systems: F10 8:0 or I7 2:4

One full grid square is 1000×1000 meters; one sub-grid square is 100×100 meters. Place your tokens as close to the correct sub-cell as possible — small early errors throw off everything after them.

Map Tokens

Token	Purpose
Iron Nest token	Marks your own position. Place it first — every calculation depends on it. Re-verify it after any emergency relocation.
Blue number tokens (1–4)	Mark spotter / observation asset locations
Green letter tokens (A–C)	Mark reference points on the map
Red number tokens (1–8)	Mark confirmed enemy targets
Red skull token	Confirms an enemy kill — place it when the radio reports impact
Blue skull token	Indicates you hit a friendly unit (friendly fire)

Loose nuts and bolts on the map table can be moved and used as improvised markers for temporary notes.

Measurement Tools

The map table has three pencils and a compass:

Tool	Behavior
Red pencil	Draws lines AND calculates bearing/range, copying the result to your clipboard. Use for final firing solutions.
Yellow pencil	Also calculates bearing/range but does NOT save to clipboard. Use for planning, scouting and triangulation drafts.
White pencil	Draws lines only, no measurements. Use for organization and map notes.
Drafting compass	Draws circles of a chosen radius around a center point. Use for distance-based target location.

The game displays bearing and distance in real time while you draw — no manual math required.

Measuring a Firing Solution

The standard sequence for any confirmed target:

Place known positions first — the Iron Nest (from the High Command brief), your spotters (e.g. "Spotter 1 — N5 4:0"), and any reference points.
Pinpoint the target using spotter data (see the targeting guide for full triangulation methods).
Draw a direct line from the Iron Nest's sub-cell to the target's sub-cell with the red pencil. The displayed bearing and range are the only values you need — they are copied to your clipboard automatically.
Delete extra measurement lines (right-click) so old notes don't confuse the next solution.

Map Hygiene Rules

Mark all enemy artillery before your first shot. Firing the first shell starts the counter-battery timer — you will not get a second chance to quietly plot the batteries. See the counter-battery guide.
Place tokens exactly, not approximately. A token a few sub-cells off is a firing solution a few hundred meters off.
Clean up after relocations. The Iron Nest moves; old plotting lines anchored to the previous position must be erased.
Verify your own position matches your actual location after any emergency move — the map does not update itself.

Common Map Mistakes

Mistake	Result
Placing the Iron Nest token late or wrong	Every bearing and range is shifted — misses by hundreds of meters
Using the yellow pencil for the final solution	Correct numbers, but nothing copied to the clipboard
Leaving old red-pencil lines on the map	The next drawing snaps to stale reference points
Reading sub-grid coordinates as 1-based	Targets plotted one sub-cell off — the #1 cause of "near miss" shots

The map is a tool of discipline: place, plot, draw, fire, clean. Master the routine and the machine does the rest.