Coordinates are used to call out locations on the Map Overviews when the Descriptive Locations system is not adequate. Although map coordinates are less prone to error than Descriptive Locations, they are slower as they require everyone to open their maps.

When communicating locations on a map in-game, 29th members use the Coordinate system with an added specifier called “keypad.” The basic Coordinate system refers to the grid on the map overview, where you can look at the letters and numbers to determine your Coordinates. For instance, in the following image, the player is at coordinates B-3.

mapgrid.png

keypad.pngBut because each ‘square’ on the grid can consist of hundreds of square kilometres, 29th members narrow Coordinates further by specifying the “keypad.” If you look at your computer’s keyboard and find the keypad on the right-hand side of it (note that most laptops do not have the keypad), you will see a ‘square’ of numbers, first row 7-8-9, second row 4-5-6, etc. Now imagine this was the B-3 ‘square’ and determine which “key” the player is on. In the image above, the player is at coordinates B-3 in keypad 1.

Thanks to Sergeant Olson’s idea and the hard work of T/4 Hopkins in the Engineer Corps, the 29th Servers now have an overlay on top of the map overviews that not only specify the basic coordinate in each ‘square’ but has a sample ‘keypad’ in the top-left of the map, as displayed in the image above. Have another look and you’ll see how easy it is to determine your location using the Coordinate system.

Communicating Coordinates

It is important to standardise how coordinates are communicated so there is no confusion in the heat of battle.

Written

When grid and keypad are known

  • B-3 kp 1

When only grid is known

  • B-3

When target is between two coordinates

  • B-2/B-3
  • B-2 kp 3/B-3

Verbally

Note that the Phonetic Alphabet is used to ensure accuracy.

When grid and keypad are known

  • “BAKER THREE KEYPAD ONE”

When only grid is known

  • “BAKER THREE”

When target is between two coordinates

  • “BETWEEN BAKER TWO AND BAKER THREE”
  • “BETWEEN BAKER TWO KEYPAD THREE AND BAKER THREE”