Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How to worldbuild a B/X hex map: clearing land isn't exploring it — and the 1981 Expert Set tells you the goal without the procedure. This worldbuilding and wilderness exploration breakdown covers the real hex clearing rule, why 180 goblins in a swamp hex is RAW, and the 3-step fantasy map making procedure I'd run for stronghold play.
A viewer's B/X hex clearing session almost fell apart because the 1981 Expert rulebook defines the goal and never gives you the procedure — here's the real rule, why it backs up a "too lethal" encounter instead of contradicting it, and the 3-step framework I'd run to handle it myself.
🔥 JOIN THE MINIONS: youtube.com/@TenkarsTavern/join
A viewer wrote in with this one. One of his regulars was out, so instead of the usual hex crawl, his B/X table ran an impromptu hex clearing ahead of a stronghold build. Twenty-five mercenaries walked into Barrowmaze swamp country and met a hundred and eighty goblins. His players thought he broke the game. I went and checked his ruling against my own copy of the 1981 Expert rulebook — and the book sided with the encounter, not the complaint. This one's a real session breakdown: what actually happened at his table, what the rule says word for word, the DM trick (apophenia) he used on his own to turn two wild die rolls into one believable region, and the procedure I'd run every time a hex-clearing job comes up.
The Tavern Rules: We’re here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
Join The Tavern’s Discord Server (It's Free):
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Buy me a Beer!
ko-fi.com/tenkar
0:00 B/X Tells You to Clear a Hex and Never Tells You How
2:19 Hex Crawl vs Hex Clearing: Same Dice, Different Goal
4:11 The Session That Broke: 25 Mercenaries Into Barrowmaze Swamp
5:03 180 Goblins and a Table That Called Immersion Broken
5:31 110 Brigands on the Wandering Monster Table
6:16 What the 1981 Expert Set Actually Says About Clearing a Hex
7:06 The Patrol Radius Rule — and Why Swamp Needs a Garrison Per Hex
8:05 Rules Cyclopedia Rescaled the Miles and Kept the Same Logic
8:33 Apophenia: Turning Two Die Rolls Into One Regional Reason
10:07 The Three-Step Hex Clearing Procedure I'd Run at My Table
12:00 Your Next Session: Run the Flag Plant as Its Own Job
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Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
#OSR #DnD #BXDnD #TTRPG #TenkarsTavern #HexClearing
How to worldbuild a B/X hex map: clearing land isn't exploring it — and the 1981 Expert Set tells you the goal without the procedure. This worldbuilding and wilderness exploration breakdown covers the real hex clearing rule, why 180 goblins in a swamp hex is RAW, and the 3-step fantasy map making procedure I'd run for stronghold play.
A viewer's B/X hex clearing session almost fell apart because the 1981 Expert rulebook defines the goal and never gives you the procedure — here's the real rule, why it backs up a "too lethal" encounter instead of contradicting it, and the 3-step framework I'd run to handle it myself.
🔥 JOIN THE MINIONS: youtube.com/@TenkarsTavern/join
A viewer wrote in with this one. One of his regulars was out, so instead of the usual hex crawl, his B/X table ran an impromptu hex clearing ahead of a stronghold build. Twenty-five mercenaries walked into Barrowmaze swamp country and met a hundred and eighty goblins. His players thought he broke the game. I went and checked his ruling against my own copy of the 1981 Expert rulebook — and the book sided with the encounter, not the complaint. This one's a real session breakdown: what actually happened at his table, what the rule says word for word, the DM trick (apophenia) he used on his own to turn two wild die rolls into one believable region, and the procedure I'd run every time a hex-clearing job comes up.
The Tavern Rules: We’re here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
Join The Tavern’s Discord Server (It's Free):
discord.gg/fReGmuD
Buy me a Beer!
ko-fi.com/tenkar
0:00 B/X Tells You to Clear a Hex and Never Tells You How
2:19 Hex Crawl vs Hex Clearing: Same Dice, Different Goal
4:11 The Session That Broke: 25 Mercenaries Into Barrowmaze Swamp
5:03 180 Goblins and a Table That Called Immersion Broken
5:31 110 Brigands on the Wandering Monster Table
6:16 What the 1981 Expert Set Actually Says About Clearing a Hex
7:06 The Patrol Radius Rule — and Why Swamp Needs a Garrison Per Hex
8:05 Rules Cyclopedia Rescaled the Miles and Kept the Same Logic
8:33 Apophenia: Turning Two Die Rolls Into One Regional Reason
10:07 The Three-Step Hex Clearing Procedure I'd Run at My Table
12:00 Your Next Session: Run the Flag Plant as Its Own Job
The Tavern uses affiliate links - using our affiliate links supports the channel without costing you anything extra.
Humble Bundle: humblebundleinc.sjv.io/da4WJ2
The Tavern’s Amazon Storefront: amzn.to/41Jm0oG
DriveThruRPG: drivethrurpg.com/en/?affiliate_id=1446
Fantasy Grounds VTT: affiliates.fantasygrounds.com/388855/15958
The Tavern uses Restream for its livestreams and its long-form videos. You can too! restream.io/join/g5Qpgr
The Tavern also uses VidIQ: vidiq.com/TenkarsTavern
Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
#OSR #DnD #BXDnD #TTRPG #TenkarsTavern #HexClearing
