Why colour matters
In a stressful situation, a map must be readable at a glance. Colour-coding provides structure: your brain processes colour faster than text. A red route means "danger or alternative", green "primary and safe", blue "water", yellow "rest or staging". Consistent use of colour across your entire team prevents confusion.
Standard colour conventions
For military and SAR operations there are informal colour standards that are widely used. Red: enemy contact, danger areas, emergency routes. Green: friendly movement, safe zones, primary route. Blue: water, civilian elements, air support. Yellow: staging area, rest, reserve. Orange: alternative routes, cautioned terrain. MilMap lets you set each route and each waypoint in one of these colours.
Line styles for routes
In addition to colour, you can apply line styles: a solid line for a definitive route, a dashed line for an alternative or planned (not yet confirmed) route, and a dash-dot line for administrative routes (logistics, extraction). Combine colour and line style for maximum information in minimum space.
Using waypoint icons consistently
Choose an icon set and stick to it. Use a flag for targets, a cross for medical points, a star for command posts, a triangle for observation posts. Once your icon set is known to your team, they can interpret an unfamiliar map in seconds.
Text on the map
Only add text that is essential. A waypoint "OP-DELTA" is clearer than "Observation Post Delta northern sector at forest edge". Short, clear labels in capital letters for tactical items, lowercase for geographic names. Avoid overlapping labels — move waypoints slightly if labels clash.
Testing the map
Ask someone who did not create the map to "read" it in 30 seconds. Do they understand the main route, the alternative route, and the assembly points? If not, the map is too complex or not configured enough. Simplify to the essentials.