Mapdiva, makers of Ortelius map design software, has announced the availability of its free download of military map symbols for graphic designers and mapmakers to create custom maps for web sites, magazines, books, and brochures.

The NATO Equipment Map Symbol Collection is comprised of 93 different scaleable vector graphics, including silhouette icons of artillery, explosive devices, helicopters, equipment, personal weapons. soldiers, tanks and vehicles. It has NATO equipment, as well as some non-NATO items. This symbol collection is designed for military history mapping projects and wargaming maps.

The NATO Equipment Map Symbol Collection for Ortelius map illustration software is created with MilPics pictorial fonts series developed by Tom Mouat (copyright 1988) MapSymbs and distributed with permission. A registered True Type Fonts version is available from Wargame Downloads.

Symbols are customizable thanks to Ortelius’ Style Inspector and integrated Mac OS X color picker. Download the NATO Equipment Map Symbol Collection from the Mapdiva web site (http://mapdiva.com) for import into Ortelius’ professional-level Library Manager.

Ortelius is a vector map illustration and editing application that focuses on cartography and graphics for publication and presentation. It’s used by graphic designers, authors, researchers, and educators around the world for creating scaled drawings, plans, and custom maps. Ortelius is made exclusively for Mac OS X and is available for US$99. A demo is available for download.