diff --git a/src/data/stylesheet.cpp b/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
index 9bbc625f..9151c1ca 100644
--- a/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
+++ b/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,19 @@ InputStreamP StyleSheet::openIconFile() {
 	}
 }
 
+StyleP StyleSheet::styleFor(const FieldP& field) {
+	if (card_style.containsKey(field)) {
+		return card_style[field];
+	} else if (set_info_style.containsKey(field)) {
+		return set_info_style[field];
+	} else if (styling_style.containsKey(field)) {
+		return styling_style[field];
+	} else {
+		throw InternalError(_("Can not find styling for field '")+field->name+_("'in stylesheet"));
+	}
+}
+
+
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(StyleSheet) {
 	// < 0.3.0 didn't use card_ prefix
 	tag.addAlias(300, _("width"),      _("card width"));
diff --git a/src/data/stylesheet.hpp b/src/data/stylesheet.hpp
index 2c1a6705..9b25047b 100644
--- a/src/data/stylesheet.hpp
+++ b/src/data/stylesheet.hpp
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class StyleSheet : public Packaged {
 	
 	inline RealRect getCardRect() const { return RealRect(0, 0, card_width, card_height); }
 	
+	/// Return the style for a given field, it is not specified what type of field this is.
+	StyleP styleFor(const FieldP& field);
+	
 	/// Load a StyleSheet, given a Game and the name of the StyleSheet
 	static StyleSheetP byGameAndName(const Game& game, const String& name);
 	/// name of the package without the game name
diff --git a/src/data/symbol.cpp b/src/data/symbol.cpp
index b6bd35d7..8cb24a53 100644
--- a/src/data/symbol.cpp
+++ b/src/data/symbol.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,26 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(Symbol) {
 	REFLECT(parts);
 }
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Default symbol
+
+// A default symbol part, a square, moved by d
+SymbolPartP default_symbol_part(double d) {
+	SymbolPartP part = new_shared<SymbolPart>();
+	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .2, d + .2));
+	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .2, d + .8));
+	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .8, d + .8));
+	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .8, d + .2));
+	part->name = _("Square");
+	return part;
+}
+
+// A default symbol, a square
+SymbolP default_symbol() {
+	SymbolP symbol = new_shared<Symbol>();
+	symbol->parts.push_back(default_symbol_part(0));
+	return symbol;
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : SymbolView
 
 SymbolView::SymbolView() {}
diff --git a/src/data/symbol.hpp b/src/data/symbol.hpp
index c726bede..8c58ab47 100644
--- a/src/data/symbol.hpp
+++ b/src/data/symbol.hpp
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@ class Symbol {
 	DECLARE_REFLECTION();
 };
 
+/// A default symbol: a square
+SymbolP default_symbol();
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : SymbolView
 
diff --git a/src/gui/symbol/window.cpp b/src/gui/symbol/window.cpp
index dd7c513d..88b44b2a 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbol/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbol/window.cpp
@@ -19,26 +19,6 @@
 #include <wx/filename.h>
 #include <wx/wfstream.h>
 
-// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Default symbol
-
-// A default symbol part, a square, moved by d
-SymbolPartP defaultSymbolPart(double d) {
-	SymbolPartP part = new_shared<SymbolPart>();
-	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .2, d + .2));
-	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .2, d + .8));
-	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .8, d + .8));
-	part->points.push_back(new_shared2<ControlPoint>(d + .8, d + .2));
-	part->name = _("Square");
-	return part;
-}
-
-// A default symbol, a square
-SymbolP default_symbol() {
-	SymbolP symbol = new_shared<Symbol>();
-	symbol->parts.push_back(defaultSymbolPart(0));
-	return symbol;
-}
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Constructor
 
 SymbolWindow::SymbolWindow(Window* parent) {
diff --git a/src/script/image.cpp b/src/script/image.cpp
index 803af797..7630cf84 100644
--- a/src/script/image.cpp
+++ b/src/script/image.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,16 @@
 #include <script/context.hpp>
 #include <util/dynamic_arg.hpp>
 #include <util/io/package.hpp>
+// for functions:
+#include <data/set.hpp>
+#include <data/stylesheet.hpp>
+#include <data/symbol.hpp>
+#include <data/field/symbol.hpp>
+#include <render/symbol/filter.hpp>
 #include <gui/util.hpp> // load_resource_image
 
+DECLARE_TYPEOF_COLLECTION(SymbolStyle::VariationP);
+
 // image generating functions have two modes
 // if last_update_age >  0 they return whether the image is still up to date
 // if last_update_age == 0 they generate the image
@@ -226,6 +234,37 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(set_combine) {
 	}
 }
 
+SCRIPT_FUNCTION(symbol_variation) {
+	SCRIPT_PARAM(ValueP, symbol);
+	SymbolValueP value = dynamic_pointer_cast<SymbolValue>(symbol);
+	if (last_update_age() == 0) {
+		SCRIPT_PARAM(String, variation);
+		// find set & style
+		SCRIPT_PARAM(Set*, set);
+		SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_(CardP, card);
+		SymbolStyleP style = dynamic_pointer_cast<SymbolStyle>(set->stylesheetFor(card)->styleFor(value->fieldP));
+		if (!style) throw InternalError(_("Symbol value has a style of the wrong type"));
+		// load symbol
+		SymbolP symbol;
+		if (value->filename.empty()) {
+			symbol = default_symbol();
+		} else {
+			symbol = set->readFile<SymbolP>(value->filename);
+		}
+		// determine filter & render
+		FOR_EACH(v, style->variations) {
+			if (v->name == variation) {
+				// render & filter
+				return new_intrusive1<ScriptImage>(render_symbol(symbol, *v->filter, v->border_radius));
+			}
+		}
+		throw ScriptError(_("Variation of symbol not found ('") + variation + _("')"));
+	} else {
+//		SCRIPT_RETURN(last_update_age() >= value->filename.last_update_age);
+		SCRIPT_RETURN(true);
+	}
+}
+
 SCRIPT_FUNCTION(buildin_image) {
 	if (last_update_age() == 0) {
 		SCRIPT_PARAM(String, input);
@@ -233,14 +272,15 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(buildin_image) {
 		if (!img.Ok()) throw ScriptError(_("There is no build in image '") + input + _("'"));
 		return new_intrusive1<ScriptImage>(img);
 	} else {
-		SCRIPT_RETURN(true);
+		SCRIPT_RETURN(true); // always up to date
 	}
 }
 
 void init_script_image_functions(Context& ctx) {
-	ctx.setVariable(_("linear blend"),    script_linear_blend);
-	ctx.setVariable(_("masked blend"),    script_masked_blend);
-	ctx.setVariable(_("set mask"),        script_set_mask);
-	ctx.setVariable(_("set combine"),     script_set_combine);
-	ctx.setVariable(_("buildin image"),   script_buildin_image);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("linear blend"),     script_linear_blend);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("masked blend"),     script_masked_blend);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("set mask"),         script_set_mask);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("set combine"),      script_set_combine);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("symbol variation"), script_symbol_variation);
+	ctx.setVariable(_("buildin image"),    script_buildin_image);
 }
diff --git a/src/script/value.hpp b/src/script/value.hpp
index 72675996..6003f336 100644
--- a/src/script/value.hpp
+++ b/src/script/value.hpp
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ class ScriptObject : public ScriptValue {
 		int i = item_count(*value);
 		return i >= 0 ? i : ScriptValue::itemCount();
 	}
+	/// Get access to the value
+	inline T getValue() { return value; }
   private:
 	T value; ///< The object
 	ScriptValueP getDefault() const {
@@ -332,9 +334,15 @@ inline ScriptValueP toScript(const shared_ptr<T>& v) { return new_intrusive1<Scr
 		Type name = getParam<Type>(ctx.getVariable(_(#name)))
 
 template <typename T>
-inline T            getParam              (const ScriptValueP& value) { return *value; }
-template <>
-inline ScriptValueP getParam<ScriptValueP>(const ScriptValueP& value) { return value;  }
+            inline T            getParam              (const ScriptValueP& value) {
+				ScriptObject<T>* o = dynamic_cast<ScriptObject<T>*>(value.get());
+				if (!o) throw ScriptError(_("Can't convert from ")+value->typeName()+_(" to object"));
+				return o->getValue();
+            }
+template <> inline ScriptValueP getParam<ScriptValueP>(const ScriptValueP& value) { return value;  }
+template <> inline String       getParam<String>      (const ScriptValueP& value) { return *value; }
+template <> inline int          getParam<int>         (const ScriptValueP& value) { return *value; }
+template <> inline double       getParam<double>      (const ScriptValueP& value) { return *value; }
 
 /// Retrieve an optional parameter
 /** Usage:
@@ -347,17 +355,24 @@ inline ScriptValueP getParam<ScriptValueP>(const ScriptValueP& value) { return v
  *   }
  *  @endcode
  */
-#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM(Type, name)	SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N(Type, name, #name)
+#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM(Type, name)	SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N(Type, #name, name)
 
-#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N(Type, str, name)				\
-		ScriptValueP name##_ = ctx.getVariableOpt(_(str));		\
-		Type name = name##_ ? *name##_ : Type();				\
+#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N(Type, str, name)					\
+		ScriptValueP name##_ = ctx.getVariableOpt(_(str));			\
+		Type name = name##_ ? getParam<Type>(name##_) : Type();		\
 		if (name##_)
 
+/// Retrieve an optional parameter, can't be used as an if statement
+#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_(Type, name)	SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N_(Type, #name, name)
+
+#define SCRIPT_OPTIONAL_PARAM_N_(Type, str, name)					\
+		ScriptValueP name##_ = ctx.getVariableOpt(_(str));			\
+		Type name = name##_ ? getParam<Type>(name##_) : Type();
+
 /// Retrieve an optional parameter with a default value
-#define SCRIPT_PARAM_DEFAULT(Type, name, def)					\
-		ScriptValueP name##_ = ctx.getVariableOpt(_(#name));	\
-		Type name = name##_ ? *name##_ : def
+#define SCRIPT_PARAM_DEFAULT(Type, name, def)						\
+		ScriptValueP name##_ = ctx.getVariableOpt(_(#name));		\
+		Type name = name##_ ? getParam<Type>(name##_) : def
 
 /// Return a value from a SCRIPT_FUNCTION
 #define SCRIPT_RETURN(value) return toScript(value)
diff --git a/src/util/index_map.hpp b/src/util/index_map.hpp
index fd1c016d..fe8611d3 100644
--- a/src/util/index_map.hpp
+++ b/src/util/index_map.hpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class IndexMap : private vector<Value> {
 	/// Is a key in the domain of this index map?
 	inline bool containsKey(const Key& key) const {
 		assert(key);
-		return key->index < this.size() && get_key((*this)[key->index]) == key;
+		return key->index < this->size() && get_key((*this)[key->index]) == key;
 	}
 	
 	/// Find a value given the key name, return an iterator