diff --git a/HexGrid.pm b/HexGrid.pm
index 7f45a1a..77bf7c9 100644
--- a/HexGrid.pm
+++ b/HexGrid.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use Hash::Merge qw(merge);
 use HexGrid::Tile;
 use HexGrid::Region;
 use HexGrid::PopUp;
+use HexGrid::Image;
 use Carp;
 use Data::Dumper;
 
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@ use feature "signatures";
 no warnings "experimental::signatures";
 
 has regions => (is => 'rw', default => sub { {} });
+has images => (is => 'rw', default => sub{ {} });
+
 has sideLength => (is => 'rw', default => 100);
 has width => (is => 'rw', default => 1000);
 has height => (is => 'rw', default => 1000);
@@ -36,6 +39,19 @@ sub make_region($this, $name, %defaults)
 	$this->add_region(HexGrid::Region->new(name => $name, defaults => $tile_defaults));
 }
 
+sub add_image($this, $name, $source)
+{
+	# Height/width of the image within the symbol doesn't matter
+	# it will be scaled on use by matching the symbol viewbox to the declared image dimensions
+	$this->{images}{$name} = HexGrid::Image->new
+	(
+		source => $source,
+		id => "${name}_img",
+		width => 1,
+		height => 1
+	);
+}
+
 sub get_tile_at($this, $nw, $sw)
 {
 	foreach my $region (keys $this->{regions}->%*)
@@ -54,6 +70,18 @@ sub render($this)
 	$style_text .= ".$this->{popup_class} { visibility: hidden; }" if $this->{hidden_popups};
 	$root_style->cdata($style_text);
 
+	my $defs = $svg->defs();
+	while (my ($key, $image) = each %{$this->{images}})
+	{
+		my $symbol = $defs->symbol
+		(
+			id => "${key}_symbol",
+			viewBox => "0 0 $image->{width} $image->{height}",
+			width => $image->{width},
+			height => $image->{height});
+		$image->render($symbol);
+	}
+
 	my $laters = [];
 	foreach my $region (keys %{$this->{regions}})
 	{
diff --git a/HexGrid/Image.pm b/HexGrid/Image.pm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f655ba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/HexGrid/Image.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package HexGrid::Image;
+
+use v5.30;
+
+use Moo;
+use MooX::Aliases;
+
+use feature "signatures";
+no warnings "experimental::signatures";
+
+
+has source => (is => 'rw', required => 1, alias => [qw(src url source_url)]);
+has fetch => (is => 'rw', default => 0);
+has id => (is => 'rw', required => 1);
+has width => (is => 'rw', required => 1);
+has height => (is => 'rw', required => 1);
+
+sub render($this, $container)
+{
+	# hard coded into external URL mode
+	my $image_element = $container->image(id => $this->{id}, href => $this->{source});
+	$image_element->{width} = $this->{width} if defined($this->{width});
+	$image_element->{height} = $this->{height} if defined($this->{height});
+	return $image_element;
+}
+
+1;
diff --git a/HexGrid/Tile.pm b/HexGrid/Tile.pm
index 11563b3..fb23fde 100644
--- a/HexGrid/Tile.pm
+++ b/HexGrid/Tile.pm
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ sub render($this, $container, $width, $height, $laters = undef)
 		$this->{images} = [$this->{images}] if ref($this->{images}) ne 'ARRAY';
 		foreach my $image ($this->{images}->@*)
 		{
-			my $image_element = $g->image(id => "$this->{nw}_$this->{sw}_${image}_img",
-				href => $image, width => $width, height => $height,
+			my $use_element = $g->use(id => "$this->{nw}_$this->{sw}_${image}_use",
+				href => "#${image}_symbol", width => $width, height => $height,
 				"clip-path" => "url(#$clipPath->{id})");
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/wiki-map.pl b/wiki-map.pl
index be7def4..03f4833 100644
--- a/wiki-map.pl
+++ b/wiki-map.pl
@@ -203,9 +203,10 @@ foreach my $page (values %{$background_query_results->{query}{pages}})
 	if($page->{imageinfo})
 	{
 		say STDERR "Processing image: $page->{title}";
+		$grid->add_image(HexGrid::to_id($page->{title}), $page->{imageinfo}[0]{url});
 		foreach my $region (@{$background_pages{$page->{title}}})
 		{
-			$region->{defaults}{image} = $page->{imageinfo}[0]{url};
+			$region->{defaults}{image} = HexGrid::to_id($page->{title});
 		}
 	}
 }