diff --git a/config/battleStartpos.json b/config/battleStartpos.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91cd9358f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/battleStartpos.json
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+{
+	"battle_positions": [
+		{
+			"name" : "attackerLoose", // loose formation, attacker
+			"levels": [
+				[ 86 ],
+				[ 35, 137 ],
+				[ 35, 86, 137 ],
+				[ 1, 69, 103, 171 ],
+				[ 1, 35, 86, 137, 171 ],
+				[ 1, 35, 69, 103, 137, 171 ],
+				[ 1, 35, 69, 86, 103, 137, 171 ]
+				]
+		},
+
+		{
+			"name" : "defenderLoose", // loose formation, defender
+			"levels": [
+				[ 100 ],
+				[ 49, 151 ],
+				[ 49, 100, 151 ],
+				[ 15, 83, 117, 185 ],
+				[ 15, 49, 100, 151, 185 ],
+				[ 15, 49, 83, 117, 151, 185 ],
+				[ 15, 49, 83, 100, 117, 151, 185 ]
+				]
+		},
+
+		{
+			"name" : "attackerTight", // tight formation, attacker
+			"levels": [
+				[ 86 ],
+				[ 69, 103 ],
+				[ 69, 86, 103 ],
+				[ 52, 69, 103, 120 ],
+				[ 52, 69, 86, 103, 120 ],
+				[ 35, 52, 69, 103, 120, 137 ],
+				[ 35, 52, 69, 86, 103, 120, 137 ]
+				]
+		},
+
+		{
+			"name" : "defenderTight", // tight formation, defender
+			"levels": [
+				[ 100 ],
+				[ 83, 117 ],
+				[ 83, 100, 117 ],
+				[ 66, 83, 117, 134 ],
+				[ 66, 83, 100, 117, 134 ],
+				[ 49, 66, 83, 117, 134, 151 ],
+				[ 49, 66, 83, 100, 117, 134, 151 ]
+				]
+		},
+
+		{
+			"name" : "attackerCreBank", // creature bank, attacker
+			"levels": [
+				[ 57 ],
+				[ 57, 61 ],
+				[ 57, 61, 90 ],
+				[ 57, 61, 90, 93 ],
+				[ 57, 61, 90, 93, 96 ],
+				[ 57, 61, 90, 93, 96, 125 ],
+				[ 57, 61, 90, 93, 96, 125, 129 ]
+				]
+		},
+
+		{
+			"name" : "defenderCreBank", // creature bank, defender
+			"levels": [
+				[ 15 ],
+				[ 15, 185 ],
+				[ 15, 185, 171 ],
+				[ 15, 185, 171, 1 ],
+				[ 15, 185, 171, 1, 100 ],
+				[ 15, 185, 171, 1, 100, 86 ],
+				[ 15, 185, 171, 1, 100, 86, 8 ]
+				]
+		}
+	]
+}
diff --git a/config/battleStartpos.txt b/config/battleStartpos.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index b584ec013..000000000
--- a/config/battleStartpos.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-//loose_formation
-//attacker
-86
-35 137
-35 86 137
-1 69 103 171
-1 35 86 137 171
-1 35 69 103 137 171
-1 35 69 86 103 137 171
-//defender
-100
-49 151
-49 100 151
-15 83 117 185
-15 49 100 151 185
-15 49 83 117 151 185
-15 49 83 100 117 151 185
-//tight_formation
-//atacker
-86
-69 103
-69 86 103
-52 69 103 120
-52 69 86 103 120
-35 52 69 103 120 137
-35 52 69 86 103 120 137
-//defender
-100
-83 117
-83 100 117
-66 83 117 134
-66 83 100 117 134
-49 66 83 117 134 151
-49 66 83 100 117 134 151
-//creature_bank
-//attacker
-57
-57 61
-57 61 90
-57 61 90 93
-57 61 90 93 96
-57 61 90 93 96 125
-57 61 90 93 96 125 129
-//defender
-15
-15 185
-15 185 171
-15 185 171 1
-15 185 171 1 100
-15 185 171 1 100 86
-15 185 171 1 100 86 8
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/BattleState.cpp b/lib/BattleState.cpp
index c3cdaa835..b11d54d94 100644
--- a/lib/BattleState.cpp
+++ b/lib/BattleState.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "CSpellHandler.h"
 #include "CTownHandler.h"
 #include "NetPacks.h"
+#include "../lib/JsonNode.h"
 
 /*
  * BattleState.h, part of VCMI engine
@@ -1372,16 +1373,17 @@ void BattleInfo::localInit()
 namespace CGH
 {
 	using namespace std;
-	static void readItTo(ifstream & input, vector< vector<int> > & dest) //reads 7 lines, i-th one containing i integers, and puts it to dest
+
+	static void readBattlePositions(const JsonNode &node, vector< vector<int> > & dest)
 	{
-		for(int j=0; j<7; ++j)
+		BOOST_FOREACH(const JsonNode &level, node.Vector())
 		{
 			std::vector<int> pom;
-			for(int g=0; g<j+1; ++g)
+			BOOST_FOREACH(const JsonNode &value, level.Vector())
 			{
-				int hlp; input>>hlp;
-				pom.push_back(hlp);
+				pom.push_back(value.Float());
 			}
+
 			dest.push_back(pom);
 		}
 	}
@@ -1419,31 +1421,18 @@ BattleInfo * BattleInfo::setupBattle( int3 tile, int terrain, int terType, const
 	}
 
 	//reading battleStartpos
-	std::ifstream positions;
-	positions.open(DATA_DIR "/config/battleStartpos.txt", std::ios_base::in|std::ios_base::binary);
-	if(!positions.is_open())
-	{
-		tlog1<<"Unable to open battleStartpos.txt!"<<std::endl;
-	}
-	std::string dump;
-	positions>>dump; positions>>dump;
 	std::vector< std::vector<int> > attackerLoose, defenderLoose, attackerTight, defenderTight, attackerCreBank, defenderCreBank;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, attackerLoose);
-	positions>>dump;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, defenderLoose);
-	positions>>dump;
-	positions>>dump;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, attackerTight);
-	positions>>dump;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, defenderTight);
-	positions>>dump;
-	positions>>dump;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, attackerCreBank);
-	positions>>dump;
-	CGH::readItTo(positions, defenderCreBank);
-	positions.close();
-	//battleStartpos read
+	const JsonNode config(DATA_DIR "/config/battleStartpos.json");
+	const JsonVector &positions = config["battle_positions"].Vector();
 
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[0]["levels"], attackerLoose);
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[1]["levels"], defenderLoose);
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[2]["levels"], attackerTight);
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[3]["levels"], defenderTight);
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[4]["levels"], attackerCreBank);
+	CGH::readBattlePositions(positions[5]["levels"], defenderCreBank);
+
+	//battleStartpos read
 	int k = 0; //stack serial 
 	for(TSlots::const_iterator i = armies[0]->Slots().begin(); i!=armies[0]->Slots().end(); i++, k++)
 	{