[Red Eyed Jedi]

I played three games on Dark Design for my test
The armies I played with are

Spoiler Alert!

Game 1 was.
Team 1 Ronan, Captain Mar-Vell, Kree scout (x5) 960
Team 2 Skrull Warriors, (x3) Super Skrull, (both FF and X) 950
Highlights are.
Kree with their bonding and telport move in quick kill a couple warriors. Skrull Warriors shoot off Lava Rock hill then flee off in turn 3, Blow back from Ronan's SA puts Super Skrull into Molten Lava for no effect. Kree Scout can't see Skrull Warrior behind a Rock outcropping. Super Skrull (Ff) gets bounce back into Molten Lava on Mar-vell.
Team 2 wins a close one Super Skrull (FF) survives with 5 wounds.

Game 2 was.
Team 1 Prof X, Jean Grey, Iceman, Cyclops, Angel, Beast 1000
Team 2 Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing, Human Torch 1000.
Highlights are.
Thing uses Clobberin Time on Cyclops into Molten Lava for death, Torch uses his Lava resist in this game stands in Molten Lava and gets in attacks before going Supernova and dealing wounds to several X-men including Prof. X. Jean throws Thing into Lava twice and Mr. Fantastic once, but never got the instant kill the d20 was hot for both teams through out this game.
Team 1 won with Jean Grey Surviving with 3 wounds in another close game.

Game 3 was the two winning teams with Atom added to team 2
Team 1 Prof. X, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Cyclops, Angel 1000
Team 2 Skrull Warriors, (x3) Super Skrull, (both FF and X) Atom 990
Highlights are more of Jean throwing but the Super Skrulls don't mind the Lava. Super Skrull (x) moves in and destroys Prof X early in the game. Skrull Warrios and Super Skrull (X) are to much for the mutants once Prof X is gone and win an easy one.
Team 2 wins with Super Skrull (x) with 3 wounds, Skrull Warriors, (x1) Super Skrull, (FF) and Atom no Wounds.

I didn't note the wounds taken from the Lava Rock in these games, but it was on the fairly low side, the Lava Rock hill saw some action but mostly it was the center Lava Rock Hex, doing the most

First off Dark Design is symetrical, an easy build, has a low build cost ( not many sets used) pretty long about 4 feet though, and is a pretty cool looking map. There are lots of points to make choices at, (which side to move out from from, to keep the height and risk the Lava Rock damage or not, try to set up Knockback into Molten Lava is always fun, the decision to move near Molten Lava and risk the Knockback is good as well). From the front of starting zones Its 14 spaces one way to the center Lava Rock hex walking and 15 the other way. 9 for the flyers. Nice and even map.
There is a rock space 5 spaces from the front of the starting zone around the back of the Lava Rock hill that is nice to land on as a lot of figures have the 5 movement. You could move the 2 hex Lava rock up and the single rock space back so figures would end on the Lava rock space to make it more risky. Going that way isn't that risky except you have a height disadvantage and the risk of KB into the Molten Lava is low until you step up to the 24 Hex Dungeon space, which by the way would be good spots for an optional random glyph. The rock 3 hex and dungeon 3 hex on the 24 hex dungeon space are placed well, lots of good options to move around there and take height, looks better like that as well. The shadow spaces were never used in all my games, the Lava Rock hill was used some but not as much as I would have liked. Its just so far back from the opponent. The most action was on the 24 Hex dungeon space one side or the other and the 7 hex dungeon spot in the middle with the Lava rock on top makes a nice King of the Hill feel.

I would suggest moving a 7 hex Lava Rock off the hill and put it under the 3 hex rock on the 24 hex dungeon space this would make the 3 hex rock equal to the 7 hex dungeon hex in the middle, and make for some more options in the middle where most of the action is at. Looks better like this I think as well. You could then put the 2 hex Lava rock over the exposed grass on the hill, and put the single hex Lava Rock on the corner of the hill, keeping a space between the two. I played a couple games with these modifications after my tests and I found that help enhance the game play, buy giving you more options where most the most of action is at.

Overall I think the Dark Design map is a good map, different from the other Lava maps we have in C3G, Lots of good options and a fun map to play on. I hope it passes.

It took me longer than what I would have liked to make this report but I was waiting on my friend with a camera to come over so I could better illustrate what I meant about moving some of the stuff, but he forgot it at home.