Workshop Thread

[Nomad]

The Dark Wellspring looks very interesting. But, I am concerned that a few figures could prevent easy access to the very powerful Astrid glyph. Potentially, first one to the glyph and then with a couple of tough defense figures to block the narrow spots could lead to more blowouts than I feel would make for a tournament worthy map. to review.

[Sir Heroscape]

Dark Wellspring by TREX has received 2 nay votes to review and is removed from the process.

[Sir Heroscape]

Thaeberian Wellsprings by @Nomad

The first rendition of this map was really cool aesthetically, and I loved it. This version I think does a good job of keeping the impressive aesthetic while also improving some of the concerns from the first version. This version really improved the availability to the glyphs on the edges and the ruins allow for some help in hiding from Range which is really nice in this version. I also like how quickly development from the startzones has been improved, since in the last version it was much more difficult to get units out of the startzone. The other concern that was voiced was the ability for range units to set up just outside the startzone on height and pod there for the game. This version, while it has improved on that, still doesn't fix it imo. While the other improvements were nice, I think this last concern was the main reason for this maps failure to pass last time, and in my experience I still think that is what is holding this design from being a tournament map. When you look at the map, it doesn't look like a major concern at first, but you quickly realize that any 5 move figure can move up onto those highest points within 1 move from the startzone. To me, this is concerning because with very little effort at all, a 5 move range unit can set up shot just outside the startzone and command a very powerful position. The high point isn't super high or unaccessible by opponents, but it is the highest point on the map outside the edges snow positions. So, aside from another range army that can grab the edge snow position to shoot equal ground, there's really no equal level attacking that can be done on those positions. So, while I love this map and it's previous version...there just is too much of a concern for armies that can pod/camp out just outside the startzone and hold the position. It's also important to note that a range army from that position will also be able to cover 2 (with range 6) of the 3 glyphs on the map.

So, for that main reason...I'm going to go ahead and vote Thaeberian Wellsprings.

[Sir Heroscape]

Thaeberian Wellsprings by Nomad has received enough Nay votes to be removed from the playtesting process.

Anytime a judge submits a map for review/playtesting (at least while there are 4 judges), a unanimous vote is required to accept for review as well as to induct.

[Nomad]

Lost Road Marsh @Leaf_It

This review is long overdue. With the last ARV contest, I kind of got sidetracked on testing those maps. We played six times on Lost Road Marsh and generally enjoyed our contests. But, we found that as the battles continued, there was a general tendency for the armies to set up on the hills on either side of the trees and wait for their opponent to come to them. I crushed my opponents with a Laglor-Gorillitrooper build time and time again. I mostly liked this map, but it encourages camping on the hills. I concur with the conclusion of Sir Heroscape and vote to Lost Road Marsh.

[Sir Heroscape]

Lost Road Marsh by Leaf_it has received enough Nay votes to be removed from the playtesting process.

[Sir Heroscape]

Jandar's Summoning Circle by @Flash_19

The original version of this map concerned me because of the easy choke points that one could seal off once they've taken the height in the middle, but this version does a great job of opening up the flow of the map to allow much better movement.

Initially playtesting this map, I started to feel that there was just too much bet on who took the hill first. It plays kind of like a King of the Hill scenario, and I kind of like that. On this map, every game, players tended to want to grab height first before anything else and I thought that was a fresh new playstyle outside of a "run for the glyphs as fast as possible". The Glyphs on this map are easily contenstable, kind of out of the way and all of that is okay with me, mainly because they are used as a bonus for whoever might have had to concede the height to their opponent. It's also nice that one of the glyphs is protected from the highest points on the map, which really does help an opponent who may be controlling it and also fighting an uphill battle for the high ground.

I will say that this map does tend to hurt 4 move figures...but many maps can because 4 move can be just so slow. That said, the large majority of figures are 5 move and I feel that 5 move figures handle this map well enough that it's not too cumbersome. I had many a game on this map, and I can't really say it ever felt imbalanced or off. We'll have to see what the other judges say, but I feel confident enough with this design to give it an to be inducted.

[antmarchingroves]

@BiggaBullfrog, @Sir Heroscape, @Nomad, @Robber - I have taken all the feedback given for Valledon Fortress and have made several changes to address the concerns with my original submission. I have run several games on this updated version and all of the games played well and offered many great gameplay decisions. So I would like to resubmit Valledon Fortress for reconsideration to be inducted as an ARV tournament approved map.


Thank you for your consideration!


Valledon Fortress

[BiggaBullfrog]

Awesome, I really like the re-working you've done! I'm more than down to run this version, to review Valledon Fortress.

[Sir Heroscape]

I know there have been changes, but would you mind highlighting some of the changes youve made and why? It helps to have a summary of what was changed in order to see specifically how those changes affect gameplay and sometimes I miss those if it’s not explicitly stated.

[antmarchingroves]

Originally Posted by Sir Heroscape

I know there have been changes, but would you mind highlighting some of the changes youve made and why? It helps to have a summary of what was changed in order to see specifically how those changes affect gameplay and sometimes I miss those if it’s not explicitly stated.

Sure, you bet! Here is a list of the main changes I've made to the map:

1.) The original version was fairly flat (lv3 height) with not much height variation across the board. In this version, I increased the height to lv4 by bringing much of the road tiles up one level and spattered more high spots throughout the map.

2.) I added three road tiles coming away from the center of the map, extending towards the start zones to help army development out of the start zones.

3.) I reworked the ice and snow tiles near the southern end of the start zones so that figures were not having to drop down to lv0 ice and then climb back up to lv1 snow tiles when progressing out of the start zone. I also extending the road tiles further down in the southern section of the map to allow 5 move figures to reach the road on turn 1. This made for much smoother army development in the snow section of the map.

4.) Also in the snow section, there used to be a single space between the 3 wall section and 4-hex glacier. This was a potential choke point, so I removed the 4-hex glacier and put in the 3-hex glacier, which opened up the area so that more figures could move through it and also engage opposing figures more easily.

5.) I made both power glyphs predetermined glyphs (Wannok at the northern end, and Valda - Move+2 at the southern end). This was a suggestion from Biggabullfrog and it has proven to be very helpful for melee armies, especially 4 move figures.

6.) And finally, I added additional height on both sides of the castle door, near the Wannok glyph. This helped figures coming out of the start zones have another way to approach and contest that glyph. In every play test, this proved to be an area where several exciting skirmishes took place.

[Sir Heroscape]

That’s perfect, thank you!

I really like the rework. to review.