Nirek's Map Thread - "Ruins" revised 3/3!

[Nirek]

This post is now updated with a revised map as of 9/24.

This map is called "Ruins of Mogrimm's Mine."



Build Instructions are here.

This map was inspired by the Maps for Noobs project. I hadn't heard about it until the other day. When I did, I made a map based on the principle that led to this map, but not as good. Then I read some stuff on mapbuilding, particularly dok's blog on mapbuilding techniques, and I came up with this one (I know it's not totally convex dok, but it's quite close). At first, I was worried about stability, since there are some void spaces under tiles, but once complete, it stays together really well. I think the map is sufficiently interesting because the whole of it is viable. You effectively have three paths to choose, and they're all interesting - the shadow in the middle with a glyph, the "bunker" area in on the left, and the heighted area on the right. Feedback is welcome.

This map requires:
2 Battle for the Underdark
1 Fortress of the Archkyrie


This is one of my very favorite maps. I call it "Marshall Law(va)."



Build Instructions are here.

I love this map because it restricts movement through the center so heavily, but allows pretty free movement around the outsides, and because it has a wound glyph in the center. Ranged figures have trouble doing a whole lot of damage because the high ground is all restricted by lava field, and there are lots of jungle trees and bushes to further hinder them.

The map requires:
1 Swarm of the Marro
1 Ticalla Jungle
1 Volcarren Wasteland

I would love to get feedback on this map. Let me know if you think anything could be improved! I plan on posting more maps in the future.

PS: Once on that map, I was playing Raelin and my opponent had a Mind Flayer Mastermind. Raelin was twice dumped in the lava, and both times, I rolled a 20.


This map is called Avalon Keep.



Build instructions are here.

I've always found it a challenge to build a castle map that was still somewhat balanced. This was the best effort i ever made. The wound glyph is far enough from the castle that it can be camped, so that no one can sit everything in the castle and be totally safe. This encourages the use of both the castle and the main battleground. It is BIG though.

This map requires:
2 Rise of the Valkyrie
1 Swarm of the Marro
2 Road the Forgotten Forest
2 Fortress of the Archkyrie

I'd love some feedback on this one too.

[Robber]

I like the map! Biggest concern for me is the 2 lv. 4 tiles in the middle of the lake/lava/swamp thing in the middle of the map. Raelin can get there turn 1, and so can many other fliers. But figures with 4 height or less can't get up there (big disadvantage to common squads, which are mostly 4 height) or attack it. I'd either lower it or add some land around it.

Also, look at the glyph in the middle. It takes figures at least 3 turns to get to it, and it's just a wound glyph. Also, there isn't any way to get height advantage there, and because scatter really helps when moving through water, deathreavers can sit on that thing all day.

Maybe a little height toward the outer edges, too. I feel like I'm being a little picky, sorry about that. I'm a little OCD around maps.

And BTW, can I borrow your D20? I just got Deadeye Dan.

[Nirek]

I had actually thought about putting some ladders around those lvl. 4 tiles in the center. I would probably have put them from the water tile beside the lava tile to the top. Do you think it would be better to put them from one of the swamp tiles?

I hadn't really considered Raelin an issue for those tiles, since they are lava field. No one is going to put their #1 order marker on her, fly her up there, and then not put their #3 on her to fly her back. Uses way too many OM's on Raelin.

You might be right about the glyph though. I hadn't thought about rats, since my play group rarely uses them. I tend to put a lot of weight behind the wound glyph. Depending on the figures chosen, it can be a serious game-changer. I've found that in my games on this map, even though it is hard to get to, its central location means it usually gets used a good bit.

I will definitely consider height around the edges. I have to look and see how many tiles I have left to use. I'm trying to keep it to only the sets I have listed.

Don't worry about being picky. I posted because I want feedback. I want to learn to make better maps, and to improve the maps I've already made.

[Taeblewalker]

I'd say it's a fairly unique use of lava, and I like the combination and placement of terrain.

[Kroc]

I'm no master map maker myself, but that glyph in the center looks like fliers could get to it very quickly.

Other than that the basic layout is similar to Fire Isles, I love that map so I think I'd like yours.

I think your use of lava on the high ground to discourage Raelin perching is clever, but then I wonder whether those spaces ever get used. Especailly the two towers in the lake.

[Nirek]

Yeah, those two towers don't often get used. I'm trying to figure out something to do with them. I don't want to just put another swamp water tile there. Maybe I'll change it just to a level 2 swamp tile or sand tile if I have enough left.

[ProtoFury]

Bringing the rocks down to a height-2 outcropping would definitely help. Height 2 rocks won't give you height advantage over everyone, but it will at least give you some height over someone holding the Glyph, and relative height over some of the other low-lying parts in the map. And making them regular terrain rather than lava rock would allow people to stay on those rocks longer, which encourages use of the height-3 lava rock on the sides.

What I do see that has me curious is all of the jungle brush next to height. My first instinct is to say to move the bonus area away from the height, but since I haven't played on the map I wouldn't know how that's played out in-game. Nevertheless, you do have some overlapping bonus areas from two of the plants, which you could separate in order to have a wider bonus area.

Either way, I like what you're starting with, so keep up with it!

[Nirek]

I actually like the placement of the brush next to height. In all of the instances of brush next to height, the height is lava field. I appreciate the risk/reward instances this creates, as players have to decide if the bonus is worth risking the wound. It is also part of my attempt to limit ranged units. If you have both height and brush, you get +2 defense against them.

It's very valuable, and very risky.

Actually, on this map, I played an army of Vipers and Aubriens, and was totally overrun by Zombies. Slow, melee Zombies.

[ProtoFury]

Ah, well yeah without playing it's just theoryscaping. But to note, limiting ranged units would be because they can't stay camped. The ranged are going to go for that height so they'd have the +2 on you rather than the other way around. But since the map is fairly small without tons of height changes, I can see melee making it to the ranged units without much problem. So as long as it's not too much reward with too little risk (which you'd know more than anyone, having playtested), then I don't see much else other than that rock stack in the middle right off the bat.

[Nirek]

I've changed the big rock chunks in the middle to shorten them to a height of 2. Fortunately, using some imagination, I was able to free up enough tiles to drop the castle set, meaning now you just need a Swarm, Lava, and Jungle to build the map.

Unfortunately, keeping with those standards, I'm unable to add height around the edges. I've used almost every tile I have.

Please keep the comments coming! I feel that it was an improvement to change those rocks. It was suggested to me before by a friend, but now that I've heard it more than once, I believe it.

[ProtoFury]

I think the drop in the height on the sides isn't that bad, and gives the two short rocks in the middle some better usefulness now that they've got more relative height on the surrounding area. However, I do see the three-hex swamps on Level 3 relatively close to the starting zones, and since it appears there's no Level 4, that gives close, safe height for ranged figures, and would seem to discourage someone from venturing to get the dangerous lava height of the same level further into the map. I'd suggest taking a look at that, but other than that, I like the tweaks you've got.

[Nirek]

I've been a bit lazy, but I finally got on the ball today with this map. I'm working on rectifying the problem that there is level 3 height relatively close to the start zone, and that is not lava rock. So I've come up with four additional iterations of the map that make slight changes. For ease of examination, the first picture is the same as the one at the top of this thread, the original map. The three subsequent pictures are the changed iterations, with any differences from the original circled.

The original Map:

Spoiler Alert!

Note: this is no longer the version that is in the OP.

Second Iteration:

Spoiler Alert!

This one has the advantage of changing the height to lava rock, but at the cost of lowering the tile in the center to level 0. This irks me for some reason.

Third Iteration:

Spoiler Alert!

This one also changes the height to lava rock, but instead of changing lowering the center tile, it changes the start zone and eliminates a swamp water tile near the start zone. Another swamp water tile near the jungle brush is also replaced with sand.

This one, I think, really balances things out, and definitely pushes for faster movement. It pushes people to the middle. That's what I want it to do.

Fourth Iteration:

Spoiler Alert!

This might be the best of both worlds, but I haven't decided for certain. As you can see, the start zone changes and the sand tile by the jungle brush are just like the third iteration, but the lava rock near that jungle tree has been moved. This was to ensure that we didn't have height by a jungle tree without the disadvantage of the lava rock.

Final Iteration:

Spoiler Alert!

This one is the one now in the OP. I think this is what I'm going to go with, but I'm hoping for some feedback to make a final decision.

I appreciate all the comments I've got thus far, and I hope you guys will continue to comment so that I can make this map the best that it can be. Let me know which iteration you think is best, and if you don't like any of them, then feel free to include other suggestions.

Thanks guys.