Battlefields of Valhalla Discussion Thread

[Dignan]

Maps currently being reviewed:

Blacktop by dok

dok has been a great champion for the cause of making tournament worthy maps with the most recent (and readily available) master sets. Blacktop follows that pattern creating a great little map out of 1 BftU, 1 Marvel, and 1 RttFF.

The map is well laid out and shows the polish of a veteran map maker. The trees and rocks are placed to effectively limit line of sight from some of the key areas. The central high ground has a dominate position but is limited by the nearby rocks and trees. The road allows quick access from the start zone to the flanks (and glyphs).

The glyph placement makes sense and seems equally contestable from both start zones. Holding the glyph becomes a difficult matter and fighting over strong glyphs is fast paced and fierce. I do find the map to be a little cramped around the glyphs, but that's difficult to avoid with the terrain sets being used.

Aesthetically, the map is a little lacking. I'm not sure if there is anything to be done about that. The hexes one has to work with here just don't have great visual appeal. The map is dominated by unnatural looking shades of gray.

That said, the gameplay is very good on this map and it probably represents one of the best maps made using this combination of terrain. I think that this map fills an important gap in the tournament scene (especially for new TDs). YES to induct.

[lonewolf]

Bad Moon Rising by GameBear

Finally!

I feel like I have played enough on this map to give an evaluation. My first (and likely only) complaint about this map is the use of the castle bases. At first, I didn't realize that that those were the pieces being used, then I decided not to use them, and finally I realized I had to use them to support the map, but used some spare regular tiles instead because I didn't want to go track down some bases. I did verify that the bases work, but preferred to substitute tiles from my collection to occupy those spaces. Obviously using the bases wasn't the first choice, but due to the materials available in these sets it is a very creative way to create elevation with those sets.

The map does seem a little plain to me at first glance. Like many others, battlements put on single hexes also tend to annoy me. Thankfully this only happens on the two highest hexes in the center of the map and they are surrounded by the small rock outcroppings to offer some protection. We only knocked them over a couple times!

I feel like the game play on this map is balanced.....glyphs are accessible to both sides and in reasonable locations. Melee units should be able to use the limited terrain along with the shadow spaces to approach melee without getting devastated. Rats can block up the center section some, but the sides are open enough to prevent bottle necks. Overall I like this map and feel it plays well, especially with these terrain sets. I vote YES to induct Bad Moon Rising!