dok's maps - updated 7/24

[kevinthegreatGobbler]

I'd be worried if the castle player had Q9 on Birnam Wood to Dunsinaine, but other than that, cool map.

[Eirikr]

Originally Posted by dok

I added a new map, Birnam Wood to Dunsinaine. See the first post for pics.

The glyph set is the same as the ones used for "halfway up the downs".

The real innovation of this map, in my opinion, is that I'm starting the entire defensive force on the ground level. They have the stairway, so any forces can be put on the castle walls, but the defense will have to scramble to get up there. Meanwhile, the offense can claim glyphs and get in position for its attack.

I'm sure someone can do a better job arranging the massive amount of terrain in this map, but I'm pretty happy with the overall design and think it could make for an interesting game.

Could use a little work but you should consider submitting it to the asymmetric map workshop thread, or whatever it's called.
Looks interesting.

[dok]

Originally Posted by kevinthegreatGobbler

I'd be worried if the castle player had Q9 on Birnam Wood to Dunsinaine, but other than that, cool map.

Yeah, Q9 is a great equalizer on many maps! Still, Q9 would have to take a few turns to get up on the walls, and in the meantime the attacker can position ranged figures 9 hexes away from the wall. Then, using the Ivor glyph, the attacker can take shots at Q9, and Q9 can only take shots back at the glyph-holder. So there is a strategy you can use.

I updated the map, pictures, and file for Birnam Wood to Dunsinane. The castle now has a bit more depth to it, although the defensive start zone is only the back half of it. All defensive start zone spaces (and only those spaces, within the castle) are rock tiles, so it should still be pretty easy to figure out.

The start zones are now 14 hexes apart (read: first turn Zelrig-proofed). The central bridge is now high enough (2 levels above the rest of the castle wall) to allow all the non-flying double-spaced figures to walk underneath.

Rather than have the road snake all the way to the start zone of the attackers, I've created a "landing area" near some jungle tiles. An attacker can mass some figures there, and then shuttle them down the road into the castle all in one move.

[dok]

OK, new version of Birnam Wood to Dunsinane:





The main change is that the castle is not as deep as before, and the attacking start zone is closer in. I also broadened the "shoulders" of the map, so the attacker really has a choice of which direction to fan out in. They can stay 10 hexes back while assembling troops on either side.

I shifted the glyphs around a bit, too; Ivor and Valda are still in the middle, but the two temporary glyphs are on one side while Wannok is on the other. I also got rid of the ladders up the back, in favor of three ladders up front, including two adjacent ladders where the bottom half of the ladder is under jungle cover. The double-hex landing there has road on it, which (with the help of the move glyph) means that Jotun, Grimnak, TKN, and WSG can all hop from the landing to the wall in one turn.

The defending start zone now has some tiles outside the walls, and I also put "railings" on the stairs that force figures to go around front. The intent is to make the defense struggle to get figures on the castle walls quickly.

[dok]

New map - Jotun's Causeway. Those aren't castle towers - they're columns of hot basalt. Somebody has probably thought of covering castle columns with molten lava before, but it's new to me.



It's a small map designed to get figures up and close. All high ground is lava field. It's very melee friendly.

Not only does the name reference the real Giant's Causeway, but it alludes to the fact that Jotun is really the only figure in the game that can (indirectly, of course) take advantage of the hot spots on the tops of the columns.

[dok]

Another new one: Double Helix:





I consider this one sort of the evolution of my earlier "throne of the valkyrie" map. It is also heavily inspired by Ch1can0's Into the Shades. It's got the same basic idea of a bridge winding back and forth over water. I put the glyphs on the ground, shaved off one RttFF, and added stairs so that all figures can access the top level of the map.

[dok]

I modified "Double Helix"; the ground level road now winds in front of the start zone in stead of around the side toward the glyph.

EDIT: Here's a couple more images, since all the nooks and crannies of this map can be tough to digest from one angle.

[rym]

I like Double Helix. I need to go copy my "live" versions of a few of my maps in the garage into VS so I can use my stuff to make this one.

It looks like a ton of fun!

[nyys]

Originally Posted by rym

It [Double Helix] looks like a ton of fun!

I'll second that... maybe I can convince Bengi to have it set-up for our game night on Thursday.

[dok]

Originally Posted by nyys

I'll second that... maybe I can convince Bengi to have it set-up for our game night on Thursday.

Thanks guys! I think it's the most polished map I've made, and gives me hope that a castle map with significant high platform space can be used in a competitive, balanced 1v1 setting. I tried this in my earlier "throne of the valkyrie" map - my first original map. But looking back on that one sort of makes me cringe - it's a flat, oversized, wide open shooting gallery, and it looks pretty boring.

Still, efforts I had made along these lines since then hadn't been satisfactory, either. I had thought of having two stairways in stead of one, but I kept trying to have stairs lead to some sort of central platform, or a circular wall, neither of which had led to appealing maps. Then I saw Ch1can0's "into the shades" map, and just about slapped my forehead. Of course, a zigzagging platform, with stairs at opposite corners - that's the way to go. I laid out a top level that looked appealing, and worked backwards from there to a set of columns that could support it. Once I realized I could lay a winding river around those columns, everything sort of fell into place.

I'm considering making a second version of this map with TJ pieces on the ground. That might make it a bit less of a mad scramble for the top, and could encourage the use of all those underpasses. Still, that makes the map quite a plastic-hog. (I like that this map is actually four 24-hex pieces and several 7-hex pieces short of using the entire RotV set.)

[dok]

Here's the promised variant, Jungle Helix:





Other than a slide of the 7 hexers, nothing moved there. I just added some jungle pieces and took out the pine trees.

I think this version probably plays a bit better, but I'm not sure.

EDIT: Now I'm considering rearranging the jungle tiles a bit. I'm thinking of losing the back row grass tile, sliding the palm trees over by one hex, and putting a grass tile next to the central ladders. This would put all the jungle cover up close to the center, reducing the incentive to turtle in the back, and it would mean that ladder climbers get a little defensive help until they get near the top.

EDIT 2: Just noting that the above change was made.

[Shedim Kabal]

Digging the Helix series, here. Simple design; complex play. Good use of height to expand the small footprint. The water alcoves were a nice touch, especially.