The Book of Sewer Labyrinth

[davidlhsl]

I know you'll probably make some modifications, but I wanted to set this up to see how it looks on the table. Here are the pictures:

Spoiler Alert!

With the columns providing cover, I'm not sure if you really need glyphs to get action around the map. I found when playing the Gehenna Base map that the structures provided perfect cover for an approach to the right of the start zone, whereas I thought that figures would only want to move to the left to get to the center.

I don't know if this would be better, but one experiment you might try is to reposition two of the column structures where they are near perpendicular to some of the others. That is mentioned here:

Spoiler Alert!

It might shield the flanking approaches.

Another idea is to place some more battlements in the high spots near the center. This would give people destructible objects to toss, if desired. Currently, you'd have to just chuck the ones near the start zones ahead and hope they don't crumble.

Finally, the Sewer Entrance had a map rule that stated figures in the sewer can't fly due to low ceilings. Here, I think Taeblewalker's special rule prohibiting flying over the columns is good. However, if you prevent flying altogether, that might disqualify the map if you were hoping to make it a competitive map. If you were aiming for casual, then you can select whichever option you prefer. There are plenty of flying creatures in dungeon crawls, so I don't see any reason why you couldn't let figures fly on this (except for over columns due to those walls connecting to the suggested ceiling). This could simply be a very large sewer.

Those are just my ideas, but hopefully the pictures might assist others in offering more useful suggestions. I'm about to start another Burt's Beer Tourney soon, so I'll leave this up for the first battle. I might even add some more battlements towards the center.

[davidlhsl]

Here's what the map looks with my tweaks of adding battlements and changing the orientation of the side columns. I think it gives it more of a labyrinth flair.

Spoiler Alert!

[Good Pig]

That looks great david! I like those changes. Hopefully I can find some time today or tomorrow to put this together.

I definitely would like to keep it competitive if possible. Give play testers another option with swamp and water tiles from the figures that rely on it.

Lets stick with no flying over columns and leave regular flying in place then. Thanks again.

[Taeblewalker]

It's coming along really well! I can even see using this as a DnD-scape sewer adventure.

[davidlhsl]

Originally Posted by Taeblewalker

It's coming along really well! I can even see using this as a DnD-scape sewer adventure.

Absolutely! And you can always tweak in some dungeon tiles instead of the wall walk pieces for a nifty dungeon crawl (gotta leave the swamp terrain, though, for a really dank setting).

One item that should be bumped is Griffin's suggestion for a 24-hex start zone.

[Good Pig]

Absolutely will add the 24 hex start zone. This is coming along great guys. Thanks!

[Taeblewalker]

Later on, I'll upload a vs file for a version of this map that adds a dungeon set. Not to suggest changing this, but as food for thought for a dnd version of this map.

[Taeblewalker]

Dungeon Version!

[davidlhsl]

I'm in the middle of a battle on this map (with my suggested modifications), but I wanted to go ahead and report that I love the way this plays.

I've always been firmly against uncapped columns on maps, with the exception of the ones on the C3G Savage Land map. There, the uncapped columns enhanced the feel of ruins. However, I'm really seeing the utility of these columns as LOS blockers, and they don't look quite as bad as I feared.

I did accurately predict the utility of using cover to draw action around the map rather than requiring glyphs to accomplish this. Mad Hatter was able to sneak around on the side away from the other players, and both teams maneuvered around quite well. The battlements in the center really enhanced the action, and not simply from a destructible object point of view. The battlements actually affected engagement, as a figure behind the battlement and at height wasn't engaged with a nearby figure below due to height of battlement. When you added the destructible object rules, the fun factor increased exponentially.

Funny story about destructible object rules. I have been dying to implement the rules in my own games, but I've always forgotten to use them. That happened somewhat early on with knockback rules, but I implemented those more quickly. When I was getting desperate in trying to release some of Team Captain America's figures from the evil control of Mad Hatter (nasty but extremely fun), I implemented the destructible object rules more from desperation than anything else. Sun Tzu's rule: When all else fails, throw something!!!

I love the placement of the roads on this map. What is really useful is the way you've extended the road into the various chambers, as opposed to simply clustering them in the center. This really allowed figures to appear from the chamber deep into the center, as well as allowing figures to move from one chamber around to another.

Just because glyphs aren't required doesn't mean that they wouldn't have a place on it. There are a couple of ideal glyph spots that I see.

The very center is the most vulnerable area on this map. It does allow line of sight along various chambers, but those figures can fire back! The center does allow great access to and from the various chambers. I think you've done a great job with height on this map. High spaces have some of the subtlety but utility that I find in quozl's designs.

I'm really anxious to see Taeblewalker's dungeon modification. I haven't had a chance to look at the VS file yet. I don't think that should be implemented on this map, unless you want to add some shadow tiles, but I think it would serve as an ideal springboard for a future map design. Mole Man needs some lovin' too!

Edit: One other thing I should mention. Due to abilities such as Cosmic Cube's ability to move figures x spaces, plus throwing rules that allow you to throw objects x spaces, you could toss a figure or object to the other side of a column. I'm thinking that in addition to prevent flying over the columns, perhaps you would restrict the ability to using those spaces when counting. I don't have any problems counting around a column to toss something to the other side (ricochet and all). Still, you need to preserve the abilities such as Martian Manhunter's Intangibility to move through them. If wording becomes troublesome, then I recommend trading theme for playability and simply restrict flyover.

[Griffin]

The Cosmic Cube is basically a Universal Weapon that can teleport someone, so I have no problem with figures being placed on the other side of a pillar by counting that pillar space.

[Good Pig]

Thanks for the objective feedback david. The middle seems like a good placeto put a glyph if needed, being that you have to stick your neck out a little to pick it up. I'm going to put together this map again this afternoon with the modifications you made to the middle. If it looks sound (which I'm sure it will) I'll fix up the vs file and propose to move it play testing.

One question regarding the start zone... Is there a way to allow a start zone space and a battlement on the same space? When building it in Virtualscape it doesn't allow you to. It seems like it should be allowable/legal as a figure can definitely occupy the same space as a battlement that hangs over on to that space.

[quozl]

To put two things on the same space in VS, you have to put the 2nd thing elsewhere and then move it into the space. It's annoying but that's the only way I know of to do it.