Warlord Alpha's Map and Scenario Thread (New 12/2)

[Robber]

Originally Posted by Heroscapeguy

I am in love with your maps! I recently built overun, which is even better then I expected. What is your secret? My maps always turn out kind of flat, and I need some advice.

The best thing to do is put your maps on Virtualscape. Then, experienced mapmakers can comment and make suggestions on what to do.

I usually try to make the map smaller, usually allowing for about 14-16 spaces between the starting zone. The small-map theme allows for more available height. Then, I'll have the majority of the hexes on Lv. 1 and 2. About 15-20 spaces are on Lv 3, and about 6-8 on lv. 4. I usually never go past 4 levels, but a few on 5 and 6 are reasonable.

Also, remember that not every part of a large (7 or 24 hex) tile needs to be supported. You can take out unnecessary terrain underneath these and use them to build upwards.

[Warlord Alpha]

Originally Posted by Robber

The best thing to do is put your maps on Virtualscape. Then, experienced mapmakers can comment and make suggestions on what to do.

Yeah, this is almost 100% necessary at this point. With virtualscape renders it's really easy to see everything.

Originally Posted by Robber

I usually try to make the map smaller, usually allowing for about 14-16 spaces between the starting zone. The small-map theme allows for more available height. Then, I'll have the majority of the hexes on Lv. 1 and 2. About 15-20 spaces are on Lv 3, and about 6-8 on lv. 4. I usually never go past 4 levels, but a few on 5 and 6 are reasonable.

For a small like 1v1 map, and I'm sure most proficient cartographers here would agree with me, I'd say if you are getting beyond a footprint of like 25 x 15 hexes then you are doing something wrong. I mean, even my two four player maps have footprints of 20x20 and 25x20 respectively.

Just looking now, the 1v1 maps in the first post have footprints of:
19x11
18x15 (although the vast majority of the map is only about 9 hexes wide)
19x14 (although again, it is only that wide at one point)
19x10

The small footprint is really, really important.

Originally Posted by Robber

Also, remember that not every part of a large (7 or 24 hex) tile needs to be supported. You can take out unnecessary terrain underneath these and use them to build upwards.

Yeah, always remember that if you need terrain it's often necessary to go back and re-design level 1 in order to get that extra terrain you need. I'd say I end up having to go back to level 1 and 2 to scavenge pieces on about 50% of the maps I make. You can easily cantilever 7 and 25 hex tiles, and you can also cantilever a 2 or 3 hex tile if it is connected to something else on the same level.

[Warlord Alpha]

Told you there'd be new stuff soon:


Encircle

2 Players
1x RotV
1x RttFF



No glyphs. Straight-up duel to the death.

Spoiler Alert!

~ To Download ~

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A friend of mine came over the other day and I played my first heroscape game in months. I forgot to set up a map beforehand though, so I had to make something quick. This is that map, with a few little tweaks here and there. It's compact, light on build requirements, and quick to set up. But more than that, it is an extremely fast and brutal fight. I think there were two turns in the entire game where nobody attacked. It was just constant attacking and moving and jockeying for position.


Some more maps on the way too!

[Typhon2222]

Hah! Encircle is neat. A fast and brutal slugfest indeed.

It reminds me of how Thomas Hobbes described the life of man in a state of nature: "nasty, brutish, and short".

Let me say that I really really appreciate the time and care you lavish on taking multiple shots of your maps from different angles — including the super-informative top-down shot — so that viewers can fully grasp the architecture. I wish everybody posting maps (including me) did this. Huge thumbs up.

[Warlord Alpha]

Originally Posted by Typhon2222

Hah! Encircle is neat. A fast and brutal slugfest indeed.

It reminds me of how Thomas Hobbes described the life of man in a state of nature: "nasty, brutish, and short".

Heh, exactly! Like I said, I needed something quick and it definitely delivers.

Originally Posted by Typhon2222

Let me say that I really really appreciate the time and care you lavish on taking multiple shots of your maps from different angles — including the super-informative top-down shot — so that viewers can fully grasp the architecture. I wish everybody posting maps (including me) did this. Huge thumbs up.

Thanks a ton! Sometimes people post maps here that have so many LoS blockers that I can barely even figure out what the maps look like. The top-down view also makes counting spaces to glyphs and strategic places really easy. But the biggest draw for me is that most of the time the top-down view looks really, really cool. My new favorite is definitely Corruption's top down view, it looks awesome.

Speaking of which, I have two new maps to show! Multiplayer maps, at that! I don't know why, but my multiplayer maps always seem much more popular than my tournament style maps.


Corruption

3 Players (FFA, politics not included)
1x RotV
1x SotM
1x FotA



Three optional glyphs. The map can function without glyphs, but if you prefer glyphs then be sure to use ones of low-medium desirability like Wound, Init +8, or Common/Unique Attack +1.

Spoiler Alert!

~ To Download ~

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I consider this a companion map to Contamination - it's basically Contamination flipped inside out, but it has a very similar feel and ring to it. As I said above, my multiplayer maps are really popular - in fact, Contamination right now has almost exactly 150 downloads, which is the most of any of my maps.

But, this is it's own map, with some really cool little quirks of its own. My favorite is definitely the giant pit in the middle of the map, which I call the pit of death because we played that if you jumped/fell/got thrown into it you died and that was that. Also, I remember reading something about Superhero Knockback rules a while back, and if you play with C3G figures and the like that might be something to try - it'll be like Sparta kicking people into the abyss (speaking of which, the center of the pit is currently swamp tiles, but feel free to replace them with shadow tiles if you have them laying around, it looks awesome).

Something really funny that can happen from time to time is when those "staircases" get clogged up. If two people decide to go full-force up the same staircase it gets clogged up and it is hilarious to watch.

Also, as noted above, glyphs are optional. Personally, I'm not sure which I prefer for this map. The non-glyph version might be better, but it's up to the player.


But, anyways, now for something else entirely:

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DarkMire

4 Players (FFA, politics not included)
1x SotM
2x BftU



Two glyphs. Preferably ones of medium-high desirability, like Attack +1, Defense +1, or Move +2.

Spoiler Alert!

~ To Download ~


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I very, very rarely see 4 payer FFA maps around here. So I built one. Out of the most common sets (hence the relative lack of height). This map will test your decision making and ability to withstand a two, possibly three-front war. Not only do you have to figure out how to deal with the people to either side of you, but you also have those glyphs to worry about - do you throw your units into the mosh pit in hopes of claiming one (or both?!), or do you forsake them and laugh as the corpses pile up?




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And then, beyond this, I have two more tournament-style maps in the pipeline. One of them is currently on its 4th revision, hopefully next time I test it I'll be satisfied with it.

[EMT644]

Your maps are great man. I can't wait to try a few more of them out. It is nice to see some maps that dont require RTTFF, VW or TJ as they are getting super expensive

[Warlord Alpha]

Been a while, eh?

Don't get to play 'Scape much anymore, but for some reason whenever I do it ends up being with 2 other people, which means I seem to always need a 3-player map.

Got a chance to play the other day and needed to build something quick, so I came up with:


Treachery

3 Players (FFA, politics not included)
As pictured:
1x RotV
1x SotM
1x FotA OR 1x RttFF
1x TJ



No glyphs. Straight-up duel to the death.

Spoiler Alert!

Note: the terrain "requirements" are more guidelines than anything else. This map is extremely small and light on requirements, and as a result can be built with pretty much anything (especially if you're willing to use proxy terrain).

Some possible substitutions:
-One BFTU could be used in place of SotM (in which case use water/shadow as a proxy for the swamp water)
-Use RttFF trees, Castle Wall segments, or stalagmites as a proxy for the TJ trees/bushes
-Use dungeon/rock/sand/anything but grass as a proxy for the road

Remember to use the +1 ranged defense from jungle brushes, regardless of whether a proxy is used.


Additional render:

~ To Download ~


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Some notes:

-Very small, very quick to set up.
-The map is extremely double-spaced figure friendly.
-Lots of tactical positioning thanks to the way the height and jungle brush is set up.
--My favorite design feature, something I'm really proud of, is how you kind of have two choices. You can control the road and the natural choke points formed by the brush, or you can control the height. But you can't control both unless you spend a lot of time moving figures out. So you either get height advantage, or you get to decide who moves where. Makes for some really neat decision making if you're in the mood to abuse engagement rules.


My other favorite design "feature" (this is more of a coincidence though) is the weirdness with the terrain requirements. At first glance this map asks for a lot, but as it turns out, there is a giant pile of terrain left over if you build this the way I built it.

I'm pretty sure the bare minimum needed to build this would be a RotV, a BftU, and a FotA if you were willing to do some mild terrain proxying. If you didn't mind doing some more terrain proxying you might be able to get away with something along the lines of a SotM + 2x BftU and a RttFF or FotA.