LeftOn4ya's Maps & Philosophy of Heroscape Cartography

[lefton4ya]

See my Quick Set-Up & Build Map Contest with almost 20 submissions of maps made in 7 minutes or less and with 36 pieces or less.

Also see my compilation of Official Maps & Scenarios with every Hasbro/WotC/Design team map in one PDF, as well as my Ultimate Battlefield Key.

My Philosophy of Competitive Heroscape Cartography:

• Maps should be balanced, fun to play on, and each one different.
• From the start zone, you should have 2-3 different options on paths to go, regardless of whether you have melee, ranged, or flying armies
• There should either be a very small highest terrain on one or two hills (1-4 spaces) or large amount of places to get general height (12+ spaces)
• It should take either 2 or 3 turns for the closest non-flying move 6 range 6 character to move from the start zone and be able to do a ranged attack on an opponent's start zone.
• It should take either 3 or 4 turns for the closest non-flying move 6 melee character to move from the start zone and be able to do be engaged for an attack on an opponent's start zone.
• The closest glyph to each start zone should be equidistant, and for normal (non-treasure) glyphs it shuold take a move 5 and move 6 character the same amount of turns to reach. Central/middle glyphs should be equidistant to all start zones.
• There should be LOS blockers for people to hide from range from the highest points.
• Symmetry is preferred but not required as long as thee is relatively equal blocks to line of sight and the same number of moves (not necessarily spaces) for all players is required to get to: the closest glyph, an opponent's start zone, and the closest high point on the map.
• # of sets & pieces should not matter, but the more likely the required sets are in someone's collection, the better.

Below are maps I have virtualized and I hopefully will make many more to come, especially more Lexan based maps. Unless specified, they are 2v2, 24 spaces each, and meet BoV terrain requirements (besides Lexan).

Here is my newest lexan map I have virtualized. I really like the idea of a base layer of shadow, as it helps melee or slow figures in general. I attempted to be roughly unbiased for melee & range, 4/5/6 move, double-spaced, & flying units. 2 Version - one with Cav's Lexan mat and another with Auggie's new dungeon/shadow map.
Mountain Over the Shadow - 1 BftU Master Set 3 & 1 Lexan/Vinyl shadow mat (11x15 & 20x15 hexes), 2 random Treasure & 2 random Power glyphs



This it the first competitive lexan-based map I virtualized. I really like the idea of road maps on the bottom layer.
Party In The Park - 2 Road Lexan Mat, 1 RotV, 1 RttFF


This is a simple grass map that is the ultimate test of who is a better player (or who has better luck).
Lexan Grass Map + - 1 Lexan Mat, 3 Rock Outcrops, 8 Shadow Tiles, 2 7-hex tiles.


The next I am particularly proud of, a Basketball Court! I may get incentive to make a baseball stadium later
Basketball Court - 2 lexan road Maps, 1 Marvel Set, 1 RttFF, 1 FotA (+1 extra flag for effect).

Description & Scenario

Spoiler Alert!

2 lexan road Maps, 1 Marvel Set, 1 RttFF, 1 FotA (+1 extra flag for effect).
1 v 1, 24-hex start, 400+ point map

Glyphs

• 2 Random Treasure
• 1 Random Normal
• 1 Rannveig (No flying)
• 1 Glyph of Superstength using Brandar's Chest Treasure, which gives the bearer Superstrength (No Falling Damage and negates bonus on Destructable objects)

Remember: Lexan, road & castle road get +3 bonus, concrete does not. On corener walls it takes height 7 and move 7 (including road bonus) to go over battlement from outside. Castle door and Marvel wall are closed and full health and flying figures can go over catle and ruin. If you can see a figure though a crack, you can shoot it!

Original Creation (looks better but doesn't play as well)


QuickMap - Water Under the Bridge - 3 Versions
Version 1 is an example for Quick Set-Up & Build Map Contest
1 ROTV, 2 RttFF (only 36 total peices, 33 if you count water as 2 for one)
2 Players - 24 Spaces starting zone each
Kelda (Healer), Dagmar (Initiative) & 2 Random Glyphs (Normal or Treasure).


QuickMap - Water Under the Bridge Version 2 & 3 are for Raids of Vahalla with version 2 made with 1 ROTV & 1 RttFF and version 3 made with 1 SotM & 1 FotA. Both are:
2 Players - 16 Spaces starting zone each
Kelda (Healer), Dagmar (Initiative) & 2 Random Glyphs (Normal or Treasure)



Ring around the Swamp Dungeon - 1 SotM, 1BftU, 1 RttFF - see how it meets my Cartography Philosophy below.

[LordEsenwienIV]

Very nice maps lefton4ya. +rep

[lefton4ya]

I changed Ring around the Swamp Dungeon and added my philosophy of cartography. I will use this map to exemplify how it fits my philosophy.

• This map is balanced for various situations (ranged, melee, flying) and fun to play on.
• From the start zone, there are 3 different options on paths to go: up the middle for height, the left to grab a glyph and/or be able to attack the opponent start zone with range in 2 moves, or to the right to stop the opponent from grabbing a glyph and being able to bum-rush your start zone.
• There is 4 spaces of the highest terrain separated as two two-hex spaces.
• It takes two turns for a non-flying move 6 range 6 to move from the start zone and be able to do a ranged attack on an opponen't start zone.
• It takes three turns for a non-flying move 6 melee character to move from the start zone and be able to do be engaged for an attack on an opponen't start zone.
• The closest glyph to each start zone should is equidistant and requires two turns. A single healer glyphs is in the middle.
• There is LOS blockes that protect people from the hill on two sides.
• It is synergistic and there is relatively equal blocks to line of sight.
• It requires only one each of 3 required sets: SOTM, BftU, and RttFF.

It is not the best map I have made, but I chose to Virtaulize & post it because it shows what I like in a map.

[Fen_Hydra]

Awesome maps!

Originally Posted by vbulletin message

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to lefton4ya again.

The "Ring Around the Swamp Dungeon" is my favorite. It looks like it will be a fun map to play on.

This one: |
.............\/

[lefton4ya]

Added Basketball Court!

Originally Posted by lefton4ya

Basketball Court - 2 lexan road Maps, 1 Marvel Set, 1 RttFF, 1 FotA (+1 extra flag for effect).

Original Creation (looks better but doesn't play as well)

Description & Scenario

Spoiler Alert!

2 lexan road Maps, 1 Marvel Set, 1 RttFF, 1 FotA (+1 extra flag for effect).
1 v 1, 24-hex start, 400+ point map

Glyphs

• 2 Random Treasure
• 1 Random Normal
• 1 Rannveig (No flying)
• 1 Glyph of Superstength using Brandar's Chest Treasure, which gives the bearer Superstrength (No Falling Damage and negates bonus on Destructable objects)

Remember: Lexan, road & castle road get +3 bonus, concrete does not. On corener walls it takes height 7 and move 7 (including road bonus) to go over battlement from outside. Castle door and Marvel wall are closed and full health and flying figures can go over catle and ruin. If you can see a figure though a crack, you can shoot it!

Still thinking of custom scenarios where basically you have to go back and forth and "shoot baskets." Could put Brandar glyphs under hoop and you have to go back and forth between glyphs to score. Or, to shoot if you are not under the rim you can roll a D20 and you need a 10+ but subtract 2 for each space away from the hoop. Maybe even make "Huge/Large" players better "on the key" while small figures are better beyond the key.

Just a working idea - any better ones? The original map is better for this scenario as it takes a way road bonus on court.

[lefton4ya]

- I fixed the link to the basketball court. What does everyone think? Want to help me with B-BallScape (or HeroBall)?

[lefton4ya]

This it the first competitive lexan-based map I have virtualized. I really like the idea of road maps on the bottom layer. I may later do a map with lexan road and sets currently available such as fortress and the D&D master set.
Party In The Park - 2 Road Lexan Mat, 1 RotV, 1 RttFF

[lefton4ya]

I updated my QuickMap - Water Under the Bridge PDF to have 3 versions:

Version 1 is an example for Quick Set-Up & Build Map Contest
1 ROTV, 2 RttFF (only 36 total peices, 33 if you count water as 2 for one)
2 Players - 24 Spaces starting zone each
Kelda (Healer), Dagmar (Initiative) & 2 Random Glyphs (Normal or Treasure).


Version 2 & 3 are for Raids of Vahalla with version 2 & 3 made with 1 ROTV & 1 RttFF and version 3 made with 1 SotM & 1 FotA. Both are:
2 Players - 16 Spaces starting zone each
Kelda (Healer), Dagmar (Initiative) & 2 Random Glyphs (Normal or Treasure)



I playtested the SotM+FotA version (solo play only ) and it seems to be balanced for Range and Melee, except I think Fliers have a lot better time. Braxas + Rats *2 was near impossible for an all melee army to take down, but I would like to see it played again against real people.

[lefton4ya]

Here is my newest lexan map I have virtualized. I really like the idea of a base layer of shadow, as it helps melee or slow figures in general. I attempted to be roughly unbiased for melee & range, 4/5/6 move, double-spaced, & flying units. 2 Versions - one with Cav's Lexan mat and another with Auggie's new dungeon/shadow map.
Mountain Over the Shadow - 1 BftU Master Set 3 & 1 Lexan/Vinyl shadow mat (11x15 & 20x15 hexes), 2 random Treasure & 2 random Power glyphs

[caps]

Do you have a file that has all the virtual scape versions of the mats? I'm considering buying one of Auggie's mats and I want to get an idea of what I could do with it and my 1xRotV.

Thanks,
caps