Battlefields of Valhalla Discussion Thread

[Eclipse]

Well, after a few more games I'm going to have to say yes on Into the Breech. The range thing still bothers me, but there's not really a good way to fix it that doesn't break what the map does so well. It's really quite a fun map and its rather small footprint ensures the conflict is brutal and quick. I actually really like how there's simply not enough room to run for the walls without securing the pass first.

Also, I'll approve of Marr Highway as well. It really does remind me off Wolf Swamp Road in a lot of ways, but there's some notable differences. The center area is really neat, as it provides a lot of cover from the high spots on the ends, but protecting the area requires running into the open. I think the biggest difference between this and WSR is the starting zones. The ability to guard your own area is actually rather interesting, though it leads to a bit of turtling. Still, the Zettians might be a formidible unit on this map, which is interesting to say the least. Also, someone should really throw together a lava variant as this layout seems perfects for the tiles a single lava set provides.

I haven't gotten a chance to try Keyholes yet and probably won't get a chance to any time soon. I'm going to have to go back on hiatus for the month of April. I'm taking my new wife to Italy for our honeymoon. Hopefully there will be a nice stack of maps to judge once we get back.

[Revdyer]

Interesting (if not spooky), Eclipse, that I've been working on a good map using lava. I'm not ready to show it, yet; but by the time you get back from that Italy trip it might well be ready.

[UranusPChicago]

Just to speed things along here...

I vote yes on Marr Highway as well. This long and thin map would match up very nice with a wide and short map within a tournament setting.

The lay out of the map forces you to concern yourself with the movement of your entire army rather than just throwing all your order markers on a single unit all the time; you might accidently spread your army out too thin across the length of the map.

If I had to make any change to the map, I would move one of the four trees to the other side of the map close to the big tree. I am pretty sure that has more to do with the anal retentiveness of me and less to do with the design of a great map.

I vote Yes for Marr Highway.



In regards to Breech, I am going to have to vote no....

In all honesty, I just don't like the "look" of the castle walls on this map. It is a personal cosmetic preference, nothing more. (This personal preference was not used in the final judging of the map, but it is what it is.)
Secondly, it is very difficult to incorporate castle walls into a tournament setting map. The way they are used in this map, though they are difficult to get to, only aid ranged attack.
Example: If a ranged unit is on the wall, then it can attack with +1 all units on the ground. If a melee unit is on the wall, it can only attack units that are on the wall, with no bonus. The only bonus (+1 DEF) that a melee unit could receive on the wall is when a ranged unit on the ground is taking pop shots at it and in that scenario the melee figure cannot even attack back.
Another shortcoming of the castle wall is that with a single ladder used on both walls, a natural single hex bottleneck is formed at the top of the wall. This aids the defense of ranged units, with the maximum potential of losing ranged figures on the wall to melee attack to one a turn.

I vote No for Breech.

[UranusPChicago]

I also formally make a motion that we take on a "part time" judge to fill in for CornPuff.

I understand RL, but if one of needs to take a hiatus of over a month, I think we should just get another judge to fill in. It is not like we are getting paid for this.

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by UranusPChicago

I also formally make a motion that we take on a "part time" judge to fill in for CornPuff.

I understand RL, but if one of needs to take a hiatus of over a month, I think we should just get another judge to fill in. It is not like we are getting paid for this.

I have no problem with this.

Secondly, it is very difficult to incorporate castle walls into a tournament setting map. The way they are used in this map, though they are difficult to get to, only aid ranged attack.

Yeah, this is what really bothered me about the map too. I'd LOVE to see a similar map with a 3rd ladder on the opposite side of the wall, but I realize that requires a second castle set to have enough ladders. The walls actually provide a great oppotunity for melee units to advance without taking fire early in the game, its just that there's no way for them to attack units on the wall without first passing through the choke point. A few more paths to defend would really improve this map, but I still think its a lot of fun in its own meatgrinder sort of way.

[Revdyer]

I'm good with the idea of a fill-in judge for the nonce.

[Rÿchean]

I am for having a new judge and/or temporary judge.

I will have my judgement on Keyholes soon; I played another 4 games on it last night.

Update:

Maps pending approval for judging process:

none

Maps currently being judged:

Into the Breech: YES = 2(Revdyer,Eclipse); NO = 1 (UPC); Pending = 1 (Riggler - Rÿchean co-creator unable to judge)
** 2 yes 1 no; Riggler's vote will decide it **

Marr Highway: YES = 4(Revdyer,Rÿchean,Eclipse,UPC) ; NO = 0 ; Pending = 1 (Riggler)
** Even if Riggler votes no to Marr Highway it would still have the better than 75% required; Marr Highway has made it into the Battlefields of Valhalla !!! **

Key Holes at Wolf Swamp Road: YES = 0 ; NO = 0 ; Pending = 5 (Riggler, Eclipse, UPC, Revdyer, Rÿchean)

Cornpuff is recognized as on hiatus since 2/7/07.

[Revdyer]

Congratulations to Velenne for Marr Highway!

[Ch1can0]

yiehaa! congrats to velenne for marr highway, glad you made it through the voting process with your map. You can post a link to the .hsc file if you like, so i can make a showcase picture.

[UranusPChicago]

Ch1can0, it is almost as if you were expecting to get a PM from me...

[Ch1can0]

pure coincidence! 6 months and 18 threadpages and now 3 bov maps, so this third one was really anticipated

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

Yeah, this is what really bothered me about the map too. I'd LOVE to see a similar map with a 3rd ladder on the opposite side of the wall, but I realize that requires a second castle set to have enough ladders.

If you gave the other ladders a "stepping stool" of one or two hexes, it could work with one set.