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  #1  
Old May 2nd, 2008, 05:10 PM
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Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

Many factors must be considered during a draft. Of most obvious importance is the figures that your opponent has drafted. However, there may be another factor that is equally important: the map's terrain itself. Here I will give a few exaggerated examples of what types of map patterns you should be on the lookout for when drafting based on figures' moving ability.

First, we have the single-hex versus double-hex consideration.

The following map is the ideal map for a single-hex figure:



Here there is almost literally nowhere for a double-hex figure to move other than the water. Even the water isn't friendly, since it's as low as height can get in this game (level zero, if you will) and the figure must stop once it reaches the water. Drafting many double-hex figures would be devastating to any strategy you may already have in place.

This next map is the ideal map for a double-hex figure:



Here a single-hex figure must stop every time it walks in the water, forcing the figure to expend many turns to get to the middle. A double-hex figure, however, may move almost effortlessly across the streams, needing simply to add that extra move for stepping out of the water. There is also nowhere on the map that a double-hex figure can't get to. Even the oh-so-important high ground is double-hex friendly. Note that the advantage a double-hex figure receives on its ideal map is still not on par with the advantage a single-hex figure receives on its ideal map.

Second, we will consider a figure's ability to fly. This adds noting that Flying is a special ability and may be negated, whereas how many hexes the figure is on will never change.

The following map is ideal for flying figures:



The ruins, trees, and especially water severely damper a non-flying figure's ability to travel anywhere on this map. That high ground will take turn after turn after turn after turn to reach. A flying character, however, could reach the middle in two turns or even a single turn. That makes for a lot of unhappy and/or dead non-flying figures.

Conversely, a map that favors non-flying figures is... yep, you guessed it:



Nothing special here. It takes a non-flying figure just as many moves to reach anywhere on this map as it would a flying figure. Now, you may say, "Well, what's the difference if the figure flies or not?" The difference is that the playtesters took the figure's ability to fly into account when suggesting point value. So on this map, someone drafting 400 points worth of flying figures would actually be at a disadvantage to someone drafting 400 points worth of non-flying figures.

Again, these are exaggerated models and maps you are unlikely to ever see. What's more important is to be on the lookout for these types of patterns in the maps on which you're playing. Study the battlefield before you draft, and draft accordingly to give yourself another slight edge over your opponent. The more strategy you can implement, the less likely you are to lose to your own dice.

Last edited by Soul Shackle; May 3rd, 2008 at 01:59 AM. Reason: wording
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  #2  
Old May 2nd, 2008, 06:37 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (picures included)

Great article. I'd love to see you expand even more on this concept to deal with roads, lava, snow and concealment.

~Aldin, whose KoW are medieval Road Warriors

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or his desserts are small
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to gain or lose it all
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  #3  
Old May 2nd, 2008, 06:42 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (picures included)

I agree with Aldin. It's a good start and could only get better with the addition of road strategies, etc.


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  #4  
Old May 3rd, 2008, 10:49 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

I agree with almost everthing, except for your view on flying figures on flat terrain. You're forgetting the fact that flying figures can go over enemy units, which no one without Ghost Walk/ Disengage can do. However, yuo're right in saying that flying figures are not worth their points on flat ground.

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Old May 5th, 2008, 07:32 AM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

This is a nice post. One thing that pops into my head while looking at it is that the first map would be much friendlier to singe-spaced ranged units than melee ones.

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Old May 7th, 2008, 07:01 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

Aldin, thanks, and I will do that.

NecroBlade, thanks, and I agree with him, too.

Ty the Awasome, you're absolutely right - I appreciate you bringing that to our attention.

Jexik, thanks, bud - that means a lot coming from you in particular. The post was specifically geared toward the strategies of drafting based on figures' movement, which is why I didn't go much beyond these concepts.
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Old May 7th, 2008, 11:05 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

I think Soul Shackle is flying high; and rightly so. <smile>
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  #8  
Old May 8th, 2008, 11:38 AM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

Great job. I enjoyed the read.
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  #9  
Old May 8th, 2008, 11:59 AM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

I love what you have--and really look forward to seeing other terrain and options explored. Perhaps this could be a "Basic" thread and you can do other "Advanced" threads? (With links to each other, of course.) Thanks for working on this, SS.
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Old May 12th, 2008, 05:23 AM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

This is a great thread for beginners. Hopefully with these insights they can get better at drafting.

I'd like to see more terrain as well. I'd also like to see guidelines about when ranged units aren't worth it.
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Old May 12th, 2008, 11:07 AM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

I think the only time I've seen ranged squads not worth it (aside from a special battlefield rule in effect) is in a map literally covered in ruins and trees .
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Old May 12th, 2008, 05:24 PM
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Re: Draft choices based on map terrain (pictures included)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1Mmirg View Post
I think the only time I've seen ranged squads not worth it (aside from a special battlefield rule in effect) is in a map literally covered in ruins and trees .
And even then they csn still be worth it.

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...in the LIBRARY...
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