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Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 6/12

Viegon

Power abusing superplaytester
Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 6/12

I finally did it, I finally took the time to figure out how to make PDFs and the such, and here is the finished result. In this thread I shall be displaying all the maps me and my siblings have created in the tournament style (i.e. smallish, made for 300-600 points, generally symmetrical and hopefully well balanced). I will note that while we all love to make maps and I like to believe they are perfectly balanced, they have not been "tested", really, just played on for a handful of games. I would also like to note that some of these maps are not made with terrain limits, so please don't frown too much when you come across a map requiring a Ticalla Jungle set simply because a single tree was used.

We have quite a lot of them on VirtualScape, and are making more by the day, but I'll only start with one of mine for now, and update it quite frequently (at least until I get all of the ones we have now on here).

So, without rambling on any longer with the good chance of losing your interest, I present to you, our Crew's Maps:

CROWD HAD RUSHED TOGETHER:
Date Added: 6/12/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: RotV x1, TT x1
Suggested Glyphs: A suggested Treasure Glyph pool of: Potion of Healing, Elixir of Speed, Scarab of Invulnerability, Bracers of Teleportation, Giant Hunter Stone, Heroic Rune, Talisman of Defense, and Brooch of Shielding, with 2 glyphs sitting out; but really, any 6 Treasure Glyphs can be used
Treasure Glyph Trap: Your opponent must choose 3 figures he/she controls on Grass or Rock spaces, if possible. All chosen figures receive 1 wound.
Notes: As normal, the 6 Brandar glyphs represent Treasure Glyphs. The Treasure Glyphs and the above Trap are necessary for map balance, because without them range rules. As for the terrain, Heavy Snow but Normal Ice.

7196736036_ebc91983dd.jpg



MARRO BATHHOUSE:
Date Added: 6/12/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x1, FotA x1
Suggested Glyphs: Any 2 Power Glyphs and 2 Treasure Glyphs
Treasure Glyph Trap: The player controlling the hero who set off the trap must immediately place that hero on any empty space in their startzone. If there are no empty spaces in your startzone, that hero instead receives 2 wounds.
Notes: As normal, the 2 Brandar glyphs represent Treasure Glyphs.

7167469774_46491f4e4f.jpg



SLUDGECANO:
Date Added: 5/22/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x1, RotV x1
Suggested Glyphs: Any 2 Power glyhps
Notes: If you're looking for a very competitive map, don't choose this one. While it's fun and decently balanced, there are definitely certain units that will be quite powerful on it.

7250489412_af949cfd71.jpg



SELF CENTERED:
Date Added: 5/18/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x1, RotV x1, FotA x1
Suggested Glyphs: Designed to be played with the Defense +2 Power Glyph
Notes: Unfortunately, I find this is one of those maps that just don't translate well unto VirtualScape. I mean, it's hard to tell but this map has uber-drastic-height change.

7223973194_765ff4d266.jpg



SWAMP SWINGabout:
Date Added: 4/17/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x1, TJ x1
Suggested Glyphs: Wannok and two Initiative +8 glyphs

6942954916_6f950670a2.jpg



SOMETIMES, THINGS REALLY ARE JUST BLACK & WHITE:
Date Added: 4/3/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: Marvel x1, TT x1
Suggested Glyphs: Attack +1 works well
Notes: Normal Snow and Slippery Ice

7042403625_c1e70d8c37.jpg



FLAMIN' TOPS:
Date Added: 3/28/12
Author: Zettian Juggernaut
Sets: RotV x1, VW x1, TJ x1
Suggested Glyphs: Any 2 Treasure Glyphs. Attack +1 and Move +2 work well for the power glyphs
Notes: Plays best with 2 large ruins instead of one small/one large.

7024193319_1d2a7fd00e.jpg



A HOLE IN THE WORLD:
Date Added: 3/25/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: RotV x1, RttFF x2
Suggested Glyphs: 2 Wannoks by the bridge walls, 2 Dagmars on the heights

6865071942_90a9c75f29.jpg



SETTLING ASHES:
Date Added: 3/21/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: BftU x1, Marvel x1, VW x1 (with 2 extra Mika Connour shadow tiles)
Suggested Glyphs: any 4 treasure glyphs
Treasure Glyph Trap: When activated, you opponenet gets to remove all figures on shadow spaces and replace them anywhere on any shadow spaces.

6860874256_1a84dacfd1.jpg



THE FIRE AND THE FILTH
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x2, VWx1
Suggested Glyphs: the 2 Dagmar's on there, and any 2 Treasure Glyphs in place of the Brandars
Treasure Glyph Trap: When activated, choose a figure you control on Swamp Water and give it one wound

6842158330_d76ea92820_z.jpg



HER ICY EMBRACE:
Author: TrollBrute
Sets: BftU x1, TT x1
Suggested Glyphs: Any

6822101400_552b108aa2_z.jpg



RUNNING FROM SHADOWS:
Author: Viegon
Sets: BftU x1, RttFF x1
Suggested Glyphs: Wannok

6989981593_2f25ffc31e.jpg



WHERE CHAOS BREEDS:
Author: Viegon
Sets: SotM x1, RttFF x2
Suggested Glyphs: Unique Attack +1 and Wannok

6823360534_e99532ae4f_z.jpg
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps

Did you intentionally misspell chaos?

Nice looking map, btw. :up:
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Okay, fixed all of the "chaos" misspells, AND, to divert your attention away from my slip-up, I present to you a new map, made by my brother whom we have dubbed The Black Header Luck Sucker, called "Growth in the Despairing Underdark":

 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

I look forward to more maps from this family. :D
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Yeah, they look really good! Aesthetically perfect, and I can't point out any major flaws, other than that WCB is a little cramped with all the blockers. IMO, you don't really need the marro hive and the inner walls.

Can't wait to see more!
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Thanks!

Where Choas Breeds does struggle a little from being cramped, but I hate not using all the pieces (especially pieces like that).
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

OP updated with the two maps me and TrollBrute entered in Typhon's contests. And I put the links in the title of the maps.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 3/

I think you have illegal placement on the walls on Running from Shadows. Not like I'm a stickler for that kind of thing or anything... :runaway:

Otherwise, I really like it- by far your best map. IMO, to make it as great as possible, you might want to lower the 7-hexes in the starting zone, get rid of the wall, and move the dungeon 7-hexes where the water/shadow are on lv. 1 in the center. The starting zone to the immediate right can be moved farther up the map, toward the other starting zones, and the lv. 3 height can be moved to accommodate for the wall being moved. Finally, you can move the LoS blocker on the very left to right in front of the lv. 3 tile so that figures on it can't shoot down the road- because a figure like Syvarris can jump on it turn 1 and beat the crap out of any melee figures coming at it.

I hope you don't think I'm too nit-picky because of my suggestions, but I hope they help you figure out how to make even better maps in the future based on them!

-R
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 3/

I think you have illegal placement on the walls on Running from Shadows. Not like I'm a stickler for that kind of thing or anything... :runaway:

Hmm... looking at the rulebook, you're right. I never knew, I've built so many maps that way, I probably use the bridge walls like that more often then I don't. Thanks for pointing that out.

Otherwise, I really like it- by far your best map. IMO, to make it as great as possible, you might want to lower the 7-hexes in the starting zone, get rid of the wall, and move the dungeon 7-hexes where the water/shadow are on lv. 1 in the center. The starting zone to the immediate right can be moved farther up the map, toward the other starting zones, and the lv. 3 height can be moved to accommodate for the wall being moved. Finally, you can move the LoS blocker on the very left to right in front of the lv. 3 tile so that figures on it can't shoot down the road- because a figure like Syvarris can jump on it turn 1 and beat the crap out of any melee figures coming at it.

Could you do that out on VirtualScape and post a picture? I tried following your suggestions myself, but couldn't quite understand what you mean with some of them.

I hope you don't think I'm too nit-picky because of my suggestions, but I hope they help you figure out how to make even better maps in the future based on them!

-R

Don't worry, it's nice to hear constructive criticism, it's definitely better then hearing nothing.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 3/

Ok. I built your map and spent over an hour playing around with it. The closest it got to what I was talking about is this one...

Runfromshadows1.jpg


But the map turned into this. :wtf:

runfromshadows2.jpg


I like both of the above. The first one, the one that's most like yours, uses treasure glyphs. The other one has 2 random power glyphs.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new maps 3/

Thanks, Robber!

Those are some nice suggestions. With the glyph options, I originally wanted to put Treasure glyphs on but couldn't find anywhere to put them. I do kind of want to keep the start zones apart, with the few games I played on Running from Shadows before submitting it I liked the strategy in it, it made for a quick games where you can come at your opponent from different angles (and he/she back at you).

With your second map, my only complaint would be some of the massed (for lack of a better word) flat area outside the startzones, which flat area is something I always try to avoid.

On the issue of the bridge walls, I'd like to keep them on there because of 1) I like to use all the pieces possible, and 2) I like the look it gave the map with the eroded area. Personally though, I don't mind "breaking" the rules every now and then, since some of the terrain/map building official rules seem a bit silly if I do say so myself.

Again, thanks for the ideas, I'll try messing around with my map some using those ideas and get back to you.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Added another map of mine to the OP: The Fire and the Filth. It uses 2 SotM and 1 VW. It's symmetrical and decently balanced I believe, though large-ish and works for games more around the 600-700 point range.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Talk about a cartographically-talented family. Two of your maps just won in their respective categories, while another two did very well. I've never seen such a collective familial triumph before. :toast:


Could I make requests for minor modifications to our two winners?

Warning! Watch For Falling Rocks: If I'm not mistaken, the build instructions lack ladders for level 4. Also, the JPG image is missing indication of SZ spaces.

Running from Shadows: Having played on this two nights ago, I can say that I really really like it. It's just a lovely design. While I understand many of Robber's suggestions, I don't feel that we need to change the map that radically for our tourney. I.e., I'm happy to leave the Wannok, the elevated level-7, and the water tiles where they are. The one thing I will push for quite strenuously, however, is simply to remove the two bridge walls. I understand the desire to use every part of the set. And the walls do look cool, absolutely. But they reduce movement on the part of the map that most needs it. As it is now, the elevated 7-hexers do provide height advantage, for ranged units, against the closest enemy SZ. To counter that, the enemy needs to be able to rush. But the walls make that substantially more difficult. Removing them would open up much-needed movement along those corridors.

As you can see, both suggestions are very minor. Let me know what you think of them, and drop a line when you get updated PDFs/JPGs uploaded, so I can include them in our tournament thread. :up:

I'm delighted to think that we'll be playing on these; and will press our players to provide as much feedback as possible. :up:

Keep up the tremendous work, you lot. :D
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/1

Wow, I'm just glad we could enter, it sure was a nail bitter in the Forest one for a bit.

As to your requests:

Warning! Watch for Falling Rocks: It's missing the ladders on level 4 because (correct me if I'm wrong) when building on VirtualScape with ladders you skip every other level, since ladders are 2 tall pieces. As to the JPG, your right, we'll get that fixed.

Running From Shadows: I can understand the need to remove the walls. I was hoping it'd work with them on there, but I was worried it would just cause too many problems. I'll work on changing that.

Thanks again, I look forward to the input.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

My brother, the BlackHeadedLuckSucker, has ventured off into the world on his own, and therefore have created his own Map Thread. And so, I've removed his maps from this thread.

And in addition, I added another of my maps to the OP: Settling Ashes.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

Settling Ashes looks really good! Remember to keep in mind flying figures when designing maps, though. Figures like raelin become especially powerful on maps like this. The treasure glyphs take away from the danger of Raelin being able to cover the glyphs, but I'd watch out for this in the future.

I also am wary of the height in the SZ. Remember that maps should promote movement around the board, and having height so close to the SZ really kills that theme.

+Rep!
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

Thanks Robber!

I know what you mean, Raelin is generally my main concern when designing a map. Though, truth be told, Settling Ashes is one of my little bit older maps, and I didn't even bother to really look over it when I was creating the PDF.

The height in the start zone was extra pieces, but it is positioned so that even low ranged (but not melee) opponent's can get lava field height on it.
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

Found out when building Settling Ashes today that there were some mess-ups in it, and some of the pieces were the wrong ones, pushing over the sets I said it used. I revised it and updated the OP with the new version (and also making note that it uses 2 extra shadow tiles, from Mika Connour).
 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

Time for another map: A Hole in the World.

With this map, I was trying out the technique I've seen explored a couple times here on HeroScapers of putting the start zones really close together, but then have a wall or something in-between. I struggled with the available pieces on this one, and it came out a little bit on the unstable side (and not to pretty with some of the gaps on the side). The awkwardness of the 24-hexes also put some blank space off to the side that won't see any play.

A HOLE IN THE WORLD:
Date Added: 3/25/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: RotV x1, RttFF x2
Suggested Glyphs: 2 Wannoks by the bridge walls, 2 Dagmars on the heights

 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 3/2

And we have more! My brother, Zettian Juggernaut, has put together the below map (which plays quite well from the couple games I had on it), and now I bring it here to show the rest of you.

I present...

FLAMIN' TOPS:
Date Added: 3/28/12
Author: Zettian Juggernaut
Sets: RotV x1, VW x1, TJ x1
Suggested Glyphs: Any 2 Treasure Glyphs. Attack +1 and Move +2 work well for the power glyphs
Notes: Plays best with 2 large ruins instead of one small/one large.

 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 4/3

Another map! Here we have "Sometimes, Things Really are Just Black & White". My idea when designing this map was to make it, well, black and white. I buried all the grass and only used the concrete in the start zones, so all you've got is the Asphalt and Snow, with some ice and glaciers. It came out a bit smaller than I wanted (and narrow is some spots), but that's what you get with limited terrain like that, I guess.

SOMETIMES, THINGS REALLY ARE JUST BLACK & WHITE:
Date Added: 4/3/12
Author: Viegon
Sets: Marvel x1, TT x1
Suggested Glyphs: Attack +1 works well
Notes: Normal Snow and Slippery Ice

 
Re: Viegon's & Family's Tournament Style Maps -- new map 4/3

Hiya Viegon, :wave:

In light of recent discussion in our tourney thread, I think we'll be using Running from Shadows without the Wannok (or any other glyph there), to free up the road.

If you feel like generating a new version of the map without the glyph there, do let me know and I'll post the new one in our thread. If not though, no worries.

Looking forward to playing on it this Saturday. :toast:
 
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