Heroclix Map Review: The Junkyard

[saturnflight]

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1412&pictureid=14142

The impact a map can have on a game is often overlooked. A good strategy incorporates a tactically-sound map choice. But when it comes to locale, sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. We're here to help you make smart decisions when it comes to Heroclix real estate.

[saturnflight]

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1412&pictureid=14139
Thanks to Ignatz_Mouse for providing the image.

[saturnflight]

DC: Collateral Damage advertised itself as a set full of junk. That is to say, the sculpts were to feature an unprecedented amount of terrain, wreckage, and props. These days that kind of sculpting isn't uncommon, but back then the idea of Kalibak constantly armed with a car door was the stuff of, well, the 3-D Dumpster object. It was only appropriate, then, that the map for this set was themed around a junkyard.

If the Junkyard were made today, you can bet it would be different. The rise of Special Powers would have likely meant that the Junkyard would employ orange terrain somewhere. As it was, the conveyor belt was the subject of many house rules (some even going so far as to incorporate the trash compactor). This map truly captured the imagination of players, and stuck in players' minds long after Collateral Damage left the tournament scene.

Despite that popularity, the Junkyard can be a brutal silver bullet to an unprepared team. The layout of the map incorporates a 'No Man's Land', drawn out by Hindering Terrain that can snare a figure for a turn or two. For those who don't already ignore terrain (such as fliers or Leap/Climb figures), the only way to avoid this is to maneuver through the narrow squares of Elevated Terrain that represent the walls of the trash compactor. It is this central barrier that defines this map, and if your team can't make great use of this feature then you should consider a different map choice.

This map offers great protection to a support crew. Besides the difficult-to-cross center line, there are huge chunks of Blocking Terrain that cut off line of fire to the starting areas. A character who finds themselves in need of medical services has plenty of cover to fall back to while a medic goes to work on them. These towers of trash can also serve as protection to giant figures; remember that blocking terrain is about the only thing that can keep them out of sight.

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1412&pictureid=14143
Zzzax loves having the chance to be inconspicuous.

For those figures who can't cope with the open spaces of the central Junkyard arena, the warehouse that run alongside the map provides excellent cover. Here, a close combat figure can take his time making the conveyor crossing and go solo against a like-minded foe, or sneak around back to throw off an opponent's setup. Note that the squares where the conveyor belt crosses from indoor to outdoor do not contain a wall; a figure may still be a target to opponents waiting outside.

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1412&pictureid=14141
Trickster forgets Dr. Mid-Nite's Stealth, and that he may still have a target available outside.

So what kind of figures are really going to perform for you here?

This map provides a perfect opportunity for me to speak a little about making up for terrain issues through the use of Smoke Cloud. Take a look at The Thing here in square K14. Normally, Ben is a force to be reckoned with, able to move his full speed value before making an attack. But, Mole Man chose his map wisely; Grimm is stuck behind a line of Hindering Terrain. He would easily waste two turns headed over the Elevated Terrain to his right, and in that time Mole Man will have tunneled away.

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1412&pictureid=14140
And this, I suppose, is how the Mole Man became one of the Fantastic Four's recurring foes...

If you just added the Human Torch to this picture, all Ben's problems would be solved. Laying out a path of Smoke Cloud beginning beneath The Thing would mean he was already beginning his movement in Hindering. Sure, his movement would be cut in half to a 4, but so long as every square in his path contained Hindering, he'd never be 'entering' Hindering and therefore never have to stop his movement; The Thing is clear to move right up to Mole Man for an attack.

What's Mr. Fantastic doing in the picture, you ask? I suppose he came up with the idea.

-Hypersonic Speed loves this map, but only if that character ALSO has Flight or some similar method of ignoring terrain. A brutal maneuver that many are familiar with is to use a Super Strength/HSS figure to dive in and out of the Trash Compactor squares (M12-P13) armed with the unbreakable Dumpster (or Power Generator). Even without resorting to that, the map has plenty of areas to run back to for cover.

-Leap/Climb, Phasing/Teleport, Flight, Ultimates, Superman Ally, etc. Any way to avoid stopping as you cross the conveyor belt is key, especially if you require close combat to be effective.

-Taxis can be very useful, especially a Green Lantern member (who can make up for the mobility issues of an entire 8-man squad).

-Willpower can make a big difference on the unfortunate grounded figures of this map. If you've got to take the overpass, or have to spend two actions crossing the centerline, at least Willpower will let you do it all while an opponent clears.

-Stealth gets the best seat in the house. The line of hindering will always be in the way, allowing Stealthed figures to reposition often and control the board.

-Quake/Force Blast lets you force back an opponent who just went through all the trouble of crossing the line of hindering terrain. Guaranteed irritation.

[saturnflight]

So is one man's junkyard another man's treasure? Or is this map just garbage?

Theme: 5/5
Great locale that finally justifies all the random clutter that object tokens cover. This map might only have netted a 4 for lacking a clear comic tie-in, but then it was pointed out to me by Ignatz_Mouse that the name "J. Jones Salvage" that appears on the sign in P1-P4 is a reference to the Three Investigators (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Investigators). Not a part of my childhood, but that's just cool.
Clarity: 3/5
This map's dark color scheme hurts the visibility by quite a bit, but along with that came one significantly confusing layout choice: is there or isn't there a wall between the indoor and outdoor segments of the conveyor belt? D12-E13 would have been the perfect spot to put a 4-square object graphic, just to make it clear that it's considered wide open.
Tactical Impact: 5/5
The barrier of Hindering Terrain is unique to this map, and its impact is huge. Choosing this map instantly forces players to re-evaluate their teams and rack their brains for audibles.
Balance: 2/5
It may seem that both players are in equally playable position with their starting areas, but the player starting on the 23-24 side has better access to the rooftop, a wider hole to shoot into the warehouse, and more routes available when leaving the starting area. On another dimension, Stealth is already a powerful ability that probably doesn't need the help this map gives it, as is ranged combat (which will always get in the first few rounds as close combatants struggle to make their way across the map).
Terrain Diversity: 4/5
A lot of Hindering and a lot of Blocking predominate this map's terrain. Elevated Terrain isn't plentiful enough for how indispensable it is to coping with this map. There's a bit of Indoor terrain tossed in for good measure, but it's effect on the map is negligible.

Overall: 3.8/5
The Junkyard holds a place in the hearts of a lot of players, whether it's a place of love or hate. This is a map that exemplifies the difference a map can make in competitive play, and having one in your collection can really give you the home field advantage if your opponent is playing the wrong sort of team. A must-own for tournament play, but a map that can quickly make friends hate you in home games.

[Sheeplover]

Trip down memory lane. I remember the good old days of getting my butt kicked on that map every week.

[I Am The Game]

I hate this map. I once lost to an Icons Superman who blew a square out of a pile of garbage, and surrounded himself with Lian Harpers while he zipped in and out. Before they cut ranged attacks during HSS in half, that was unbeatable.

Good review, though!

[ibeatdrew]

Great article, but I have never liked this map. It is a mess and some of the "clutter" is either out of scale or just placed weird. Like how some of the junk is piled on crates. I agree with it being too dark. The ladders are "huge" too...almost 6 feet wide.

[WarHULK]

Great article, but I have never liked this map. It is a mess and some of the "clutter" is either out of scale or just placed weird. Like how some of the junk is piled on crates. I agree with it being too dark. The ladders are "huge" too...almost 6 feet wide.

I agree 100%. Well said.

[Ignatz_Mouse]

I love this map-- for a long time, it was my favorite map. I'm also the one that clued saturnflight into the Jupiter Jones reference.

It *is* very unclear, I agree-- but from a gameplay perpective, it's full of unusual features. There's a hi-rez image of it out there, so I recently printed it after lightening it up a bit.

[gatharion]

It's a good map that still really stands out. It is ripe for abuse though with the right team. Not as bad as the Sinister map though.

[FFFAN]

I like this map. Nice strategy tip about smoke to start someone in hindering terrtain-- that will come in handy some time.

[Steelmage2000]

I love this map, I think it is one of the best maps that Wizkids put out.

[larthosgrr8]

pound for pound, my fav map in all of heroclix! i love it! a great position map and can wreck you if you use it right!

[dariustad]

Still one of my favorite maps, especially when I need to teach new/returning players the rules for stealth, how to deal with indoor/outdoor terrain transitions, and the intrinsic value of elevated terrain.

[Phoenix_Icewing]

oh man, this map was awesome. I've actually sat down and had someone give up upon seeing my team after looking at the map. It's a map where a single mistake can easily cut a figure completely off from all support. you can seriously have 3 full battle fronts going on at the same time, even with just 2 players. Zipping out of the warehouse to suddenly snipe someone in the middle of the map really shatters people's focus when they see what you can do.
I've watched matches time out without first blood being spilled by two players just trying to maneuver and not even trying to turtle, just not wanting to get abused by the scenery. I've also had perfect games thanks to Ultimates/Superman TA paired with stealth.

This map really upped the bar for all other maps, and made a lot of people realize that a map could make the difference in a fight. Rep to saturnflight for the nostalgia trip!

[Project: J-ko]

Haunted Junkyard Scenario! Haunted Junkyard Scenario!




...am I the only one that remembers that? :squareeye

[Phoenix_Icewing]

Haunted Junkyard Scenario! Haunted Junkyard Scenario!




...am I the only one that remembers that? :squareeye

iiiiii think so. I remember "The Grinder" scenario though. that was a PAIN. but never before was using force blast so much fun =^^=

[SomaCruz42]

Probably my favorite map, along with (probably) my favorite set. The good ol' days.

[tidge]

I have mixed feelings about the Junkyard map.

It has a few features that I think are poor design choice:


ladders (too easy to block access to elevated) are always a sore spot for me.
the elevated terrain that can draw lines-of-fire into the building interior.
Hindering terrain inside the "compactor"

The compactor itself makes the map prone to HSS hit-and-run, and the fact that objects cannot be placed in it (Aerial Baffler, Shield Disruptor) plus providing extra defense against ranged attacks, plus slowing down grounded figures is just too much IMO.

I think in the sealed play for Collateral Damage, it was really exciting. I think it is also a fun map for two players with roughly equivalently mobile forces...but it can unbalance a game quickly against a team of non-fliers in ways that other modern maps with lots of hindering terrain (Bank, Battle Square) do not.

[GRENDELX]

Always liked this map, won a few games because of it lost a few because of it. Always fun to play on.

[Jarimy123]

This is my 2nd go-to map next only to the Prison. Offers just the right places where you can wait to strike while being protected from getting attacked. Love this map.

[Arbite]

On this map, I always thought the hindering and blocking were swapped. For some reason i would thinnk the Fire would be blocking and the Piles of junk would be hindering. Who wants to move or hide in a blaze?

Just weird to me.

[NeoShazam]

Enjoy the map in general and especially when I have a team that is good on it.

Once made the mistake of fighting Vet Icons Supes on it; he owns the map.

[NubianKenji]

Junk Yard and Prison map are truly the best maps WK ever put out there. JK is a thinking player field and Prison is a dead in flight slugfest.

Great review ok JK map.

[jolt]

It's a great map to watch two experienced players go at it on but otherwise, not so much.

jolt

[Kwagamon]

I've been wrecked by this map a few times. It was back before I got a halfway decent amount of pieces and was mostly borrowing pieces from a friend of mine, so my teams had far more close combat than they should have and no stealth.

[DaeRave]

Massive fan of this map, arguably my favorite map and IMO its the best map Wizkids has put out to date.
The level of detail is inspirational, and the 'tactical impact' is awesome.

We often house-ruled the map so the conveyor belt moved, and the trash smasher would hurt you.
Any characters on the conveyor belt at the end of their turn would move towards the inside of it by one space.
Anyone IN the trash smasher at the end of their turn would face an automatic hit and take D6 damage.

[lancelot]

I was and still am a Junkyard junkie!

Many players simply just cannot circumvent the mire that is the middle of the map. Experienced players scoff at it and turn it into advantages. I'd know, my Outlaws routed the Dark Avengers because the conveyor belt slowed down a good bit of 'em!

[Blaiser]

This was always my favorite map. It's too bad that someone stole it, along with all my other maps, a couple years ago. Among the ones I lost, this is the only one I would like to get my hands on again but have yet to do it. I know, could have staples print off a copy of it that appears on mobilehorror, been considering that just recently.

[goldpony]

This map makes complaints about HoT Cap totally reasonable. I played a GC team against an Avengers team on this map. With all the stealth i had, i thought i would have no problem but along comes 'ol smokey feet to ruin the fun :) Needless to say, with the limited range of the GC figs it was a bloodbath of epic proportions.

[saturnflight]

I would feel bad for you if Batman TA wasn't one of the top powers in the game, and if Batman and Robin weren't routinely game-winning figures...

Captain America busts Stealth. You banked entirely on that one power. Kill Cap or keep it to yourself.

[Quebbster]

I would feel bad for you if Batman TA wasn't one of the top powers in the game, and if Batman and Robin weren't routinely game-winning figures...

Captain America busts Stealth. You banked entirely on that one power. Kill Cap or keep it to yourself.

Or just Outwit Deflection Trajectory. There are a few Outwitters in Gotham City...

[Feral2k]

I won my first tournament on this map. V Icons Supes and everything, and this was back when I sucked. Good times.

[goldpony]

I would feel bad for you if Batman TA wasn't one of the top powers in the game, and if Batman and Robin weren't routinely game-winning figures...

Captain America busts Stealth. You banked entirely on that one power. Kill Cap or keep it to yourself.

I said Gotham City, not Batman TA. I mostly had figs that didn't have the batman ta, but stealth on the dial. The Avengers team i went up against had more range and powers like PB and PW. My opponent opened with pulse wave on Two Face and it was all downhill from there. plus he was in the compactor area making it hard for non-mobile GC figs to get there.

[saturnflight]

That does justify your stance a little more, but to be fair, an Arkham team has pretty much NEVER fared well, especially against any of the more powerful teams out there (Avengers, Batman Allies, JLA, Defenders, JSA, Mystics, X-men, to name a few with excellent rosters).

[Feral2k]

That does justify your stance a little more, but to be fair, an Arkham team has pretty much NEVER fared well, especially against any of the more powerful teams out there (Avengers, Batman Allies, JLA, Defenders, JSA, Mystics, X-men, to name a few with excellent rosters).

I agree. Just like in Vs., the Arkham characters are usually loaded down with expensive abilities that do not help their teammates. Considering that their team ability is based around teamwork, it's kind of ironically sad.

[Superclone]

I hadn't played this map for a really long time, and then I broke it out during a game where I had the LoA lead by Talia with her BATA and SATA. Holy cow - I have never seen a more effective team on that map. Between Talia's SATA, and Man-bat assassins overcoming some of the deficiencies of the map by carrying their League Allies, I beat a solider team lead by Ben Grimm that I had no right beating.

[saturnflight]

I hadn't played this map for a really long time, and then I broke it out during a game where I had the LoA lead by Talia with her BATA and SATA. Holy cow - I have never seen a more effective team on that map. Between Talia's SATA, and Man-bat assassins overcoming some of the deficiencies of the map by carrying their League Allies, I beat a solider team lead by Ben Grimm that I had no right beating.

Betcha if Ben Grimm had a Smoke Cloud ally he would have fared better!

Ha ha! Seriously, though, this map is an incredible equalizer for unlikely teams. If you have map choice, the Junkyard is one map that should ALWAYS be in the back of your mind as you size up the opposition; you can really counteract some tough builds just by choosing this map.

[superdude38]

i dont have this map...anyone want to sell or trade for one??? looks really like fun to play on!!!!

[iceman243]

I like this map. The first time someone realizes that they have to stop in the grinder due to hindering terrain is always amusing. Lots of angles and LOF you have to consider on this one, especially with the building.

[Puuka]

X-Force with their ATA love this map.