Your 5 Favorite HASL Maps

Yuri0352

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I decided to start this thread because...

  1. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts and choices regarding HASL maps.
  2. I thought I might mitigate the potential derailing of the Dinant thread with this informal survey.
My selections, in order of preference are:

1) Fight for Seoul, both the Smith's Ridge and Seoul city maps.
Lots of variety, including rising terrain, unique buildings (with historical labels!), railroads, new stream types, etc. The artwork, especially the shadowing of the rooftops is absolutely stunning. The excellent and amazingly well balanced combined arms scenarios are a real bonus. I'm really finding it nearly impossible to play anything else.

2). Festung Budapest.
IMO, the most revolutionary urban map since Red Barricades. Unique building styles (I love the large multi-story stone building with the central courtyard, I created some serious 'Jenga stacks' fighting in that one!). I especially enjoyed the open terrain areas such as the large 'Central Park' where the gliders could land, and the Castle Hill. As with 'Fight for Seoul', FB has exceptional replay value for me.

3) Kampfgruppe Scherer.
I confess to being a real fan of winter maps. I guess I don't possess the requisite visual imagination to completely enjoy playing winter scenarios on maps that resemble summer terrain. The inclusion of 2 maps representing winter and spring terrain was revolutionary for an HASL, and something which I wonder if we will ever see again. Again, like Festung Budapest, I enjoy the presence of some of the open terrain, which coincidentally also allows for glider landings.
Another prime example of the visual labor of love which the designers for LFT lavish upon their products.

4). Hatten in Flames.
I admire this map not only because of the beautiful winter terrain artwork, but for its simplicity (lack of hills primarily). The historical layout of the town and the interesting, less than obvious lines of sight make for interesting gameplay situations. Perhaps one of the most exciting 'urban' or 'town' HASL maps for tank battles.

5). Ruweisat Ridge (second edition).
Since DTO is my favorite sub-category of ASL, I felt that I would be remiss in not including what is apparently the only desert HASL map to date. The layout of the ridge and the characteristics of the surrounding terrain allow for both the long To Hit shots so beloved of ASL desert players as well as allowing the attacking/counterattacking infantry units to have a fair chance of actually reaching their objectives. The fighting on the ridge on this map in no way resembles the congealed mess of wadis and cliffs which we have been forced to use for (IMO) far too long on board 25. Hopefully new desert HASL terrain (Tunisia?) will one day be in the ASL future.

Honorable Mention:
I really admire the HASL maps for Gavutu-Tanambogo as well as Operation Chariot. I would include these in a personal Top 10 for their historical aspects and especially for uniqueness of gameplay.

Full disclosure:
I have not yet received my order for CDG 2, although considering the persons involved in the design of the Dinant HASL, I would not be surprised if this product would merit inclusion in my list in the future.

I look forward to hearing your opinions!
 

Honza

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Red Barricades - love the ruined industrial terrain.
Berlin Red Vengeance - The colours suit the gloom of the battle. Central Berlin is a very interesting terrain for a battle.
Uncommon Valor - Love the Iwo Jima moon like landscape.
Kakazu Ridge - great terrain for a cave battle. Got to love a historical Okinawa map.

The last choice is a tough one. There are so many great maps. Ponyri by CH, Derhezhinsky Tractor Works by CH, Kampfgruppe Peiper I & II - the choice would be one of those. But which one?
 

Michael Dorosh

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I don't have a top five, but artistically I thought the Singling map was well done. The colours were evocative of the time and place, being autumn in eastern France, and the buildings were nicely rendered. I also enjoyed playing on it as even the CG was manageable in a day or two.

The redraw of the Stonne Heights map is enticing, but I haven't played on it. The long, snaking, forested road into the village is a unique approach, and the controversy over the initial edition and the 'hex of death' is a great case study in the use of terrain in CG design.
 

Jacometti

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My favourite map has to be Pegasus Bridge, simply because it has the best CG ever in my view.

Red Barricades new print is also very impressive.
 

dlazov

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Road Block at Mithwephok
Berlin I/II + Tyrants Lair
Scotland the Brave
Devils Domain I/II
Hells Highway
 

Tom Morin

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  1. The original Don Petros' Tractor Factory map. Best artwork ever. Critical Hit did a piss poor ripoff of it which most of you have seen, it just doesn't do justice to Don's original work, which most of you have not seen. I am lucky enough to have a quality copy of the original map.
  2. Kampfgruppe Scherer........wow what a beautiful map. On my bucket list of must plays.
  3. Ponyri.....I've seen it and can't wait for it. Perfect non-urban Russian Front tank battle map.
  4. Red Barricades/Red October. No explanation needed, urban warfare's ultimate setting.
  5. Dinant.....she's real purty lookin' candy ain't she?
Runner up contenders.....lots of great stuff out there!
Hatten
F.Budapest
Berlin Red Vengeance
Tarawa
Kreta
Objective Schmidt
Konigsberg
 

jrv

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Working on it as we speak.
My suggestion for the 320mm spigot mortar: instead of rolling direction/extent of error, roll three dice, direction/extent of error/rotation. Use the first two dice as normal, then move the number of hexes on the rotation die clockwise (or counter clockwise; they're more or less the same) in a "circle" at the same distance. That allows the spigot mortar to hit any hex within six hexes of its initial target. At certain distances some hexes will be more likely to be hit from a given initial target, but it is better than only hitting the six "spokes."

That might even be a nice optional rule for the Sniper.

JR
 
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phlegm027

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  1. The original Don Petros' Tractor Factory map. Best artwork ever. Critical Hit did a piss poor ripoff of it which most of you have seen, it just doesn't do justice to Don's original work, which most of you have not seen. I am lucky enough to have a quality copy of the original map.
  2. Kampfgruppe Scherer........wow what a beautiful map. On my bucket list of must plays.
  3. Ponyri.....I've seen it and can't wait for it. Perfect non-urban Russian Front tank battle map.
  4. Red Barricades/Red October. No explanation needed, urban warfare's ultimate setting.
  5. Dinant.....she's real purty lookin' candy ain't she?
Runner up contenders.....lots of great stuff out there!
Hatten
F.Budapest
Berlin Red Vengeance
Tarawa
Kreta
Objective Schmidt
Konigsberg
Valor of the Guards needs to be in there before RB & RO.
 

hongkongwargamer

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Visually, I take particular liking to :
  • Dinant
  • Festung Budapest
  • CH Third Bridge
  • LFT Kampfgruppe Scherer
  • LFT St Nazaire

    (I suspect I will like Konigsburg and Tarawa as well)
Functionally (limited by my experience),
  • Dinant - for its honesty to the truth, the challenges of narrow streets, cliffs to climb, river to cross .. this stands unique in ASL CGs
  • BFP Objective: Schmidt - that terrain was a mud caked crated moon surface by the time we were done with the CG .. gloriously functional especially in conveying the historical feel
  • Kampfgruppe Scherer - this map is RICH with features! Plus it flips over to a winter side. (Did I say gorgeous graphics? ..wait ..)
  • CH Berlin (3rd Reich & Tyrants Lair) - from the subway tunnels to the U/S-Bahn, elevated platforms and all the interesting buildings with their own features (Reichstag, Kroll Opera House, Himmler's House, Führebunker..). Love it.

    Note : I haven't gotten into LFT Seoul enough to do it justice yet but I think the innumerous single hex buildings are going to allow a lot of pretty wicked LOS's. Plus I really enjoy recognising some of the landmarks around town.
 
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'Ol Fezziwig

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  1. Red Barricades (/ -October) the one that started it all.
  2. Valour of the Guards
  3. Berlin: Red Vengeance
  4. Blood Reef Tarawa (with a shout-out to the HOB version)
  5. Operation Watchtower
 

Yuri0352

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I want to see the Designer's Version, if nothing else, for artistic appreciation.
The 'Designer's Version' was the actual map which CH sold with the first edition of Ruweisat Ridge. As I recall, during an old interview with Dan Dolan on The 2 Half Squads, he related that the 'Designer's version' was submitted to CH as a rough concept for the module then in development. CH then began printing this map as is and included it in the first edition of Ruweisat Ridge. I used to have a copy of the first edition of this module, and IMO it was horrible looking, and bore little resemblance to the second edition map.
A few years ago I was about to play Ruweisat Ridge on VASL, however to my shock and horror, I found that the VASL map was the same as the original first edition map. I don't know if it has been changed, I inquired through the VASL sub forum at the time and I don't recall receiving a reply.
 

djohannsen

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For appearance, I have to put the new Fight for Seoul maps as the best looking HASL maps out there (both Seoul and Smith's Ridge). I'm also partial to the St. Nazaire maps (I REALLY need to find someone to play something from this module with me).
 

DWPetros

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I'd say:

  • Red Barricades (hand-painted version)
  • Slaughter at Ponyri (you need to see this one - C.K. did the final artwork which is great)
  • Festung Budapest
  • Hatten
  • Valor of the Guards (see my 'pimped out'* personal version below. The original version and it's printing was not so great IMO, so I made some changes)
12430
* Scott Thompson's interpretation - not mine
 
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