Ambush Point Battle Map - Launch

Hello Adventurers! This is our wilderness map for the month, a dirt road winding through a gorge or valley, unfortunately, the road is blocked, totally unsuspicious ;) I created a few flat spots for mobs to hide out on the slopes and cliffs, and I’ve also added a few blockages to prevent travellers from passing easily. I imagine this is perfect for bandit ambushes, a goblin attack or really any ambush or raid on unwary travellers.

Next Maps

The Crime Lord’s Hideout with Alligator Pit is coming up next, and then we’ll have the Troll Bridge after that.

• Crime Lord’s Hideout (with Alligator Pit)
  I’m still trying to think this one through. I imagine some kind of underground location or maybe a kind of hideout. Basically, it's the place for a crime boss to get rid of inconvenient people, bodies and the like.
• Old Troll Bridge
  An old stone bridge over a river or chasm with something living under it. I like the idea of something coming up from below a bridge as the party crosses ;)

On a slightly unrelated note, my work drive begin to fail yesterday, and a few map files were lost. I have backup solutions, so everything was recoverable, but it's a good reminder to back up your stuff! Personally, I use Backblaze, it's an amazing service, worth a look. Anyways, for those of you that celebrate Halloween, I hope you have a spooky time tonight, for everyone else I hope you are weathering these turbulent times, and are finding joy where you can. Thanks so much for the support, have a wonderful week and as always, happy adventuring! Now let's take a pleasant walk through the countryside, ignore the rumours of missing travellers and bandit raids, it's all cool, we have swords and stuff!

And here is the link to the Map list page where you can find all the downloads (as long as you are a Patron and logged in!) - Map List and Downloads 

Map Descriptions

Tussocks of coarse grasses grow around rock formations along either side of the dirt road. Winding its way deeper into the hilly countryside, the road is soon flanked by steep cliffs covered in scraggly brush and ill-formed trees. Ahead is a landslide, partially blocking the route. It's not unusual for roads to be blocked by landslides and tree falls, but as you approach, you begin to feel unease. It's just too quiet here and there are too many places to hide among the rocky cliffs and foliage.

Notes and Tips

• 30x30 Grid Map
• This map can be used as a general travel map, I’ve added a few rock and tree assets to help block the road.
• This map is all about using elevation to give the attacker's advantage. Place long-range mobs on the cliff sides, even lower-level mobs will be able to pepper the party with arrows or rocks with little danger to them.
• Have mobs attack from the cliff side, from the front, and then have a few mobs attack from the rear as the fight continues.
• The mobs will be under partial cover or only reveal themselves to shoot/attack. Only reveal mobs as they attack, keep your players guessing how many mobs are in play!
• Have the raiders make it seem like there are more of them than there really are. Shout orders to “Squad One” for example, when in reality it's just a goblin archer and his pet snail.
• Have a single mob stand behind the barricade, they are there to demand a toll from travellers. Make them smug and condescending until they realise who they are dealing with.
• Use heavy rain as an environmental hazard! Have mud/rock slides tumble down the cliffs as the party battles mobs.
• March of the undead legion: As the party travel into the gouge they begin to see fog flow across the roadway. The fog obscures their view, but they begin to hear the sound of marching feet. The fog begins to glow and from the grey appears a legion of undead soldiers marching to sack a local village. Maybe it's the anniversary of their demise at the hands of a long-dead warlord whose descendants founded the village.
• Local bandits: Have the party stop at a local tavern for the night before making their way along the road. Bandits accost the party and demand a toll. Turns out these are the locals, who have sabotaged the player's equipment the night before or know their weaknesses at least. Take the cleric out first! And so forth.
• The trees morn: This is magical woodland, the trees talk amongst themselves. A tree has fallen onto the road, and the trees seem to be morning its death. If the party tries to move the fallen tree the woods around them will come to life, defending their fallen comrade. Maybe the party has been given the task to clear the road from a local farmer, maybe he knows they will be crushed to death and he can come in later to pick up the party's loot.

Variants

Each map comes in day/night versions

You get a blocked road version and a more general-use road version.

I've also created a Grass version with a rock slide, for the more desolate locations.

And a Desert version for those running in desert environments.

And a snowy version for those running northern campaigns.

And you get a couple of road blockages (+ snow, and desert versions).