Ah finally a map comp I can comment in
All the entries are stunning. I remember when it started I so wanted to do CS instead of CA. I'm glad I wasn't allowed - I would have been destroyed. You veterans of the Foundry are testament to the talent on this site.
Now, for some comments about the maps:
1) The trees are fantastic, as is the overall feel. It has that dreamlike pseudo-realistic quality to it, like it's painted in high detail watercolours. Continent names are perfect with the font, amount of glow, and curvature. The river looks great, but the shore (water) of the ocean... I feel that could use a little more choke on the glow, to give it slightly more definition - very little choke, this is a minor criticism. The islands could use a bit of work, they stand out to me as the most out of place thing on the entire map. It may be a combination of the saturation and hue against the muted ocean. Also, I would like to see more detail to the coastline, such as rocky headlands and beaches, but that's just me.
2) Whoa where do I start. I'm going to criticise this one a bit, not because I don't like it, but because I see the potential and can see what's getting in the way. The textures are breathtaking, and the icons are perfect. The whole thing looks wow, really it does. The outer glow on the islands - it contrasts too much, or perhaps there is too much glow. It catches the eye, but too much - like when they make a new flavour of chips and you have 2-3 and it's good, then by chip #7 your mouth is burning. The attack route Captain Morgan to Skull of Doom is going to create issues with people, it being red and the border nearby being red. The one-way attack arrow could do with a very slight, and I mean VERY slight, bevelling, barely visible, but just enough to remove the flatness of it. One last small thing, scurge is spelt scourge
3) Top points for working with the gameplay. I couldn't believe someone had managed to fit the game of 'Centrescape' into an area of the world that was basically the centre of civilisation for a few thousand years. That takes skill. The colours are great, the texture is tactile, and the title and picture-border are really nice. At first, the mountains didn't catch me, but after a look for a while, I like them a lot. The dappled colours amongst them are really nice, and complement the territory colours well - they also break up the solidness of the colour on the map, giving it that fresco feel. I am thoroughly surprised with the lack of votes. Sure, the map does not have that eye-popping juju, but it's absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity and workmanship. I really have no idea how it can be improved upon - there are maps in play that don't hold a candle to this one.
4) Okay, who hired the Warhammer 40k artists to work on the map comp. I'll start with the kudos: The legend is the best I've seen. The ships and the waves are just perfect. The font is great, I love the jagged look to it, it really complements the rough spattered texture of the land. And I love the way you got your monitor, and painted it with strong black tea, to give it that sepia feel - what a sacrifice. If this map was a human female, it would either be Salma Hayek, or Salma Hayek would be crying in a corner. So the criticisms
I have never liked drop-shadow on land - Italy, Puget Sound, and this map - I just don't think it adds anything to have drop shadow, and makes the land look like it's floating on the ocean. The lake between Vega and Paean is great and fits well. The other lakes look too perfectly curvy round the edges, and the one on red continent has too much undulating wobble compared to the others. That's about it for criticisms - this map really is good, as is reflected in the votes.
<EDIT> I'm refraining from voting. They are all too good. It's like someone asking if I want a bottle of D'Arenberg Dead Arm 2001, Johnny Walker Blue label, OP Polish Vodka, or a case of Heineken... I want them all