Best movement mechanic large board

Hi everyone,

As a follow up to my previous question of how big a board is too big, I wanted to ask what movement mechanic(s) you feel are the best/most interesting or unique you have encountered. I feel there's a couple mechanics I have encountered that I like and one that I really like.

Really like: The card based movement of games like Mage Knight or Middle Earth Quest, where the cards in your hand (which are also used for combat) determine how far and/or into what kind of landscape you can travel. In MEQ for example, if you have cards that have a mountain or forest symbol on them, you need only spend 1 card to move from a one location to another, but if you don't have those symbols then you have to spend the number of cards it tells you on the board. Very cool.

Kind of like: Any game with a hex or square grid on it, or purely region based where you can move to a certain number of adjacent regions. Yes, I know this covers the majority of board games out there now. It works because it's simple, but it's predictable where you end up. If you can move 3 squares, well, that's where you go. No ifs ands or buts about it.

Don't like: Games where you roll a dice to see how far you go. I don't own any games like this. This doesn't include a game like Runebound, where the dice you roll determine into what landscape you can go (this is pretty similar to the card based movement, I feel).

I know I've lumped a ton of different mechanics into a couple groups, but I'm not here to write a thesis:) I'm trying to come up with a movement system that allows for variety in where you end up based on encounters, natural features, decisions made, etc. Any ideas or games you've played that accomplish this or mechanics ideas would be wonderful.

I recently bought a copy of World of Warcraft Board Game that has a mechanic where certain regions give you the ability to fly to other regions with the same symbol. Pretty cool, but limits where you can go.

Thanks again!