Stratego [9.0] is submitted for review.

[ChickenChaser]

New map: Stratego [9.0] by ChickenChaser.
Map editor link: Stratego [9.0]

[KGB]

Just tried this for the first time.

Ultimately this map is decided by the first person to acquire the strength bless site as players just totally rush units to the middle. I wish the only sites there were a pair of +2 move sites. With nothing else to do (ie no real ruins or anything else to get besides the initial cities) it becomes a pure Valkrie map for the extra attack bonus and movement.

And technically this is more Chinese Checkers than Stratego

KGB

[LPhillips]

You gave me a really fun idea for an inverted version of this map, though. Will have to give you credit if it's well-liked. Players divided by an x in the middle, facing outwards, fighting over a strip of land surrounding them for access to each other's keeps.

You could probably fix this map with a strategically placed city or two for each player nearer the middle. One city at each of those gray spots (temples?) nearest the player, just about 12 steps apart, could be interesting. You'd have to provide a reasonable reward for breaking the stalemate, say a couple of L3 ruins in the middle for players to dive at.

[KGB]

LPhillips,

I think ChickenChaser (or Snotling) already did a map similar to your idea though it's a 1v1 rather than a 4 player map. That one features Lava to prevent early crow attacks.

The problem with maps like that (including this one) is that there is no maneuver room/little terrain. It's basically just a head on rush of units. There is really nothing strategic about it since the game play is linear as there is only 1 viable path to victory.

The gray spots on this map at the edges of each territory are gold sites and the ones in the middle of each area are defense towers. Replacing the defense tower with a city would be definitely give each side a strong point but might make things WAY too defensive.

Not sure about L3 ruins since no one is going to risk their hero in one (since you *have* to start with a Valkrie) and worst of all, those ruins function as city sites allowing stacks to get a handy +5 defense when occupying them. So you'd end up with 2 sites and 2 ruins providing +5 defense bonus in the middle.

KGB

[ChickenChaser]

Thanks for the feedback. The initial idea with this map was to give each player the same exact cities, and let them go at it. There are other maps that allow for different terrain strategies, this is not one of them. In earlier editions of this map, there were roads, and the map was way too rush friendly. The roads were taken away, and the cities moved back. I acknowledge that the strength temple in the middle does give the one who holds it an edge, that is the benefit of holding the middle. I would argue however that it is not the first one who gets there that takes the game. I have played games where the strength temple changed sides numerous times. I do think I like the idea of removing it however; then the determining factor would be the different production one buys, leveled up heroes, and sound strategy deciding when and where to have one's battles. Should I put income sites only as a perk of holding the middle? They would not give any battle bonus. The movement temples would give the occupants the +5 bonus, more movement would be nice in the map, maybe i'll add a few more roads in the middle. I never got around to polishing up this map, it was something I just threw together. I could make some changes, but it will still be what it is; an open battlefield.

[KGB]

I'd try just removing the strength temple and putting the movement temple in the exact middle square. The +2 movement is a nice perk for anyone willing to go there and do battle over it. But it doesn't over power all the units like the +5 strength does.

KGB

[LPhillips]

Players need to be a bit more attentive to the options available to them as well. An intelligent player might erect a guard tower (or two) near the center to hide the exact strength of his stacks. It always takes someone with a bit of imagination to change the popular strategies. I've been punishing people, I mean viciously punishing them, for ignoring guard towers lately. There are a lot of tactical options available to players, such that the available strategies have changed as well. It's quite viable to take region control with a +10 tower currently.

I am personally a big fan of maps that require imagination to play, and it irks me sometimes to see the way some people summarily dismiss maps without proper consideration for their intent. "This map isn't balanced!!!" by which they mean "it doesn't have the exact same cities, production, and income for each player", which just shows their lack of imagination. Our ideals for a map may be different, but the intent of the map is important in qualifying it.

[flash]

What about Building Well defended Cities on the four "roads to the middle", blocking them. Also, put a good defense Stack on the +ST Temple may be an option. I will hold the temple on the map, as he can be a good tactical target. But just running right to it is not enough / too easy.