Archipelago [2.0] is submitted for review.

[LPhillips]

LPhillips,

I hope you know my post was made in jest.

Turn and turn about, of course. Hopefully emoticons get the job done where text fails!

In version 0.9 when neutral Orcs/Wolfriders/Ghosts get their ambush roll the entire problem can be taken care of by placing 2 Orcs in every neutral on this map.

That's an elegant solution.

[Negern]

Have been thinking about making an updated version sometime soon, and many of your comments will be of great help.

Some things that might be changed/added:

It will be much easier to enter the SE area by the paths that are already there. Also, there will be a defended shortcut for the stronger stacks. Kraken + 2 snakes - is it too powerful? Wouldn't want every one to take the shortcut, but not that none takes it either...

Some of the cities with "good" production set will have some units removed. The width of possible units is too great atm. Decent two turners in one, good three turners in another. Wizards are already removed since last version.

A level 2 ruin will be placed in the middle of the map, available only for heroes with wtw or possibly fly. It will not be randomized, in case of units joining. Finding elementals or wizards on that little islands - Jesus Christ, what a fail! Will think of what to put there. It won't be gold, but it might be artifacts or ghosts (not able to take down enemy cities by themselves).

Eagle productions will be added in the crows nests.

Additional defenders will be added for some of the less accessible cities.

NE player will get some watch towers in the main area. The SW has less squares between the early cities and doesn't need to scout in the home area.

If someone has other ideas, please post them.

I have played the map a few times on each side, and it feels like both has pretty much the same chances to expand, defend and attack. NE has easy access to many of the good cities, so will make one of the normals in SW good to even it out.
About heroes with water walk and fly, it is a problem, but not as big as I first thought. Using that strategy gives fast expansion, but it is hard to keep the cities taken and bringing together strong stacks. If adding additional defenders to some cities, I don't even believe it will be worth it. Might be worth it to warn players with a sign post next to the capitol though.

LP:

Baba is russian for "old woman" (I belive). Even less threatening!

[KGB]

Negern,

Defended Shortcut: A Kraken and 2 Serpents is pretty rough. Those Serpents will be 30 and the Kraken will be giving a huge minus to the enemy stack. You won't be able to easily kill that until you have a Unicorn or Devil or an L4+ Assassin or a L4+ Barb. In other words almost no one is going to take it. If you make it just 3 Serpents that will discourage any early rush due to their 30 strength so that it will be mid game by the time someone uses it.

Level 2 Ruin: You can't put Allies (Ghosts) there. If you do it's just a pure race for them since any L2 hero gets the allies because there are no guardians. So you must put in gold /artifact if you want players to require actual Undead Lore to search the ruin.

KGB

[Negern]

Negern,

Defended Shortcut: A Kraken and 2 Serpents is pretty rough. Those Serpents will be 30 and the Kraken will be giving a huge minus to the enemy stack. You won't be able to easily kill that until you have a Unicorn or Devil or an L4+ Assassin or a L4+ Barb. In other words almost no one is going to take it. If you make it just 3 Serpents that will discourage any early rush due to their 30 strength so that it will be mid game by the time someone uses it.

Level 2 Ruin: You can't put Allies (Ghosts) there. If you do it's just a pure race for them since any L2 hero gets the allies because there are no guardians. So you must put in gold /artifact if you want players to require actual Undead Lore to search the ruin.

KGB

Thats true... Guess it went over the edge there, with the kraken and all. And thanks for the input mon. I appreciate it.

[Igor]

North side differs from south, north has 2 cities which are safe from water, and south has none.

[Negern]

North side differs from south, north has 2 cities which are safe from water, and south has none.

South has some too. It's the two small islands (bridge between) just north of the starting position. Also one north of S crows nest. (2 normal, 1 good)

New thing for version 3.0:

level 2 ruin. Random vs undead. 1 minotaur defense. waterwalk required to reach it.

Defenders (2 orcs, kgb! ) in most good cities (not those in main areas) and the ones in the SE (elves).

Shortcuts to SE and layout. Shortcut defenders for north 4 pikemen, 1 crusader (open). For south 1 medusa, 1 wolfrider and 2 orcs (swamp). And 1 elephant, 1 h cav and 3 l cav (open) in a place both can reach easy.

North can reach Cellin (good city, just above SE section) as easy as south. Can be reached in less than four steps from both sides.

Passage (water) opened in the mountains above SE section. 2 seaserpents as defense. Will make it harder to foresee the enemy players moves. More sneak attacks!

Made the two poor cities normal, one good (Elysion) powerful.

Changes to the mines + one more lvl 1 ruin (south).

Less terrain on some islands.

Watchtowers for north.

Would like to play some testing rounds when I'm bellow 3 games again. Anyone interested?

[Igor]

North side differs from south, north has 2 cities which are safe from water, and south has none.

South has some too. It's the two small islands (bridge between) just north of the starting position. Also one north of S crows nest. (2 normal, 1 good)

All cities can be taken by Kraken, but 2 northern can't. That's disbalance a little.

[Negern]

North side differs from south, north has 2 cities which are safe from water, and south has none.

South has some too. It's the two small islands (bridge between) just north of the starting position. Also one north of S crows nest. (2 normal, 1 good)

All cities can be taken by Kraken, but 2 northern can't. That's disbalance a little.

Ah, now I understand. There are no krakens on this map. No sea serpents or fliers. Only the ground units and crows.

Tell me if you want to try a 1vs1.

[Igor]

Houh, I would like to use Krakens on this map

[Negern]

Houh, I would like to use Krakens on this map

Next map, I'll include krakens. It'll be a team/ffa, I hope!