INTRODUCTION:
You and some of your fellows went hunting into the Maplehorn mountains, and were surprised by a troop of the Wolf's raiding knights. There was no chance to counter them in open terrain but you managed to escape and find refuge in the near Maplehorn keep.
The keep was originally designed to protect the Maplehorn village, an important point on Eastern trade route. Unfortunatelly, the village has been entirely devastated by the Wolf's knights, and several desperate people is all that remains. You raised raised some defenses quickly, right before you heard the knights' hooves. Will you stop them?
Even if you will, the local people informed you that the small groups of knights are just scouts of a much larger army of the Wolf, which is approaching. You realised it would be too dangerous to travel back home right now. Instead, you decided to protect the village and maybe teach the villagers some of your wisdom. If you succeed, the villagers will grant you some money to help you get back home.
SCENARIO OBJECTIVES:
- survive the initial raid
- protect the village from the incoming scout troops
- stop the huge army of the Wolf
- raise some money to get you back home
HINTS:
- plan your defenses
- use space carefully, the valey is small
I usually steer away from maps that are "tiny" thinking that they cannot have much of interest packed into so small a territory. But I have seen the error of my ways with Maplehorn Keep.
This is just the kind of challenge I enjoy. Beginning with only meager resources and few troops you must deal with the dual challenges of getting your economy off the ground and strengthening your defenses.
The map is well done, no frills but the terrain is nicely laid out. It provides just enough resources and arable land to meet your needs. Invasions and wolves are well timed to keep you on your toes. The story is not long but it provides all the info you need to enjoy the challenge. Lava has also made good use of messages from the Scribe.
This scenario takes approximately 25 game years to play out.
I recommend Maplehorn Keep to anyone who enjoys a challenging Invasion/economic scenario.