This map is designed to be played by the defender on the very hard setting, if you play as the attacker it is very easy to overwhelm the walls onthe easier settings as the computer doesn't grasp the concept of strategic withdrawal.There are some large fire pits on this map which can take out a lot of knights so don't squander them.Don't worry about the computer attacking the stairways on the first bridge they always seem to leave a line of ascent for the troops. The wall mounted catapults on the second bridging area can cause a lot of casulties so don't forget to engage them.Hopefuly this map will force you to assess priorities and to make the best use out of the killing areas.Hope you enjoy,give it a rating and let me know how it goes cheers for now...Spudrik.
Playability:..3..I played this map as defender first. At the begining of the scenario it was quite fun and challenging as defender, but when the attacker had finally fought his way up to my keep, he just stood there and let my six archers pick him off one by one until all were slain with ease. As attacker, it was an impossible mission, as you have no archers, and a couple engineers, but no gold, and you're up against many lines of defense and many gatehouses, teaming with archers and crossbowmen. Not to mention the MASSIVE pitch and fires, wich are quite epic in scale and demension, and ...oh yes, the spike pits and war dogs as well. Balance:..2..The attacker halting his attack right outside my keep when playing defense, and the absence of any offensive firepower when playing as the attacker, pretty much killed the balance, as did the HUGE amount of pitch and fire. Creativity:..4..The idea behind the scenario is very attractive, and shows creativity. I got a good sense of what the author was trying to pull off here, but sadly missed the mark. But not by much. Map Design:..4..An excellent map,...fun to play and well planned and executed. The castle is a little above average as well. Story/Instructions:..3.. Not really much of a story per say, but instructions and tips are present in the story/dialog box before the start of the scenario...average. Summary: This map has the potential to be a great siege. As flawed as it is, I enjoyed playing it very much until the arrival of the fatal flaws. A bit more tweaking and playtesting in the future is the best and possibly only advice I can offer this author at this time, as his creativity and map making skills need no critisim. I'd cut WAY back on the use of the pitch though. All in all, a very nice map, with an interesting premise behind it that falls just short of the mark due to serious balancing issues.