Stratego |
Posted on 09/05/04 @ 12:00 AM
„The Caliphate“is an invasion map that includes a cede-part at the beginning. However, some little flaws and inaccuracies concerning the scripting and timing of different events characterize this scenario.
When I saw the impressive minimap, I was pleased with the map design. The optical shaping was flawless. There is a narrow plateau diagonally winding from the north towards the south east in direction to the signpost. It looks like a rattlesnake in the desert. Different segments of an Arabian fortification are integrated in the plateau. Some towers and walls are perfectly closing a few weaker points of the natural scenic conditions.
You start with a relatively strong army of archers, spearmen, knights, swordsmen, slaves and one battle ram. Hardly attacking the caliph’s keep by a handful archers, when you surprisingly conquer the castle five minutes later. Why? Well, if you look into the editor, you’ll notice that only 10 military units have been killed for a successful cede. Logically your battle ram or your initial slaves are superfluous and along with those existing Arabian troops who are stationed in the former hostile castle, you have an almost impregnable fortification for the future. Besides some outlaws will arrive for additional reinforcements from time to time. However, sometimes the timing of this repeating event unfortunately collides with invasions.
The stone and iron resources, located close by the signpost, you hardly can use, because you are not able to defend those potential workshops in an effective way. Nevertheless, there are some ore-bearing places on the plateau that you can use as well. Thus, iron will be an excellent trade ware to fill your empty treasury chambers. Right from the beginning, you’ll have to care about a stable and multiple food supply to get a constant friendly popularity. You’ve got one single gatehouse, the one and only access leading onto the plateau and in front of it, there’s a small oasis, where three wheat farms guarantee your basic supply with bread. It’s sufficient to protect this area by digging moats for instance. The Arabian archers who are stationed in the background, you ought to send to the front area of your keep awaiting the enemy’s assaults. Your knights are very helpful to destroy the hostile siege equipments, before they will harm you. Partially the attackers will approach with nearly 40 engineers, but most of them will inactively remain at the signpost.
A few suggestions:
In my opinion, it’s a very promising invasion map, but there are some flaws, that must have been repaired or changed. The cede scripting has to be optimized by killing the enemy’s Lord for instance. Reducing the initial amount of your own troops would bring more challenge, too. Some building and trading options were totally superfluous, like cathedrals, pole turners, any kind of siege equipments, quarries and different other things. The increasing invasions themselves, never are so strong or dangerous, that you’ll get any problems to resist. It’s necessary to optimize these events, too (raise attacking units!). Generally I missed some economic events ( for example fires or crop failures) for more challenge, but that’s my subjective opinion. Story is just quite “thin” and needs more details. I think, after improving this interesting map, it will be great. Some detail work is required.
An enjoyable map, apart from the little flaws that I’ve described before.
Well done, dead eye.
Greetings
Stratego.
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