Alternative campaign-The Russians

[kaskavel]

Intro (same for all scenarios): This is one of a series of campaigns I have created in order to try to create more interesting games. They suggest a number of self restrictions the player has to follow, depending the civilization he is playing. The purpose of them is to

• Create fun, different, challenging and interesting games.
• Offer the game a flavor consistent with each civilization characteristics and history
• Support the civ’s traits and encourage game-play consistent with them.
• Allow players to lower the difficulty level of the game.

Each one of them has been tested in practice and I present the format that I found most interesting, perhaps making 1-2 changes after running the game. I would be glad if you added extra ideas that may improve the experience. In all games I am also using the extra self restrictions I always apply to myself but that is not directly relevant to the campaigns. I guess every player has some house rules he follows, he can just combine them with the ideas presented here. One of them I have to mention though, I do not use artillery. It may influence my perception of some of the scenarios presented. In general, I am trying for years to create situations in strategy games that allow me to reduce the game level as much as possible, ideally to the neutral level where neither the player nor the AI has an advantage, while retaining the game’s challenge. I have not succeeded in that, only a couple of those scenarios may have troubled me somewhat in regent level-and that is with many extra house rules applied, but the point is that anyone can combine his game level, his own self-restrictions and the difficulty level in order to create a wildly different than usual, but still challenging game. I am always trying to have as much of the added difficulty possible applied in the late medieval-early industrial ages, the point where the player usually gets away with an overwhelming advantage. Basic victory conditions are always active, unless noted otherwise.

I hope you find the campaigns interesting and have something to say about them.

The Russians-From Alaska to the black sea-for socialism

Rules: First government change has to be to Monarchy. Must have a second revolution to communism before sc method and Industrialization is researched, then stay in communism until the end. Cannot build religious buildings including temples, cathedrals, Bach, Sistine Chapel, knight’s templar, Mausoleum, Oracle, Zeus and Artemis. Cannot trade luxuries with non-communist civilizations. Cannot sign peace treaties with fascist civilizations.

Map: Any settings are OK, but obviously archipelago does not offer a realistic historical representation. Cold climate is also more consistent with reality.

Notes: Catherine or Stalin, this one is very straight. The major themes here are expansion and citizen mood control. Unable to use trade and buildings properly for happiness, the player is encouraged to expand as much as possible to grab more luxuries. The government restrictions are very naturally pushing the player to the desired direction. They encourage him to use the lack of war weariness and conquer more and more land. In addition, communism encourages him to create an empire as big as possible, in order to exploit the reduced corruption. The more he expands, the more valuable new luxuries become due to the number of cities. Without temples, first culture building will be libraries, emphasizing the scientific trait. Art and science projects get built faster without religious buildings and wonders blocking the way. Generally, I have found that the restrictions somehow work very well, feeding themselves in circles. We finally get to build that unknown building called colosseum.-everywhere...Some of us for the first time. You see, people love it when mama or papa offers them spectacle. Hanging gardens and cure for cancer are now very important wonders. Inexperienced players can have a chance to learn about military police and luxury slider, something they rarely master before jumping to Monarch.

Difficulty: Moderate. Consistent as it may be, the restrictions make civil order more difficult, which, in addition to the double revolution that obviously hurts, gives the game a feeling that you are somehow two levels up in difficulty level, but hardly more.

Variants: The trade restrictions can be different. No trade with fasc-dem-rep civs only or something like that. Or they may include resources and/or science. A third revolution can be added for democracy at some point towards the end, but it may well mess up many of the cities.