My First Scenario

[Mesix]

Here is a scenario that I made up a few days ago. It is prettly well balanced for units and strategic resources. There are a few bonuses and surprises. My friend has tested it out a couple of times and I have tweeked a few things based on his play testing. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Settings:

Standard Size
Normal Speed
Modified Pangea Map
Cyndrical (wraps east to west)
Blessings of Amathon
No Settlers (Each Civ starts with two cities)
No City Razing
No AI Building Requirements

Civilizations:

Luchurip
Khazad
Liosalfar
Svartalfar
Sidar
Clan of Embers
Balseraphs
Malakim

Note: Many of the early religions are already on the map.

Edit: The AC starts at 8 as discussed here.

I hope you enjoy my first attempt at a scenario.

 

[Mesix]

I can't get the file to attach properly.

TestScenario.CivBeyondSwordWBSave:
Invalid File

Not sure why it doesn't work.

You would think that a BTS Wourld Builder Save File would be a valid type on these forums.

Suggestions???

 

[DharmaMcLaren]

Compress it into a .zip, methinks.

 

[Mesix]

Okay, I have attached the scenario as a zip on the first post now. Hopefully you can download it and play to your heart's content.

Feedback is much appreciated.

 

[it-ogo]

Nice scenario! I like such difference in starting techs. But it is really hard to balance.

I started as Perpentach on Monarch.

Soon looks like Empyreans and CoE was found. Khazad found Emp (and soon built Dies Diei), about CoE I am not sure. It was too fast.

I wonder if it is intended that Ljos has no FoL tech.

I feel that i survived only because my neighbours were not enough smart to kill me immediately. Having Runes (and soldiers of K) for Khazad from the very start is deadly for neighbours. Khazad are known early civ killers and now they are much more deadly as they need only one step to bronze working. And their natural religious allies Luchuirp have instant wood golems and catapults (with no building requirements). Both dwarves declared war on Varn and soon wiped him with his Valin. So Balseraphs can not do anything against early conquest as well as most other civs. I converted to runes and that saved me. Then I have taken from Dwarves Varns cities by Loki. I have 6 cities now. But up to now my only units stronger then 3 are few mutated freaks and dwarves can kill me very fast. So resume: gameplay here is mainly the matter of luck and exploits. Still i have a pleasure as it is different from usual gameplay.

 

[Mesix]

Thanks for giving the scenario a try. The more feedback I get on this scenario, the better I can make scenarios in the future.

In the play testing that my friend did, the Khazad were the first civ to be killed off in his first two games (of course he killed them off in one of the games). They were the top of the points list in his third game at about turn 200. He thought that the dark elves were a bit overpowered.

The additional techs were added last minute as a change. I actually only intended to give each civ a few starting units and bonus buildings. My friend suggested that I give each player a couple of starting techs.

The intent is to give each civ different starting strengths that can be used right away instead of having to click "end turn" so many times. I may have to dial back some of the bonus techs to balance it out though.

Originally, there were more barbarians on the map. Three of the eight civs were killed by barbarians in the first 50 turns, so I took some of the barbarians out. I hope that the barbarians still add some challenge to the scenario.

 

[it-ogo]

I had no problems with barbs.

Giving starting techs is nice and i was thinking about it some times ago. It is very hard to balance as harmony between conquest and research efforts becomes strongly unstable.

I recommend (to avoid very early conquest): add a Tar Demon with city defender promo and city_defence script to each city. Then you can even add more barbarians and barrows/ruins. Then there are enough much empty space. Sooner or later barb cities spawn there and with "no city razing" option their positions may be strongly annoyable. So better put more barb cities but select its positions on your own.

Multiple animals on the map are wasted. Give each scout Subdue animal promo...

 

[Mesix]

I gave it a run through as the Sidar.

I see what you mean about the dwarves. The two dwarf civs were top in points until I took over at about turn 180 or so.

I wish there were a way to stop extra barb cities from popping up. I placed a few barb cities, and set the no settlers option hoping to keep some open area.

After some I get some more feedback, I will go back and rebalance this one before I make another scenario.

Thanks again for giving it a try.

 

[unclethrill]

I have played this scenario out as all but the Ljos (don't much like them). I agree that both dwarfs are stronger than the rest of the civs. Of course a couple games had the dwarfs killed out early or killing each other early. The CoE is too weak and Malakim is just a speed bump for everyone.

I also believe that the Svart are a bit over powered and the roaming werewolves are next to impossible to stop. In one game they killed off the Sidar by turn 40.

The Khazad need to be toned down a bit but considering how poor the AI plays don't change much.

I would like to have more barbarian cities early on so that they are better placed. This might also help the CoE to be viable thanks to their world spell.

All in all this is a very playable scenario and should be a good starter scenario for newbie to FOH or a quick challenge to vets.

Tweak it a bit Mesix and I'll keep playing! Good job on your "first try"!!

 

[Zeviz]

This is a fun short scenario with lots of wars.

I played as Malakim and was attacked by each neighbor in turn (first Khazad, whose surprise attack I barely survived, then Balseraph, then Luchirp). Meanwhile everybody attacked the Orcs, and Elves fought each other. Khazad seemed to have a starting position stronger than most others due to lots of hills, but other than that sides seemed reasonably well balanced.

 

[Mesix]

Thanks for the feedback.

It sounds like your game went like it was designed to. I had hoped the the two elven races would fight each other. I had also hoped that the dwarven races would too, but that rarely happens. I'm glad that you had fun with it.

On an early run through, we noticed that the orcs would cast For the Hoard early on and pick up a few units including a couple of barbarian wearwolves (aren't they only supposed to get orc units?). I scaled the wild wearwolves back from 6 to 1 before I posted the scenario for this reason.

I don't think anyone had tried the Malakim out yet. When the AI plays them, they always seem to get beat down first (unless that one barbarian wearwolf kills off the Sidar).

I am currently playing around with scripted events hoping to make my next scenario a better one.