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Author |
File Description |
Tendril |
Posted on 01/22/08 @ 07:12 PM (updated 04/01/09)
File Details |
Ruleset: |
AoW: SM - Unofficial Patch 1.4 |
Map Size: |
XL |
Levels: |
2 |
Single Player?: |
Yes |
Co-Op vs. AI?: |
Yes |
PBEM/Hotseat?: |
Yes |
Multiplayer Online?: |
Yes |
# of Wizards: |
5 |
# of players: |
4 |
Skill Level: |
Advanced |
Password Protected: |
No |
Surface Minimap:
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Cavern Minimap:
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** Updated to include a 'hostile' version of the map. Changes include removal of the seeing pools to prevent early communications, race and player relation changes and extra spawning neutrals. **
You must resist the viking invaders. If the vikings don't own any towns after turn 100, they will be considered defeated.
If you set the level of the vikings to less than emperor it will reduce thier spawns dramatically.
Recruitment sites contain some heroes and units you are not able to build.
Disabled some structures, only your capital is capable of building a wizard tower and level 3 units.
Build outpost - off
Item teleport - off
The Viking Age is the name of the period between 793 and 1066 AD in Scandinavia and Britain, following the Germanic Iron Age (and the Vendel Age in Sweden). During this period, the Vikings, Scandinavian warriors and traders, raided and explored most parts of Europe, south-western Asia, northern Africa and north-eastern North America.
ENGLAND
While the initial raiding groups were small, it is believed that a great amount of planning was involved. During the winter between 840 and 841, the Norwegians raided during the winter instead of the usual summer. They waited on an island off Ireland. In 865 a larger army, supposedly led by Ivar, Halfdan and Guthrum (and other 'landless' kings) arrived in East Anglia. They proceeded to cross England into Northumbria, where some settled as farmers. Most of the English kingdoms, being in turmoil, could not stand against the Vikings.
871 AD King Alfred, King of Wessex. He is still regarded as one of England's greatest kings, managing to defeat the Danish/Viking invasions of his land, and capturing the city of London from the Scandinavians. He also instituted a large number of far reaching reforms, including some schools and the creation of the first English navy.
IRELAND
For 40 years, the raids were conducted by small, mobile Viking groups. From 830 on, the groups consisted of large fleets of Viking ships. From 840, the Vikings began establishing permanent bases at the coasts. The Irish became accustomed to the Viking presence. In some cases they became allies and also married each other. In 832, a Viking fleet of about 120 invaded kingdoms on Ireland’s northern and eastern coasts. During the mid-830s, raids began to push deeper into Ireland, as opposed to just touching the coasts. After 840, the Vikings had several bases in strategic locations dispersed throughout Ireland.
Aed Finliath, the first 'King of all Ireland' is best known for leading the native resurgence against the Viking conquest of Northern Ireland from 860 until his death.
SCOTLAND
While there are few records, it is believed to be clear that a Scandinavian presence in Scotland increased in the 830s. In 839, a large Viking force believed to be Norwegian invaded the Earn valley and Tay valley which were central to the Pictish kingdom. They slaughtered Eoganan, king of the Picts, and his brother, the vassal king of the Scots. They also killed many members of the Pictish aristocracy. The sophisticated kingdom that had been built fell apart, as did the Pictish leadership.
In 844, Kenneth MacAlpine, a nobleman from the region of Dalriada, and a descendant of the Pictish royal family, was declared king and united the disparate tribes of the north into the first united kingdom, officially known as the Alban. With the aid of the Northumbrians, the Albans managed to bring an end to the Viking raids.
FRANCE
From AD 820 the Viking incursions on the lower Seine became more and more frequent, resulting finally in some permanent colonisation. AD 841 Asgeir's fleet sails up the River Seine, takes the city of Rouen and burns it down. The army continues its penetration of the Seine, plunders and burns the rich Jumiège monastery. The nearby monastery of Fontenelle (the future Saint-Wandrille) is also assaulted and held to ransom. In this expedition, sixty-eight captives are taken and then returned on payment of a ransom by the monks of Saint-Denis. AD 845 Ragnar's fleet of 120 ships (6000 men) sails up the Seine and besieges Paris.
Charles the Bald (numbered Charles II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor), pays 7000 livres in order to spare Paris. Charles also fought against the Vikings who were devastating the country of the north, the valleys of the Seine and Loire, and even up to the borders of Aquitaine. Several times Charles was forced to purchase their retreat at a heavy price. Charles led various expeditions against the invaders and, by the Edict of Pistres of 864, made the army more mobile by providing for a cavalry element and ordered fortified bridges to be put up at all rivers to block the Viking incursions. Two of these bridges at Paris saved the city during its siege of 885-886.
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Pages: [1] 2 » Last » | Author | Comments & Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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Swolte (id: swolte)
Staff |
Posted on 01/22/08 @ 11:20 PM
The map is heavily scripted and so I find it hard to comment on playability.
However, it is evident from the detailed descriptions, great organization in the events, and the excellent map-painting that we are dealing with a very skilled mapmaker!
I look forward to the comments on this map. I predict a lot of positive!
:D |
rat_peddler |
Posted on 01/26/08 @ 02:30 PM
Pretty cool history lesson.
[Edited on 01/26/08 @ 03:02 PM]
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Tendril
File Author |
Posted on 01/28/08 @ 07:51 AM
Thankyou for the kind words. I think i spent more time trying to balance it than with putting in the events and info signs.
And history lesson, possibly :P but only if you care to read the signposts. The rest of the map is nothing to do with history so people who arent interested dont have to read :) |
rat_peddler |
Posted on 01/29/08 @ 12:49 PM
Playability: 5
I have played four of the five human races. All have played well.
Balance: 5
The Viking challenge levels up with your ability to defend. Plus each of the human playable races seem pretty equal in what they have to handle.
Creativity: 4
An interesting approach to providing an AI opponent.
Map Design: 4
Very nice. A few more events or quests would move this to a 5.
Story/Instructions: 4
I liked all the detailed signs. Some background on the heros would bring it alive even more.
Additional Comments:
Emperorer AIs have survived most of the time. When I played the Picts two of them were defeated by the Vikings.
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Fubarno |
Posted on 01/31/08 @ 10:53 PM
I haven't tried playing it yet, but I did look at it in the editor because I'm a fan of the period. Looks very nice, I liked reading all the signs.
By any chance are you a fan of the Bernard Cornwell historical fiction series, Saxon Tales? It takes place during the time of Alfred the Great and is, to me, a quite entertaining read. As yet it is unfinished, the fourth book in the series was just finished. I highly recomend it.
His Grail/Arthur series is also excellent. |
Tendril
File Author |
Posted on 02/16/08 @ 08:28 AM
Thanks for the rating, glad you enjoyed it. I have read some of the books you mentioned, as you say an entertaining read :) Actually it is hard to find literature on that period. I contacted the author, he was very helpful and supplied me with a list of books that had references to names and places.[Edited on 02/16/08 @ 08:33 AM]
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ATOPO |
Posted on 02/17/08 @ 02:04 PM
Playability: 5
No Bugs. In spite of the giant scripts everything seems to work.
Balance: 5
Very good. At the begining only a few vikings disturb me and at the end they send giant armys which I had to defeat in great battles.
Creativity: 5
The idea of reproducting great britain is put into action very well. The viking-invasion is excellent.
Map Design: 4
All in all the map is very good, but a few more quests like the one with the dragon den would be great.
Story/Instructions: 4
The story of this map shows the conflict better then every historylesson, but a few longer texts for the heroes an wizards would be nice.
Additional Comments:
One of the best maps I've ever seen! |
flyingtoaster |
Posted on 04/03/08 @ 06:05 PM
This scenario looks badass. I can't wait to play it. I loved the england map on Age of Empires II and it's great to see a nicely done TBS version. |
flyingtoaster |
Posted on 04/05/08 @ 12:51 AM
Playability: 2
I may have encountered a glitch, but this map was way too easy. The Vikings invaded maybe once every 8 turns with a few war hall and barracks units. I played using the red colored wizard (Southern England)and all the opponent AIs were set to Emperor. Allied victory was enabled.
Balance: 5
Can't speak much for balance since I only played one wizard.
Creativity: 5
I had fun fighting the Loch Ness monster.
Map Design: 5
Stellar map design. I am very impressed.
Story/Instructions: 5
As others have stated, this was a nice history lesson. |
Tendril
File Author |
Posted on 04/05/08 @ 09:27 AM
Thankyou very much for all the positive words.
About the map difficulty..
The Vikings have an invasion force in every players area once every 10 turns until turn 90, then theres 3 in the last 10 turns. If the Vikings are set to emperor they should also spawn a stack on turns 15,25,35 etc, from turn 55 this is 2 stacks eact time.
Considering the assets and heroes the players have access to, you could be right that this isnt enough. I tweaked the viking forces and the player resources/heroes so many times I maybe lost sight of this a little. Also, I'm not a great player of the game, I just enjoy it :p
I'm considering updating it (for tweaks,quests and maybe if i can get it to work with the new BNW mod I'll add a version for that) if I do I'll make maybe another version with much harder Viking forces.
You could try, to make the game harder, not trading with the other players, maybe even just declare war on them all at the beginning if the Vikings are no more than a hinderance.
Thanks again to all for the nice comments, glad you enjoyed it :)
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Pages: [1] 2 » Last » |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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4.5 | Breakdown |
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Playability | 4.0 | Balance | 4.8 | Creativity | 4.8 | Map Design | 4.5 | Story/Instructions | 4.5 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 1,982 |
Favorites: [] | 0 |
Size: | 2.48 MB |
Added: | 01/22/08 |
Updated: | 04/01/09 |
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