There are a number of reasons why most players participate in games on Thermopyle maps:
- The single choke point makes for a simple game plan.
- The single choke point and long canyon telegraphs an attack so that players, not only know where the raid will be, but also the direction it will come from.
- Players relative skillz are nutrailized by build restrictions... rules are like No air, hills, nuke, LRC, tele and sat. Of course these restrictions reduce the attack options to only face to face groundwar. Also players soon realise they don't need the remember to build defense against those options that can't be deployed. Therefore no need for nuke defense, air defense, early shields and point defense on the rear of base and so on. This allows new players to mix it with Pros, having a new player on the team does not mean certain defeat
- Players like to test 'End Game' scenarios with T3 defense and T4 attack.
- Sometimes people just want to chill on a cool map. Thermo is always fun if the host is cruisy and players follow the rules.
- Players could use this map to practice team commander skillz in the canyon, establishing a stealthed front line. (Note: ensure 'AIx Omni' is OFF for this...it should normally be on for most TeamPlayAI games.)
- There are many players that say they hate Thermo style maps... but they play because it is the only small, fast running game available to join. They hate a slow-running Setons even more.
So may I present
"Thermopylae v4 TeamPlayAI"
Size - 10x10 ... basicly same landform as 'Battle of Thermopylae v4'... I have only smoothed the canyon a little, made it difficult to do anything on top of the hills and added restrictions. Also added a full set of FA AI markers.
Players - One to four Humans in North start positions 1-4 verse two teamed Aeon Sorian Turtle AIx in South start positions 7&8.... there are two positions [5&6] that should remain empty for best AI performance. You could add a Sorian Rush AI to the most forward of the AI start positions[5]...this will provide good sport early in the canyon but in the long run will weaken the AIx build and cause the game to slowdown. I do not recommend that you add a third AI.
Restrictions - Air, Nukes, LRC, Sat, Tele and Hills. ( LRC includes T4 long range cannons.) So rather than trust that all players will obey the rules ...the map ensures compliance. Our game host will not need to set restrictions or even state rules ...people will soon learn.
This map reminds me of a bowling ally with the AIx experimentals as 'pins' and Human experimentals as 'bowling balls'.
Use AIx multipliers to adjust game difficulty rather than adding more than two AI. Noobies will achieve 'Allied Victory' here with both AIx multipliers set between 1.0 and 1.3 - Mid level players 1.4 and 1.5 - Pros 1.6 and above.
A build-time radius has been set for those that want to give the AIx build an uninterupted 5mins to ensure it can defend itself from a four player rush.
This map can also be played 1v1 or 2v2 with all human players. The resources are balanced although not symmetrical. I think the South has stronger start positions than the North's original map start positions.
Note: Using mods like Black-Ops will break the map's restrictions because I have not included any new unit IDs.
Have fun
roj