EaglePrince

I would like to apply for the competition with my signature. Country I represent is medieval Serbia! First will elaborate the signature itself. What you see at this banner are walls of Smederevo fortress - it was the last capital of medieval Serbia, until it fell during the invasion of Turks. In the background is the flag of Serbian Empire - one would say it is so similar to flag of Byzantine empire, and that is not coincidence, as Serbia was under great influence of Byzantine empire. I will tell something about rise and downfall of Serbian empire. Serbia reached its height of power during the Nemanji?i. The Serbian Kingdom was proclaimed in 1217. Stefan Du?an proclaimed the Serbian Empire in 1346. During Du?an's rule, Serbia reached its territorial, political and economical peak, proclaiming itself as the successor of the Byzantine Empire, and indeed was the most powerful Balkan state of that time. Tsar Du?an enacted the known Du?an's Code, an extensive constitution, and opened new trade routes and strengthened the state's economy. Serbia flourished, becoming one of the most developed countries and cultures in Europe. Medieval Serbia had a high political, economic, and cultural reputation in Europe. The Serbian identity has been profoundly shaped by the rule of this dynasty and its accomplishments, with the Serbian Orthodox Church who assumed the role of the national spiritual guardian. Before his sudden death, Stefan Du?an tried to organize a Crusade with the Pope against the threatening Turks. He died in December 1355 at the age 47. He was succeeded by his son Uro?, called the Weak, a term that might also apply to the state of the empire which slowly slid into a feudal anarchy. This was a period marked by the rise of a new threat: the Ottoman Turk sultanate which spread from Asia to Europe. They conquered Byzantium and then the other states in the Balkans. Later after that, Serbian lords, which were disunited attempted to stop the Turks, but they failed. The first great clash between Serbian lords and the Turks was battle of Maritsa. It was a devastating defeat to Serbian lords. The Serbian army numbered 20,000-70,000 men. Despot Uglje?a wanted to make a surprise attack on the Ottomans in their capital city, Edirne, while Murad I was in Asia Minor. The Ottoman army was much smaller Byzantine Greek scholar Laonikos Chalkokondyles and other sources give the number of 15000 men, but due to superior tactics, by conducting a night raid on the Serbian camp, ??hin Pa?a was able to defeat the Serbian army and kill King Vuka?in and despot Uglje?a. Thousands of Serbs were killed, and thousands drowned in the Maritsa river when they tried to regroup for counter-attack. Heavy armor became a disadvantage in the river water. After the battle, the Maritsa ran scarlet with blood. Those were on of the finest Serbian warriors, and one the reasons why Serbian army was defeated was that, Serbian lords, and Serbian army, were too confident... The aftermaths of the battle were that, Macedonia and parts of Greece fell under Ottoman power after this battle. The battle was a part of the Ottoman campaign to conquer the Balkans and was preceded by the Ottoman capturing of Sozopol and succeeded by the capture of the cities of Drama, Kav?la and Serrai in modern Greece. The battle preceded the later 1389 Battle of Kosovo, and was one of many in history of the Serbian-Turkish wars. The Battle of Kosovo, also known as the Battle of Kosovo Field or the Battle of Blackbird's Field (Serbian: ???????? ?????, ??? ?? ??????; Kosovska bitka; Boj na Kosovu; Turkish: Kosova Meydan Sava??), took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanovi?, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I. The army under Prince Lazar consisted of his own troops, a contingent led by Serbian nobleman Vuk Brankovi?, and a contingent sent from Bosnia by King Tvrtko I, commanded by Vlatko Vukovi?. Prince Lazar was the ruler of Moravian Serbia, and the most powerful among the Serbian regional lords of the time, while Vuk Brankovi? ruled a part of Kosovo and other areas, recognizing Lazar as his overlord. The Battle of Kosovo took place in the Kosovo Polje, about 5 kilometers northwest of modern-day Pristina. After the battle the bulk of both armies were wiped out in the battle; both Lazar and Murad lost their lives, and the remnants of their armies eventually retreated from the battlefield. The Serbs were left with too few men to defend their lands effectively, while the Turks had many more troops in the east. Consequently, the Serbian principalities that were not already Ottoman vassals, one after the other became so in the following years. Furthermore, in response to Turkish pressure, some Serbian noblemen wed their daughters, including the daughter of Prince Lazar, to Bayezid. In the wake of these marriages, Stefan Lazarevi? became a loyal ally of Bayezid, going on to contribute significant forces to many of Bayezid's future military engagements, including the Battle of Nicopolis. Eventually, the Serbian Despotate would, on numerous occasions, attempt to defeat the Ottomans in conjunction with the Hungarians until its final defeat in 1459 and again in 1540. Smederevo (it walls can be seen on my signature) was the last capital of Serbian Despotate. Ultimately this city was surrendered to Turks by the last king of medieval Serbia, Stefan Toma?evi?. This is the map of Serbian empire. Some parts of this text were taken from different articles from Wikipedia. SUGGESTION: I also meant to suggest that we add some new additional rules for choosing the winner the for this competition. The rule would be the following: if one was the winner of previous month, next month he would have to have at least 50% more votes than the second competitor, in order to win. My motivation for this is that I don't find it interesting if one person wins this award almost every month. Also, the one who tells the idea for next month competition has more chances of winning, as we may assume that this one might already have an idea for his signature, at the time others are reading what is the next month theme.

Thanks, I will give them a try. :) As about the map - that wasn't an easy game, considering one could survive upcoming attacks. Although my they did not reach my lord, they were indeed damaging my economy, until I was able to repel all their attacks.

It seems interesting, I am going to give it a try. Already downloaded it. :)

Hi, I wanted to inform you that we will be able to play Stronghold 2 and Stronghold Legends from now at GameRanger. This is what I saw when I started Gameranger today - the same news can be read at GameRanger news. :) Huray! :D

I have created new faces after: lord Eddard Stark, Robb Stark, and prince Oberyn Martell (the Red Viper) from Game of Thrones, Thomas Marshal and baron William d'Aubigny from Ironclad, and Aragorn, and king Theoden from Lord of the Ring. You may have a look at them in my first post in this topic.

I have added few more faces into my collection, including one made after image of prince Oberyn - in honor of this great character from Game of Thrones! I have also showed here two of my older works - one is made after Persian coat of arms, and the other is made after Norwegian. If you would like to have shield made after your national coat of arms, and it is not on my website, or you did find it there, but you're not satisfied, feel free to write me here. Especially if I did something wrong. :)

That sounds like pretty hard mission, but I am gonna try. There is also a lot of luck in these games with outposts. If the first units produced from these outposts are knights and swordsmen, that you will surely be in a huge problem. In the other hand, of spearmen come out first, that you have some more time to prepare for other attacks. I believe the of of success would be to follow what's going on in the north, and see if swordsmen and knights are coming, so you could place some pitch before it is too late. It sounds nice, I'm looking forward to play that map, you're gonna make. As about high ground and other, I just have trust in you! I am sure you will make in such a way, that it will be fun to play. But if you ask me for some ideas... I was thinking about a map with marches in the middle, and having some players on high ground (medium level), and some in the low. I'm not saying you to make a map like this, but if you do create one, I know it would be way better than mine. :) Maybe we both make this one. :) I have just downloaded both your skirmish maps uploaded to Heaven Games. They look pretty cool. EDIT: I've just fought against the Wolf, Lionheart and Frederick, with Richards by my side on map Ivrkard. Wolf was in the north-east, Frederick next to him, and Lionheart in the west of Frederick. My castle was under pressure almost all the the time - I was the only one they were attacking. I have managed to survive these attacks, although they did manage to destroy some parts of my economy, and in one attack, they destroyed my granary. I was struggling with popularity, and although I had built inns, it took a while until I started taking taxes. Just after I built defenses good enough, Richard killed one of our opponents. After some time, Lionheart (the opponent) was weakened, as I sent some troops to finish him, but Richard was faster then me this time, and he killed him before me. The Wolf was the last standing enemy - I destroyed his outpost with knights, after what Richards and I both attacked him from two sides: me from the south, and Richard from the west. Soon we overcame his defenses, and he fell. This time I was faster than Richard! Some would say the game was easy, but surviving under those heavy attacks was not an easy task at all. :)

I have uploaded several more faces, and from now on, I will be posting images of them just like I was doing it on my website.

Could you tell me which crusader enemies did you fight against, and at which positions were they? And who was your ally, and how much gold did you start with? I guess six player map would be good - it would be easier to have powerful opponents, and they do not need to be too close to us. It is more interested when we teams are separated in different corners, just like in your previous maps, and I believe it would be harder to achieve in eight player map. As about this matter, I see you are more experience in making skirmish maps and scenarios. The only thing I am concerned about, is that those enemies would be rebuilding destroyed buildings, and they would be replacing lost troops on their walls. In the other hand, if this one was humans ally, than human could repair his walls and towers, and even rebuild them. As about lost troops - you could send some troops on this allies walls. How does he act when it comes to building farms, woodcutters, and other buildings outside his castle? Would he build them if necessary? Nevertheless, I do not doubt I would have a lot of fun making a map you suggested, and all I can think of in the beginning of the game is saving my life - it is indeed the latest phase of the game, when it comes to killing the opponents. :)

Saw it, played it, had an extreme time! First time I tried I had difficulties to start up my economy some parts of it being set to fire. Later tried to play again with 4,000 gold, but Crusader game. This time, for change, Caliph was attacking Lionheart first, so I made it! I trained some troops to protect my castle, and I sent troops some of my to protect Lionheart just in time. It was a pretty bad situation in his castle - it was all in fire, and Arabian swordsmen were walking inside of it destroying his economy (in those moments castle wasn't burning)... I sent my crossbowmen on his tower, while I also had to protect them from the swordsmen with my knight (I had those few knights from beginning). Once I defeated Caliphs troops there, I continued to send him some more troops just to ensure he will stay all right. Soon after, I and finished my castle, and as Caliph was sending lots of troops, I train some more knights to send them beyond Caliphs castles, to destroy the outposts. I trained about 30 knights for this task, although they weren't enough to destroy all three of them. In this first attack I destroyed two of them, the second attack was a failure, while the third one was successful, and I did make it to destroy the third outpost. Then it became easier, and all three of them fell one by one. It was a really interesting game. As about multiplayer - that is why can be better to play with more players, that way it can be more balanced. For example, I was playing with Charles and Iso, and while I was better at Stronghold Crusader, Iso was better at Stronghold. But that was making any problems, as we used to play on unbalanced maps, or free for all games, or we were able to make the teams to be balanced. Those free for all games were pretty interesting - especially in Stronghold, where one can make an alliance with someone else, and also he can betray his ally. It was possible you to attack someone, offer him to surrender, after you defeat his army, so he would continue to fight on your side. Unless he crosses you. This is why it was important not to put your self in a bed situation - if you attack your next opponent, and you lose most of your attacking army, he may take advantage, and switch sides, or simply desert you. I was making plans how to force Charles not to betray me, as it was real fun to him. :) As about this game on your new map - here are some screenshots. my caste Richard the Lionheart scores

There are 18 original faces that can be used in Stronghold Crusader and Stronghold Crusader Extreme, but if you edit faces.bmp file located in Stronghold Crusader folder, than you can also create two more faces of your own in addition to those 18 ones. This way I have created plenty of faces and crests that can be used in the game. It also works nicely in multiplayer, and I find it as a really great option - this way you can personalize how will other see you, and perhaps even remember you. Just like family crests were representing the knights in Middle Ages, this face / crest may represent you! Here you may take a look at some faces I have created! But that is just an overview of my newest faces, there are even more of them. There are plenty crests I have created being inspired by some national coats of arms, knight orders, dynasties, and some medieval rulers. If you're interested to take a look at them, you could take a look at my Stronghold Crusader faces and crests album. Right now, as you may see, I am creating some faces after images of some movie characters! Faces (each face image is a link to it's faces.bmp file you should download if you want to use it) As you may see in images above, I have also created faces after: lord Eddard Stark, Robb Stark, prince Oberyn Martell (the Red Viper), and king Stannis Baratheon from Game of Thrones, Thomas Marshal and baron William d'Aubigny from Ironclad, Aragorn, king Theoden, Gandalf the White, and Boromir from Lord of the Ring, and Balian of Ibelin, and kind Baldwin (the leper king) from Kingdom of Heaven. Shields Stronghold Europe shields: (each shield image is a link to it's faces.bmp file you should download if you want to use it) By the time, I will be creating more faces and crests, and I also plan to improve some of older ones, with which I am not satisfied at this moment, as I am able to make them better. Feel free to share any comments about these I have created, or any ideas as well! If you would like to have a Stronghold Crusader face created after any character will be happy to create it for you, and I would upload it into my collection - with your permission, of course.

Hehe, I can also remember some situations where I got surprised this way... I still remember playing against two guys from Poland (my ally left the game, or game crashed). I was the most powerful, I played with my usual tactics in that time, but the fact that those two guys knew each other, so they acted together so nicely, wasn't going in my hand so much! :) In a moment I was so close to kill one of them, the other would attack me, and mess up all my plans. One of their first attempts to eliminate me was just using the assassins. In a moment my army left the castle to attack one of them (in the east of me), I just heard assassins are climbing my walls, and in the next one "we have lost control of our gatehouse, my lord". :) I managed to survive, as I had some weapons in the armory to train swordsmen to defend the lord, while lord was moving in the opposite side of the castle. Swordsmen I had trained were not enough, but crossbowmen saved the day. :) This game had lasted for several hours, after we ended it with no winners, as it was too late - about 2:00 - 2:30 after midnight. Digging moats is the best solutions to avoid these situations, but in multiplayer everyone tends to be as fast as possible, so most often I don't do it - especially if I'm winning. Which can easily cost you a head. :) Also, few times I was the one who won the game using this tactic. :D

I was happy to add you into the list. :) Oh, and I won't do swordsmen spam, I promise. :)

Thanks, Chris! Now you're able to read my mind, I see. :)

I just wanted to inform you, that it is possible to play Teutonen Ritter's mod Stronghold Europe in multiplayer. All you need to do is to rename Stronghold Europe.exe to Stronghold Crusader.exe (and also rename to Stronghold Crusader.exe however you like). Then you need to create a room in GameRanger for Stronghold Crusader, and after all of you did this, host simply starts the game, and all works fine. As far as I have seen.

Hi, I wanted to create this tread, so players like us, who only want to enjoy the game, could gather here, share their GameRanger id numbers, and so we could agree to play some games. Right now, there are lots of players online, but sometimes when you come to play with random people, their playing style just doesn't fit you. For example, they might be some of those "pro" players who want to play by one single "effective" pattern, or they might be just childish, so while you try to have a nice hour playing the game you like, he starts placing ox tethers in front of your gates, or something like that. :/ Also, I got feeling how some of us have less time right now to enjoy this game, so it might be useful, if we could agree, in this tread, at what time we meet at GameRanger, to play a game. I'll start by sharing my id. EaglePrince: 1480428 Charles of Tours: 1851531 Lord_Chris: 5298554 Lord_Vetka: 318728 {SHN} Mathew Steel: 5570539 Nigel: 5638690 xiiMaRcLeoN: 5358150 Lord Banshee: 3891787 buddha737: 4483888 As you add your GameRanger id's, I would add them into this list I started.

I agree, that is the reason why I wasn't playing Extreme before, but I wasn't aware of this option. This way game can get pretty exciting. It is always better to reduce size of enemy army coming from the outpost, than giving me an outpost. At least that's what I thing at this moment. :) I am aware of that, but maybe it would be better to upload two versions of the map at once, and this one for multiplayer to be tagged in some way? Because, if we both have different maps with the same name, there might have problems starting the game. I look forward to download your new map. :) As about games with human ally, it is indeed easier. The only thing is that, in one moment we both have huge armies compared to the enemies, so sieges become too easy, but with those outposts... I can smell there will be great battles. :)

You need to click at the outpost after you place it, and then you have the options to change the size of army being produced in this outpost, and which army type you want to produce this outpost. Great, going to download them! Oh, and by the way, I am subscribed to receive notifications after you upload something... :) Oh, but when something like this happens, it is the right moment to request my aid, so we could together wipe them out! I'm just joking now - who knows, maybe they wipe us both out, but that would be interesting to try. You see, I was thinking about making maps for two players to fight against computer together, but it was always too easy somehow... If you play with one opponent, then maximum number of opponents is six, and that is three to one, which is not so hard. It is interesting, that's for sure, but it is less challenge. Also, when you play with your mom, for example, or your brother who hates to lose, there is not other option that to play allied with them. :D

And it seems like the best option for now. I trying this once by setting the outpost to produce the largest armies possible, that didn't go well for me while trying to play the map. Like they say in my country: "feed the pigs and do not touch anything". :) (so you can't mess up anything)

Thank you, guys, I will bear the reward under my signature with pride, and continue to serve you with honor. :knight:

I'm glad to hear that, I look forward to it. I guess the attacks became too powerful for both of you to handle. Also, I would like to say that sometimes it is more interesting to have a weaker ally (such in this case), so you don't need to defend yourself only, but to defend your ally as well, as you don't want to let him down. I remember how I was a little sad sometimes when I get snake as an ally in some crusader trail mission against powerful foes. Later I started thinking this way - this ally is not here to win the game instead of me - we are here to fight together! It's also more interesting when your ally castle is positioned in such a way, so he is protecting part of your economy, or something that is important for you, so you have interest in protecting him. One example just came across my mind: Mission 3. in Crusader Trail - This Dusty Land (you and Richard vs two Caliphs). In this mission Richard is protecting your back, and he also manages, in first stages of the game, to destroy some parts of the southern Caliphs castle! Later in the game the northern Caliph stops attacking you, and they both start attacking Richard after what they will manage to kill him, unless you send him help. (I remember playing this mission for the first time - it was the hardest mission at that time - more than ten years ago. :) Later I won the game after I learned how to build catapults - that was hell of revenge. :D ) Yeah, at this moment I just got interested in Stronghold Crusader Extreme. As about powers, gold is a nice one, and beside ability to heal army, one of the least unfair to our enemies. I've just started playing Crusader Extreme trail - some missions are way too easy with those powers (if you tend to rush): during the attack you can use stone if you want to destroy the gate and enter the castle more quickly, and also, you can use arrows to kill all enemy flame throwers. Then almost nothing stands on your way. But there are also some interesting ones, where you don't get 20,000 gold in beginning, and there are pretty interesting. Mission 2. - Bird In Flight for example... Interesting map! Does someone know, do AI's use any of those powers? It is obvious they don't use rock and arrows for example, but maybe they do get gold... I believe that would not go unnoticed, if your enemy just had few gold, and in the next moment more then 6,000. :)

I've just finished the map, it really great! I've wrote about it in epic battles here. After playing this one, I believe playing against Snake and Richard would be more challenging, as they would be using catapults, and I would be needing stone to repair towers and walls. By the way, how did you set the outposts to produce troops? I mean, what army size, and did you set some delay time?

I agreed to try one of Lord Vetkas maps, and just as we both expected, it was a nice fight and very exciting! This map is called Areboth, and it will be available later in our downloads section, but Vetka wants to do some more work on it. It was a Stronghold Crusader Extreme game, and I was playing against two Caliphs, with me starting with 4000 gold, and them starting with 2000 and each of them having one outpost training Arabian army. I had pretty enough oasis, and enough wood to make a good production - I focused on food production and producing ale, so I could take taxes from my people. I also had three iron mines. It is possible to win more resources - if I kill one Caliph, I would get more iron, and if I kill the other, I would get stone. That's a really nice idea. As about army, I was training macemen, archers and ctossbowmen. I decided to take more iron mines, so I killed the one Caliph in the west (that was in 1193.), as I needed it to produce more maces. I was able to buy all stone I needed to finish the castle, and of course - to destroy Caliphs walls and towers with catapults. After the first one fell, I felt way safer, so I finished the castle, made my triple walls and some more towers, which were not necessary, but one win a game without completing his castle. :) After that I trained more army to kill the other Caliph (in 1198.). It was a really nice fight, and really an exciting game. Also, I wasn't using any of powers (or however they are called), I was fighting only with my men! As I could have seen, computer lords don't use those powers as well, so I find it fair. I could using the power to heal my men, but I wasn't doing that either. Also, I could have made it easier to me, if I was destroying the outposts when I could with my army (after I killed the first Caliph), but that didn't cross my mind. :D I will post some screenshot from the game. :) Now I see I didn't save the screenshot of completed castle, but you can see how it was looking like unfinished.

It's a nice map, and a nice castle, Strife. Also, I like how you designed the whole story, it seems pretty interesting, ad challenging as well. I hope you will finish it soon, and upload it here, so I could give a shot. I also hope it will be possible to win without using of portable shields - I would certainly attempt to do that! Can't wait for you to finish it.

Whoa, that was quick! :D Nicely done, Charles! Also - nice castle. It looks pretty cool near that coast. :)