Stronghold 1 multiplayer rules

[EaglePrince 261]

I am opening this tread so we could discuss our rules for Stronghold 1. We have started talking about it in this tread, but we should keep that talk here.

 

I am copying part of the text I wrote there, which regards this issue:

 

Regarding those rules, I think we should keep it as simple as possible. I agree with what you say about maps, it is more interesting for me too, when we build smaller castles, and when we need to send some of our troops our to protect our lands. It makes it more realistic. I agree with you regarding mangonel war, it is something which should not be possible, although if there are six players, I am unsure if that is even possible to do. Because of this I think this should be an agreement which could be made by neighboring lords.

 

The rule I have always insisted on is no portable shields. Portable shields are overpowered, and they are widely used by those "expert" Stronghold Crusader players. We could create another tread here, where we already have our rules for SHC, SH2, and SHL.

 

Those are my suggestion:

• no portable shields
  
• no cow throwing outside enemy castle
  
• no mangonel war
  
• no building castle buildings outside the defined area (if the area is defined)
  
• no deliberately shooting with catapults at enemy army (with trebuchets it is allowed)
  
• The castle can only be built within the delineated area. Moat, oil and pitfalls can be placed anywhere.
  

By the way, what do you assume by apple war? If it is fighting over territory to have more apple farms, then it is fighting for more resources which is fine by me.

 

Regarding no cow throwing, I am saying it, because if all of us were throwing cows on enemy troops which are outside a castle - on a hill for example, then it would end up by throwing cows all over the map on each other. For example, Nigel and I wasn't throwing cows on each others troops in the previous game, but if we were, our fight over the northern territory would be slightly pointless, as we would be having a large no mans land, and Stronghold 1 maps are not large enough for that. :) There is one more reason, and that is because in real life throwing cows would work only when thrown into a castle, as this way it in a closed are it would cause a disease. On the other hand, a cow thrown into an open are would do nothing. Still, I do not insist on this, I know Charles likes throwing cows too, but I am saying my opinion. :)

Edited May 10, 2015 by EaglePrince

[LordBanshee 9]

I thought about rules for balance in game. This is my ideas.

1. The initial resources - a little.

2. The troops - no. Troops for money.

3. Gold - 0

4. The weapon trade - on. Trade Resources - off.

5. Attack time - in years. After you can build barracks guild engineers and sappers guild and start a war.

6. The castle can only be built within the delineated area. Moat, oil and pitfalls can be placed anywhere.

7. Amount throwing tools - 1.

8. Acceptable tower guns - 1 mangonel, 1 balista.

9. No shield on walls and towers.

10. No cows.

This is not last version of rules and need to checked in game.

Edited December 9, 2015 by LordBanshee

[Nigel 71]

6. The castle can only be built within the delineated area. Moat, oil and pitfalls can be placed anywhere.

 

That is actually a rule which changes the gameplay quite a lot - and in a positive way.

 

We started a little game with those rules just now and I liked it a lot. You really have to think about how you design your castle and what you want to have inside and what outside. It also limits your building ability and you cannot build those gigantic Uber-casltes that you sometimes see. You just have to start the action when your castle is done.

 

Our game did not go that far, as I had to go. But we have the savegame and I look forward to see how these rules handle when the battle starts.

[EaglePrince 261]

I agree with Nigel, those borders for castle walls and towers are great idea. This way players need to build "real" castles, and not to simply attach their walls to edge of the map, or something like that. :)

 

ADDITION: I have only one thing that might bother some of us, and it is how you make no rush time. You forbid to build barracks, but I think it is better to allow that. For example, someone may want to put their barracks inside the castle, and that cannot be done in any moment - you depend of those workers who walk their. I think it would be better to allow building barracks, and maybe even troops, but they shouldn't be allowed to leave the castle. That last thing about training troops before no rush period ends - both ways are good: building troops before the period ends and building troops only after it ends, both seem good to me.

 

And throwing tools? Are those catapults and trebuchets? Don't you think we should allow more of them? Remember those battles with we had when you had some trouble besieging my castle with trebuchets, I defended with mangonels on my towers? :)

Edited December 9, 2015 by EaglePrince

[LordBanshee 9]

1. You right about building barracks, EaglPrince. I thinks we can allow build them, but troops must be in castle or donjon. Its also protect from overflowing of armory at in early time.

 

2. Tools is catapults and trebuchets, yes. Speed of destroying of castle should be correleated with speed of stone production and also amount of catapults should be not to big. I think, even 3 catapults cause serious damage for enemy army. You can forbid to shoot at army, but?difficult to prove that player shoot on enemy castle if enemy army near him. Low ammount of catapults will not cause great damage, so, I think amount of catapults should be 1 or 2. If castle is attacked, you need stocks of stone for repearing or you should to countrattack enemy, but you cannot stay in castle long time and repear it. Also here reason why I not allow trading resourses.

 

There is open question: enable trading weapons or not. I think we can allow it, because bye weapon is?disadvantageously and producing weapon is better in longer perspective. Also players usually have a lot of money and no way to spend them =)

[EaglePrince 261]

I agree with what you say about buying weapons. If we put a limit to to number of catapults and trebuchets, then players may have some more gold that they cannot spend.

 

Regarding catapults limit, what do you say about this: 4 trebuchets or 6 catapults, depending of what the player uses? It would be in fact: maximum of engineers employed on those engines would be 12. I think it would be better, as trebuchets have greater ranger, though this could seem confusing to anyone new... :) Your rule is simpler to tell, and that is also important. :)

[LordBanshee 9]

Yes, it should be simple to count number of anything. Anyway, it should be tested. And 6 catapults may to destroy all castle in small time=)

Edited December 9, 2015 by LordBanshee

[EaglePrince 261]

Oh yeah, we should test that. :D My castle wouldn't fall before six catapults. :D:cool:

[Lord_Chris 284]

I added rule 6 to the first post. If you all have some kind of general consensus, then I'll add more of the rules to the first post. :)

[Nigel 71]

Oh yeah, we should test that. :D My castle wouldn't fall before six catapults. :D:cool:

 

Hear ye, hear ye,

It looks like we have a challange and the gauntlet has been thrown ;)

[EaglePrince 261]

Thanks, Chris. :)

 

We shall see about maximum number of catapults yet. In my opinion a player can defend from catapult attack relatively easily by using mangonels - if he has enough stone in the stockpile that is... I indeed managed to defend from bunch of catapults, in some battles I myself taught I won't make it, but in the end I did it. Catapults themselves don't hurt you so much, the problem is when the opponent manages to raid your workers - that's when catapults become a problem.

 

For example, Banshee, I hope you remember that war with Nigel - what costed me my lords life the fact that you raided my stone quarries. Nigel was also doing his part in the north, I needed more wood when his archers started killing my woodcutters there. :)