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Author |
File Description |
Bob the Lethargic |
Posted on 06/17/99 @ 12:00 AM
File Details |
Minimap:
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*** Note: This is a .sav game file - load it and play it as a saved game and not as a new map.*** Masada II - Through Roman Eyes "I don't want to hear excuses. I want those damned Jews kicked off my mountain and crucified!" Vespian is furious. Jerusalem has fallen. But the remains of the Jewish Revolt in Judea have moved into the abandoned mountaintop fortress of Masada and refuse to surrender. Vespian has decided that you must use the Roman legions in Judea and retake the fortress. He gives you until 83 AD (11 years) in which to accomplish this task and to rebuild the mountaintop. He will judge your city building like any other Roman governor. But he also expects quick results. His demands for farm produce will reflect this. And I don't think the Jewish rebels are going to commit suicide this time. Since you are not a true Roman governor, certain buildings are beyond the capabilities of your military engineers. Therefore Coliseums, Lion Pits, Chariot Makers, and Hippodrome are not available. Your engineers have built four military camps, the circumvallation walls around Masada, and the West ramp for the assault on the fortress. Three javelin and two infantry forts and three barracks have been built but are not up to full strength. Our engineers will continue to search but it looks like the rebels control the only clean water available. They definitely control the only farming areas and you must supply your own food. Can you repeat history by retaking and then rebuilding the city while gaining Vespian's approval? Hard Procurator Level - Saved Game City - Desert Scenario with a time limit Starting funds: 3493 dinarii with 2000 bailout loan from Caesar available Highest Housing Level: Large Insulae (due to lack of third entertainment type) TargetsTo Win - Population 4000 / Culture 50 / Prosperity 35 / Peace 20 / Favor 75 Situation at Game Start - Population 1128 / Culture 30 / Prosperity 04 / Peace 02 / Favor 51 This is not a redo of the Masada original but a whole new scenario with amore historically accurate map. |
Author | Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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Cheruc Baltic |
Posted on 11/30/-1 @ 12:00 AM
Best scenario I have played since Olympics. Not extremely hard, but requires both military and builder/manager skills. Masada is a desert mission. The only water and farming land is on the elevated terrain that is controlled by Judean army - during the first two years several invasions of 120 men each occur in that area. You are starting with a ring of tent cities with 1000+ population around this mountain, each walled and supplied with basic services (prefect, engineer, temple, wells), and with healthy military basis : 3 barracks, academy, 5 forts partially manned, some towers. From the mountain lead two ramps to your city, one more or less straight, second winding along the slopes of the mountain. Both ways are closed with trees, so that you can decide when to start the battle. Until you cut the trees, enemy will wait at the mountaintop. When you have dealt with the rebels, you should at once start building at the mountain, as requests for food from Caesar will come soon. One of the tent cities can be fed from wheat import, but to reach 4000 population and 35 prosperity you need to establish housing at the mountain and bring it to Insulae. It is your decision then, whether to leave the tent cities as tents, or feed them with surplus food you will produce later - or whether you delete them altogether. Because of lack of fountains they will never reach better than Large Shack level. I have used a mix of all possibilities - deleted some tents, from the rest one part was living on imported wheat, one on produced fruit, and the last (smallest) was left at Large Tent without food. In the second half of allotted time there are some smaller invasions, including Caesars request for army - nothing serious, just a reminder that the end is near and welcomed distraction from building. If you are quick, you can finish the game before they come. The game has several stages that require different tactics, and it isn't boring a single minute during the whole playtime. Development is quick, time limited, but sufficient. I have replayed the final part once again, so that I could see the invasions that come after the sixth year - at first attempt I finished before them - and very probably I will replay it once again. Map is nice to look at, terrain features are realistic and at the same time precisely corresponding with the needs of the game. Only the story didn't seem as intriguing as in most BTL's missions. Excellent work! |
Naghite |
Posted on 08/13/05 @ 08:02 AM
Playability: 5
Everything works very well, and as it should
Balance: 4
Very well balanced overall. Favor reaching 100 with many requests due in the end was a bit frustrating however.
Creativity: 5
Very creative map. This is a map that feels like a professional map made by a team at Sierra. Very impressed.
Map Design: 5
Beautifully designed and intricate. Again, very impressive.
Story/Instructions: 5
Nice story-line. Interesting idea and well thought out.
Additional Comments:
The creator of this map suggests above that the highest level housing is LI. This is incorrect, the highest level housing is small villa. LI is the largest possible without considering city wide coverage, while perfect theater and amphitheater coverage allows up to small villa.
I would consider this map to be a hidden gem. It is not very difficult to simply "win", but it can provide hours of fun trying to "win" with the highest ratings that you can achieve. My only suggestions for improving would be too extend the "losing" time a year or two to allow the prosperity to rise higher (although perhaps I just didn't set up my housing quick enough .. ), and also to fix favor so people are not sitting at 100 favor for years while requests are still coming due. My prosperity was only 58 in the final year, but rose to 82 if I played for an additional few years. It might have been nice to see if 100 prosperity was achievable on this map (whilst still meeting the 4000 population total, food is an issue here).
Overall one of the best designed maps I have played. Although only an 8 out of 10 for difficulty, it is very much worth playing as it is wonderfully designed and you can challenge yourself to go beyond the listed win criteria.
[Edited on 08/13/05 @ 08:07 AM]
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Gweilo
Staff |
Posted on 09/06/05 @ 04:28 PM
A wonderful recreation of a historical battle, for C3 players who like the military action.
Playability: 5
Hordes of enemies charging out of their mountain stronghold to set steel against their Roman foe......what can be more fun than that? However, don't try this if you don't like combat.
Balance: 5
This scenario will test your skill at managing a huge battle in this game. The scenario is deceptive in that it requires more tactical planning than it first appears. A few mistakes will spell disaster for the Romans.
Creativity: 5
A superb interpretation of the actual historical siege at Masada, incorporated into this game with a fun 'what if' twist.
Map Design: 5
An excellent representation of the Masada region, and the Roman siege works around it. Well done!
Story/Instructions: 5
I am a sucker for actual history told in a story-like manner, so I adored Bob's writing.
Additional Comments:
In retrospect, this scenario had a great influence on me in my later playing of C3 military scenarios, and in designing my own custom scenarios/campaigns. Everyone should play this one just to see the sheer spectacle of it!
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Fanakick |
Posted on 04/26/14 @ 10:42 AM
Playability: 5
A battle I could play again and again.
Balance: 4
The predesigned city is almost too flawless, with much infrastructure already given. Once the hill is clear, all goes a bit too well. With furniture exports, money is plenty (unless your warehouse gets stuffed up with weapons and you don't realise it...), as is farmland. I didn't have to use all of it. The requests also have generous deadlines. Still a decent challenge though, particularly to create good housing blocks on the hill.
Creativity: 5
YOU attacking the enemies is something new for sure! Great idea and well implemented.
Map Design: 5
Historically accurate. Forces you where necessary (water, farmland) but still leaves choices of different attacking paths for example. Or what to do with the tents as Cherub Baltic mentioned.
Story/Instructions: 5
Great introduction to this historical event I didn't know.
Additional Comments:
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Florianius |
Posted on 02/10/17 @ 03:46 PM
Playability: 5
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Balance:
There was a massive amount of enemys on the map. Great fun. Only problem is that enemy troops moral gets lower with time. I just waited some months, killed fifty people or so and hundreds of enemys are fleeing... This really looked ridiculous: An army ten times the size of my army fleeing.
Creativity: 5
Interesting scenario.
Map Design: 5
Nice map. Created with love.
Story/Instructions: 5
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Additional Comments:
Scenario is quite easy, only problem is to finish in time. |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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4.8 | Breakdown |
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Playability | 4.8 | Balance | 4.4 | Creativity | 5.0 | Map Design | 5.0 | Story/Instructions | 4.8 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 3,133 |
Favorites: [] | 0 |
Size: | 85.45 KB |
Added: | 06/17/99 |
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