Contest 100: Maritis Merites: A Cleopatra Contest
Welcome to the contest
page for Contest 100 : Maritis Merites! (part three)
This is a Cleopatra game, and should only be played with Pharaoh
V2.1.0.0.
Use the link below to
download the starting position:
Maritis Merites
part three (normal difficulty)
file
is in zip format
To download the mission, simply click the appropriate link.
The files you receive will be in a zipped format. After downloading, decompress
the files you want to inspect (using, e.g. PowerArchiver or Winzip). You
can get Winzip free from their website at www.winzip.com.
To play the game, start Pharoah/Cleopatra, go to your family, and select
"Load Saved Game". You will find the files as a saved game.
There are six different starting positions, all with the names of Egyptian
gods.
All saves are to be played at Normal difficulty. Please make sure you
play the game from the start at the correct level of difficulty. If a
map is played at a lower difficulty level, it becomes invalid. Select
Options>Difficulty and check it. If necessary adjust the difficulty,
select new game and reselect the Maritis Merites saved game. Now you can
play.
| Name | Mini-map view |
|---|---|
| Amun-Toth |  |
| Bast -Amun |  |
| Maat - Ptah |  |
| Opet - Amun |  |
| Ptah - Amun |  |
| Seth - Thot |  |
All players are advised
to peruse the remainder of the contest pages (links to which can be found
at the foot of the page), as well as the General Rules and Pharaoh/Cleopatra game features.
The Story
Pharaoh Nebka is somewhat concerned by the actions of his foremost general.
While Maritis has won victories to better the greatest generals of all
time, his success has carried him far further than even the most optimistic
advisors would have hoped. Indeed, his attack against the mighty city
of Abu went almost unopposed, a far cry from the slaughter anticipated.
Pharaoh is inwardly concerned - although he makes no mention of it to
any but myself, his most trusted advisor - that Maritis may be not so
much winning battles as having them served to him on a plate.
Enemy casualties have been low, far lower than our predictions, and this
concerns Nebka. It is quite possible that Maritis is marching into the
jaws of a vast trap - he is overextended, his supply lines pitifully dependant
upon your colony and its trade routes. If your city were to be burned
or taken, half the Egyptian army would be left deep in enemy territory
with no easy means of support - and Maritis has the competent part! Most
of the loyal and patriotic men are with him in the deep south, leaving
behind the cowards, the men of dubious loyalty, the officers with political
ambitions and those who bear more loyalty to their purse strings than
to their Pharaoh. You must be extra vigilant against such an attack on
Maritis's supply chain, for the barbarian generals are no less able than
Pharaoh's, and will doubtless spot the same weakness in the force which
is driving through their lands.
Against the eventuality of the unthinkable happening, and Maritis being
defeated or a sneak attack being launched, Pharaoh has assembled from
those who remain in the kingdom all the soldiers and officers whom he
can trust, both in courage and in loyalty, into a small force which could
be used to plug any gaps in our defences. If such a weakness is found,
Pharaoh will require the assistance of your veteran troops to shore up
our defences - he has placed this order in priority even over demands
from Maritis, such is his concern about this weak link which Maritis has
thus far failed to spot.
Nebka is also somewhat concerned by Maritis's attitude towards his troops.
Far from treating them with the honour and respect they deserve, Maritis
is accustomed to herding them into battle like cattle, entrusting his
orders and plans only to his officers. While high casualties on the attacking
side are to be expected when launching an offensive on such mighty fortifications
as Abu and Nekhen, losses of both men and equipment have been unreasonably
high. It is almost as if Maritis doesn't care about the men under his
command… but of course this is nonsense. What man could not respect
such soldiers, their steadfast courage and firm loyalty to their pharaoh?
It is good that Maritis is now reaching the full extent of his agreed
offensive. He has savaged the Libyan territory, all but splitting it into
two, and has cut them off from the life-giving Nile. Toshka is the last
city to face the wrath of Maritis's sword - he marches for it even as
this letter reaches you. He has given his word to the Pharaoh that he
will not proceed further - Pharaoh can ill afford the loss of the African
trade routes, a recourse to which the southern Libyan cities - Iken in
particular - have threatened to resort if their territory is directly
threatened.
However, Pharaoh is pleased with your city in general, particularly the
efficient way you have utilised the available space and limited local
resources. He sends his highest commendations on your work, and promise
of great reward… should you not falter at the last.
Rules
Completion Criteria:
none
Winning Criteria:
Each map will be scored according to the following formula:
Score =
Culture Rating + 2*Prosperity
Rating + 3*Monument Rating + Kingdom
Rating +
Treasury/1000 + #People/100
+ #Weapons/3 +
#Infantry + 2*#Archers
+ #Stately Manors +
%Pyramid + %Obelisk + 3*(360 - #Months Pyramid) + 10*(360
- #Months Obelisk)
All score elements will
be checked with the appropriate overseer and taken from the submitted
save in the final stage. The number of months it took to complete the
obelisk and the pyramid will be derived from the message list. For instance
if the obelisk is finished in Jan AD3, 36 months are taken for the completion.
If a monument is not finished the number of months is set to 360.
Notes
This contest map consists of three distinct parts, each lasting ten game years. Players can download the finishing positions of the second stage, and play the third part or stage. Annual saves should be made each December, signalled by a price change of sandstone by the end of November. This serves as a reminder only, sandstone plays no role in this scenario. In November AD19 there is also an attack by a single mummy.
The mummy will appear at a temple, a temple complex, or a monument. The
player has to find out how to deal with the mummy. The appearance of the
mummy also serves as a reminder to make a final save. At the end of AD29
a series of catastrophes will be triggered, that makes further game play
(virtually) impossible. Though the player is invited to sit back and watch
the show, it is not allowed to try to survive for a prolonged period.
Defeat should occur within at most six months, and provide an effective
blocking of future events.
Players may submit as many entries as they prefer. In the third stage
only the highest rated entry will be considered. If a player wants a different
entry to be selected, the design team should be notified clearly and timely.
Designer's Notes
and Advice
A contest map 'with a difference' was WinterPharaoh's introduction in
the HeavenGames Pharaoh forum to the idea of having a relay contest. Others
have played with that idea too; we have, with more than a little trouble,
managed to produce what we think to be a playable, and more importantly,
enjoyable map. We are honoured that it may serve now as contest #100 here
at Ancient Maps.
It is different from other contests not only in the sense that you are
part of a team, be it that you do not know who your team mates will be,
but also because you do not know what is ahead in the scenario itself.
If you want to have a successful team effort, make sure your entry is
playable by whomever will play it, and whatever will be the upcoming events.
The event tree, the way the different events in this scenario are linked,
is rather complicated for a contest map. That was WP's original idea of
balance and counterbalance, as phrased in the mission briefing text above.
In a normal map a player would strive to comply immediately with any request,
and never give in to extortion. In a contest map the standard strategy
may not always be the optimal one, in this map in particular the player
is invited to investigate the alternatives. Specifically if the effect
of your action extends beyond a stage boundary, you may want to provide
your unknown successor with all the options. Sometimes that is not possible,
and you have to make a choice. A map with a difference indeed.
.
Maritis Merites was designed and tested by WinterPharaoh, Civilis, and Joshofet.
Competitors are reminded
that the normal AM General Rules apply to this contest. Competitors
are also advised to peruse the list of Pharaoh/Cleopatra game features.
This contest will close at 11PM EST (US), on Sunday, April 1st. Please
note the date!!!!
This contest has ended.
General Rules|Pharaoh/Cleopatra
game features|Results
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