Abode of Evil

**Version 2.87a Special Notice - PLEASE READ!!**
This map has been playtested for nearly a month and a half to make sure that it is both challenging and possible. A number of the playtesters could NOT beat the map, and although I have since made changes to make it a little easier, it still took me several times myself to win.I was planning on providing no spoilers to aid you, but I have since decided that I will provide, below, a summary of how I won, in case you are beginning to feel hopeless. I encourage you to not read this until you've
given it a try. However, if after reading the spoilers you still cannot win, I have created a much easier version of the map so that people who have played this series
and would like to finish the story may do so. If you are interested in acquiring the easy version of the map (v2.85b), email me at tduncan@haverford.edu and I will
send it to you. I promise I won't tell anyone you asked for the easy version, either :)
** Have you played all of my maps?? Email me for a comprehensive list. You can find them all at Astral Wizard's or Andrew Duffy's web site.
Special Thanks to Jason Tittle, David Goll, Don Riale, Kethlia, Anahid Avakian, Michael Dowds... did I forget anyone? In any case, thanks to you all for enduring all of the really hard, impossible versions of this map. Your playtesting help was invaluable. If you helped playtest this map and I forgot you, please send me a really nasty mail and I'll fix it immediately. (Please don't take it personally if I forgot- there were so many of you over such a large period of time.)
Comments/Questions? Please send me email at tduncan@haverford.edu
Please send me comments on this map or on the campaign as a whole. I'm interested in all comments about my maps.



SPOILERS!!?!?!?!?!?!?!
This is less of a spoilers section and more of a strategy
section. I will tell you, stepwise, how I beat the map.
If you try this method and still can't win, let me know
and I'll send you the B version of the map so that you
can finish it and still read the story.
WEAK ONE: PRIMARY OBJECTIVE - VAMPIRE LORDS
1. Give crusaders and champions ONLY to Corribus.
Get woodmill and stone mine. Free Elemental alter
next to the ore mine.
2. Get crystal mine to the northeast of ore mine.
Head south with Corribus.
3. Take John north past crystal mine. Keep going north,
recruiting elementals along the way, and take the
necro town. Do NOT upgrade it.
4. Corribus should head southwest and take other necro
town. Upgrade it to a castle. Acquire nearby gold mine.
5. Build upgraded mansion in week one. This is critical.
6. Have John Tale collect as many fire elementals as
humanly possible. Make sure he fights a few battles to
get his levels up, though I'd recommend against taking
him as your main hero because Corribus starts out so
much higher.
WEEKS 2-4: Primary Objective: Bone Dragons.
1. You should start seeing computer enemies around week
three. As soon as you get bone dragons and as many
weeks worth of vampire lords as you feel are necessary,
give the b.dragons to Tale and keep v.lords for Corribus.
Tale, who should have around 40 fire elementals (and
hopefully the ice cloak/heart) should remain in
WorldGate. Send Corribus to one of the four corners
(I chose northeast via a portal - portal is nice because
you start in one of the corners and can work your way
back inwards).
2. If WorldGate is going to be attacked, make sure
Tale attacks, not viceversa. This will give you a
huge advantage against necro troops (especially w/haste).
SUCCEEDING WEEKS
1. Move Corribus gradually towards the center of the map,
taking over castles along the way. Try to keep the
computer out of your new 'area' as you go. After two
weeks, recruit another hero and give him the new troops
from those castles and have him go in another direction.
2. Gain control of the center area.
3. Once you control a corner and the center, the rest
should be easy.
FINAL BATTLES
I'm going to let you figure these by yourselves. They
were tough for me, but with 138 vampire lords, they
were doable, with and without the Ultimate Artifact.
Make sure you kill the 3 demons. You'll get the battle
garb if you do (which expedites troop gathering for the
final battle). Bring as many powerliches as you can
against the first demon - they will help but will die.
Ok that's about it. Good luck. Have fun. Don't play
with matches. :)