The Menace v4.1

"The Menace v4.1
by Bernhard Kiessling (bkiessling@web.de)
Overview:
- Type: allied Multiplayer, 1 Humans Only, 1 Human Or Computer, 4 Computer Only
- Size: large, with huge and weird tunnel underground
- Teams: 3 (1 human or human/computer, 2 computer-only)
- Game Version: HOMM4-WoW
- Map difficulty: expert
- Difficulty level: designed for intermediate play, expert and champion are pretty hard
- Language: English, non-native
- Special Win: find artifact, then defeat all oponents
- Special Loss: none
- Human Town Types: any/random
Storyline:
You and your ally have to defend yourselves against two coalitions of enemies trying to take
what is yours. They will have to learn that this land is private property ...
Find the ancient city of Intestinus that will lead you to the long lost blade of the gods.
Only then will your people unite and you and your teammate can win the scenario by defeating your opponents.
Features:
- adaptive dynamic AI strength
- huge battles big bad heroes
- story until day 250, also supported by placed events
- rich map with chained quests
- lots of specially scripted quest huts
- all TGS creatures playable incl. Megadragons
- when playing alone you computer ally gets a boost as well
People involved:
- Bernhard Kiessling: creator, playtester bkiessling@web.de
- Rakne Fne: script help, playtester uffe@anarki.dk
- Maedwick: 3 quest huts
SPOILER INFORMATION BELOW!!!! PROCEED AT OWN RISK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chained quests:
- become a farmer (Average Joe or Jane near red and blue castle) to be able to visit a bunch of quest huts to receive big goodies all over the map
(Trolls are in the north between blue and red castle)
- help Zehteh the Mantis in the underdark to be able to get exp. from Hallah the Spectre (near east barbarian town in the underdark) and Zehteh's mate (near west barbarian town)
(Lord Cedric is in the south east, the spider web in the south west)
- after having completed both visit Rakne the Wise on an island in the northern sea to become a true Lord
- as a true Lord visit Grandma in her summer residence on an island in the south sea to gain 5 lvl and access to a grail
Special quest huts:
- Flea Market, Alchemists Tower and Helga will buy all artifacts, potions and items for either cash or exp (all in the northern half of the map)
- hire Megadragons for 16000 gold in the middle of the underground in the jungle resort of Reddex
- buy a copy of the Blade of the Gods in the south at Saruh-Mahn for 30000 gold and be able to ignore Intestinus
- pay Mr. Smith in a Tavern in the north west of the river to cut the enemy from their extra cash
- buy as many sandals or crocodile boots near the desert/swamp in a shop
- factory outlet shop on an island in the south
- exchange sprites for faerie dragons in the north
... plus a bunch of more standard quest huts
Navigation:
- Intestinus can be reached by the blue portal on the central island which can be reached without a boat by a magic ferry departing at the northern shore
- Yellow one-way portals: escpae portals leading to either the Arena of the Ancients in the underdark or the northern shore
- Yellow portals: only entrance is at the end of the river after the chamber of life, after having reached this, the other middle exit will be devlocked; needed to reach the two other enemy towns in the underdark
- to enter the chambers at the end of the river you need the flaming sword, the spellbook of the master as well as 5 of each elemental creature. all that can be found on the way ...
- Teal portals: underdark navigation for easier gameplay
- the Teal and Green keymaster tent can only be reached in enemy territory
- the river as well as the trolls and Reddex' jungle enclave in the underdark can only be reached by human players
Diverse hints:
- when the green and/or teal player's main castle are captured the lvl 4 dwellings next to your second castle will be bombed
- on about day 130 a very strong neutral life-army will be released in the north (story related)
- find the Tiger Set in a quest hut in the west (need 2 Megadragons) and the Mandoline Set in the West (needs oen Megadragon)
- CLoak of darkness and Ring of light can be gathered in the underdark in the east
- at the south meander of the river you'll find the seaman's hat
- Intestinus: no internal creature dwellings; fully constructed otherwise; all life lvl4 dwellings available externally; grail present
- take a strong army to the river, you'll need it
- when attacking the orange and purple castle you'll stumble in a trap
- the orange/green and teal/purple teams will fight each other as well
- the flags are just beautiful and have no other purpose, it will not help you if you visit them
- the frenzied gnasher building in the middle island will join you and give you some resources if you come near it
- be prepared for sometimes strange combos in neutral stacks
- in general, reading signs is not vital for the game but provides story, help and flavour
AI bonusses:
- a weekly supply of cash and resources
- 3 big cash boosts during the game
- according to chosen difficulty 1-3 additional lvl4 creatures per week
- TGS dwellings
- strong starting heroes with armies and more constructed castles as well as 3 mines
- computer ally: smaller regular cash and material bonus as well as hero level bonus
... optimized for intermediate difficulty levels: the AI will be a reasonable foe and will not be broken too easily and has the power to recover from severe losses"