Conquest Etiquette - Commonly Accepted Rules of Conquest
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Conquest Etiquette - Commonly Accepted Rules of Conquest
*I figure it's high time to update my original post. So the following has been changed as of 6/20/11
I thought it would be a good idea to post up the commonly accepted rules for when playing the conquest game type on multiplayer.
If there are any here that i did not include or perhaps got wrong please post the addition or correction.
Clearing the Fog
This one was fun trying to figure out. At the begining of Conquest, before you turn begins, the entire map is covered in fog. In order to see your units before your turn comes around, type: shift+dd. So hold the shift bar and press "D" twice.
Naping
When someone asks you for a "nap" they are asking for peace between two areas or a Non-Aggression Pact (NAP). This can include just one of your areas and one of his, or it can include 2 of yours and 1 of his, or 3 of yours and 7 of his, and so on. A world-wide or map-wide nap means they desire peace in every area across the map. A sea nap means the person desires to nap you on all water areas. A sea nap will usually mean no ship to ship combat and no ship to shore or shore to ship combat.
Turn warning is usually included in napping. 1 or 2 turns are usually understood but more can be stated. Turn warning means that once the nap has been agreed on by both parties, if one person decides to break the nap he must give the other person 1 turn or 2 turns of advanced warning. This means that if you want to break a nap that has 3 turn warning on it, you cannot attack on that turn. If it is turn 9 you have to wait till turn 12 to attack the person. "tw" is the abbreviation used for turn warning.
Map Labeling
It is often a good idea to explicitly state on the map what the terms of your nap are. For instance i use the abbreviation: Red/Green 2tw - Elens/Aldrid. This way it states exactly what has been naped so that no one can try to say differently. In the example provided it shows that Elensafar and Aldrid has been naped between Red and Green. So if i own Abez and he owns Wesnoth i can still attack him there. If we had wanted to include those two areas as well i would have put: Red/Green 2tw - Elens,Abez/Ald,Wes. Some people like to be elaborate and label several hexes with lines to show border but i think this is unnecessary and clutters the screen.
Punishment
There is no punishment so to speak for those who break naps but since Conquest is a smaller community, word will get around if you are a nap breaker. I have broken naps in the past that i did not understand because I was new and i apologized for them. Usually people are forgiving and understanding of new players; after all, it's a small community and most welcome new players. After a misunderstanding on my part occurred twice I decided to start labeling the map the way I stated above, so as to avoid future misunderstandings and keep the game fun.
Trading
At the beginning of most Conquest games you will find yourself spread far and wide across the map, assuming you are playing STANDARD MODE (the trend seems to be moving away from it though). Usually you will choose to focus on 2 areas, at least that is what i do, and you will begin to conquer and branch out from there. However you still have several villages spread across the map with nothing to do with them. What everyone will usually do is begin to trade. For instance, i might say this: Red trade your Elens for my Bitter. I am asking him to give me his Elensafar village in exchange for my Bitter Swamps village. The idea is that the trade will be equally beneficial for both parties. Perhaps i had already 3 villages in Elens and he had just one where as i had just one village in the Bitter Swamps but he had 3 villages in the surrounding area.
If the trade is accepted i will label next to the town on the top right usually something along the lines of: "traded Red" next to the village that i gave to red and next to the one he traded to me i will right: "traded Green". Usually it is considered bad etiquette to take someones trade but that is generally left up to one's own interpretation, after all, some players are ruthless! For instance if you are at war with someone and take their trade it's usually not considered a big deal, considering the consequences of war.
Loosing a Trade
If you make a trade transaction and it is official then it is a done deal. So if a third party takes the village you were suppose to get you cannot refute the agreement you made with the person before. The village that you agreed to give away is no longer yours and it's not his fault that someone else grabbed your village before you could take it. Now he could be nice and tell you he will help you retake what was suppose to be yours or he might refrain from taking the traded village from you, but he doesn't have to. Once again, this is the attitude I came into contact with most. The Conquest community is by and large a nice one, with good people who seem forgiving. Although, just because someone isn't as forgiving or doesn't play as strictly to the unofficial rules doesn't mean they should be kicked, they may just find themselves without many allies!
People Leave and are Replaced
If you had a nap with Green and Green leaves and is replaced by Jon Doe it is generally accepted that he will assume the former nap agreement, but he doesn't have to. He may see himself as a new addition to the game and not bound by former agreements. These people are called "[censored] Bags" but they do exist; just kidding. It's their prerogative if they want to be nice or if they want to look out for themselves, which is after all the ultimate goal of the game, so watch out for them. Make sure to restate the nap agreement with the new guy and make sure he intends to honor it. If he ignores you, then figure on eminent hostilities.
If Green leaves the game and an AI takes over his side prepare for an onslaught. The AI respects no naps and doesn't care if you are prepared or not, he attacks anyway. However, the AI cannot recruit. After the initial attack it is over and you are then free to take his lands...if you survived!
Units
There is only one type of unit attack and that is bladed burserker. They will smack each other till one dies basically. Since the original Conquest mod was put up a massive new variety of units have been added. Only the one attack style remains, but new units now perform some jobs better. For instance, the pikeman unit is the same cost as the cavalry unit, but the pikeman is best for defense while the cavalry unit is best for attack. Also, units can now be upgraded. When a unit is on a village, just rightclick on him and select from a list of self-explanatory upgrades which make them more effective on the battle field. Another addition is the ability to make varying types of defenses. With the use of a farmer, one can now convert the unit into a fortification. These are handy as stationary defenses which can block off choke points, water ways, or just create big walls. They can be destroyed, and they also retaliate when attacked. Finally, the same farmer unit can be placed on a village, and while there, he increases the gold production of that village.
Boats
Boats confused the hell out of me the first time. The way that you load a unit onto a boat is by placing the boat next to a village, recruiting a unit on the village, then right click on the boat and load the unit in. This combination is how you move to islands to take villages. Just move the boat next to an unclaimed or enemy village, kill what ever is there if anything is, then right click on the boat and unload the unit. Boats are also the only way to lift fog off water, except ghosts, and they are great for defending coast lines without wasting money on big units to sit on villages. The basic boat can also be turned into a fortification like the farmer unit.
Tactics
This is a hands on thing. I won't pretend to teach about tactics because I'm not the best and no where near the best. Watch and learn is key. Pay attention to all areas of the battle field. Watch for suspicious enemy troop movement even in nap areas, and make sure to spend money wisely, spreading it well amongst all your villages.
If anything has been left out please post it on here.
Thank you and enjoy Conquest, the best game mod on Multiplayer
And thank you to all the modders who continue to update and add to Conquest.
I thought it would be a good idea to post up the commonly accepted rules for when playing the conquest game type on multiplayer.
If there are any here that i did not include or perhaps got wrong please post the addition or correction.
Clearing the Fog
This one was fun trying to figure out. At the begining of Conquest, before you turn begins, the entire map is covered in fog. In order to see your units before your turn comes around, type: shift+dd. So hold the shift bar and press "D" twice.
Naping
When someone asks you for a "nap" they are asking for peace between two areas or a Non-Aggression Pact (NAP). This can include just one of your areas and one of his, or it can include 2 of yours and 1 of his, or 3 of yours and 7 of his, and so on. A world-wide or map-wide nap means they desire peace in every area across the map. A sea nap means the person desires to nap you on all water areas. A sea nap will usually mean no ship to ship combat and no ship to shore or shore to ship combat.
Turn warning is usually included in napping. 1 or 2 turns are usually understood but more can be stated. Turn warning means that once the nap has been agreed on by both parties, if one person decides to break the nap he must give the other person 1 turn or 2 turns of advanced warning. This means that if you want to break a nap that has 3 turn warning on it, you cannot attack on that turn. If it is turn 9 you have to wait till turn 12 to attack the person. "tw" is the abbreviation used for turn warning.
Map Labeling
It is often a good idea to explicitly state on the map what the terms of your nap are. For instance i use the abbreviation: Red/Green 2tw - Elens/Aldrid. This way it states exactly what has been naped so that no one can try to say differently. In the example provided it shows that Elensafar and Aldrid has been naped between Red and Green. So if i own Abez and he owns Wesnoth i can still attack him there. If we had wanted to include those two areas as well i would have put: Red/Green 2tw - Elens,Abez/Ald,Wes. Some people like to be elaborate and label several hexes with lines to show border but i think this is unnecessary and clutters the screen.
Punishment
There is no punishment so to speak for those who break naps but since Conquest is a smaller community, word will get around if you are a nap breaker. I have broken naps in the past that i did not understand because I was new and i apologized for them. Usually people are forgiving and understanding of new players; after all, it's a small community and most welcome new players. After a misunderstanding on my part occurred twice I decided to start labeling the map the way I stated above, so as to avoid future misunderstandings and keep the game fun.
Trading
At the beginning of most Conquest games you will find yourself spread far and wide across the map, assuming you are playing STANDARD MODE (the trend seems to be moving away from it though). Usually you will choose to focus on 2 areas, at least that is what i do, and you will begin to conquer and branch out from there. However you still have several villages spread across the map with nothing to do with them. What everyone will usually do is begin to trade. For instance, i might say this: Red trade your Elens for my Bitter. I am asking him to give me his Elensafar village in exchange for my Bitter Swamps village. The idea is that the trade will be equally beneficial for both parties. Perhaps i had already 3 villages in Elens and he had just one where as i had just one village in the Bitter Swamps but he had 3 villages in the surrounding area.
If the trade is accepted i will label next to the town on the top right usually something along the lines of: "traded Red" next to the village that i gave to red and next to the one he traded to me i will right: "traded Green". Usually it is considered bad etiquette to take someones trade but that is generally left up to one's own interpretation, after all, some players are ruthless! For instance if you are at war with someone and take their trade it's usually not considered a big deal, considering the consequences of war.
Loosing a Trade
If you make a trade transaction and it is official then it is a done deal. So if a third party takes the village you were suppose to get you cannot refute the agreement you made with the person before. The village that you agreed to give away is no longer yours and it's not his fault that someone else grabbed your village before you could take it. Now he could be nice and tell you he will help you retake what was suppose to be yours or he might refrain from taking the traded village from you, but he doesn't have to. Once again, this is the attitude I came into contact with most. The Conquest community is by and large a nice one, with good people who seem forgiving. Although, just because someone isn't as forgiving or doesn't play as strictly to the unofficial rules doesn't mean they should be kicked, they may just find themselves without many allies!
People Leave and are Replaced
If you had a nap with Green and Green leaves and is replaced by Jon Doe it is generally accepted that he will assume the former nap agreement, but he doesn't have to. He may see himself as a new addition to the game and not bound by former agreements. These people are called "[censored] Bags" but they do exist; just kidding. It's their prerogative if they want to be nice or if they want to look out for themselves, which is after all the ultimate goal of the game, so watch out for them. Make sure to restate the nap agreement with the new guy and make sure he intends to honor it. If he ignores you, then figure on eminent hostilities.
If Green leaves the game and an AI takes over his side prepare for an onslaught. The AI respects no naps and doesn't care if you are prepared or not, he attacks anyway. However, the AI cannot recruit. After the initial attack it is over and you are then free to take his lands...if you survived!
Units
There is only one type of unit attack and that is bladed burserker. They will smack each other till one dies basically. Since the original Conquest mod was put up a massive new variety of units have been added. Only the one attack style remains, but new units now perform some jobs better. For instance, the pikeman unit is the same cost as the cavalry unit, but the pikeman is best for defense while the cavalry unit is best for attack. Also, units can now be upgraded. When a unit is on a village, just rightclick on him and select from a list of self-explanatory upgrades which make them more effective on the battle field. Another addition is the ability to make varying types of defenses. With the use of a farmer, one can now convert the unit into a fortification. These are handy as stationary defenses which can block off choke points, water ways, or just create big walls. They can be destroyed, and they also retaliate when attacked. Finally, the same farmer unit can be placed on a village, and while there, he increases the gold production of that village.
Boats
Boats confused the hell out of me the first time. The way that you load a unit onto a boat is by placing the boat next to a village, recruiting a unit on the village, then right click on the boat and load the unit in. This combination is how you move to islands to take villages. Just move the boat next to an unclaimed or enemy village, kill what ever is there if anything is, then right click on the boat and unload the unit. Boats are also the only way to lift fog off water, except ghosts, and they are great for defending coast lines without wasting money on big units to sit on villages. The basic boat can also be turned into a fortification like the farmer unit.
Tactics
This is a hands on thing. I won't pretend to teach about tactics because I'm not the best and no where near the best. Watch and learn is key. Pay attention to all areas of the battle field. Watch for suspicious enemy troop movement even in nap areas, and make sure to spend money wisely, spreading it well amongst all your villages.
If anything has been left out please post it on here.
Thank you and enjoy Conquest, the best game mod on Multiplayer
And thank you to all the modders who continue to update and add to Conquest.
Last edited by Evongelo on June 20th, 2011, 8:26 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
It sounds like some of these are mechanics that could be coded into the mod itself, rather than relying on "ediquate." On the other hand, deception is an important element of war and some degree of treachery is to be expected.
http://www.wesnoth.org/wiki/User:Sapient... "Looks like your skills saved us again. Uh, well at least, they saved Soarin's apple pie."
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
Stuff like this is one of the reason why I don't play conquest and never will. If it's not hard-coded, it's allowed as a strategy. Not allowing players to lie to each other takes the most interesting and fun aspect out of the game. A non-aggression pact (if anyone was wondering what "nap" stood for) is worth the paper it's written on. Betrayal is what makes the game interesting. You have a non-aggression pact with someone, but they start moving troops toward your border. Do you trust that they're just moving past or through? Or do you respond and build up on your border?
Or do you assume they wouldn't violate the pact without warning, then call them a [censored] when they steal all your villages, and complain about them to the rest of the community?
Or do you assume they wouldn't violate the pact without warning, then call them a [censored] when they steal all your villages, and complain about them to the rest of the community?
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
I agree that pacts are made to be broken: that's what makes the game interesting! I was once so pissed at a guy who was stronger than I was and I had lured into a nap and helping me attack Britain, but just left the game when he had exhausted half his troops in "la manche" and I backstabbed him... Ok, sure, it's unloyal and treacherous, but afterwards other know better than to take naps with me, or even attack my least defended regions right away... Anyway, such rules are OK in general, but are not absolute truths as far as I care. And I'm most certainly never going to respect the "war x turns before", because it means "brace yourself, I'm attacking in x turns". Why would anybody wishing to win do that at all?
Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny - Frank Zappa
Current projects: Internet meme Era, The Settlers of Wesnoth
Current projects: Internet meme Era, The Settlers of Wesnoth
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
Hey i put this up here to help new comers to conquest not so people can get on and rant about how they dislike conquest.
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
I don't know anything about Conquest, but here are some typographic corrections you may apply in your post for easier reading/understanding:
(You can edit your first post.)
- Ediquate -> Etiquette (also in the title)
- Nap: at least once write out "Non aggression pact".
- Use empty lines between the sections, and/or highlight the "titles" with ...[/b ].
(You can edit your first post.)
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
I don't dislike Conquest. I dislike the attitude of players who want to neuter it and suck the fun out of it by imposing a bevy of house rules, and then insult players who don't adhere to their standard of how Conquest "ought" to be played.Evongelo wrote:Hey i put this up here to help new comers to conquest not so people can get on and rant about how they dislike conquest.
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
I am relaively new to conquest myself and everyone who i played with taught me all these rules. Sinse most people agree to them i figure it's fine to abide by them.Caphriel wrote:I don't dislike Conquest. I dislike the attitude of players who want to neuter it and suck the fun out of it by imposing a bevy of house rules, and then insult players who don't adhere to their standard of how Conquest "ought" to be played.Evongelo wrote:Hey i put this up here to help new comers to conquest not so people can get on and rant about how they dislike conquest.
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
Sure, it's fine. Point being: "Rules are made to be broken". Or alternatively: "The only rule is to win". 
Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny - Frank Zappa
Current projects: Internet meme Era, The Settlers of Wesnoth
Current projects: Internet meme Era, The Settlers of Wesnoth
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
One should make clear before starting the game what the rules are.
If all the players agree, they would have this rules. If they agree on "no rules beyond those programmed in", then let it be.
Otherwise, maybe better not start this game.
If all the players agree, they would have this rules. If they agree on "no rules beyond those programmed in", then let it be.
Otherwise, maybe better not start this game.
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
I looked at the 1.8 add-ons serer and nothing jumped out as obviously being this "conquest" thing... Is it not available for 1.8 yet or am I just not noticing it or what? In short, what is it and where do I find it?
-MarkM-
-MarkM-
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
Yeah it's there, just type conquest in the search filter.markm wrote:I looked at the 1.8 add-ons serer and nothing jumped out as obviously being this "conquest" thing... Is it not available for 1.8 yet or am I just not noticing it or what? In short, what is it and where do I find it?
-MarkM-
“It is written in my life-blood, such as that is, thick or thin; and I can no other.” - J.R.R. Tolkien
My campaign: Swamplings - Four centuries before the founding of Wesnoth, the first wolf rider emerges from a tribe of lowly swamp goblins.
My campaign: Swamplings - Four centuries before the founding of Wesnoth, the first wolf rider emerges from a tribe of lowly swamp goblins.
Re: Conquest Etiquette - Understood Rulls of Playing Conques
Ok i have played conquest since it started becoming popular. I see it as you play how you want too..... brecking naps label you as someone not to nap with .... honor naps you have no problems with napping with people. If you dont like conquest feel free to rant about it somewhere else, i would love to see more people to play conquest but its a long game..... but its so much fun Thank you Evongelo for posting this and trying to make thing easier for new comers 
Re: Conquest Ediquate - Understood Rulls of Playing Conquest
dont hate the game ... hate the playersCaphriel wrote:Stuff like this is one of the reason why I don't play conquest and never will.
The best bet is your own, good Taste.
Re: Conquest Etiquette - Understood Rulls of Playing Conques
There are other reasons I don't play conquest And hate is an awfully strong word. But I do wish there was a separate lobby channel for conquest players 
And hate is an awfully strong word. But I do wish there was a separate lobby channel for conquest players