[Historical] Scenario Review - EI 4b - Undead Border Patrol

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[Historical] Scenario Review - EI 4b - Undead Border Patrol

Post by Content Feedback »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
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cph
Posts: 129
Joined: May 12th, 2007, 4:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Post by cph »

1) Normal, 1.2.4
2) 9 (to go east; west route not tried)
3) Clear
4) Okay
5) Unfavourable, slow terrain, making it hard to capitalise on daylight.

Fortunately the E lich sent much of his force around to the north and west, so they were wallowing in the river and then on the wrong side of the river once I was attacking him.

Bats were a real hassle here; given the slow terrain it was hard to keep a good formation, and bats swooping in to kill off injured units caused me to reload and retrace several turns at one point.

Getting enough units through the swamp to hit the lich at once, also tricky.
6) 6
7) -
8 ) start gold ~240
cph
Posts: 129
Joined: May 12th, 2007, 4:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Post by cph »

Seem to be missing a review thread for Mal Ravanal's Capital, so I'll put it here instead.

1) Normal, 1.2.4
2) 8
3) Clear
4) Good, although the imprisoned knights explanation was rather thin.
5)
Obviously I'd read the walkthrough before getting here, or I wouldn't be here. Decided to fortify my castle and wait for the revenants, generally see what happened.

Main problem was keeping Gweddry alive. As I had given the holy amulet to someone else, Gweddry has relatively the weakest melee against undead, and so is their favoured target. After almost losing him on turn 5, had to keep him in the safe tile in the castle for some turns, and generally keep him on whichever side of the castle was quietest after that. Had to reload back several turns at one point as I did lose him on the 1st attempt.

Apart from the first wave of undead from the west, the undead proved quite cautious; typically 4-6 revenants were sitting in the swamp looking on, too scared to approach my holy amulet royal guard. Meanwhile, lots of WCs walked up and also decided they would rather not attack and die; so only really the skeletons attacking Gweddry, and the skeleton archers and dark adepts, created any problems.

Moving units within the castle was tough though; the WCs from the NW lich were very helpful, since you can usually kill one when you need to and move a unit into its space, allowing you to shuffle units without getting caught in a ZOC.

The imprisoned knights all died except the paladin; since they appear some way from my castle, surrounded by about 5 revenants and a bone shooter in my case, they died before any rescue was possible.

The paladin got out, of course, and I beat the level only by riding him up to the SW lich and taking a 50/50 chance on killing him (well, to be honest, reloading after not getting the 50/50 chance I needed :-) ). My main force probably couldn't have broken out by this point, since they were essentially stalemated with the AI's ring of troops around my castle.

6) 9 - killing hordes of undead, great fun.
7) The storyline for the imprisoned knights could be stronger: a order of holy knights on a pilgrimage, bound for distant lands, captured by the lich and imprisoned etc. More fundamentally, I'm not sure if there's any use in all the non-paladin knights, since starting outnumbered by revenants, they aren't likely to get far. Paladin-and-retainers, the latter being L2 swordsmen, would be a bit more practical perhaps. But perhaps I was just unlucky with placement.
8 ) start gold ~170
Daiker01
Posts: 9
Joined: November 29th, 2009, 9:40 am

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by Daiker01 »

(1) Version 1.8.0 on Medium
(2) 6
(3) Very Clear
(4) Clear and interesting
(5) Fighting the undeads in the swamp with heavy infantry that only moves one square
(6) 9
(7) None
Thrash
Posts: 223
Joined: June 25th, 2010, 1:54 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by Thrash »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?

1.8.3, Medium, 275 starting gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)

7

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?

Clear.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?

"The way north is clear..." well kinda, except for NW emeny.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?

Went East and getting units over river and through swamp was tricky. Lost one ST to lich.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)

6, kinda fun pushing over river while covering backside.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?

Nothing comes to mind.
monochromatic
Posts: 1549
Joined: June 18th, 2009, 1:45 am

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by monochromatic »

turin wrote:(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Normal 1.8.3
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6 - most difficult scenario so far. Some level 2s and bats all over the place. Ouch.
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Again, it would be nice to hint at the goodies in the east.
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Just straying from your duties, eh? Tsk tsk tsk.
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Bats.
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
7 - good prep scenario for the difficult next.
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
A little less bats. Argh they swarmed me a couple times.
dsa
Posts: 58
Joined: August 22nd, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by dsa »

(1) What difficulty levels and what version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Challenging, 1.8.4.

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
7, I went for the southern route. At first I tried a quick assault, but needed a lot of luck to do this (including reloads) and had to sacrifice some units. When I restarted and acted more defensively, I had less gold at the beginning of the next scenario, but lost no units and didn't have to reload.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Okay.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
The Dark Adepts, because of the cold weakness of Heavy Infantry.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
8, good chance to level up a bit.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
None.
line
Posts: 94
Joined: January 11th, 2012, 9:21 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by line »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
1.8.6, hard
122 starting gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
8 or 9, as I had very few starting gold. I delayed recruiting (what from my point of view encourages the AI to recruit stronger on fast/flying units such as bats and ghosts) to earn some more money and to await the western troops as I wanted to go eastwards to the lich. Both, Dacyn and Gweddry, where close to dying, as Dacyn participated in engaging the lich's troops (with too few own troops, to form a line that covers the white mage from the undead) and Gweddry (which I gave the holy amulet) killed two skeleton attackers from a castle hex, what led to two more skeleton attackers and a bat.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear, but again. I wouldn't go east without knowing of the kept knights at Mal Ravanal's capital.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear. I appreciate, that the western dark sorcerer is the same as in the scenario before. There'd be no sense in him being some other Mal-..., as we went east in the former scenario. Anything west of us now in this scenario we would have earlier passed on our way to the east. As we killed the lich before, there can't be anyone west of us. Except the one who was west of us before and followed us (huh, lot of east and west in this explanation - hope someone can understand).

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Very few gold, the eastern lich quite far away, bad ground on the way to him, ghosts (what are in combination with bad ground and the high chance of getting hit by them nearly invulnerable to melee attacks - mages only).
It helped a lot, the lich left his castle to join my troops in the swamp.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6. As I started with very few gold, I struggled my way through. But that was punishment for my luxurios recruitment in the previous scenario, so it's okay.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
How about a villager (that pops out, when you flag the first village), that tell's you about knight patrols that went east and never returned...
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line
Posts: 94
Joined: January 11th, 2012, 9:21 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by line »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
1.9.14, hard
148 starting gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6 as I had more starting gold than the last time. I'm still not sure about the right strategy to play this scenario - I want to go southeast, therefore it looks tempting to immediately head to the lich and catch his troops in the water. To finally kill the lich arcane enhanced Gweddry is supposed to join the troops going east. Also I want to take on the northwestern dark sorcerer's troops, what seems to be done the best by awaiting them in the castle (and that means you delay to recruit the troops to hold out against the nortwestern enemy and so Gweddry has to stay next to the castle a few rounds). Aiming for both goals would mean to split up the forces in two separate groups what I think I have not enough veterans for. On the other hand holding out in the castle with my whole army also seems not be an option (you'd give up many villages, both enemies will reach you at night and you lose time on the way to the lich).
So I stumbled through the scenario, missing an idea of the perfect strategy. But bringing in lvl-2 recalls you can easily handle the AI's lvl-1 units. In the end I didn't manage to lure out the lich for an early finish. Even though I could take a solid carry over with me, because of good village control (the eastern force held off the undead to claim villages, the eastern bats ignored the villages because they went for my mages and my cavalry flagged the southern villages).

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear. In the end you are asked, if you want to proceed east (to Mal Ravanal's capital) or west (what means to skip the scenario and go straight to the northern outpost). I didn't noticed that before, so I think this choice is new.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Finding the ideal strategy. Also fighting the lich at night is dangerous. You might lose a core unit.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
7. It's not too hard, but it has always his little challenges for me.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
At least Gweddry (maybe the undead too) should not start in a castle. The terrain where you place the recalls/recruits should be a camp.
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Maiklas3000
Posts: 532
Joined: June 23rd, 2010, 10:43 am

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by Maiklas3000 »

Hello, I'm back after a few years break.

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
challenging(hardest); 1.10.7; 131 starting gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
9 to go east. Looked pretty easy to go west.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, except I hesitated on my choice after winning the scenario. The dialog for the choice could make it more clear which option is to go to Mal-Ravanal's Capital. Also, given that I won on turn 19/20 and had no forces in the west, choosing the option of going for the Dark Sorcerer would have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, so the dialog needs to be very clear.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Bats, time limit, low starting gold. I played this several times without success, trying different strategies. I didn't really have a particular strategy in mind when I finally won, except to keep a tight formation and recruit no Mages. Even so, Gweddry still should have died, twice, but I played this scenario and the previous ones with no save reloads, just honest luck. I milked my initial couple of turns for extra gold (and hence recruits). I tried to starve the eastern dark Lich of income by quickly killing his two Blood Bats and snatching his villages with my cavalry, while ignoring the income of the western dark sorcerer. I tried to move east quickly, but wound up crossing the river without a ford. I lost one Shock Trooper in the final assault on the Lich.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
8. It's nice to have this option of either a relatively easy victory or a rather difficult victory but with greater possible rewards.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
No idea.
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devavrata
Posts: 119
Joined: August 30th, 2012, 8:59 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by devavrata »

I think threads on this mainline campaign feedback are missing a number. You lose some time searching "what was the name of the scenario I just finished?".
Content Feedback wrote:(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Battle for Wesnoth 1.10.7, Easy/Medium/Hard
Content Feedback wrote:(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6
Content Feedback wrote:(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear
Content Feedback wrote:(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, simple
Content Feedback wrote:(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
No major challenges. Fighting between two enemy armies is tricky, but fun. Swamps on the right slow you down a bit, but that's OK. Only for village hoarders (like me), bats are a major inconvenience, they are faster and are constantly seizing villages.
Content Feedback wrote:(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6
Content Feedback wrote:(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
-
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Inky
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by Inky »

(1) Level and version? Hard, 1.12.4, 100 starting gold (min)
(2) Difficult? (1-10) 10. I guess you are supposed to have more than the minimum gold here because it's next to impossible with only 5 recalls! Of course it is my fault for recruiting like crazy last scenario.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? I believe the choice of whether to go to Mal Ravanal's capital could be made clearer. Some kind of hint that is an extra challenging scenario but with potential for reward. Currently the dialog makes it very clear not to go there, and you might end up missing out if you didn't read a walkthrough.
(5) Challenges? Vastly outnumbered due to low starting gold; tight turn limit.
(6) Fun? (1-10) 9, I like challenging scenarios.
(7) Changes? -
(8) Restarts? A couple to beginning (kept getting overwhelmed, with only 7 units)

Recalls: 2 shocktroopers, 1 half-leveled heavy infantry, two almost leveling mages. Ran southeast and tried to kill as many units as possible, as quickly as possible. Still I felt that I barely managed to beat this scenario. My difficulties were worth it though, as I manage to level Gweddry and Dacyn to level 3, which is of tremendous benefit in Mal-Ravanal's Capital.
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Poison
Posts: 171
Joined: August 13th, 2017, 4:54 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: Undead Border Patrol

Post by Poison »

(1) Level and version? Royal Guard (challenging), 1.13.8, 117 starting gold (one recruit, 5 recalls)
(2) Difficult? (1-10) (going east) Around a 5, it is mysteriously easy if you have level twos and beeline to the lich . The fearless trait made the difference I think.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? I just wanna go to the capital, I like big cities.
(5) Challenges? Turn limit mainly and finding a way to kill the leader.
(6) Fun? (1-10) About a 7
(7) Changes? The blue AI behaved really stupid in my game (attaching replay). Instead of hunting me down it just captured uneeded villages; we were just 7 people.
(8) Restarts? The first time I stayed occupied in my castle with HI and a mage and tried village control with cavalrymen. I managed to get through but it was impossible to beat the clock this way.Then I saw Inky's replay and thought "if he did it, why can't I with an extra unit" so I took this approach. Played some final rounds again in the second run due to careless (non) covering of my near-dead mages. Also I got lucky with the lich missing my mage and in the previous turn, it didn't kill my leader even though it could.
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Konrad2
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Posts: 3333
Joined: November 24th, 2010, 6:30 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI 4b - Undead Border Patrol

Post by Konrad2 »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Challenging (Royal Guard), 1.14.5

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
4, it was a pretty smooth sailing for me.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Very clear. Defeat one of the enemy leaders.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
There is a capital? Let's go sightseeing. :)

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
It didn't feel like there were any. Level 1 Undead and Dark Adepts can't do much about level 2 mages and HI.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
7, it's easy and you can go to town with your units.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
-
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Xindage
Posts: 28
Joined: August 2nd, 2018, 12:56 am
Location: Brazil

Re: Scenario Review - EI 4b - Undead Border Patrol

Post by Xindage »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
1.15.7, Normal (Normal - Swordsman)
145 gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
5 (It's slight harder than the previous)

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear, choose a leader and smash it.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
See 8 and killing the lich.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
8

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
None.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
Yes, my first attempt i tried the same from strategy previous scenario, but since my number of units was limited, I failed to do it, them I had to use a different strategy to beat the scenario.

(9) About the replay.
Recalled my holy cavalryman and recruited another just to take the houses far from the keep.
So i recalled 2 HI and 1 ST and my mages to head up to blue leader, I took some advantage of attacking/defending during the dusk, decreasing his power, at the rise of night blue leader had no army to fight back so i turned my attention to green, since we're about to meet in combat during the day time I'll be on the advantage. So I just started to attack his army, at the turn 13 the result was clear that I was winning the fight, Jo i just headed to the lich.
About 8 units vs a lot of enemies.
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