scenario New Scenario Map: The Limes

[nifa]

Hey all,

I made a scenario map about the Roman Limes (latin for border), more specific the Upper-Germanic and Raethian Limes. The Limes was a Roman border defence and controll system against celtic and germanic raids, consisting mostly of walls, moats, palisades, towers and military camps. The land in the middle of Europe was mostly covered in forests and swamps, what complicated warfare for the Romans.

I hope you'll like it

Overview (spoiler alert):

Spoiler

some references:

https://wildfiregames.com/forum/topic/35014-inspiration-for-map-creators/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limes_(Roman_Empire)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limes_Germanicus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

 

to add an ingame preview, copy this to \binaries\data\mods\public\art\textures\ui\session\icons\mappreview

Spoiler

 

@Stan`, @wraitii hope you can give me a hand now to make the palisades and towers not lose capture points outside of the territory

 

 

the_limes_2p.pmp the_limes_2p.xml

Edited February 3, 2021 by nifa
links corrected

[nifa]

some ingame screenshots

[Lopess]

Nice map, I imagine incredible friction battles on it. I don't know what your intention is regarding the gameplay, but I imagine that some triggers will offer allied Gallic / German troops on the one hand and resources from the Roman side sent from Rome with a new legion according to the passage of time. 

(Google translate)

[nifa]

Thanks for the feedback:)

Gauls start with hunting deers and fishing, Romans start with gathering mostly wine. Both teams have an amount of rock and ore near their CC. Gauls have an advantage of wood. Gauls would have to break through the palisades first to attack, romans would have to defend it or start an attack in the forest. That's kind of the basic idea, and then it might develop. Though I have to admit I focused on terrain and landscape:D 

On 03/02/2021 at 4:55 PM, Lopess said:

I imagine incredible friction battles on it

I used actors for dead trees, stones, decal etc to make it look like a dense forest, if that's what you are getting at? But this doesn't effect passability. It also looks nice after cutting the trees.

[SciGuy42]

Looks nice, I'll try it out soon.

If you're looking for how to make structures not loose points when in neutral territory, I had to do the same in some of my scenarios, you can find an example here, in line 137:

https://github.com/SciGuy42/Macedonia_0ad/blob/master/maps/scenarios/Macedonia_31.js

Basically, periodically (like every 10 seconds or so), the function is called and it checks every structure of the player and if that structure has gaia capture points, it sets those to 0 and adds them back to the player in question.

Also, by default, towers that are garrisoned with troops won't lose capture points.

[nifa]

Yes thanks, that's exactly what I would try to do with the palisades and the sentry tower!

 

[nifa]

i just noticed that the imp_watchtowers from DE might be even better than the sentry towers

 

[archaelius]

Excellent map.  Well designed, looks great!  Have great fun playing it.

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

@nifa Maybe update with the new terrains?

[archaelius]

I have some ideas about making mines if you're interested.

[nifa]

Thanks, I'm happy you liked it! Sure let me know what you have in mind. That one looks like I forgot a texture behind the stones:D

@wowgetoffyourcellphone I didn't know people are interested, but in this case I'll try to update it. Do I have to do that in altas or are you using a script or how is it done?

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

1 hour ago, nifa said:

@wowgetoffyourcellphone I didn't know people are interested, but in this case I'll try to update it. Do I have to do that in altas or are you using a script or how is it done?

I suppose a script could be used, but since the terrains aren't a 1 to 1 comparison it would probably be better done in Atlas so you could have control over everything. Better to see how it looks as you do it rather than guessing with a script.

[andy5995]

I've added The Limes to the community maps 2 mod.

[andy5995]

@nifa, minor problem with the map. Could you have a look at @Langbart's comments on PR 21 please and let us know what you'd suggest...

[Langbart]

On 02/02/2021 at 9:30 PM, nifa said:

@Stan`, @wraitii hope you can give me a hand now to make the palisades and towers not lose capture points outside of the territory

• Related changeset: rP25458 - Allow decaying only in enemy territory. (18/May/21)

Proposed patch to add it to more structures:

• D4339 - [Gameplay] Expand the number of structures that do not decay in neutral territory. (10/Nov/21)

[nifa]

I tried to represent a roman castrum, so I think the fortress makes more sense there, also the civic center looks too big in there. But if it works better in another way I'm also fine with it   I don't have much freetime and I won't be active so much, so feel free to improve the map however you want (I won't be able add the new terrains as well). I'm kinda proud that it get's some recognition anyway Thanks a lot!

[Lion.Kanzen]

Enemy at the borders.... I like that...

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

On 06/02/2021 at 6:45 PM, nifa said:

i just noticed that the imp_watchtowers from DE might be even better than the sentry towers

 

I could add this back into the base game as an Atlas object. (Might even make a patch and post it up on Phab to add a 3rd level to the Roman outpost and make it this).

 

This type of map could make a cool random map script where the map is divided by a Gaia wall and players have to break through in order to reach their enemy's side.

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

On 06/08/2021 at 3:09 PM, archaelius said:

It would be great to have complete models for this so they can have AO maps and such. Would look nice and natural. Can make the entrance of the mine a separate object that can be gathered like a metal mine.

[nifa]

2 hours ago, wowgetoffyourcellphone said:

This type of map could make a cool random map script where the map is divided by a Gaia wall and players have to break through in order to reach their enemy's side.

I've been dreaming of that for a long time, would be so nice to have that. Maybe also an option for one-sided, unfair border, which is nice against AI. Could include a random map script for a castrum as well. So far I don't have experience with random maps though

2 hours ago, wowgetoffyourcellphone said:

I could add this back into the base game as an Atlas object. (Might even make a patch and post it up on Phab to add a 3rd level to the Roman outpost and make it this).

Would be nice. Maybe I could create a new tower in the future. I've visited some limes tower reconstructions and collected references. I'd like to have white plaster included. Ground level entrance bothers me too, should be second floor with a ladder.

Edited December 16, 2023 by nifa

[Grautvornix]

As also suggested in this threat, the wall could very well be owned by one of the factions provided we find a balancing mechanism that provides disadvantages for the faction owning the wall. This would be more historical than a neutral wall separating two (or several) factions. As an example, such balancing disadvantage could be fewer resources for the wall-owning civ.

In fact, I could even magine a scenario where one faction is placed in the centerpiece of the map surrounded by walls and several other factions surrounding this area can be available for attack or support.

Alternatively, a scenario like the siege of Alesia by the Romans would be interesting. Here, the centerpice would be a fortified Gallic city with Romans surrounding it between own double walls (having however not many resources) and support troops arrive from outside. Just phantasizing...