"Far to the North, beyond the Trackless Desert, lies the Frozen Wastes. It is the homeland of Lord Slayer and his Barbarian followers. Once the mountain pass has been breached by either side, Barbarian raiders will stream South. The desert may harbor unknown allies who can aid you. Slayer's castle lies just North of the pass."
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Map size: medium Win condition: capture Castle Slayer Defeat condition: be defeated |
Barbarian location: Northern snow Knight, Sorceress, Warlock location: Southern grassland |
You do not have to play this map if you are the Barbarian. However, if you are the Knight, Sorceress, or Warlock, you must complete this map to continue.
The Barbarian starts out comfortably with three castles and three towns, and all the necessary resources nearby to get all their troops. Also, they have almost a dozen artifacts nearby, so Barbarian heroes gain strength quickly. You, on the other hand, start way down South of the desert. You start with a castle of your type, and a town to match. There is also another neutral town, matching yours, that you should capture and build up. There are also enough resources and mines in your Southern grassland to build up your towns into castles, given enough time.
The trouble with this map is you can see enemy heroes in the first week: it's possible. Therefore, you need to move quickly and work efficiently. Near your beginning castle, there is a small grove of trees, enclosing the Nomad's Boots of Nobility. Grab these quickly, for they will give your hero a speed boost.
An important part of this map is the desert. It contains untold riches, along with mines, artifacts, and potential troops for your army. There are also a number of Demon caves you may want to visit. When you start, send a Warlock hero into the desert to scout it out for you, and find any places worth visiting. When your main/strongest hero has a sufficient army (up to level 4 or 5, and a couple weeks worth), send him into the desert to visit the good locations your Warlock located earlier.
There are four obelisks on this map, and they are all in the same location, like in the previous map. They can only be accessed by using Dimension Door. Build up your castles and hope you get the spell. If you do, make sure the hero has at least 10 knowledge. Go to the Southwest corner of the map, and you will see small gaps in the mountains. Use Dimension Door, and aim for those gaps; aim for the Northernmost one you can see. Keep going North in this manner, and you'll eventually reach a larger gap in the mountains, with the four obelisks. Visit them, and hope the ultimate artifact isn't in the Northern snow! If you can get it, do so. It will be an invaluable aid to your hero. If you had enough knowledge when you learned Dimension Door, you should be able to warp yourself back into your land. If not, you'll be trapped in the mountains.
Make sure your hero has a full army when you head North through the desert. You'll need every creature you can get. Also, learn as many spells as you can, as they will be invaluable in the final battle.
There is an error in the opening statement, in that Lord Slayer's castle is located North of the pass. It is not. Get through the past, then go East when you can. When an opening appears to the south, go that way. Lord Slayer's castle is located in a small alcove in the mountains.
You don't really need to bother with enemy heroes approching your home. You should be strong enough to drive them off, since those heroes are usually expeditionary forces. However, make sure you leave your castle well defended! Plus, all you need to do to win is capture Castle Slayer.
"The Barbarian castle has been overthrown and their army scattered!"