Age Of Merchants [approved]

[laughingcavalier]

Age of Merchants
Map by DiM and yeti
Guide by laughingcavalier

Click image to enlarge.

Introduction
Age of Merchants (AoM) is set in a fictitious trading and piratical past. It employs two overlapping bonus structures: resource pairs held together with markets and/or factories; and ports held in conjunction with Pirate Cove. It is a very open map: there are few impassable borders and the ports each connect with over 20 regions, so it is easy to move around the map.

AoM was one of the first maps on Conquer Club to use developed thematic graphics and special features (such as bonuses based on strategic resources rather than bonus zones of contiguous regions). It is a good map to choose if you want to move on beyond Classic-style maps for the first time because you can learn the principles of its gameplay fairly quickly. And there are experts who play it frequently because the range of tactical choices gives fresh and interesting challenges in each game. The map’s flexibility makes it suitable for all game-types, with all spoils.

show: Classification

How to play Age of Merchants (AoM)

show: Gameplay, Bonuses and Tactics

show: Two Player

show: Escalating

show: Flat Rate, Nuclear and No Spoils

show: Team Games

show: Additional Notes

[AndyDufresne]

Red = Spelling/Proper Lingo Usage
Blue = Additions/subtractions/[Alternative Clarifications]

Age of Merchants by laughingcavalier

Click image to enlarge.

Introduction
Age of Merchants [AoM] is set in a fictitious trading and piratical past. It employs two overlapping bonus structures: resource pairs held in conjunction with markets and/or factories; and ports held in conjunction with Pirate Cove. It is an open map with many connections between territories making for good [is there another word to describe this? Good is often non-specific] mobility. AoM was one of the first maps on CC [Use Conquer Club] to use special features (such as bonuses based on strategic resources rather than geographical zones) and developed thematic graphics. It is an attractive map for players ready to move on beyond Classic-style gameplay, because the principles of its gameplay can be fairly easily understood, while the range of tactical options on the map ensure that experts continue to play on it for many games [maybe reword for clarity/coherence]. Its flexibility makes it suitable for many game-types, with all spoils. It is especially popular as a team-game map and for two-player games.

show: Classification

How to play ******

show: Key Features

show: Gameplay

--Andy

[Master Fenrir]

LC, this is marked just starting, but the guide appears to be at least in rough draft format and Andy has already commented. Is this ready for open comments?

[laughingcavalier]

Not quite - all the spoilers are empty - I'll post soon

[laughingcavalier]

First draft at last - probably won't get back to it till I am back from hols in Sept. HF guys.

[laughingcavalier]

I liked your guide but few points

The Strategic resources part doesn't cover the bonus given for transporting a pair to a foreign market which requires a pair + foreign market + ports in pair island and market island, though you do mention it later in the guide.

For example, in the game play section you do mention this, but I think you have a note there that might be misleading . you wrote

"Hold a bonus pair, a market on another island, and a path to connect the two to earn two troops."

But a path via docks won't give you the bonus. Actually You don't need a path (such as a path needed for reinforcement You need two ports one on each island.

[nagerous]

[quote] above classification can go

The map’s flexibility makes it suitable for all game-types, with all spoils. (comma can go)

I also feel you over hyphenate but that may be just personal taste.

In the team games section:

It is very hard to defend against a stack on a port that may attack over ?20 different regions. (? can go)

Also, the team game section seems muddled, firstly you say generally in teamplay - then continue on the sentence. Then you switch to colons, I would say that you should stick to one thing, perhaps scrap the colons and use bold underlined and continue on from there as it will catch the reader's attention more.

Maybe like this:

Play aggressively, especially in doubles. You will get the odds advantage of using 3 intensity cubes versus 2, or 2 versus 1, and if you establish a region count advantage or hold a bonus, then if your opponents fail to break it you will receive additional deploys next turn. It is not unusual to see a large number of territories change hands each turn.
Build offensive stacks. Use reinforcements and deploys to build up troop stacks on ports or at other strategic locations to give your team threats or to break up your opponents’ threats. It is very hard to defend against a stack on a port that may attack over ?20 different regions. Conversely, if your opponents build troop stacks, it is often advisable to reduce them before they can assault you, so as to limit their tactical options.
Choose your attacker wisely. The open-ness of the map gives you good opportunities for deploying on and reinforcing to team-mates. Team-mates who play after you may be able to put in a big attack, may be best placed to break an opponent’s bonus, or may be able to build a region count advantage, or take a bonus. However, be careful that you don’t allow one player to fall so low on troops that they may be easily eliminated.

[BaldAdonis]

I will have a lot of comments soon since nagerous just dug up my old AoM guide.

[rdsrds2120]

Put the authors name here and stuff

Click image to enlarge.

Introduction
Age of Merchants (AoM) is set in a fictitious trading and piratical past. It employs two overlapping bonus structures: resource pairs held in conjunction with markets and/or factories; and ports held in conjunction with Pirate Cove. It is a very open map: there are few impassable borders and the ports each connect with over 20 regions, so it is easy to move around the map.
AoM was one of the first maps on Conquer Club to use special features (such as bonuses based on strategic resources rather than bonus zones of contiguous regions) and developed thematic graphics. It is a good map to choose if you want to move on beyond Classic-style maps for the first time because you can learn the principles of its gameplay fairly quickly. And There are experts who play it frequently because the range of tactical choices gives fresh and interesting challenges in each game. The map’s flexibility makes it suitable for all game-types, with all spoils. It is especially popular as a team-game map and for two-player games.

show: Classification

How to play ******(Age of Merchants here, not ******)

show: Gameplay

show: Two Player

show: Escalating

show: Flat Rate And No Spoils

show: Team Games

show: Additional Notes

Other related strategy guides

• AOR2 – a map by the same mapmaker developing the themes found in AoM, but with different gameplay less like Classic
• Flat rate games
• Team games

[/quote]

I stopped about half way when I realized what the big ticket item was - this is presented like an essay. You have many many paragraphs that go into detail and mesh together. Try and make it more clear and cut into different sections, i.e split 'spoils' into much more definitive sections. Have a section for each type, etc., rather than group it all. This makes it much easier for a user to find specific information without having to read through the whole thing.


Edit: Sent a status check, agreed to give him until the end of January.

-rd

[laughingcavalier]

Sorry it's sat here so long. I just made a few changes to make it a bit simpler, but I think it's good.

[laughingcavalier]

OK, finally ready for review.

[danryan]

Hi, LC, I have a couple of questions for you. First, why would you call this map difficult complexity wise? Is is because it is so wide open, the variety of bonus structures, or something else?

Why do you have nuclear spoils in a separate section? It seems like thematically it belongs in the no spoils / flat rate section?

Your gameplay section is brilliant. I really like a) how well it's written and b) the variety of strategies are laid out.

This is going to be a great guide once it's published.

[Master Fenrir]

Age of Merchants
Map by DiM and yeti
Guide by laughingcavalier

Click image to enlarge.

Introduction
Age of Merchants (AoM) is set in a fictitious trading and piratical past. It employs two overlapping bonus structures: resource pairs held together with markets and/or factories; and ports held in conjunction with Pirate Cove. It is a very open map: there are few impassable borders and the ports each connect with over 20 regions, so it is easy to move around the map.
AoM was one of the first maps on Conquer Club to use developed thematic graphics and special features (such as bonuses based on strategic resources rather than bonus zones of contiguous regions). It is a good map to choose if you want to move on beyond Classic-style maps for the first time because you can learn the principles of its gameplay fairly quickly. And there are experts who play it frequently because the range of tactical choices gives fresh and interesting challenges in each game. The map’s flexibility makes it suitable for all game-types, with all spoils.

show: Classification

How to play Age of Merchants (AoM)

show: Gameplay, Bonuses and Tactics

show: Two Player

show: Escalating

show: Flat Rate And No Spoils

show: Team Games

show: Additional Notes

[laughingcavalier]

Thanks Fen.
All changes incorporated except for the English usages which I kept.

[Master Fenrir]

Thanks Fen.
All changes incorporated except for the English usages which I kept.

Oh, ok. I didn't realize that's what they were. Moving to final review.