This PUD has been adapted from the original for inclusion in the KPUDs. You are free to distribute the PUD, subject to possible limitations by the author outlined below, but if you do so, include this file with it. If you modify the PUD, change its name. KPUD home page http://w3.one.net/~billw/KPUD ================================================================================ PUD Name: Triangles Author: Matthew Olsen (olsen@azstarnet.com) Nickname: Clear File Name: KPtriang.pud Description: Triangles by Clear Dimensions: 128 x 128 Terrain: Winter No Players: 6 % Open Land: 21 % Forest: 13 % Water: 66 % Mountains: 0 Total Gold: 600,000 (9 mines) Total Oil: 240,000 (11 patches) Total Lumber: 173,300 Start Mines: 60,000 Other Mines: 80,000 Default Res: G=4000 L=3000 O=2000 Default Unit: 1 Peasant, 1 Farm, 1 Town Hall Game Setup: Starting positions are adjacent in a 'friends' setup, so in a 2vs2vs2 game with fixed order, TvMvB, would place allies on the same island and 1-4, 2-5, 3-6 would split all teams on separate islands. For a 3 way FFA, use the odd slots (1,3,5) to place one player on each island. ================================================================================ Author's Strategic Description ================================================================================ I'm one of the old timers on kali (Feb of 1996). I saw the need for a pud that presented a truly unique strategic challenge. Not just some novelty map arrangement like NTRNTH or friends. You can shift starting spots around to create a nice PUD, but once you know it, you know it and the fun goes out the window. Triangle is different. Under the start locations as I created it: 1 on 1: There's a 1/5 chance you enemy is on your island. You can't afford a peon to check the other side of the island too early, but you can't wait too long, either. As long as you don't know, there's an exciting amount of tension. Once you find the other guy, it becomes a pretty typical map. 2 on 2: Most people don't understand that this is where triangles is best. It shouldn't be played with fixed order on. What makes this an incredible amount of fun is that you could be on an island by yourself, with an enemy or with a friend. It's a beautiful thing, not knowing. Three minutes into the game your strategy can change completely. 2 on 2 on 2: Having two allies on the same island is like playing friends with water wings. There are some interesting twists, but there's nothing special about it. Complete random order is always unfair because two allied could end up together. Unless they're completely incompetent players, they'll win. The best setup is fixed order where allies are guaranteed to be on seperate islands. One of you is battling an opponent from team A and the other is battling someone from team B. It's guaranteed to be fair AND interesting. 3 on 3: Random start positions is the best. You're either with a friend or foe on your island. If you're with a friend, you'll likely try to bail your ally who's on an island with an enemy. The other side will do the same, and you end up with 6 armies on that little island. It's very funny to watch. You also have to decide whether to help on land or sea. Playing on fixed order where you guaranteed to be on an island with an enemy is really fun, too. It's an all-out fight for the third mine on the island. You need land AND sea control to get that mine. In the early attacks, you don't know whether to circle around the trees in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. If you overwhelm your opponent, you can try to help other allies get their mines. FFA: It should only be played 3 people fixed or with 6 players on a FFA. Like I said, that fight for the center mine on each island is brutal. These are just some strategic implications that most people don't think about. More experienced players appreciate the unpredictability.