LYONESSE:  The Elder Isles
a Warlords 2 Deluxe scenario
based on Jack Vance's Lyonesse Trilogy
created by J. Center

BACKGROUND
I've been a longtime fan of the glorious writings of Jack 
Vance, and when I finally decided to try a Warlords 2 scenario, 
the Lyonesse trilogy (Suldrun's Garden, The Green Pearl, and 
Madouc) immediately came to mind.  Its map is much the same 
size and shape of the Warlords map area, its characters are a 
mix of fantasy and reality (there are Christians, Romans, Celts 
and a host of other familiar references from history along with 
Vance's own faery hierarchy, which I've incorporated in the 
army types).

This scenario is for use only with SSG's Warlords II Deluxe 
package only.  It uses existing terrain, city, and shield sets 
with a customized army set (I'm no artist -- the army units 
images were taken from a variety of different existing army 
sets and reconfigured).  All place names are from Vance (his 
invented names are gorgeous), although a few had to be 
truncated because of space limitations ("Cair an Meaghan" 
became "Cair Meaghan" for example).

A word about the scenario image (that troublesome picture that 
appears when you first select a Scenario to play).  It was 
taken from an existing scenario and altered with a paint 
program that can use the .PCX format.  Unfortunately, none of 
my images displayed properly -- what you see is the best of the 
lot.

INSTALLATION
To install this scenario after unzipping the file (which has 
this Read Me in it) copy the LYON.SZP file to your Warlords 2 
base directory, then use the Librarian (part of the install 
program -- type INSTALL in your Warlords 2 directory to access 
the Librarian).  Lyon or Lyonesse should show up in the 
Destination list.  Highlight it and click the Unpack button.  
Exit the Librarian and run Warlords 2.  You should see the new 
Scenario in the list of available scenarios.

STRATEGY TIPS
What follows is a list of sides with some strategy tips.  DON'T 
READ THIS SECTION IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED!

LYONESSE has great potential, especially if it moves west or 
south early on, but Troicinet will be an immediate problem.  
Keep Lyonnesse Town well-fortified and try to capture the 
fortresses guarding the Vale of Evander to the west, then take 
Ys at the Vale's northwestern tip (it's a very rich city), then 
attack Troicinet to the south.  Don't be tempted to move to all 
those readily-available cities to the east too early, you'll 
simply spread yourself too thin.

POMPEROL is in a locale well-supplied with cities, but guard 
against an invasion by Dahaut in the north.  Keep your northern 
borders well-fortified and take as many cities to the south as 
you can.  Money may be a problem so don't build up too fast.

ULFLAND has few natural enemies save the vicious Ska.  Take Ys 
in the south, then try to eliminate the Ska to the west and 
north.

DAHAUT is a difficult country to win with.  There are a number 
of nearby cities you can take, but Pomperol will be an 
immediate problem and money will be a long-term problem.  Don't 
move into the Forest of Tantrevalles too quickly.

TANTREVALLES is the land of magic; there's great potential 
power here, but money will be a problem at the start.  Stay 
within the Forest at first, but also find Swer Smod quickly 
(it's the hardest city on the map to locate, and one of the 
most valuable) and keep it well fortified.  Use the valuable 
Fairies to bolster your armies.  Slowly spread in all 
directions.  Your first hero will be better off searching ruins 
than taking cities (almost half the ruins in the game are in 
the Forest of Tantrevalles or hard by its borders).

GODELIA may be the most difficult side to win with.  It's land 
is poor, its cities few.  Your best chance is to try to take 
all the northern tier of cities, then move south.  A naval 
expedition to Ys will prove helpful in conquering the Ulflands.

TROICINET has a natural geographical advantage, and may be the 
easiest side to win with.  Take Lyonesse first, then move east 
and west.  Don't be tempted into going to far afield.  
Consolidate.

THE SKA are magnificent warriors, but their land is poor and 
isolated.  Sea power is vital.  Control the Narrow Sea and you 
may win.  Stay on the coastlines at first -- going too far 
inland on the Hybras mainland will only garner you additional 
foes, something you don't need early in the game.

FINALLY...
This is my first crack at a Warlords scenario.  I'd appreciate 
any feedback from other players.  My Compuserve address is 
74362,2023.  Thanks, and enjoy.

J. Center