DESIGNER NOTES: The Cloudkings of Mars

My original goal was to design a scenario with army set units based on 
Rennaisance Europe (circa 1450 - 1650).  This would supply me with a
host of wars to simulate over a variety of geographical areas (i.e. the 
English Civil War, the Thirty Years War, the Italian Wars, etc.).  The 
army set would not contain any real or mythical beasts and the magical 
items would be replaced by personal weapons, military innovations, honour
guards, and precious mineral deposit discoveries.

I realized, after reading the Scenario Builder manual, that somehow I
would have to include flying units to facilitate the game's artificial
intelligence.  I immediately added hot-air balloons (more than a century 
ahead of time) to address the hidden map requirements of a cheap flying 
unit, but I was still in need of some high-powered flying units for Temple 
Allies.  That's when I decided to leave historical Earth and create four 
classes of flying, sail and screw driven cloudships.  Mars was chosen as 
the location because I thought the ancient "canals" would create some 
interesting terrain challenges.

I located a map of Mars in one of my astronomy books with the major 
terrain features identified by name, so after adjusting the orientation 
to fit the game map and adding "canals" I had a map.  The city names are 
taken from the closest geographical feature.  Since there were only fifty- 
two of them, I decided that it would be a five player game.  I also wanted 
to downplay the magical aspect so I kept the number of ruins low.  The 
mudflats terrain set was selected to give it a red-planet, desert feel, 
but I found later that this decision carried some baggage.  The Temples 
and Strongholds take the form of a pig!  Consequently, I removed the 
Temples.  The Porcine Strongholds are created by the game system and are 
there for you to discover.

The city production was generated randomly and then rationalized such
that army units with open terrain bonuses will be produced in the
lowland cities, while longbowmen and light cavalry are raised in the
highlands.  

Since the mountains of Mars contain the scarce supplies of "skygems" used 
to provide the lift for the cloudships, the largest classes of cloudships 
are built there.  New shipyards for cloudships cannot be built during 
the scenario, so defend your capital.  The only other way of obtaining a 
cloudship is as an ally.  The high maintenance cost of the cloudships 
represents the scarcity of the "skygems".  When "skygems" are cut, 
polished and exposed to direct sunlight they emit a field that reverses 
the effects of gravity within the field.  The size and lift of the field
is directly proportional to the size and purity of the "skygem", and the 
intensity of the sunlight.  Thus, even with their mighty broadsides, all 
cloudships are vulnerable to attack from ground troops when they are 
forced to land at dusk or on overcast days. 

The Wagon-Forts of the lowlands have a Fortify Army Bonus which allows 
each unit in a defending stack to be treated as if encamped (i.e. a +1 
City Bonus) in combat.  This is not obvious when playing Warlords 2, but 
it makes them valuable units to build.  Note that this bonus is only 
cancelled by units with a Siege Army Bonus and not by those with a Cancel 
Non-hero Bonus.  These Wagon-Forts are based on those used by the 
Hussites of Bohemia, who used them offensively to defeat armies of more
than six times their number.  Loaded with musketeers, these units 
foreshadowed tank warfare in the twentieth century.

A note on the "Magic" Items:  Combat Bonuses are awarded for personal
arms and elite honour guards.  Most of the Command and Movement Bonuses
result from the implementation of a new concept, tactic or procedure, not 
an item per se.  When lost, consider the knowledge to have died with the
hero, but that the new recipient was inspired by the exploits of the
deceased hero.  The acquisition of a cloudship transport confers the 
Flying Bonus.  Wealth Bonuses accrue from the increased trade resulting 
from the discovery of a precious mineral deposit. When lost, consider 
the deposit to have been depleted.

Enjoy the scenario.  Any feedback (good or bad) would be appreciated.

Will Michael  72623,630
July, 1994
