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Map Designer: Myst [Co]
Reviewed by: Tarrant[9th]
Stuff From the Text File:
"Its a good map for team building and 3v3 is they best way to enjoy the map. Only the best will win."
Number of Players: 2-6
Starting Units:
Resourcers - 2
Research Ships - 1
What I Thought:
Layout -
The first time I saw "Battle Star" by Myst [Co], I thought it would be one of those many maps that fall into the "average" category. Not a lot of 3D movement, seemingly plain design, etc. However, this is one of those boards that has a tendency to grow on you the more you play it. And, after trying it in FFA and with teams, I'm glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised that my first impressions were wrong. Hence the name, the layout of the map is basically a big star with player starting positions located in the center of each of the triangles that represent the outer points. As you can see from the sensor map screenshots, there isn't a whole lot of 3D movement required. But, don't let that turn you off. This is one of the best team player maps that I've seen. Instead of having the resources located in the center of the map where everyone would eventually congregate to slug it out, they are neatly dispersed around the outside of the center courtesy of the star shaped design. This is a classic example of a simple idea that yields very good results.
Combat -
Without a center resource field to act as capital ship proving grounds, you're going to notice that the majority of bloodshed will take place in the "lines" of the star where the resources are located. The only time I noticed fighting in the middle was when someone darted straight across the map to attack an opponent and met resistance before they got there. In most any map, you'll want to build as many capital ships as possible in the least amount of time and "Battle Star" is no different. Since it's relatively small in size, I classify it more as a speed board than a strategy map. This alone is one reason you want to build combat ships very very quickly.
Resourcing -
Since this isn't a strategy map in the purest since of the word, you don't have to worry about building up a fleet of twenty collectors to finance your war. You'll only need a handful of resourcers and a couple of controllers to tide you over. The rest of your money is best spent on offensive or defensive ships. Also, this map has a maximum of six players but I found it best suited to four because of the limited resources. If you've got six playing, you'll want to bump up those cash injections a bit because the resources will disappear quickly.
Overall -
What can I say other than I like this map...a lot! For a 2v2 game, this is one of my favorites. The layout decentralizes the fighting and makes is focus more on the outlying strands of resources. Sort of like Dyson Sphere but on a much smaller scale and in only 2 dimensions. With the starting positions located so close to the resource areas, it won't be long before one of your opponents comes calling on your doorstep. This can make for some very intense fighting after everyone has had enough time to get some strike craft and capital ships out and about. You'll also notice that the layout Myst [Co] uses tends to force players to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously so make sure you have that pint of brew handy before you sit down because you won't have the time to grab one after the game starts. Believe me, I know. :)
Overall Rating: 80
Download "BattleStar"
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