ideas for Battle Maps

[frail maple]

"The Raid of Hræfnasvík"
Overview

In "The Raid of Hræfnasvík," the Mason Order embarks on a daring raid to capture and pillage an Agathian portside city. This Norse/Anglo-Saxon themed battle map features four stages, each with unique objectives that blend intense combat with strategic challenges. The Agathian Defenders must repel the invaders at every turn to protect their city and its inhabitants.

Stage 1: The Longships' Voyage

Objective: Row the Longships to shore while dodging fire arrows and dealing with the harsh storm.
Details:
Environment: A stormy sea with towering waves and dark clouds. Agathian archers are stationed on cliffs and small islands, firing fire arrows at the approaching longships.
Gameplay Mechanics:
Players must take turns rowing and defending the longships.
Some players use buckets to put out fires and repair damages caused by arrows.
If all longships are destroyed or sunk by the waves before reaching the shore, the Mason Order loses.
Stage 2: Beach Raid and Plunder

Objective: Burn houses, steal goods, capture peasants, and load them onto the longships.
Details:
Environment: A sandy beach leading to a bustling portside village with thatched-roof houses and small markets.
Gameplay Mechanics:
Masons must set fire to at least five houses using torches.
Goods like gold, food, and valuable artifacts need to be collected and carried back to the longships.
Peasants can be captured and must be escorted to the ships.
Agathian defenders spawn from the village outskirts and try to prevent the Masons from completing their objectives.
A timer counts down; if the Masons fail to plunder enough resources and capture peasants before time runs out, they lose.
Stage 3: Assault on the Church

Stage 3: Assault on the Stave Church

Objective: Destroy the stave church and eliminate the monks inside.
Details:
Environment: A stave church, a stunning architectural marvel with intricate wood carvings and a towering spire, nestled amidst the village.
Gameplay Mechanics:
The Masons must breach the church doors using battering rams or explosive barrels.
Once inside, they must fight through Agathian defenders to reach the monks.
Monks can try to flee or hide; the Masons must ensure none escape.
The church must be set ablaze, with specific points needing to be ignited.

Stage 4: The Final Stand at the Mead Hall

Objective: Kill Jarl Ulf Uggasson and secure the mead hall.
Details:
Environment: A grand mead hall at the heart of the city, richly decorated with Norse banners and artifacts.
Gameplay Mechanics:
Agathian defenders make a final stand within the mead hall, led by Jarl Ulf Uggasson.
The Masons must break through heavy defenses and defeat elite Agathian warriors.
Jarl Ulf Uggasson, a formidable boss with high health and powerful attacks, must be killed.
If the Jarl is killed, the Masons claim victory and the city is theirs. If the Jarl survives the attack, the Masons are forced to retreat or are killed, and the Agathians win.

Battle Map: "The Battle of Thorngate"

Overview
"The Battle at Thorngate" inspired by the historical Battle of Stamford Bridge, follows Mason Order, after their victory at Hræfnasvík, where a day after they march into the countryside, burning farms and plundering as they went. Then, at the Bridge of Thorngate they have to face off against the local Agathian Fyrd, who had learned of their arrival quickly.

Stage 1: Crossing the Bridge

• Objective: The Masons must cross the narrow bridge to reach the Agathians on the other side.
• Details:
  • Environment: A narrow wooden bridge spanning a fast-flowing river, with lush countryside on either side.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The Masons start on one side of the river and must push across the bridge, dealing with bottlenecks and heavy Agathian defenses.
    • Agathian archers and spearmen are stationed on the opposite side, using the bridge’s narrowness to their advantage.
    • The Masons can use shields to protect themselves from arrows and must work together to break through the defensive line.
    • If the Masons fail to cross the bridge within the time limit, they lose.

Stage 2: Open Field Battle

• Objective: Engage in open field combat to push the Agathians back.
• Details:
  • Environment: A wide, open field with scattered trees, small hills, and a few farmsteads in the distance.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • Once across the bridge, the Masons must push the Agathians back through sheer force in an open-field battle.
    • Both sides can utilize various combat tactics, including cavalry charges, infantry formations, and flanking maneuvers.
    • Objectives include capturing strategic points like small hills and clearing enemy strongholds.
    • If the Masons fail to push the Agathians back within the given time, they lose.

Stage 3: Ambush in the Woods

• Objective: Survive the Agathian ambush and regroup.
• Details:
  • Environment: Dense woods with narrow paths, undergrowth, and hidden clearings.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • As the Masons advance, they are ambushed by Agathian forces hiding in the woods.
    • The Masons must fend off the ambushers while making their way through the dense forest.
    • Objectives include rescuing captured Mason soldiers and securing safe passages through the woods.
    • If the Masons are overwhelmed and cannot regroup, they lose.

Stage 4: Attack of the Agathian Camp

• Objective: Breach the Agathian camp defenses and eliminate key targets.
• Details:
  • Environment: A fortified camp with wooden palisades, watchtowers, and tents.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The Masons must breach the outer defenses using battering rams and ladders.
    • Inside the camp, they must destroy key structures such as supply depots and command tents.
    • Agathian defenders, including elite guards, will put up fierce resistance.
    • If the Masons fail to breach the camp and complete their objectives, they lose.

Stage 5: The Final Stand

• Objective: Defeat the Thane leading this Fyrd and secure victory.
• Details:
  • Environment: A defensible hilltop surrounded by makeshift fortifications and defensive structures.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The final battle takes place on a hilltop where the Thane and his elite guard make their last stand.
    • The Masons must fight their way up the hill, dealing with heavy resistance and various defensive traps.
    • The Thane is a formidable boss with high health and powerful attacks.
    • If the Masons defeat the Thane, they claim victory and the battlefield. If the Thane survives or the Masons are repelled, the Agathians win.

Stage 1: The Agathian Landing

• Objective: The Agathians must establish a beachhead and secure the landing area.
• Details:
  • Environment: A wide beach with cliffs and dunes, with Agathians longships arriving from the lake.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The Agathians land on the beach and must secure the area by eliminating Mason defenders and capturing strategic points.
    • The Masons have fortified positions with archers and defensive structures.
    • Objectives include breaking through defensive lines and securing supply caches.
    • If the Agathians fail to establish a beachhead within the time limit, they lose.

Stage 2: Push through the Marshlands

• Objective: Advance through the marshy terrain to reach the open fields.
• Details:
  • Environment: Marshlands with waterlogged ground, reeds, and small streams.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The Agathians must push through the marshlands while dealing with difficult terrain and ambushes from Mason forces.
    • The Masons use the marshy terrain to their advantage, setting traps and using hit-and-run tactics.
    • Objectives include securing safe passages and eliminating ambush points.
    • If the Agathians get bogged down and fail to advance, they lose.

Stage 3: Battle on the Open Fields

• Objective: Engage in open field combat to push the Masons back to their defensive hill.
• Details:
  • Environment: Wide open fields with gentle hills and scattered trees.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • Once through the marshlands, the Agathians must engage the Masons in a large-scale battle on the open fields.
    • Both sides can utilize various combat tactics, including cavalry charges, infantry formations, and flanking maneuvers.
    • Objectives include capturing key positions and pushing the enemy back.
    • If the Agathians fail to dominate the battlefield within the given time, they lose.

Stage 4: Assault on Senlac Hill

• Objective: Break the Mason defensive lines on Senlac Hill.
• Details:
  • Environment: A steep hill fortified with defensive structures, barricades, and stakes.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The Masons hold a strong defensive position on Senlac Hill, with archers and infantry ready to repel the Agathian assault.
    • The Agathians must use siege equipment like ladders and battering rams to breach the defenses.
    • Objectives include breaking through multiple defensive lines and capturing key strongpoints.
    • If the Agathians fail to breach the hill defenses, they lose.

Stage 5: The Stand of Edward Kearn

• Objective: Defeat King Edward Kearn and secure victory.
• Details:
  • Environment: The top of Senlac Hill, surrounded by the remnants of defensive fortifications and makeshift barricades.
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • The final battle takes place at the summit where Edward Kearn and his elite guard make their last stand.
    • The Agathians must fight through the remaining Mason forces to reach and defeat Edward Kearn.
    • Edward Kearn is etc etc etc.
    • If the Masons defeat Edward Kearn, they claim victory. If Edward Kearn survives and the Agathians are repelled, the Agathians win.