Custom Map #11685: Hamster Wheel Redux. By: stdout

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This topic is for discussion of map #11685: Hamster Wheel Redux


Author: stdout
Size: 175x120

Desc:
I'm revisiting some of my favorite older maps with fresh changes. Enjoy this Hamster Wheel 2.0 which is an update from map #8149. #bickford in honor of yum234

[toolforger]

No room for tiny errors means no fun.
But lots of frustration. I expect to be too exhausted from that to really enjoy the win in the end.

Also, having to micromanage three faraway locations at the same time means that it's easier to miss something that's going wrong - in my case, runners disabling the CN, disconnecting energy and allowing a spore to land on the reactor so the whole thing broke down, which meant either no Forge or one less Bertha.

Spoilers for the startup phase:

Anticreeper:

Spoiler

Not worth setting up initially; wait until you can prevent the runners from disabling the mine.

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Clearing the small islands:

Spoiler

A cannon on a PZ is faster for clearing creeper than a sprayer, even under energy shortage.
The runners will keep the mine disable for too long, and you need the PZs to get the runners under control.

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About clearing the outer rim:

Spoiler

Irrelevant at first; even a strong liability if you do that first, because then Berthas will be too late to prevent the center from overflowing everything.

[close]

Center creeper:

Spoiler

Multiple strength-1000 emitters. You absolutely need the Berthas to keep that under control.

[close]

My current strategy plan (not yet tested):

Spoiler

• Get the energy pods.
• In each base, build a Nullifier that covers the anti-air tower on the 5x5 island and as many emitters on 3x3 islands as possible (the bases are different).
  Also, build a cannon in each base.
• Once the Nullifers have fired, fly the cannons over to the innermost PZ, to clear the creeper from the 3x3 PZ islands. If there's an emitter left, you can build another Nullifier to clear that out, and move the cannon to a place where it doesn't shoot and waste energy until nullification is complete.
• You should now have roughly 180 energy left in each energy pod. That's enough to build the small stuff.
  You now need, in each base, all outside of runner range:
  A reactor (50 energy) on a PZ, so you don't run into energy shortage and fail to build the really important thigs.
  A relay (10 energy) so all islands can be supplied with energy.
  A sniper (75 energy) to shoot runners, so you can start to use the islands inside runner range.
  One beam (40 energy) to prepare for the first volley of 4 spores.
  That's 175 energy, so from now on you will live off that reactor for ammo and for building additional stuff.
  Use Stop resupply on the Freezers and the beams, that might such the energy pods dry before the reactors are online. It's not strictly necessary, but you do lose some seconds while underpowered.
  
• Move the beam to a PZ. It doesn't matter anymore if in runner range or not, the snipers should be able to take care of incoming runners.
• Pulse cannons, sprayers, and Freeze artifacts can help to slow down the creeper overflow until the Berthas are built.

[close]

It's a lot of things you have to do at the right time, and it's easy to forget one action, lose a base and get under even more pressure at that time (now the spores will concentrate on just two instead of three bases, you may be too late to stop the overflowing creeper, and you'll go into a spiral of failure, stress, and potentially even more failure).
Monitor your stress level and don't be ashamed to scum-pause as soon as you find yourself under pressure.

Builing the Thor:

Spoiler

Theres one unused base. Send a Guppy there - the AE tower leaves a small stripe left, which you can use to land the guppy and build a PZ nullifier to clear out the tower.
Afterwards, you can use the guppy to build the Thor, but make sure the area is covered by a PZ beam and a PZ sniper first.

[close]

Oh. There's a much simpler approach.

Spoiler

• Get energy pods.
• Get:
  • A nullifier that clears at least two of the small-emitter islands.
  • A reactor on a PZ, outside of runner range.
  • A cannon.
  • A sniper.
  • A beam.
• When the nullifier is done, clear the nullified islands with the cannon on a PZ (put it directly on the creeper-filled PZ, the cannon will clear it long before the creeper eats it).
• Move or delete the cannon. The two cleared islands get a reactor built and the sniper moved.
• Enjoy the bickford effect holding back the creeper overflow from the center.
• Clear the last island if it's not yet cleared, move the beam to the PZ. A single beam is enough to hold of the initial spore volleys, but not the somewhat stronger volleys later.

[close]

Be aware that the Freeze bomb can help with emitter nullification. Other than that, you'll need the Thor.
There's a way to win without using the Thor, which is a bit awkward to build.

[BigBertha]

This one was really fun! I thought the little intricacies were fun to discover, and it was well laid out. The layout of the islands, the number of berthas that can be done, the thor, etc., all balance out very well for a fun game. Thanks for posting!