Custom Map #8336: The Slog. By: Qwerty

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This topic is for discussion of map #8336: The Slog


Author: Qwerty
Size: 128x84

Desc:
whew, this map took way longer to clear than i thought it would. try not to put yourself in a bottleneck. and watch those digitalis! have fun! oh, and whoever has the fastest time on the leaderboard tomorrow will be featured in a map. good luck!

[Helper]

I appreciate your making this, but maps without a Forge/Totems just isn't worth playing (with rare exception).
I like the layout and the way you've set up the obstacles, but after just a few minutes the prospect of playing this without any improvements means it's time to head for the exit.
Looking forward to your next map.
Thanks,
H

[Nati]

Sadly, the name is appropriate. But it is still one of the more easy maps.
Wonder, how some beat it in less than 20 minutes though...

[Johnny Haywire]

I understand why you didn't include a forge in this - it would effectively make the runners irrelevant and the map would be virtually no challenge at all.

I'm not sure there's a way around that on this map. It's easy enough to gain a foothold and just move on out with little to no difficulty. A forge would make it more enjoyable and faster, but also much easier.

So maybe just limit the weapons? Like 2 cannons & 2 mortars? Just a thought.

Spoiler

Wonder, how some beat it in less than 20 minutes though...

[close]

I suspect you can take out the upper right spore towers if you land in the upper right and use the strafers. I almost had it on my second run but wasn't motivated to try a third time. I'm sure one of the expert micro'ers could pull it off though  ;)

Thanks for the slog.  ;D

[marvinitfox]

Sadly, the name is appropriate. But it is still one of the more easy maps.
Wonder, how some beat it in less than 20 minutes though...

Spoiler

no slog to it AT ALL

defense:
migrate your existing beams to the strafer island. the are sufficient to trivialize the spores.
2 cannons at each entrance completely blocks creeper there

offense:
Build power.  more. more.
terp down all obstructing walls.
put 2 columns of mortars on your right border. wait 1 minute, you now have clear floor on that island.
Invade with the 30-ish cannons you were making while mortaring.
trivial-take the SE island.
Now you have a ton of power, ample floorspace, and weak enemies. Even some ore for AC, but who needs that?
Kill by simply swamping the enemy with wave upon wave upon wave of mixed cannon and mortar.

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[Nati]

no slog to it AT ALL

My definition of slog seems to differ from yours - mine is sort-of based on fun over time.

Spoiler

I actually had a similar start:
- Beams to the front
- a cannon and a mortar on each exit
- wait for tons of reactors to build
- build tons of cannons while having mortars soften the creeper on all borders
- land with cannons on three ore fields island

Then i build twenty sprayers, filled them to the max and took one island after the other by using them as AC bombs.

Spores and runners never where a threat. I had snipers but didn't actually use them on the two attacks.
The start was pretty boring. As there is not much space anywhere (even the bridges between islands are one tile too small for two rows of weapons), the only viable strategy is brute force.
Building tons of sprayers and dropping them on the creaper is trivially riskless (most survived and some rejoined the attack after a refill), and somewhat fun - but the time until the first and then the second (and last) attack wave, wich just rolls over all the islands effortlessly, is not.

I am far from being a pro though. I didn't even thought about boldly landing on spore island early on as i expected that to be suicide. So maybe, i just played it wrong...

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[Lightforger]

Some attacks were a bit short on space, but didn't see much slog.

Going sub-10 min shouldn't be a problem, got pretty close.

Hint for dealing with runners:

Spoiler

Snipers (and mortars) can land in creeper, shoot, lift off, land in same spot

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