Hello,

Over the years I created quite a few templates, some for fun, some for competetive games. New players might find it hard to make their own templates for balanced competetive games, so I'd like to share all of my templates (at least those that I find somewhat worthwile to check out) so that people will find it easier to set up quality games if they wish so.



Europe 2.0 3v3 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=463211

New map that was initially based on european borders map. Small 2 bonuses were overpowered on initial map, so I decided to normalise income to # of territories -2. That creates the bias towards bigger bonuses, but with many new connections and low base income it is quite risky to go for them. Wastelands are needed since more bonuses means essentially a bigger map despite the same number of territories. Still in testing phase.

Possible changes:
- reduce number of wastelands
- reduce income to 3




Big Asia 3v3 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=455258

Template made based on dead piggy's suggestion that old Asia map is underused. I did everything I could to make this one work, map is generally too big for a classsical 3v3 game, however cities distribution, increased neutrals and wastelands with higher base income and lowered bonus values provide quite an interesting and fresh gameplay. With neutrals of 3 there are also many micromanagement nuances. Still not sure it's perfect from a competetive standpoint, I think it is viable for tournament play, but I recommend it mostly for fun random teams games.

Possible changes:
- normalise bonuses in a different way
- increase neutrals/wastelands (maximum number of wastelands is 15, so for a map like that that may not be enough)
- increase base income slightly




Ursa Luna 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=454779

Possibly one of my weakest 2v2 templates. Megabonuses are obviously reduced to 0, it does allow for very limited competetive play. I'd advise against using this one for competetive tournaments, however this one was not extensively tested, so it is likely it can be improved upon.

Possible changes:
- number of territories you get in dostribution
- normalise bonuses to lower income/territory ratio
- make 1-bonuses worth 0 and increase base income slightly
- introduce a different wasteland system




Fast medium earth http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=441673

Mostly fun template, I created it for a surprise for a wargaminglive event. It is unique having a greater offensive kill ratio than defensive, however distribution mode allows for some competetive play. A more fun/less strategic sister of slow earth template.

Possible changes:
- introduce a different cards system (agressive nature of the template might go hand in hand with a somewhat unique card system (diplomacy cards maybe?))
- transfer settings into a different map into a team game (I am working on a 2v2 template that'd be based on fast medium earth, however on a different map)




Black Sea 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=405373

A very standard 2v2 made for a wargaminglive event. It is a less strategic sister of szeuropa template.

Possible changes:
- reduce 1-bonuses to 0
- introduce a different wasteland system




LOTR 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=310067

A heavily underrated map, those settings are highly configurable. I think it can work as a competetive template, however it's not ideal, nor has it been completely tested due to lack of interest from other players. This template can be improved upon.

Possible changes:
- different wasteland system
- different luck system
- normalise bonuses to a lower value
- lower base income
- increase the number of territories you get in distribution




Macedonia 1v1 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=306574

heavily underrated map, however 1v1 games here are very limited since expansion/attack routes are always quite obvious. I don't think you can squeeze out of this map a very good 1v1 template, so I still recommend this as a fun rt template.

Possible changes:
-?




Medium Asia 3v3 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=293856

Gui found a goldmine remaking the old Asia map. Medium Asia is a perfect template for 3v3 and in my opinion, this template is one of the most strategic 3v3 templates available. Also it's perfect for fun rt games, since you can pick mostly at random and find yourself in a worse, but still manageable position. I heavily recommend this template for any level of play. This one has been extensively tested.

Possible changes:
- reduce 1-bonuses to 0
- increase base income slightly
- normalise bonuses to a lower income/territory ratio




Battle Islands IV 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=289241

One of the more boring 2v2 template I've created. Quite standard, however I don't recommend it for competetive play due to incredibly tedious nature of distribution.

Possible changes:
-?




Guiroma 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=289038

A simple variation of Guiroma. I've been using this one for so long that I don't even remember if Gui made the 1v1 template and I made the changes to 2v2, or did he make both 1v1 and 2v2 templates. Anyway this is one of the most fun 2v2 templates available, it tends to be quite quick due to the nature of the map. However it's not as strategic as classic Europe templates or China 2v2. It can be used in competetive tournaments, however it is recommended mostly for rt games.

Possible changes:
- different wasteland system
- change the value of neutrals in-distribution
- lower base income
- increase the number of territories you get in-distribution




Poland 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=287512

Poland is one of the more polarising maps for most players, you either love it or hate it. I am in the first category. A very unique bonu system allows for competetive play despite how large the map is. This template is recommended for both fun and competetive games, however it is recommended for multiday games since games here can be quite long at times.

Possible changes:
-?




France 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=284955

Another very unique, not very tested map. I recommend this template for all the players that like to challenge themselves, since the bonus system here is quite unique. Again, another template made specifically for wargaminglive event, I can recommend it for both fun rt games and tournament play.

Possible changes:
- different wasteland system
- increase the number of territories you get in-distribution




Europe 3v3 NC http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=283880

The rolls royce of all 3v3 templates. The actuall name I use was europe 3v3 NC Ladder template since I always intended to recommend this template for a possible future 3v3 ladder. Europe 3v3 as the most classic setting offers an incredible amount of long-term nuanced strategy and I don't think there is any template that could rival this one in competetive terms (in warlords distribution that is). Template I recommend for all levels of play.

Possible changes:
- sr changed to wr is possible
- nothing else detected :)




Poland 3v3 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=279776

Again, same thing as in Poland 2v2, quite a decent template, however I recommend it mostly for multiday play.

Possible changes:
-?




China 2v2 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=274931

Remember when I said Gui struck a goldmine remaking Asia map? Here I give you possibly best 2v2 template available. Despite the unbalanced nature of the bonuses in the map, the structural balance allows for competetive games on an unparalleled level in 2v2. You ca limit the luck involvement to a minimum. Definitely an underrated map and possibly the best available 2v2 template.

Possible changes:
- reduce 1-bonuses to 0
- normalise the bonuses to a lower income/territory ratio




China 3v3 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=274410

Still a very good template, however after testing I must conclude that China map is better for 2v2. That template is competetively compareable to Medium Asia 3v3, however due to only 3 starts I think you get a bit less control during the picking stage. Still, not a bad template bz anz means.

Possible changes:
- increase the number of territories you get in distribution
- reduce wastelands count




Poland 1v1 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=272877

A quite competetive 1v1 for such a big map. Ideas are always the same in Poland templates, it utilises its unique bonus system. Again, recommended for multiday play.

Possible changes:
-?




Slow Medium Earth http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=260359

A variant of strat 1v1. I believe it reduces the luck factor you get in the picking stage in strat 1v1, however you have to expect slower games due to difference in defensive kill ratio.

Possible changes:
-?




szeuropa http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=249958

One of the best 2v2 templates available. A lot of credit goes to Gui for making his Guiropa 2v2 template which was intitially tested, however I found it very unbalanced due to a huge luck factor during the picking stage. I believe this template is an improvement upon it and allows 2v2 play on the highest level.

Possible changes:
-no possible changes detected :)




Turkey 1v1 http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=245974

A very old template made for wargaminglive. It can be competetive, however due to map size I don't recommend it for tournament play. On rt ladder you can see similar settings, but with ld :(

Possible changes:
- different wasteland system



Strategic Greece http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=232586

That one actually ended up on rt ladder. Quite a fun template, however I don't recommend it for tournament play.

In first post I used up exactly the maximum number of characters :) Anyway As you can see I have a heavy bias towards random warlords distribution and I have a few reasons for it. First competetive templates created wre utilising cities distribution on Europe, and it was very good, but it had a few flaws. First, it was very repetetive, second it emphasized micromanagement above all else. The third and most important flaw I discover after a long while was how to create small advantages during the picking stage, and unfortunately the only way to do it was risky picking, meaning trying to give an opponent a 2v1 advantage in a bonus to counter it later from another bonus. Anyway I think I speak for most people, that cities distribution fell out of grace a long while ago. I'm not saying it's viable, but it has to be used with great care. the second bias you must see is lack of cards and I also have a good reason for that. In most templates I create I emphasize primarily competetive side of the game and on almost all templates, pretty much every card increases variation of the game. Airlifts in team games and abandon cards are biggest gamebreakers. Anyway I made this topic mostly to advertise those templates and recommend them to others. If you want, you can experiment on them as you please, those possible changes are meant as possible changes that'd not diminish competetive side of the template, however I may have ommitted a few things here and there. Anyway, let me know what do you think about them.

Impressive list :) I can vouch that I like most of these on the list. I personally dislike Poland, Ursa Luna, Black Sea, and Asia 3v3. But on the flip side, I love China 2v2 and 3v3, Szeuropa 2v2, Europe 3v3, and many of the others here as well.

To everyone else, if you haven't played any of these templates, I definitely suggest checking them out. Sze is a master at making templates.

awesome collection of templates :D thanks

i think you only forgot greece 1v1.
All the template listed are very good, except the big china 3v3, that i think it's too big for a 3v3.

Sze, On Big Asia 3v3 you wrote "maximum number of wasteland is 15"

That is NOT the limit, (through it is the limit of the slider) you can go to the box and type in the number you want. This also applies to similar kind of settings which also uses sliders.

I really like that other people appreciate Macedonia which is one of my favorite RT maps

Here is a version I modified to try and make it more competitive in real time games

http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?TemplateID=447978

3 starts drastically reduced bonuses 0 luck WR and some warlords scattered in it