Golden Sun: Weyard 3.0
Creator: Chociloni || First Published: 03/12/2023 || Players: 4 || Size: 36x36
Categories: None
Rating: 10.00 in 2 ratings
For design map discussion or to get suggestions from other users, visit the AWBW Discord Chat!
Comments:
Chociloni (04/15/2023 08:56pm | Edited: 04/16/2023 04:21pm):
Another iteration of the world of Weyard from the Golden Sun games.

Mars- Prox, Kibombo, Champa
Mercury- Imil, Lemuria, Apojii
Venus- Lalivero, Vale, Izumo
Jupiter- Contigo, Garoh, Lama Temple

The properties represent game locations:
HQs- lighthouses
Comtowers- Elemental rocks and ancient ruins
Labs- temples
Cities, airports and ports- towns and settlements (plus kibombo mountains and treasure Isle)
Bases (with adjacent properties)- larger towns

The corner cities beyond Gaia falls (the edge reefs) are there just to add a bit of extra funds and
are uncapturable by design.

Recommended settings:
The map is designed to work both with and without FoW
1500 income
T1 COs or lower
50 unit limit
Banned units: Black bomb, Stealth
Lab units: Rockets, Battleship, Bomber, Neotank, Megatank
Capture limit: ~30, or a bit more

Note that this ruleset makes the few labs very valuable and contested. In particular bombers
and long range indirects are gated by lab access. This is an attempt to make certain strategies
that are hard to counter more manageable while still remaining a strong win condition.
The capture limit is there to put more incentive on each player to go after whoever is in the
lead, rather than preying on the weakest player. I think this prolongs the most interesting phase
of the game while cutting some tedious endgames short when it's pretty much clear who will
win anyway.

The previous version seems fairly balanced for the most part. Each side has a realistic
chance of winning. Though some sides are stronger, that's 1) not a main priority for this map
and 2) notoriously hard to fix completely. I've tried tuning the balance in small ways not to
mess things up too much.

Changes:
-In general the map has a lot more shoals and is more interconnected.
-Layout of the north between mercury and mars changed a bit.
-Added a shoal bridge between Contigo and Tolbi to make it easier for Jupiter to have a strong
presence in the center but also to make the Jupiter HQ more susceptible.
-Three towns (Naribwe, Daila, Alhafra) converted to bases and northern indra is more easily
accessible by vehicles to (hopefully) make the southern frontlines a bit more dynamic.
-Geography around Alhafra changed so that Mercury gets a stronger foothold in Osenia and
southern Indra (Jupiter buffed and Mercury nerfed in other ways)
-Loho and Atteka inlet changed to ports (inlet airport is part of Contigo now.
-Added a pipeseam at Goma cave to adjust the tension levels between Mercury, Venus and
Mars in the area a bit.
-Half of Vale starts as Mars for a tiny balance change and for flavour
-Added and removed some predeployed units for balance and capture phase reasons.

Version 2.0 for comparison:
https://awbw.amarriner.com/prevmaps.php?maps_id=140814

I'm fairly confident about most changes but I might decide to revert or adjust some based on
playtesting. Especially the increased base count and frontline redrawing in the south is hard to
know the impact of beforehand.

Thanks to everyone who has played on previous versions!

Feedback appreciated :)
AceVanCleef (05/02/2023 05:09am):
Excellent map. Very dynamic. You can fight on multiple frontlines with multiple enemies. Also
invites for diplomacy and maybe team play. Choke points and terrain ensure you don't get
overrun that easily, can priorities your targets and open new frontlines.
Chociloni (05/02/2023 12:16pm):
Thanks Ace! The points you bring up are what I was hoping for so it makes me happy to hear.

I haven't thought of proper team play before. I wonder what combinations would work.
Maybe mercury and Jupiter vs Venus and Mars? I think that would keep things interesting in
most parts of the map still. Also bonus points for making sense thematically.

Mars might need a slight nerf though (but not too much, they were arguably the weakest side in
2.0). They seem overturned in terms of income atm but that is slightly mitigated by more easily
getting attacked from several directions than anyone else. That wouldn't be a weakness in the
same way if teaming up.
Chociloni (06/13/2023 09:31am | Edited: 06/14/2023 01:33pm):
Changes made after testing. Mars winrate is too high. Other countries seem fairly balanced. Most changes aimed at nerfing
Mars and buffing others, especially on their weak fronts.

Decresed Mars starting presence in Gondowan by removing units and the city at kibombo mountains. Also made sol sanctum
neutral.

Added a bboat on Lama temple to make Jupiter lab last much longer and give them more reliable
access to bombers. Also makes it slightly harder for Mars and Venus to gain lab access.

Added missiles at Imil to make it a bit more defensible.

Made it easier for Mercury to capture and hold alhafra.

Jupiter starts with a bcopter (that takes a few turns to become useful)

Added yet another transport for venus at izumo, making their Eastern sea expansion last a bit longer

Gave each country an extra off-world city to make it a tiny bit more manageable for players who fall behind.

Otherwise no terrain changes.



Advance Wars is (c) 1990-2001 Nintendo and (c) 2001 Intelligent Systems. All images are copyright their respective owners.