Fire and Roses!

[Exile]

Fire and Roses! is a scenario by Stephan Haertel. It's a simulation of the high medieval period in Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, and northern India. It includes such little-known player positions as Hamdanids, Ghorids, and Samanids, all rarely seen in other scenarios.

I've played this one a few times and enjoyed it. . . . so I'd like to talk about it. Discussion is open to anyone.

Like most of the golden age scenarios, it still uses the early unit graphics and variations of them, but the map especially interests me. When you look at it closely, zooming all the way out, you can see that most of the map is desert. The few arable regions are thus more valuable. This is definitely NOT a map composed mostly of grasslands.

My feeling is also that it contains a bunch of pre-fairline unit graphics and could use an update in this area.

Anyone else like or play this one?

[curtsibling]

I have heard of this classic - If you have a link, we will check it out...

Medieval scens are always fun!

[Gagliaudo]

http://spanish.apolyton.net/civ2/bestonet/files/roses.zip

I gave a look time ago, and it looked fun, IMHO it worth! I'll tell about when I find time to play it

[fairline]

Played it several times and loved it, as is generally the case with Stefan's scenarios.

Before you ask, as with all scenarios I like I made up a units file. Sadly this was 2 broken PC's ago and I no longer have 'em....

Good to see your ACS login problems are over Phenix

[Exile]

Thanks Gareth. It tooks weeks, but the problem, she is solv-ed. *Inspector Clouseau voice*

Damn! Now that I hear you made unit graphics for this one . . . .

I particularly like Stephan's approach to objectives in this one. He states in the readme that the object is simply to conquer as much of the middle east as you can.

It also strikes me as a peculiar kind of "desert" scenario. The terrain characteristics, IMO, "channel" the players into warfare. There isn't much point improving the ground, so the object becomes pure conquest.

I've toyed with this period from time to time, and the unique thing about this one is that, prior to the start date of the scenario, most of these civs were part of one empire, that of the Muslims. These states were created by the gradual political fragmentation of the Islamic empire during the 8th-10th centuries. As I've stated before now, the decline of empires is an aspect of Civ2 that is not easily portrayed in game terms. Here, however, we have a scenario that depicts the political breakup and subsequent dynastic and diplomatic ferment that occured historically.

Curt, the medieval and ancient scenarios are slower paced, but the joy of conquest and administration is therefore more delectable . . . when accomplished.