Random map template (Heroes 3 - HotA)

The two sides decided to find out which of them is stronger. But only one problem - between
them are neutral lands filled with dangerous creatures and the untold riches they guard. They
say there is still a secret passage between the sides, but the path is thorny and risky, no
one knows what awaits you on that path, you may need a guide or strong army. Welcome to the
Middle Earth.

Installation

1. Clone repository

   In web version click on green ↆ Code button, click on Download ZIP button in drop-down list.
   You also can download zip with template from releases

2. Put folder Middle Earth to the folder HotA_RMGTemplates in Heroes 3 - HotA root folder
3. Start the game
   3.1. Choose singleplayer (or multiplayer)
   3.2. Select random map mode
   3.3. Find out and choose Middle Earth (2p, M-XL) template
4. Set up game and start as usual

Rules

• Initial set up: L size, fast roads, no water, normal monsters, 160%.
• You have to play with 1 hero which was chosen at the beginning of game.
  You are defeated if you lose this hero (in any way).
  • If two heroes are lost (disappeared) after battle the winner is the player
    who make the last shot (even if it was made by summoned creature or magic spell).
  • If battle can't be finished (f.e. if two players have army of ghosts) the
    winner is the player with bigger sum of characteristics (if sums are equal
    then by tossing a coin).
• Since 127 you can recruit one more hero from tavern. This actions is allowed only once, it means
  that if you lose the second hero (even if it can surrender or retreat), you have to finish the game
  having only 1 (main) hero. The second hero can't attack opponent heroes and can't be attacked
  with opponent heroes.
  • Second hero can't block path on road if there is only 1 tile in width between
    any obstacles. If second hero have no more move points and blocks the route then you have to banish him
    (and never buy any other second heroes).
• Player who can held battlefield castle (in zone 3) for 1 month since he captured this castle and write
  to chat "I captured middle castle" is the winner. Player can capture that castle and can not write message
  to the chat. In this case timer will go since day when player decided to write specified message to chat.
• Each player have 1 restart until 112 (inclusive).

Template

Scheme of this template:

• Player zones (1-red, 2-blue). These zones are full of resources, mines, sawmills, just mills
  and monster buildings of 3 (x4), 4 (x2) and 5 (x1) levels. Seldom you can find hero improvement
  objects x3 for each kind of characteristics, and one library.
• Player treasure zones (5-red, 6-blue). These zones are full of artifacts and boxes of the
  highest value. Also there are 2 towns (1 of them guaranteed that it has the same type as user home
  castle). This zone has wasteland surface to make exploration more difficult but you can find an explorer.
  In this zone there is not monster buildings at all.
• Battlefield zone (3). This zone is planned as classical battlefield. There is almost nothing
  that can distract you from battle with your opponent. One thing that can really impact is that in
  this zone hidden 5 relic artifacts and some black towers. Everything else is just a tower castle
  snow and some stone-like resources. And monsters (to boost your skeletons)!
• Hidden treasure zone (7). If you think that home treasures is all that you can find on this
  map then you are wrong. There is one more neutral treasure zone full of artifacts and some useful
  buildings (may be). You can get to it from zones 5 and 6 through the portals in some edge of your
  home treasure zone.
• Terra incognita (4). Nobody knows what can be there. But they tell that it's the shortest
  path between players and there is one stronghold castle. Might be that there is something else
  but it's not exact.

Example of generated map using this template is following:

Artifacts

Rules is under correction now. Coming soon...

• All (almost) artifacts that give more than +2 characteristics to hero
• All magic books

Spells

Banned:

Heroes

Banned:

Banned by default:

Skills

Banned:

Buildings

Rules is under correction now. Coming soon...

Related sources and information

• Heroes 3 HotA official VK group
• Heroes 3 HotA official documentation

Disclamer! Name of template is not related to the franchise The Battle for the Middle Earth by J. R. R. Tolkien. The name of template only describes general location of map zones. No copyrights are used.

Some pictures of skills, spells and heroes are taken from this site