Oct 9, 2019
Conqueror's Blade - Sapozhnik
There are many ways into Sun City, but breaching those walls is less than half the story. To win the battle, the heart of the city must be taken - one way, or not at all!
HISTORY
There is a saying among those that live around Sun City: that if the murderous warlords don’t get you, the ferocious winds will. Forever loaded with the abrasive sand of the surrounding valleys, the dry winds have often caused what little crops that do grow in the region to fail. But such is the demand for food that local farmers try anyway, thankful for any days where the sun isn't obscured by the stinging sand.
Naturally, Sun City has evolved into an important trade hub, for despite the inhospitable landscape, the plain on which the city is sited is at the convergence of mighty trade routes, as well as where deep and ancient wells draw all the water necessary to sustain the local population. Without them, the walls of Sun City would have long since crumbled.
SCOUTING REPORT
Sun City has two main entrances - a gate in the south wall and another in the west. Only one needs to be taken in order to progress. Both are protected by firepots and the walls are well defended with stationary cannon.
Two towers stand ready to assault the south wall and one to the west of the city. There are also four areas along each wall where ladders can be erected, as well as two along the outer east wall. There is no access for the attackers along the two northernmost quadrants of the city.
Inside the battlements there are two further Control Points that must be taken in succession, one roughly in the centre of the map and the other close by, to the north. Each occupies an interchange within what is a generally a grid-based layout.
Finally, there are three resupply points in the city. Inside the east wall (at the point along which access is blocked), in the southwest corner of the city (which becomes the attacker's spawn point later in the match) and at the midway point at the inner north wall, close to Capture Point D.
PLAN OF ATTACK
- It really is a waste of time and effort to simultaneously attack both gates (unless, of course, one attack is a clever ruse), so coordinate your strategy with your fellow warlords and pick a primary target. There isn’t much to choose between the two main entrances in terms of the enemy’s defences, but the route to Capture Point C is a little more direct from B. Plus, you may find that less experienced enemies will tend towards defending Point A by default, which is something to take into consideration.
- A third option is the southwest corner of the outer wall; more-or-less the midpoint between the two outer gates, which can be assaulted via ladder or tower. As a focus for your main attack at the start of a match it could falter for being easily countered, but if you need to open up a second front to outflank either an attack on the south or west gates, it’s a useful position to command - especially if you can secure the tower that overlooks the nearby resupply zone.
- Given the proximity of the last two flags, it will be very tempting for the attackers to take the direct route all the way to Point D, through the centre of map, but unless you’re well-drilled as a team, you are likely to come up against some stiff resistance that doesn’t even have to be well organised to be able to contain you. Points C and D are both located at interactions with four entry points, which means that attacking through a single channel could be costly. Instead, work your way around the edges of the map and charge into each Capture Point from at least two directions simultaneously. As ever, be wary of counterattacks and being outflanked.
- With the defenders spawning from the courtyard in the northwest of the city, it’s important that the attackers secure the building to the east of Capture Point D. It has a raised area where ranged units can be posted, behind which is a courtyard from where you can try to dislodge the enemy from around the area north of the capture circle. If you can do so while containing any attempts for the defenders to turn south from its spawn point, then the battle will be won.
DEFENSIVE MEASURES
- There’s a lot of firepower outside the Sun City, so much that it might pay to stay within. When the attacker plays its hand, then react to counter the most pressing threat.
- With the attacking team having numerous options to enter the city - and rather less of them to secure it - every second might count, so try to harry and harass your opponent rather than stubbornly holding ground. Spilling blood for every inch of the terrain will come later!
- Defending Point C and D is, of course, paramount, but try to keep the positional advantage. Both points are best defended from the edge of the circle to keep from being outnumbered and outflanked. You can also hide your numbers effectively and more easily advance when you have room to manoeuver.
- Roaming the channels inside the walls is a good tactic if only to keep solo warlords and their troops corralled in the centre where the battle is more easily managed. The centre must hold, but not at the expense of losing the initiative elsewhere.
- One useful tactic that has been successfully deployed at Sun City is to let the attackers take Point C and gallop to Point D, before pouring into both positions from all angles. When you promote overconfidence in your enemy, it is much easier to undo!
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