Posts from Heroes II Tournament: Second stage of the Van Kaneghem tournament "Chains and Ransom"

Second stage of the annual John Van Caneghem tournament
"Chain and Ransom"

P.S. This tournament is held as part of the general John Van Caneghem tournament. This tournament has ten stages, two stages for each version of Heroes.

1.1. To participate in the "Chain and Ransom" tournament, you must register on our website and leave an application in this thread.
1.1. The tournament will be held from February 03 to March 06, 2010. Tournament results will be announced on March 11, 2010.
1.2. The tournament is held as part of the general Van Caneghem tournament.
1.3. The tournament is played on the Russian version of Heroes 2 by Buka. The save was generated on the Russian version.
1.5. ATTENTION!!! Throughout the tournament, the player IS OBLIGED to make saves at the beginning or end (both options are mandatory) of EVERY game day and store them on their computer! The judge has the right to demand daily walkthrough saves and explanations for them from ANY player, up to the description of the tactics of a specific battle.
In the absence of satisfactory explanations (from the judges' point of view), the player's result will be annulled.
If there is a satisfactory description of the walkthrough but necessary saves are missing, the player is credited with a defeat. The statute of limitations (during which daily saves must be stored) is 7 days after the results of the round are summarized.
1.6. ATTENTION!!! In this specific tournament, all players who show a result of 5 or fewer days must attach an archive with saves for the end of days 1, 2, 3, 4 and the beginning of days 2, 3, 4, 5 to the email in addition to the winning save. Without this archive, the result will not be counted!
1.7. The tournament leader is Qwerty.

2.1. Use of any cheats or bugs in the final walkthrough is prohibited. The result will be annulled.
You can read about which bugs are considered forbidden in the thread: Offline Tournament Rules + FAQ for HMM II
2.2. In case of a week "+5 monsters X" or a month "monster X", the player must replay the single week/month transition and achieve a neutral result.
2.3. It is forbidden to play on any version other than the one specified in point 1.3.
2.4. Open discussion of the tournament on the forum during its progress is FORBIDDEN!!!
(Players who violate this rule automatically exclude themselves from playing the tournament; their results will not be counted and will be annulled)

3.1. The goal of the tournament is to defeat the enemy.
3.2. The main victory criterion is minimum time. The secondary criterion is the sum of primary skills (attack, defense, magic, knowledge) INCLUDING EQUIPPED ARTIFACTS (calculated for the hero with the higher skill sum among those presented in the save); if a favorite still cannot be determined, then by the amount of mercury.
Note: If victory occurs during a turn transition, the final number of days will be taken from the final results table, i.e., the day of the final save plus one.

4.1. The final save should be made before the last action (after which victory occurs).
4.2. Along with the final save, players are obliged to send a description of the tactics for the final battle (the more difficult the battle, the more detailed).
If the win depends on morale\luck rolls\specific actions of computer players, a full description of the battle is required—one that allows it to be repeated.
4.3. The email with the save must contain:

• the winning save itself;
• description of the final battle tactics
• participant number in the application table
• abbreviation (VK22010)
• Player Nickname

Example: email subject VK22010 - vbn,
a save named 1_ VK22010_vbn.gm1 is attached to the email.
4.4. Send the final save to the mailbox qwertyheroes@gmail.com.

5.1. Download the save and map.
Note: The save and map are archived using WinRar 3.62.
5.2. The downloaded save must be placed on your computer in the Games folder within the folder where Heroes 2 is installed.
5.3. Load it and start playing at any time convenient for you, while not forgetting to make daily saves at the beginning and end of each game day.
5.4. After reaching the last action (after which victory occurs), save again.
5.5. With the final save, describe this last step (most likely a battle) in detail; then the results will be processed faster and there will be fewer suspicions of cheating!!!
5.6. A full description of the tournament map is encouraged (optional). If any are provided, a contest for the best description will be held, and 10 of them (the very best) will take their place of honor in the "Hall of Fame" section!
5.7. Send this save to the specified address (in these tournament rules).
5.8. Wait for the results.

6.1. This list can be expanded by new participants!
6.2. Saves will only be considered from players who are in this table, so make your applications in advance!
6.3. After receiving your save, you will see in the application table that: the save is accepted - indicated by a Bold Nickname

HMM II TOURNAMENT: "Chain and Ransom"
Number	Participant
1	Pash
2	Wishmaster
3	DR28
4	Elcidere
5	SDV
6
7
8	-----
9	-----
10	-----

P.S. I wish all tournament participants a great time gaming!!!

Dear participants! We present to your attention an extremely easy and enjoyable save to play through. I remind you that in this tournament, it is strictly forbidden to move a redeemed hero on the day of redemption. That is, if a hero is redeemed, let's say, on the fifth day, then on that day he can be bought, but he cannot be moved!! Also, please note that if the game ends after the turn has passed, the victory is counted for the next day! For example, after the fifth day of the game, the computer attacks, dies, and the victory is awarded - but this victory will be counted on day 6 (as in the record table). I hope that small surprises from the host will make the game even more enjoyable. And especially for you, a bonus track - chastushki (short, humorous folk songs) by Qwerty! Have a good game!!!

I'm signing up. The map isn't very complex, actually. I'll try to make it over the weekend. Something between "Arena" and "King's Bounty" (for those who know what I mean).

Recently, I became the happy owner of the Bukov version, so I'll try to find some time and play through it. I'm in.
Although, I'm not very good at the second game, so I'll be learning as I go.

Recently, I became the happy owner of the Bukov version, so I'll try to find some time and play through it. Count me in.
Although, I'm not very good at the second game, so I'll be learning :)

That's great!
It's no secret that I try to select maps for this tournament series specifically as training maps! And what's especially valuable is that the lessons on how to complete them are sometimes given by true Masters of the game, such as Pash. Later, it will be very interesting to watch the playthroughs of the winners, compare them to your own, and then become a winner yourself in the tournaments!!!
Have a good game!!

Sign me up too.

Yeah, the tournament boils down to "who will be 3rd," but if I have time, I'll play.

Qwerty, is there a specific reason why the edited map hasn't been released? I don't see some things in the editor...))) Or is this what you mean by "small surprises"?

P.S. I like maps like this. When you don't have to think about the big picture, but can focus on the details.

Added after 21 hours and 19 minutes

You can only buy back and use your dismissed/killed hero the day after their dismissal/death.

Stupid question, but important: can you buy back a dismissed hero on the same day?

2 DR28
I think I posted this map before, Cepo4ka...
You can only redeem a fallen/dismissed hero on the next day... Well, you get the idea, I can't say more, it will be a hint.

I think I posted this map before, Cepo4ka...

By the way, I read it as "Serochka" ))) The name is different, but the map is standard (lasthope). The Necropolis is there, but there aren't enough events.

Very strange, but let's try one more time.

ATTENTION!!!
Thanks to DR28, it turned out that an unedited map was mistakenly attached to the save file.
If, due to this, participants need extra time to complete the challenge, please let us know, and we will extend the tournament.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

It mentioned surprises at the beginning. I noticed almost immediately that the map differed from the save file. I treated these differences as surprises. :) Although, I had to look for them.

Thank goodness it wasn't lying around in some corner of Anduran. All the unknown events were found through trial and error or by chance. I've completed the map; I'll send the save file on time.

Added 54 minutes later
Damn, I just noticed: point 1.1 of the first post – Crosstown Traffic – we played last year.

Trying to complete it. I have a plan. But if it doesn't work out, there won't be any results. I'm submitting my application.

Added 22 hours and 40 minutes later
It happened! Tomorrow I'll prepare a description of the final battle and send it!