Posts from Post-tournament analysis and discussion of the CIS Tournament Regulations.

I don't understand why you're even using the word "balance"!?!?!

So, we have three main wishes:
1) to play on random maps;
2) to spend less time;
3) to have a balanced game.
In my opinion, fulfilling all three points is impossible in principle; you have to give up on one (any) of them.
Let's assume that priority is point 3, balance. In Heroes, it arises (it arises, not is achieved, because the developers didn't really care about it initially)
not by minimizing randomness, but quite the opposite, by accumulating a large number of random factors. The more of them there are,
the higher the probability of an even distribution of "positive" and "negative" random events among the players.
The more opportunities each player has to demonstrate skill or make a mistake, the more likely it is that skill will decide the outcome, not luck.
The number of random factors can be increased by saturating the map with different objects (as in HotA), increasing the size of the map, and, importantly, the number of game days (just so that there is time to
demonstrate skill or make a mistake in a greater number of situations). In general, goodbye to point 2.
If, however, we strive for balance by minimizing randomness, then either we will reduce this randomness to zero and get chess (minus point 1), or, if it is not possible to completely eliminate randomness, even such insignificant factors as heroes in the tavern and the skill tree will create an imbalance.

Guys, I'm almost certain that the next CIS tournament will be held on SoD, or at worst, on WT. It will depend on the quorum's decision. But it's unlikely to be Hota. In any case, if people vote to hold it in the Moscow region, Hota won't even be close to being used in the tournament games.