Temple Tussle (Ranked)

Revision as of 23:16, 27 May 2013

Temple Tussle Map Analysis

Temple Tussle PvP map

Offensive Map Control

The Eight Paths

Temple Tussle (TT) is a PVP map containing 224 terrains with 4 victory terrains. There are no impassable terrains and 4 difficult terrains. A central open 4x4 contest zone is surrounded on four sides by mini-mazes, creating a 'King of the Hill' (KotH) scenario. All figures adopt the 'offensive force attacking downwards and opponent defending upwards' orientation. As in usual KotH-like arenas, offensive control is established by winning areas leading into and out of the victory zone. As Figure 1 shows, there are 8 paths connected to the victory squares (highlighted in purple). Two paths involve difficult terrains, suited for ranged units. Whichever party successfully controls these pathways controls the game. However, it is impossible for a single party of 3 to simultaneously occupy 8 positions. Instead, we split the map into 3 distinctive zones and place units within those regions (Fig. 2) to cover as many paths as possible. By doing so, the map is set up for pincers and overlapping kill zones while allowing free flowing movement designed to punish isolated enemy units. Figure 3 show desirable positions that allow a team of melee units (attacking downwards) to exert map control on the opponent. M1 block enemies attempting to penetrate from the left lane while M3 block enemies from the right. M2 supports M1 and M3 by forming pincers and if need be, choke points to completely shut down enemy maneuvers into the lanes. Figure 4 show the same for a team of ranged units. Unlike melee units, ranged units set up overlapping kill zones to cover units attempting to penetrate the lanes and the victory terrains. Hence, the use of width and a higher strategic line of offense. Note that designations merely show preferable positions. In practice, hybrid teams work best to exert map control by covering each other with flexible positioning.
Fig. 1: The Eight Paths	Fig. 2: Splitting into the zones	Fig. 3: Offensive map control using melee units	Fig. 4: Offensive map control using ranged units

Line of Sight

Due to the many mazes and narrow lanes, line of sight (LoS) is a precious commodity crucial for ranged units in TT. The most valuable LoS are found in the eight lanes leading into the victory terrain (c.f. Figure 1 above). With map symmetry in mind, only four spots (paths 1, 2, 3 and 4) are discussed. Figures 5 to 8 below show the different areas of coverage. Of the various points, the LoS at path 3 (Fig. 5) denoted by X covers 25 squares which is the maximum compared to other lane spots. In addition, the underlying square has difficult terrain, making it a great sniper's spot and a perfect place to launch an offensive from. A ranged unit can simply back away when enemy melee units attempt to close in or lay down lava terrain to deter aggressors. A melee unit can choose to dominate the victory terrain or attempt to close down the right lane. Charging dwarves can pick any three lanes for rapid penetration. The sole drawback is a possible flanking move from the left lane and a single blindspot from the right. Figures 6 to 8 show the LoS of other paths. All provide sufficient coverage of the victory terrains and any two combinations are sufficient for creating overlapping kill zones.
Fig. 5: Line of Sight at path 3	Fig. 6: Line of Sight at path 2	Fig. 7: Line of Sight at path 1	Fig. 8: Line of Sight at path 4

Defensive Map Control

Defensive Positioning

Defensive map control is a risk averse approach to the game. It maximizes a party's effectiveness in combat through synergy and unit positioning, preventing flanking maneuvers and countering offensives. A basic tactic of defensive map control is defensive positioning utilizing available terrains, blind spots and ambush points to shut down the enemy.

Coming Soon !

Crowd Control

Coming Soon !