This is a minigame I'm working on called Castle Siege (the map is, for now, just named Castle Island). I had this idea back in Reach using the Insane/Haloball gametype, but couldn't quite get the mechanics to make sense. It turns out that ricochet multi-team is even better-suited to making this work the way I imagined.
Castle Siege is played in rounds (right now 4 rounds of 5 minutes each - this and much else may be subject to change, pending test results). Each team plays offense and defense twice. When on defense, you sit behind or on the walls of a mighty stone-walled castle, trying to beat back the attackers. When on offense, you try to get inside the castle, kill people, and steal stuff, in the best marauding tradition.
How you get points: 1. Demolishing the castle. Attackers have catapults (mancannons) that fire fusion coils at the castle walls. The fusion coils go off with a mightier-than-usual BOOM and knock pieces out of the walls. Knock out enough blocks and you can punch holes in the outer and then inner walls that allow direct access. 2. Stealing the treasure. Three jewels (ricochet balls) spawn in the castle - grab them, run or drive away, and get back to your territory to score. Each theft is worth far more than demolishing a block, so really this is your big objective.
How you fight: Castle Siege offers two classes, knights and archers. Knights have the traditional sword (energy) and shield (hardlight - unlimited use) to do battle with, as well as an old-timey blunderbuss (shotgun) to fire off the catapults. They also have the mobility perk to facilitate their mindless aggression. Archers have their bow and arrow (sniper rifle) only - no AA, no backup weapon. On a map this big, archers are perhaps more critical of the two, but for the final invasion you need knights as well. And oh yeah, the defending team also has a dragon (banshee). Just one, so be gentle with it. As the round wears on, the offense will try to blast big holes in the walls, encroach, and steal the jewels away; the defense will try to keep the catapults from doing too much damage (you can shoot the people using them as well as shooting the fusion coils out of the air) and try to keep the castle un-marauded. There are also a couple sneaky extra ways into the castle that don't involve blowing stuff up, so the defense has to be on their toes.
I'll be testing this over the coming weeks, mainly in the Tuesday night TCOJ lobby. If you guys know Juanez Sanchez, AnotherClaymore, or any of those guys, look for any of us Tuesday nights starting at 7 Eastern time.
Pictures:
The castle.
From the defender's vantage point.
Overhead view. Castle below, three stations of two catapults each spread throughout the woods above.
Catapultin'.
Stuff asplodes.
You can do damage.
Eventually you can do a LOT of damage.
Steal these; drive away.
But watch out for the dragon.
Castle Siege is played in rounds (right now 4 rounds of 5 minutes each - this and much else may be subject to change, pending test results). Each team plays offense and defense twice. When on defense, you sit behind or on the walls of a mighty stone-walled castle, trying to beat back the attackers. When on offense, you try to get inside the castle, kill people, and steal stuff, in the best marauding tradition.
How you get points: 1. Demolishing the castle. Attackers have catapults (mancannons) that fire fusion coils at the castle walls. The fusion coils go off with a mightier-than-usual BOOM and knock pieces out of the walls. Knock out enough blocks and you can punch holes in the outer and then inner walls that allow direct access. 2. Stealing the treasure. Three jewels (ricochet balls) spawn in the castle - grab them, run or drive away, and get back to your territory to score. Each theft is worth far more than demolishing a block, so really this is your big objective.
How you fight: Castle Siege offers two classes, knights and archers. Knights have the traditional sword (energy) and shield (hardlight - unlimited use) to do battle with, as well as an old-timey blunderbuss (shotgun) to fire off the catapults. They also have the mobility perk to facilitate their mindless aggression. Archers have their bow and arrow (sniper rifle) only - no AA, no backup weapon. On a map this big, archers are perhaps more critical of the two, but for the final invasion you need knights as well. And oh yeah, the defending team also has a dragon (banshee). Just one, so be gentle with it. As the round wears on, the offense will try to blast big holes in the walls, encroach, and steal the jewels away; the defense will try to keep the catapults from doing too much damage (you can shoot the people using them as well as shooting the fusion coils out of the air) and try to keep the castle un-marauded. There are also a couple sneaky extra ways into the castle that don't involve blowing stuff up, so the defense has to be on their toes.
I'll be testing this over the coming weeks, mainly in the Tuesday night TCOJ lobby. If you guys know Juanez Sanchez, AnotherClaymore, or any of those guys, look for any of us Tuesday nights starting at 7 Eastern time.
Pictures:
The castle.
From the defender's vantage point.
Overhead view. Castle below, three stations of two catapults each spread throughout the woods above.
Catapultin'.
Stuff asplodes.
You can do damage.
Eventually you can do a LOT of damage.
Steal these; drive away.
But watch out for the dragon.