u/SweetCook1752

So this is just a disappointed commentary on the sad state of the multiplayer game.

I have been following this game for one and a half years now. I enjoyed it very much, but since then the development has been just 3 steps forward and 2 steps back. I love the formation additions, and now the limited cannon ammo is also better balanced. Everything else got worse:

• The time limit with that time bank makes predicting how much time you have left towards the end of the game a stressful affair, adding another arcade-style gameplay element just to stress players into deciding faster and more frantically.
• Above all, and I have commented on this a lot before, the max turn limit is not enough. There are so many games I played that were getting to the interesting finale at the last turn and were in no way decided by then. Also, even if I was clearly losing the battle, I want to play it out to the end, have my guards hold the ground to the last man and so on... but nope, the developers decided you had had enough gameplay and must quit now. It’s stupid. To give you an example: my last game: https://linesofbattle.net/game/239691 I managed to turn it around and towards the end was clearly winning and should have won, but no, I should not have the satisfaction of turning the odds. Game over and bam, I lost. How?
• Also, the maps are boring. There are no interesting maps, terrain, or anything whatsoever, just generic maps with scattered woods and settlements over and over again.
• Additionally, that stupid flag system. Why is it even there? I said it before: why should I be trying to hold some stupid spot on the map in the middle of nowhere? Why should my opponent get an extra bonus for holding more flags? It should be my decision how to play the game and how to use the terrain. Am I playing aggressively? Fine. Or playing defensively? Fine, come and get me. Again, the developers are trying to push the tactics in some direction, ideally to conclude the game quickly in the same way over and over again. I do not care if someone camps on a hill. It’s his decision and OUR game that we decided to play.
• All of this can thankfully be changed with custom maps that can be created, and with your own custom game with a friend without a turn limit. But why not give us such an option in regular multiplayer too? Get rid of the stupid matchmaking system. Let us create custom maps/servers with our own rules, where others can join or not if they like. Like it has been the case in every other game since the 1990s.

So the last game was the last straw for me. I get that we are just beta testers for the “real” Steam game for players who will pay. And as such, we just test the ever-changing functionalities and mechanics of the game. We do not have much more value than that. That is fine. But the devs must know that even their testing community can have enough if their beloved game keeps changing beyond recognition. I won’t play multiplayer again until some development occurs in this area. I will play my custom games with some lovely friends I got to know during play, and these are still fun and enjoyable. For now, however, I am withdrawing the game from my Steam wishlist. For now, the multiplayer is sadly a waste of time.