Isthmus-Relics is a revision of one of my favorite random map scripts. The original Isthmus is a novel design which creates new playing strategies. Players start on opposing land masses, placed by teams, and separated by water. There is a wide, central isthmus which connects all teams and divides the sea. The seas are harder for one team or player to dominate since it is divided. The isthmus is the scene for battles as the only land connection between the players. There is random variation of terrain types on this map (but no snow terrains). This new map script combines this interesting land and water mix with some of the starting features of the ES@Hallowed map. Each player starts with a Monastary and two Monks (rather than 3 as in Hallowed- with 3 Monks per player I find that the relics are collected too quickly and the Monks are used early as an offensive weapon), and there are 10 relics per player scattered across the map. Economic development is quite different with these changes, as the early gold generated by your stored relics can be used to buy food and advance much more rapidly once a Market is built. There is generally more use of Monks and other gold-intensive units with this type of map
I suggest you play this map at a size appropriate for the number of players so that the isthmus will place properly. Note that the script can handle any number of players on a 2 team game, and can handle a 3 team game well if 1x1x1 or 2x2x2. If a 3 team game, there are 3 seas divided by 3 bands of land joining at the center. Four team games don\'t always have a fair or balanced start.
Resources are fairly standard (with 2 extra gold, 2 extra stone and 2 extra forage patches on the isthmus). Fish are increased slightly over the ES norm. The computer AI handles this map fairly well, frequently walling off the isthmus, and often but not always building a \'two ocean navy\', but does not always collect the relics as aggressively as a human player.
The best civs for this map are different than the standard Huns and Mongols, as these civs have poor Monks (fine for collecting relics but of little other value). The Aztecs may be best on this map with their high hit-point Monks, but other civs with strong Monks are good too.
Several other \'Relic\' maps are being released - check the game sites for other fun maps to play!!