Beginner's Luck
Breakdown of a Myth Match
Background
Myth is a tactics game from Bungie that is extraordinarily entertaining and unique both in single-player and multiplayer modes. Having recently finished the single-player campaign, I decided to try my hand at multiplayer. At first, for about eight games or so, I played team and free-for-all games of Body Count, where the objective is simply to do the most damage. With that under my belt I moved on to attempt Last Man on the Hill, where the objective is to be the army in possession of a flag when time runs out.
My first LMOTH game was a 16 minute, three-player game on the map Rest in Pieces, hosted by a player named Rommel. I came in second, but that's not very hard in three-man LMOTH; I was nowhere near being able to hold on for the win. Still, it was fun, so we decided to play again, same game, same map. Our third player left and was replaced by Hors d'oeuve. Rommel fired up the game... much transpired... and in the end, to my surprise, I was the victor.
These pages are a breakdown of what happened in that game, in words, snapshots, and diagrams. Why? First, because I wanted to analyze the game to see what went right and what went wrong, for me as well as the other players. As long as I was doing that, I thought I might as well share the results with other new players, and maybe show non-players something of what goes on in a Myth game. (Myth vets may or may not be interested, but hopefully they can at least pardon my newbie enthusiasm.) Second, and probably more importantly, this gave me a chance to fool with the game film and take various snapshots of the carnage, as well as an excuse to putz around making a few Web pages.
! Disclaimers: This was an unranked game (the results did not count toward anyone's record or standings). Rommel and Hors d'oeuve were probably also relatively new at Myth at the time of this game, although from playing a few games with Rommel I formed the impression that he was still significantly more experienced at Myth than I. Both Rommel and Hors d'oeuve were classy opponents and I have nothing against either of them; if I have a few criticisms for some of their tactics, it's because those tactics were wrong. :-P I made several mistakes as well, as you will see. This game was not a clash of master tacticians. Looking on the bright side, however, that means you get more examples of what not to do -- and you get More Gore. (I think the final stats are a little unusual for a game of LMOTH.) Speaking of gore, I see that many Myth pages include a warning that Myth, being a wargame and all, could be considered Graphically Violent. Well, that's true. If the above image bothers you (for example), you should bail out now.