The Quest for a fair Best of 9 Map List
The concept of a Best of 9 (Bo9) has become very popular in modern Red Alert online multiplayer play. Here is the description on UrbanDictionary so casual players can understand its importance:
These can be very enjoyable events, especially for spectators. Often the community will come together and stream these matches and there will be great interest and banter. Until now however, there has never been a consensus on an official map list. The rule has usually been "I pick, you pick" and we gamble for which player gets the first map selection. The result that there have been many series which have ended either 5-4 because each player wins on their home map, or 5-0 because player 2 already gets demoralised after losing badly on the first map.
As far as I'm aware, no-one has attempted to suggest an official list of 9 maps which players can choose from. We have had ridiculous maps played in Best of 9 over the years such as Equal Opportunity, Bay of Pigs, Ribbon Ore, Rasta etc. Below follows my suggestion for what would be a fair best of 9 list the players can choose from going forward. I've also only selected 9 maps because I feel that it would have the added benefit of encouraging players to learn in-depth these maps. Also they are fair and balanced and I have been objective in my selections. If you can play these 9 maps to a good standard you will be a strong all-rounder. Here is the official CrushyBoo selection which could be used going forward:
- P4 Rashowdown
- A Path Beyond
- 4c Niklas
- Ribbon Isle
- Keep off the Grass
- Shallow Grave
- X-gems
- HJK6
- Arena Valley Extreme
These 9 maps are all ladder maps. I've also been fair in choosing 3 money maps (P4, HJK6 and Xgems) which gives building style a fair crack of the whip. The 3 money maps are also all unique to each other, P4 = deploy, Xgems = speed, HJK6 = map control. There are also 3 standard maps which test different skills, Path = Q-tanking and money management, Keep off the Grass = infantry micro and scouting, Shallow Grave = tactics and timing. I've excluded maps like V3 Rashowdown because we already have HJK6 and Ribbon, and NXNW didn't make the cut because we already have enough standards. 4c and Ribbon are 2 extremely pro maps that everyone knows and I'm sure no-one could begrudge their inclusion. Finally, Arena Valley is a very popular map which deserves its inclusion on the list as it is unique compared to the other 8 maps and requires good map control and awareness.
In essence, I think this is a very fair 9 maps and well balanced, I've put some good thought into it. Hopefully other players agree. I suggest that in future instead of "my pick, your pick", we use the !gamble feature for each game, ticking off maps 1 by 1. As I touched on previous, only having 9 maps will allow players to improve their standard on all the maps on the list. For example, someone might not be very good on Arena Valley but knowing that it will be a Bo9 map will encourage them to learn it.
I look forward to seeing some Bo9s in this new format going forward. Comment below if you have any suggestions.
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