Heroes of Might and Magic III

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia (also known as HoMM3 or Heroes III ) is a 1999 turn-based strategy fantasy computer game. It was video game developer by New World Computing, a subsidiary of The 3DO Company. It is the third installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Originally developed for Microsoft Windows, Heroes III was later port (computing) to Apple Macintosh by Evolution Interactive. It was also ported to Linux by Loki Software the same year of its release.

=Description=

The game is played by controlling heroes, who can transport armies across various locations to fight wandering monsters, gain resources, and take over enemy castles. Each hero gains experience and skills as they progress. The game features a large number of magical spells, army units, and artifacts. HoMM3 supports both single and multiplayer network modes.

HoMM3 employs a tactical fighting system, where stacks of armies with unique combat statistics move across a hexagonal grid.

The game is similar to its predecessor, Heroes of Might and Magic II , but features higher resolution and better graphics. The cartoonish heroes and creatures of the previous version were replaced with sprite (computer graphics) made from rendered 3D computer graphics models.

The game s spell system was also improved, as was the tactical combat phase. All spells were categorized according to each of the elements: water, fire, air and earth. A hero could specialize in one or more of these classifications, making their casting of the spells in that category more effective.

In this game, heroes could recruit more types of units for their armies. In combat, unit stacks could be instructed to wait , or delay their turn until later in the same round, in order to attack more strategically. The mobility of flying units was toned down from previous versions, and ranged attack units suffer a damage penalty when firing at a great distance. The increased resolution and improved graphical assets also improved the feel of this phase.

=Story=

The game tells the story of Catherine Ironfist, the Queen of Enroth, who returns to her home to regain control and avenge the murder of her father, King Gryphonheart. She finds her old homeland, Erathia, under the control of the Overlords and Warlocks of Nighon and the Demoniacs and Heretics of Eeofol. After having enlisted the aid of Griffins and Angels, she is able to liberate Erathia and reclaim the capital of Steadwick, only to discover that the Necromancers of Deyja have resurrected her father as a Lich. He has, however, turned out to be more than the Necromancers can handle, and a fraction of Deyjan nobles ally with Catherine. Together, they manage to put him back to rest. The story then continues in .

=Game towns=

HoMM3 offers not, as most turn-based games would have, different races to choose from, but instead makes the player choose from a variety of different towns. These towns naturally draw different types of units of many different races. *Castle: The Castle is the most human and offers a bright atmosphere, and hence likely the town that a beginner can most easily identify with. The Castle has the potential to hire the most powerful unit in the game, the Archangel. *Inferno: The Inferno is more or less a direct opposite of the Castle. Dark, brooding, it draws creatures from the depths of hell. The Inferno s highest tier unit is the Arch Devil, completing its opposition with the Castle. *Stronghold: Strongholds draw various brutish creatures associated with war, such as various strains of orcs. They also draw mythical creatures such as rocs and cyclopses to their aid. The best Stronghold unit is the Ancient Behemoth. *Dungeon: As the name suggests, Dungeons draw dark creatures associated with decay. Their units include troglodytes and harpies, and various fungi are always part of the decor of a Dungeon town. The highest tier Dungeon unit is the Black Dragon. *Necropolis: The Necropolis is the town of the undead. Skeletons, vampires, and various creatures associated with the unholy magic of necromancy all find their way to this dark town. The best unit available to the Necropolis is the Ghost Dragon. *Tower: The Tower is a magical town associated with magical creatures and users of magic. Genie, gremlins, gargoyles and magi can be hired in this town. Titans, the Tower s strongest unit, can also be hired here. *Fortress: A swampy town, the Fortress offers creatures bred in the marshes, such as lizardmen and serpent flies. The highest tier Fortress creature is the Chaos Hydra. *Rampart: Ramparts draw mythical creatures from the fantasy genre of most novels. Centaurs, dwarves, unicorns, elves, and various other mythical creatures find their way here. The best Rampart unit is the Gold Dragon. *Conflux: Available in the expansions only. The Conflux is a purely elemental town which offers various elementals summoned to this plane. The highest tier Conflux unit is the Phoenix.

=Expansions=

New World Computing released two .

An unofficial , although it incorporates many new troop types, terrain objects, and other features.

=External links=

* *[http://www.strategyplanet.com/homm/wog/index.shtml Heroes 3.5: Wake of Gods website]