Armies of Gielinor

Armies of Gielinor (AoG) is a turn-based strategy game for up to 8 players, and the first FunOrb game to be based on our massively multiplayer adventure game, RuneScape (Gielinor being an alternative name for RuneScape's world). All players start out with a lowly barbarian chieftain and must capture structures, teleport in new units and battle with their enemies to control the mightiest army on Gielinor.

There are a lots of different units, each aligned to the various gods of Gielinor. Some units are very powerful, while others have special abilities that can affect the landscape or introduce various different strategies for you to employ. Can you balance your army's strengths to take on any opponent and emerge victorious?

1. What is a turn-based strategy game?

You and your opponents take it in turns to move and attack with your armies, with the ultimate aim of meeting the victory conditions and winning the game.

2. What do free players get?

Free players can access neutral units and the starting units affiliated to Saradomin, Guthix and Zamorak. Unrated multiplayer games can be played on the standard map. Not all units are available to free players, but the game has been designed to give members more choice in the units they can control, rather than them simply having better units than free players.

3. What do members get?

Members earn runes by playing Rated games, allowing them access to Bandos, Seren and Menaphite units, and all other units in the game. Runes are used on the 'Player Setup - Unit Selection' screen. Members can play on the Misthalin map (standard, temperate terrain), the Kharidian Desert (open space and little vegetation) and the Frozen Wastes (snow, lots of mountains and dense forests). AoG's Achievements can only be earned in Rated games, and some of them unlock items for your coat of arms.

4. How many units are there in the game?

There are 76 units in the game. Each of the six gods offers 11 units, there are 9 neutral units, and all players start each game with a lone barbarian chieftain. If you were wondering, the 9th neutral unit is a red dragon, which only becomes available if another player has already brought in the King Black Dragon (KBD). Free players have access to 27 units, including the barbarian chieftain and KBD.

5. Any tactics or tips you can tell us about?

Here are some tips for playing AoG:

• Try to capture a portal first...
• ...and don't leave it unprotected!
• Capturing structures gains you Victory Points and Mana, and is the key to victory. Placing units on structures heals them and grants them a defence bonus, so capture as many as you can, as quickly as you can.
• Only barbarians can capture structures, so try to have lots of them at the beginning of each game.
• Use your barbarian chieftain wisely, as he can capture structures faster than normal barbarians.
• When units die they become a pile of bones - useful if you have a necromancer...
• Use terrain to your advantage. Look for choke points and remember what units can move through what terrain.
• Helper units and those with special abilities can dramatically affect the battle.
• Make your move quickly, as ending your turn early awards you with bonus Mana.
• Occupying an enemy-controlled structure reduces how much Mana an opponent earns from it. Obviously, this works both ways.
• Some units are better at fighting one enemy type than another.
• Play graciously and, above all, have fun!

6. Where is Gielinor, and what exactly is RuneScape?

RuneScape is another name for Gielinor, the world on which this game is set. It is also the name of Jagex's fantasy-based, massively mutliplayer adventure game. If you haven't heard of it before, or haven't checked it out for yourself yet, why not head over to the RuneScape website by clicking here.

Your FunOrb login and password can be used to access RuneScape too and, as with FunOrb, you can play some of the game for free. We offer a combined RuneScape/FunOrb subscription package, should you wish to become a member of both RuneScape and FunOrb.

7. Will playing Armies of Gielinor affect my RuneScape character?

Other than taking its inspiration from there, AoG is not linked to RuneScape in any way. Playing Armies of Gielinor will have absolutely no impact upon your RuneScape character, and vice versa.

8. When in RuneScape history is Armies of Gielinor set?

Technically, AoG is not set in a specific time period in RuneScape history, but it could be considered to have taken place at some point during the God Wars. It might seem strange to see Saradominist and Zamorakian forces fighting on the same side, but this was a chaotic time in RuneScape history. As such, it is not impossible that enemy factions formed temporary alliances for some greater purpose.

9. Why were specific units chosen? Why didn't you use...?

The units chosen for AoG were carefully considered, based on many factors. We couldn't have included every RuneScape creature AND have had a balanced and fun game. If there are creatures you'd have preferred to see, well...for now, they're still in RuneScape, and we are planning to update Armies of Gielinor at some point in the future, so feel free to tell us what other units you'd like to see. If they fit the game, they may well be included at some point.

10. There are some units in AoG that don't yet exist in RuneScape. Is this a hint that they will?

The short answer is no. Our main aim was to make AoG both balanced and fun, so rather than 'fudge' a match between a special ability in AoG and an existing RuneScape creature, we decided to create some new creatures instead, which fit within the RuneScape universe. There is a chance that these creatures will find their way into RuneScape, but only if and when there is an appropriate opportunity.

11. Is Armies of Gielinor the same thing as Mobilising Armies (a RuneScape minigame)?

No. Armies of Gielinor and Mobilising Armies are, and have always been, two completely separate games.

12. What are the minimum specifications for this game?

The minimum specifications we recommend for this game are:

• 1.0 GHz
• 128 MB RAM

The recommended specifications for getting the most out of this game are:

• 1.5 GHz
• 256 MB RAM

Below is an explanation of the terms in our technical specifications.

Megahertz (MHz) / Gigahertz (GHz) is a measure of how fast your computer's processor is. This affects how quickly you can run things like games and applications.

Megabytes (MB) are used to measure how much memory your computer has. This affects how quickly your computer runs when using large programs such as games, or when you run a lot of programs at once.

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Development Team

Development: Brian C, Stacy S, Mark T, Thomas D
Graphics: Adam S, Anthony A, David H, Kristian F, Peter S
Audio: Adam B, Ian T
Quality Assurance: Joe C, Ken W L, Sally R, Alex P
Editing: Ian D, Stephen R, Mark O