The switch to fuel/food/water/missiles was an excellent one and yields very active trade at Megaton, to the point where Enclave was buying missiles off the traders that were given to them by the Regulator convoys. To be honest, the Regulator 'win' (3/5/3 with a tank convoy rolling on the 2/0/2 OPFOR) could not have happened without some four barrels traded from the merchants. It was excellent to see Megaton used for its intended purpose.

However, there were some snipers up in the hill firing on Megaton. I was shot twice and patched myself up both times (never dying all round) but not once did I consider it 'unfair' to have people shooting on the merchants. It was actually quite fun darting around in cover while trying to manage a deal with the local leader. However ban threats were leveled against the parties involved. I really have to ask why. They were not random civilians firing on the town but Raiders, preparing to RAID the rather well fortified compound with all of its minefields and dozens of heavily armed guards (Megaton would offer MERCENARIES by endgame). Megaton had become Megatown, a well-fortified camp with very smart defenders, minefields, mutually respected ceasefire inside the perimeter and exactly the sort of conduct I would expect. Edgy nervousness during quiet periods while Enclave and Regulators bartered with their civilian mediator, and unified resistance against the snipers when they started firing down into us. All in all people were playing VERY WELL, and VERY DIPLOMATICLY, and it was not nessicary to enforce any artificial rules regarding Megaton to acheive this in this round. I dare say it will not be needed in the future. Civilians flock to Megaton to get a piece of the local wealth and the warring factions can't afford to be considered hostile to such a critical trade hub. However, the Raiders (or ANY FACTION) should still have the option to abandon diplomacy, attack the town, and expect to never be allowed in sight of it again and at war with the other two armed teams.

Moving beyond this, there are just a few more things to discuss. The 'C-Can' cargo containers are excellent cover and security for valuable assets and personel and more should be on the map in the various bases. The faction base layout for Regulators was very good; my only complaint is a lack of tents, outhouses and so on back behind our inner wall of cargo containers. Megaton is fairly cluttered and needs to be given a suitable warehouse for storing all their trade goods, with the tents and soforth tucked away neatly so trucks won't clip the tentpegs. Ft. Banister should probably be moved from its current location to south of Fairfax, opposite of Enclave start, centering it between the factions and giving the smaller Enclave an edge to capture the weapons (as they should have). Enclave's transportation isn't sufficiently high-tec enough; I think a .50 MG Stryker or even a Bradley would be excellent for them. Being able to load multiple items, maybe two or three, into a truck would greatly speed up gameplay. And of course, earth ramparts, barricades, hesco barriers and sheet metal fencing all need to be placeable in a distant future release, perhaps tied to a 'scrap' resource. A final note is gas masks that would not only give Enclave troops protection from their own CS grenades, but also perhaps protect from some pools of radiation placed in valleys across the map.

All in all the current version is VERY GOOD and VERY PLAYABLE with a few additional features to go and a need to lighten up admin regulation, particularly of Raider conduct. Last night was definately a 4/5 game, and the map itself can easily support a 5/5 if the playerbase matures about how the 'sandbox' style is meant for unlimited possibilities, not arbitrary rules.

And just for clarification; lone wolf snipers firing on Megaton? Bad. Snipers firing under orders from their commanders? Dubious. Formally declaring "Raiders are attacking Megaton now, say your prayers!"? Exactly what we should see.