Cartenau

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps/ffxiv-maps-mor-dhona.jpg

Here is a map from 1.0 of Mor Dhona. Can someone tell me where on this map the plains of Cartenau are? I wasn't present during the final pre-server shutdown event, so I'm not sure where the Battle of Cartenau took place, other than "somewhere in Mor Dhona".

I can't read Eorzean script, either, so forgive me if it's already marked on the map.

You can see it marked on this map to the Southwest of Mor Dhona (click to enlarge).

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__...Eorzea-map.jpg

so it's not actually on the Mor Dhona map.

During the shutdown event, we were gathered at Brittlebark, then I ran hell for leather to Castrum Novum on command from the GC leaders and then came back a bit and fought tons of mobs in front of Silvertear Lake (where lag wasn't so bad). The video that started up as the server shutdown and Dalamud arrived was a bit jarring because it implied that was all happening in Mor Dhona where we were, but it was in fact another army out at Carteneau.

In retrospect the message we received that we had lost contact I guess kinda implied that the Garlean forces had overcome the adventurers in Mor Dhona and forged on through to Carteneau Flats, where they were me by the armies of the Grand Companies and the arrival of Dalamud.

Since you said you have issues reading Eorzean here's a translated map, albeit with some errors:
http://ffxivmaps.com/img/region-eorzea-large.png

The Carteneau Flats area has a massive Imperial presence now, not surprisingly. There's Castrum Marinum in the Northwestern most reaches of Western Thanalan; Castrum Meridianum in the Northwest section of Northern Thanalan and what appears to be Castrum Centri in the Western half of Mor Dhona.

And since I'm going on about Castrums now; Castrum is obviously "Castle" while Occidens (in Vyldbrand) is West, Oriens (in The Black Shroud) is East, and Marinum is "Sea." You can guess Novum is "new" and Centri is "center" !

I'm inclined to believe Meridianum to be 'middle' but I'm less sure now knowing it can mean "South" as well >.>

Guess I should've taken Latin instead of French in high school now :<

Meridianum means Southern in Latin. I guess you could confuse it for Meridian but, in this Latin cardinal directions context, it'd mean Southern Castrum.

Since we're on the topic of maps; I dont know if this has been previously talked about or not, not entirely sure how to even search for it honestly. Does anyone know what the legend in the bottom left corner of the original map represent. What each of those different icons are? They're faded out terribly.

I stopped myself from hitting submit to look at it again and make sure they werent just symbols of the Twelve, but there are 14 icons altogether.

Thoughts?

Don't need to search. It's about half a dozen threads below this one in the lore forum. :)

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...-map-of-Eorzea

D'oh!

lol, thanks.

Why hold the battle at Carteneau Flats? Not the best place. The Empire would face opponents from three fronts. NE from Grid reinforcements, SE from Ul'dah reinforcements, and from the West with LL and since it's close to the coast, LL can shell the Imperials from their ships. Make that a fourth front to the North if Ishgard decided to get involved.

Should have just battled in Grid, it's close enough to the Empire's borders to provide quick reinforcements and they would only have to deal with the SW (Grid) front. Picking a fight right in the middle of the region was kind of dumb, they open themselves up for massive flanking.

Of course, they prolly picked this spot as it's where Dalamud fell. Some form of symbolism.

/war strategies off

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucke

Of course, they prolly picked this spot as it's where Dalamud fell. Some form of symbolism.

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That is exactly right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gaius Van Baelsar

Nael van Darnus was as a god to his minions. In their blind faith, the fools have convinced themselves that the man yet lives. Bent on finding their beloved legatus, soldiers of the VIIth have entrenched themselves at the heart of Eorzea.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucke

Why hold the battle at Carteneau Flats? Not the best place. The Empire would face opponents from three fronts. NE from Grid reinforcements, SE from Ul'dah reinforcements, and from the West with LL and since it's close to the coast, LL can shell the Imperials from their ships. Make that a fourth front to the North if Ishgard decided to get involved.

Should have just battled in Grid, it's close enough to the Empire's borders to provide quick reinforcements and they would only have to deal with the SW (Grid) front. Picking a fight right in the middle of the region was kind of dumb, they open themselves up for massive flanking.

Of course, they prolly picked this spot as it's where Dalamud fell. Some form of symbolism.

/war strategies off

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Well, it's not just symbolism, it's the most practical spot for what they wanted to accomplish - destroying Eorzea/its city-states. Your thinking is correct if the Empire wanted to hold that spot for a prolonged war (Gaius's frame of mind) but the Battle of Carteneau was Nael's attempt to destroy Eorzea using Dalamud to hit that spot. In other words, Dalamud must land where it will deal the maximum damage to the city-states by being in the middle of them (the "heart of Eorzea"). They wanted to be surrounded.