Meander

Meander is a 128x128 standard-difficulty map featuring a single twisted river that winds around an elevated central plateau where the beaver colony begins. The river's serpentine path creates a series of bends and loops that define the map's character, with the starting area positioned on the high ground surrounded by the winding waterway below. The map provides 10 Water Sources (8 at 1.0 strength and 2 at 1.5 strength) for a combined flow of 11.0 cubic meters per second, along with a single Badwater Source at 2.0 cubic meters per second, giving players a favorable clean-to-contaminated water ratio.

The winding river creates both opportunities and challenges for water management. Each bend in the meander forms a natural pool that can be dammed to create a small reservoir, and the multiple curves provide numerous chokepoints for dam placement. However, the twisting path also means that water takes a long route from source to edge, and Badwater contamination during Badtide events can spread through the entire snaking channel before players can fully contain it. Strategic floodgate placement at key bends allows players to isolate sections of the river, keeping some curves filled with clean water while diverting contaminated flows through others.

Starting on the elevated central plateau gives players a commanding view of the surrounding river and natural defensive advantages against flooding. However, the high ground means that beavers must descend to reach the river for water pumping, farming along the irrigated banks, and logging in the lower forest areas. Building stairs and paths down from the plateau is an early priority. The compact 128x128 size keeps the entire map accessible, and the single Badwater Source at only 2.0 cubic meters per second makes contamination management relatively straightforward. Meander is well-suited for players who have mastered the basics on beginner maps and are ready for a map that rewards thoughtful river engineering and multi-level settlement design.