It is allowed to use additional programs, making the game process faster, including:
- The program for quick army and artifacts exchange between two heroes - HMM3_Lighter,
- The file increasing animation speed in battles - Cranim,
- Mod for improving game interface - HoMM3 HD.

II. Rules for on-line games on 2SM4d(3) template and SoD version.

1. The description and text file of 2SM4d(3) template is here.

2. Map options:
human players – 2; computer players – 0; teams – 0; map size - L+U; no water; strong monsters; difficulty - 160%; time limit – 6 minutes.

3. Color and castle choosing.
The choice of castles is conducted by the elimination procedure. Players eliminate unwanted castles turn by turn, from a complete set of 9 castles, until 3 castles remain. The player who started procedure chooses the castle from the three remaining. Then the second player chooses a castle from the two remaining and declares the color he wish to play.
/An example:
Maretti - Conflux
Pit - Necropolis
Maretti - Fortress
Pit - Stronghold
Maretti - Rampart
Pit - Castle
Maretti chooses from the remaining (Inferno, Dungeon and Tower) - Inferno, then Pit - Dungeon and red color./

4. Restarts.
4.1. Obligatory restarts:
– if starting hero is not level 1;
- if player has no starting castle;
- if there are no roads leading from starting castle;
- if Main Guard (MG, guard between starting zones of opponents) is generated right up to starting castle (so you can't leave or enter starting castle without fighting the MG).
The obligatory restart must be taken right after the map generation (in one minute).

4.2. Restart after the first meeting until 115-116-117 inclusively for cobblestone-gravel-dirt roads correspondingly.
The meeting is a direct contact between players, i.e. any battle between them (the battle between any heroes, the battle with opponent's garrison of castle or mine).
If a meeting happened in the above-noted period then any player right after it can demand a restart.
If both players agree to continue then the game goes on. The following meetings happened in the above-noted period can't be the reasons for restart.

4.3. Subjective restarts:
each player has a right to take a restart until the end of his turn in a corresponding day, i.e. to start a new game with newly generated map. It is allowed to take either 3 restarts on the first day of the game (111+111+111), or 2 restarts on the first and second days (111+112 or 112+111), or 1 restart on the third day (113).

4.4. Restart by the will of player who has the only road leading to MG. It is taken on the day when the fact is established, but not after 115.
If player has subjective restarts remaining, he spends subjective restart of his choice (for instance, you can take remaining 111 restart on day 114).
If all subjective restarts are spent and player found that the only road is leading to MG, he has a right to demand an additional restart.

4.5. Restart by the strong block, if it is impossible to go round this block and it divides the castle from the main part of the starting zone, leaving no opportunity for development. It is taken until 112 inclusively.
The strength of the block is evaluated in the first instance by the player declaring about the block, then by his opponent, then, in the case of an argument between players, by the judge.
If player has subjective restarts remaining, he spends subjective restart of his choice (for instance, you can take remaining 111 restart on day 112).
If all subjective restarts are spent the player has a right to demand an additional restart.

5. Allowed actions, bans and restrictions

5.1. The red-rush is banned, i.e. red color player has no right to attack on the first day of any week with the new population bought this day:
a) the castle of blue player (even if it is unguarded)
b) heroes or guarded mines of blue player if the presence of new population can affect the result of battle or battle casualty of any player.
* Troops coming with bought heroes, troops from Creature Dwellings, Pandora's Boxes, Portals of Summoning etc. can be used without any restrictions.
* The red-rush is not applicable if the both heroes are situated in the Monolith Two Way or Subterran Gate at the time of the attack.

5.2. Hit-and-run is banned: the attacking hero has no right to retreat/surrender in the first round of the fight if he casted any magic. The defending hero is not affected by this restriction.

5.3. Diplomacy is allowed only for surrendering at lower cost and lowering the necessary level for the access to Library of the Enlightenment. It is banned to take monsters willing to join, it is necessary either to kill them or let them run.
* It is allowed to take any troops in Pandora's Boxes and Seer's Huts. There are no restrictions on their further applications.

5.4. The spell Dimension Door can be used by any hero not more than once a day.

5.5. It is forbidden to visit Cartographers and Hill Forts.

5.6. Transitions between zones.
5.6.1. It is necessary to destroy the guards standing in a passage to come from one zone to another through this passage. If there are several guards standing in a passage it is enough to destroy any of player's choice.
5.6.2. While passing through Monolith Two Way or Subterran Gate it is enough to destroy entrance guards.
5.6.3. If there are no passage guards it is allowed to move freely between zones through this passage.
5.6.4. It is allowed to move between zones using Angel Wings, Dimension Door and Flight spells without destroying the passage guards.
5.6.5. It is allowed to move beside the passage guards without destroying them if
- player has already moved through this passage (i.e. he destroyed one of the guards);
- player saw the opponent destroying one of the guards or moving through this passage;
- there is any other doubtless evidence that one of the guards was destroyed.

5.7. Before
- visiting any object,
- taking Pandora's Box, Spell Scroll, Artifact
by any way (including using spells Filght, Dimension Door or Angel's Wings), it is necessary to destroy corresponding guard.
Treasure Chests, Campfires and resources are allowed to be taken both using spells Filght, Dimension Door or Angel's Wings and avoiding fight with misplaced guard.
Border Guard equals the guard of object/artifact and without visiting the corresponding Keymaster's Tent and removing Border Guard it is forbidden to take Pandora's Boxes, Spell Scrolls, Artifacts and visiting different objects behind the Border Guard.

5.8. Castle's restrictions.
5.8.1. In Conflux castle it is forbidden to upgrade level 1, 6, 7 creatures.
The starting hero of Conflux castle must be set to random.
5.8.2. In Necropolis castle it is forbidden to build Necromancy Amplifier.
It is forbidden to choose Galthran as the starting hero of Necropolis castle. If Galthran comes in a tavern it is allowed to level-up him playing any castle.

5.9. It is forbidden to assemble Cloak of the Undead King. It is allowed to assemble any other composite artifacts.

5.10. Hero's restrictions.
5.10.1. Sir Mullich of 3-rd level or higher can't attack heroes, castles, mines with garrison and neutral monsters.
5.10.2. It is allowed to advance Necromancy skill of Isra and Vidomina to expert only at the last skill-giving level-up. In that case there are no restrictions on their further using.
5.10.3. Isra and Vidomina who got expert Necromancy skill by the way different from mentioned in 5.10.2. can't attack heroes, castles, mines with garrison and neutral monsters.
5.10.4. All 4-level spell specialists and Thant (who has 3-level spell Animate Dead) can use their profile spells against opponent if one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
a) The 4-th level of Mage's Guild is built at any of the controlled castles (Thant requires 3-rd level). If there are no required level of Mage's Guild at your castles you should build Mage's Guild of all levels at any two castles that belong to you. It is not necessary to visit the castle with Mage's Guild of required level. If the condition is fulfilled once heroes can be further used without any restrictions even if you lose the castle with Mage's Guild.
b) The corresponding spell is gained by any of your heroes in Pandora's Box (even if this hero has no enough wisdom skill to learn a spell) or after visiting a Scholar, the Magic Book of necessary domain is acquired;
c) The Magic Shrine with Animate Dead spell is found by any of your heroes for Thant's profile spell using.
*4-level spell specialists and Thant can use their spell without any restrictions against neutral monsters or computer players.
5.10.5. 4-level spell specialists and Thant can transfer their spells to other heroes but before any of the conditions 5.10.4.a,b, or 5.10.4.c for Thant is fulfilled they can't use this spells against neutral monsters, compuret players and opponent.

5.11. It is forbidden to use 4-th and 5-th level Spell Scrolls without building the corresponding level of Mage's Guild at any of your castles. If there are no required Mage's Guild level in your castles it is necessary to behave according 5.10.4.a. Scrolls can also be used after 5.10.4.b. is fulfilled or if the necessary spell is gained from a Pyramid.

5.12. It is allowed to dig Grail after 5 weeks of game passed.

5.13. Bugs:
5.13.1. It is forbidden to sell Artifacts or Spell Scrolls to Artifacts Merchants in Tower, Conflux and Dungeon castles for the prices that don't correspond their actual prices.
5.13.2. It is forbidden to use opponent's hero view bug.

5.14. Actions that are not forbidden/restricted by given rules are allowed.