[Alneyan]

Glyn: Slynky's other point was about manual placement alone, where someone (*Waves*) sets two starting points, relatively balanced and not close to each other. The standard KOTH map is rather small (though I don't pick the smallest small maps), so you should still expect contact early on, but you aren't going to come right on their homeworld on turn 2.

The Balance Mod is something else separate from manual placement, though all Balance games normally also involve manual placement. The mod itself is not required for play, as it is merely used when creating the map.