Maps

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is played on scenario maps: self-contained battlefields, each with its own map, number of players, starting positions and win and lose conditions (Prima guide, p.1). Maps come in four sizes, from Small (36 x 36 tiles) to Extra Large (144 x 144), each with a surface and optionally an underground level. The 1999 game shipped dozens of scenarios and a map editor; Armageddon's Blade added a random map generator and a campaign editor, The Shadow of Death more scenarios, and players have made thousands of their own. This page covers the map sizes, the shipped scenarios, random maps and templates, the editors, difficulty levels and custom maps, and what the Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Remake says about them. How a map is played, day by day, is on Adventure Map.

Quick facts

Map sizes

Sources: Prima guide, pp.96, 216-221, 238-239.

The guide calls a map's size "a rough indicator of how long it will take to play" (p.95). Any size can have a second, subterranean layer of caves and tunnels under the surface, reached through Subterranean Gates, Monoliths and Whirlpools or the Town Portal spell, which doubles the ground to cover.

Scenarios that ship with the game

How many scenarios came with The Restoration of Erathia depends on who counts. The official Prima guide says "The program comes with 64 standard and campaign scenarios" and walks through 41 standard scenarios by name, from All for One to Xathras's Prize (pp.1, 195-285); The Shadow of Death's manual speaks of "the 40 Restoration of Erathia game scenarios" (p.9); and the HD Edition's Steam page promises "around 50 skirmish maps" (Steam, read Oct 21, 2026).

Each expansion added more. Armageddon's Blade's manual lists "38 new stand-alone scenarios" (p.4), where 3DO's launch press release said "over 35" (3DO, Sep 29, 1999). The Shadow of Death brought another 38 alongside the original scenarios (The Shadow of Death manual, p.9). Both expansions let you sort the scenario list by the game a map came from (p.12). The linked story scenarios are on Campaigns.

The random map generator

7:53 The random map generator arrived with Armageddon's Blade in 1999, not The Shadow of Death, and Ubisoft's gameplay overview of the Remake promises it again, with "dozens of standalone maps and a random map generator". Its manual describes it as a tool "to create playable maps based on your settings for size, terrain, difficulty, number of players and other selectable parameters" (Armageddon's Blade manual, p.4). To use it (p.8):

1. From the Main Menu, click New Game, then Single Scenario.
2. Click Random Map.
3. Set the size, number of players, water content and other options; a toggle chooses one or two levels, and a dice button picks any option at random.
4. Open Advanced Options if you like, then click Begin.

Random maps are saved in the Random_Maps folder, so you can play one again or refine it in the map editor. The 2015 HD Edition has no random map generator, since it is built on The Restoration of Erathia alone (PC Gamer, Aug 26, 2026); the Complete Edition on Steam and GOG has it.

Templates

Random maps are built from templates. The fan-made, unofficial Horn of the Abyss maintains its own: its changelog adjusts a template called Jebus Cross from version to version, and its site names others such as 8XM8 Huge, 8XM12 Huge and Doubled 8MM6 (HotA changelog; h3hota.com, read Oct 21, 2026). Online play is covered on Multiplayer.

The map and campaign editors

The Restoration of Erathia included a map editor (GameSpot, Mar 1, 1999). Armageddon's Blade improved it with new adventure objects and added a campaign editor, which strings scenarios into a campaign with a story, starting options, cinematic sequences and objects that carry over between maps; The Shadow of Death's editor added mass cut, copy and paste and more ways to customize heroes, objects and spells, and can "refine maps created by the Random Map Generator" (Armageddon's Blade manual, p.4; The Shadow of Death manual, pp.9-10). Each editor's instructions are in its own help file: launch it and press F1.

In today's Complete Edition, Ubisoft's FAQ says the editors are in the install folder as h3maped.exe (the map editor) and h3ccmped.exe (the campaign editor) (Ubisoft on Steam, Sep 18, 2026). The HD Edition's store page also lists "a map editor" (Steam).

Difficulty levels

0:19 Before a stand-alone scenario you choose a difficulty, and in most scenarios your starting town, hero and bonus (resources, gold or an artifact). A map's own rating is only "a suggestion from the designer" (Prima guide, p.4). Difficulty sets your starting resources (pp.5, 181): In SergiuHellDragoonHQ's HD Edition footage (Apr 20, 2017, no commentary), the Advanced Options screen for Key to Victory, a Small two-player scenario (Prima guide, pp.226-227), shows each color's starting town, hero and bonus beside the difficulty choices.

It also sets how well the computer plays: at Easy and Normal it builds only every other turn, from Hard it builds every turn and plays combat at full strength, and at Expert and Impossible its mines and towns produce more, up to 50% more gold at Impossible (pp.171, 182-183). Campaign scenarios have a fixed difficulty in The Restoration of Erathia (p.287); The Shadow of Death lets you choose it for its own campaign maps (manual, p.9).

Custom maps

Players have made maps for Heroes 3 for more than 25 years; Ubisoft speaks of "the thousands of maps and campaigns created by players over the past 25 years" (Ubisoft, Aug 25, 2026). Custom campaigns are stored in the game's Maps folder and started from New Game, Campaign, Custom (The Shadow of Death manual, p.12). Horn of the Abyss adds its own scenarios and map editor features (h3hota.com).

Maps in the Remake

8:22 Ubisoft says the Remake's map editor "will allow creators to import maps made for the original game and convert them for use in the remake", and that "Classic features such as the Random Map Generator and Hot Seat mode will also return in full" (Ubisoft on Steam, Aug 27, 2026). Its gameplay overview calls the Remake "fully retro compatible from release" with player maps and campaigns, with editor tools for maps, "custom balancing" and even sound and music, all shared inside the game. Its store page promises: "Play community maps from day one, or create your own" (Steam), and Ubisoft's roadmap gives a monthly feature cycle to user-generated content, "Map editors, modding support, and more" (Oct 7, 2026). More is on What's New in the Remake.

Frequently asked questions

What are the map sizes in Heroes 3? Heroes of Might and Magic 3 has four map sizes: Small (36 x 36 tiles), Medium (72 x 72), Large (108 x 108) and Extra Large (144 x 144). Any of them can add an underground level.

Does Heroes 3 have random maps? Yes: Heroes of Might and Magic 3 has had a random map generator since the Armageddon's Blade expansion (1999), under New Game, Single Scenario, Random Map. The 2015 HD Edition lacks it, while the Complete Edition on Steam and GOG includes it.

How do I use the Heroes 3 map editor? In the Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Complete Edition the map editor is h3maped.exe and the campaign editor h3ccmped.exe, both in the game's install folder, according to Ubisoft's FAQ of Sep 18, 2026. Press F1 in either editor for its help file.

What are the best Heroes 3 maps? Neither Ubisoft nor the official guide ranks the Heroes of Might and Magic 3 scenarios. The guide walks through all 41 standard scenarios of The Restoration of Erathia, including eight-player maps such as Myth and Legend (Extra Large) and Free for All (Large), and the expansions add 38 scenarios each.

How many maps does Heroes 3 have? The official guide says Heroes of Might and Magic 3 came with 64 standard and campaign scenarios, while The Shadow of Death's manual counts 40 original stand-alone scenarios; Armageddon's Blade and The Shadow of Death each added 38 more. The random map generator makes any number of new ones.

Will old Heroes 3 maps work in the Remake? Ubisoft says the Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Remake's map editor will import maps made for the original game and convert them, as of its Aug 27, 2026 dev blog. The Remake is due in 2027.

Sources

• Heroes of Might and Magic III: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, Prima Publishing, 1999, pp.1, 4-5, 95-96, 171, 181-183, 195-285, 287
• Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade manual, The 3DO Company, 1999, pp.4, 8
• Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death User Manual, The 3DO Company, 2000, pp.9-10, 12
• 3DO Expands Heroes of Might and Magic III ... Hits Stores Today, The 3DO Company, Sep 29, 1999
• Heroes of Might and Magic III Review, GameSpot, Mar 1, 1999
• Heroes of Might & Magic III - HD Edition, Steam, read Oct 21, 2026
• Heroes of Might and Magic III news: Frequently Asked Questions, Ubisoft on Steam, Sep 18, 2026
• Ubisoft forgot to make sure the Steam release of Heroes of Might & Magic 3 included the actual game, PC Gamer, Aug 26, 2026
• Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake: Return to Erathia in 2027, Ubisoft, Aug 25, 2026
• Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake news: Welcome Back to Erathia; Community Roadmap, Playtest, and Events, Ubisoft on Steam, Aug 27 and Oct 7, 2026
• Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake, Steam, read Oct 21, 2026
• Horn of the Abyss, HotA Crew, read Oct 21, 2026
• Horn of the Abyss changelog, HotA Crew, read Oct 21, 2026
• Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake - Gameplay Overview Trailer, Ubisoft, Aug 26, 2026 (video)
• Heroes of Might and Magic 3 HD Edition - 4K GAMEPLAY, SergiuHellDragoonHQ, Apr 20, 2017 (video)