Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Actually it's very simple, 20% chance any given turn that they will not follow orders, just as insanity (except they can also pillage or reanimate randomly). Naturally this only effects commander tartarians.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Thanks QM. Hope you are enjoying the Alexandria show.

Anyway, I knew it would have some kind of insanity effect but wasn't following the discussion on the specifics. Even though 20% sounds a bit better than I had imagined, I still expect to be investing death gems in more reliable units - having a key unit become uncontrollable when I need him will be too aggravating to warrant the cost.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

does the alexandria show have a protagonist and an antagonist? if so who are they?

or is it more farcical?

Source of Virgins
 

I'd try Marignon, inventors of the chastity belt.

Re: Source of Virgins
 

Marignon has already been bled dry, so to speak.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

We absolutely acknowledge the existence of some variety of longstanding pact between Mictlan & TC, and that an immediate attack would be an unsatisfying anachronism.

However, we know first-hand that the ministers of TC are not fools: they cannot actually expect their good relations with Mictlan to last indefinitely, and as such, are most certainly planning some swift stroke of treachery to secure their eventual victory. The nature of the beast, so to speak.

I must therefore profoundly disagree with the assertion that a sudden, calculated attack by a cunning deity would be, "no better than had Mictlan gone AI." True, the AI would have attacked TC immediately, as it gets its transistors off watching militia be slaughtered; but such an attack would be unthematic, unsuccessful, and fundamentally unlike the clever dispatch of a vulnerable & overly-trusting future-enemy.

Besides, who's to say that Pagobar's old psyche wasn't actively planning such a move? Or that his new, transmigrated psyche may realize it SHOULD have been?

After all, Pangaean spies - at great personal risk - have secured the following document from deep within the bowels of the TC Ministry of Truth:
[can't believe I was able to find my copy so quickly... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif]

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Your love of the halfling's leaf has clearly clouded your mind, but buried in your lengthy treatise on strategy, what TC would call Sun Tzu lite, can be found the statement we were looking for:

As for all the other prattle, we would simply ask all your own allies and neighbors to read it and then promptly attack you for your Freudian slip.

With repsect to the ULTIMATE WAR PLAN, TC has played with many players here and they will know first-hand that this document was clearly a crude Pangean forgery (even without us having to point out the Harpy dung splattered all over its pages or the fact it was scrawled on some spooky undead paper).

In response to this implanted forgery, the TC Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an investigation and discovered a number of disturbing facts.

1. Pan has a secret black ops research programs on Manikins. You think you can deal with one 5 HP manikin, wait until you see the Jason Bourne manikin Pan's scientists are working on.

2. Top Pangean scientists investigating how to survive in complete darkness. Hmmm...what could that be for?

3. Preparations for a war with Marignon..rumors are the horde headed toward TC was originally in search of virgins. Rumors are Pan is supplying Marignon's foes with remote damage spells and other forms of assistance, including copies of his Sun Tzu lite strategy manual. Would hate to see war flare up between Marignon and Pan, now... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif


- TC Ministry of Mostly Truth

Re: Fragrant Fluffy Things
 

Not to reveal the extensiveness of my extensive spy network, but I must say that I sympathize deeply with Pythium. The autorout/autokill really, REALLY screwed you that turn.

In other news:
Igor Konhelm's Tome & Krupp's Bracers are now up for grabs. The Winter Bringer might also be available, but I suspect it was snatched back up by the cautious Tien Chi horde. If Om the Controller hadn't been so lucky, several more choice items may have also been available...

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

the Argathan urban planning board has just unanimously OK'd the erection of three grand statues to commemorate the three brave leaders who faced down, and defeated, an entire army of Hydras.

The battlefield was soaked with blood, and a Heat from the Bowels of Hell boiled an air thick of a cocktail of Foul Vapors and magical Mist. The entire Argathan army had routed and was fleeing before the foul stench of an army of Hydra's who were backed by an artillery of Serpent Priests and the King of Elemental Fire himself. Argathan soldiers had dropped like flies, only to resurrected as soulless, and fight on. Argathan commanders too succumbed to the heat and poison, but were given second life of eternal undeath. The Hydras and Pythium's artillery also began to pass out from the unbearable heat and air. When Argathan armies began to rout, the soulless commanders and soldiers did not care, and fought on. Soon both armies, the legions of Hydras and the small handful of Argathan soulless who had remained, were both passed out on the field of battle. Soon even the Argathan soulless soldiers fell before the many-headed Hydras. A mere three Argathan commanders, given everlasting undeath, remained to carry the battle. There names are Nan Bagor, Mistilo, and Zanbarth; do not forget them. All other Argathan soldiers and commanders had fled or been killed. These three, blessed of the grace of the Earthen might of Anfar, would reawaken weakly, with just enough strength to summon a few undead thralls, before passing out again. Two by two the summoned skeletons rattled up to the slumbering Hydras to hack at them with their claws and rusted blades. Eventually the Pythium commanders also succumbed to the heat; but with no undeath to return to, their bodies would only be baked to ashes under the sun. The Pythium armies became confused. "Why do three fragile soulless mage-priests stand before our might and fight on?" They asked themselves. With no leadership, and passing in and out of consciousness, and facing a mere three fragile soulless, the mighty army of Hydras and the King of Elemental Fire fled the battlefield! Nan Bagor reawoken to see them fleeing, and laughed. He laughed a deep frigid laugh, that choked past has dust filled throat and out of his now tongueless mouth; he was now mute, but he laughed anyway. He laughed for he knew that Argathan armies had just captured and secured the escape rout from this province, and that the entire army of Hydras and the King of Elemental Fire now fled to their doom. The fled before three, very brave, very undead, soulless commanders.

The statues will be erected immediately, they are to constructed of the deepest Obsidian, crafted by the finest craftmen, with eyes set of burning rubies, to symbolize the burning hatred in their hearts. A hatred that would not allow them to flee, no matter the odds. They fought on before an overwhelming army that should have smashed them; but they fought bravely and won.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Ah. That somewhat mitigates my comment earlier about the autokill, which claimed about 15 of Pyth's hydras, as they'd have been lost anyway.

But I still really don't like the autokill.

A word of congratulations, however, goes to Agartha. It was a well scripted battle, and certainly an upset. Cheers http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../beerglass.gif

Signs and Portents
 

Today all the high priests of Mictlan were gathered and I tasked them with determining the future course of this great nation. After consulting the entrails of many, many sacrifices (just goats and chickens this time, dont worry!) a path became clear! I have decided to mass-accept all current treaties that nations had with the previous Mict player in order to honor the current diplomatic situation of the game.

However, in order to give myself the freedom to play Mict as I see fit, I will be imposing a 10-turn duration on all agreements. So, as of turn 65, all current agreements will dissolve. By that point, I am sure I will have talked with all interested parties and signed or resigned a variety of treaties that I can actually have a say on.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

for some reason, the Rigor Mortis script never happened; that would have shortened the clock I was depending on for that battle. none-the-less, I was favored by fortune, and Pythium just couldn't quite reach the backfield and squash everyone before we all passed out from fatigue.

the unit scripted to cast Rigor Mortis skipped the Power of the Spheres that was scripted to happen first, meaning he used too many gems to be able to cast Life After Death, and didn't have enough for Rigor Mortis. I wish the game would do things in the order I tell it to. At least LAD and the other battlefield fatigue spells got off, that's what I was depending on.

I also got a few undead priest mages out of it who don't have to worry about old age and can reanimate. Bonus!!! Unfortunately they have so many afflictions as to be useless. Still fun.

EDIT:
and thanks for the congratulations, but I really did get lucky. About halfway through watching the replay, I was glued to the screen to see just how I managed to win. Everyone was fleeing and Pythium was still advancing; it was quite a sight to watch three commanders skelly spamming in and out of consciousness, the little skeletons walking up and getting a few hits in on an unconscious Hydra, before one awoke just long enough to kill all the skeletons, who would be resummoned a turn or two later. I can't believe I managed to win.

And a battle well fought to Pythium, we've been skirmishing around this province for a year now. They're advancing about 20 more Hydras towards this position now though, so the battle ain't over yet.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Wow, I should have tried Mass Flight sooner. I never realized it covered most of an army with a single casting. What fun to watch. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I happened to get lucky and see the battle involving Mass Flight. That was pretty impressive, yeah. However, I have seen some remarkably stupid things happen with it also. One time I cast it and literally my entire army sat around "flying" trying to mob a single air elemental while the rest of the battle raged around them.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

It did make casting evo spells a bit self-defeating, with both armies mixed together like that. I think I killed half of my casualties myself.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I wish I had the patience to play SP to try out some of these spells, but I get bored around turn ~20 so end up doing my experimenting (or more often, getting experimented on) in MP, sometimes with disastrous results.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yep, that Mass flight was a nice counter to my mage-heavy army. This is the first MP game where i managed to survive into the late game, so i'm sailing in unknown waters here. But all these humiliating defeats make for a great learning experience. So please continue bashing in my head, don't hold back http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

DC, the trick to testing things out efficiently is modding. Mod the spells you want to use down to research level 0 so they will be immediately available on turn 1. Then start a game with that mod and the nation/age you are playing. For summoning spells you can even mod down the gem cost to 1 (i dont like to do that for battlefield spells since it doesnt give you an accurate fatigue result).

And then you can change this mod on the fly as your game progresses. So if there is some new spell you need to test, you just add it to the mod, open up dom3 and then play the game. On the next turn it should update, I think.

Re: Masochistic Marignon
 

I am in the same boat, when it comes to learning. I was beginning to think Water/Earth/Astral magic just wasn't going to win against Fire/Earth/Astral. The air/astral wild card certainly helps -- otherwise Bandar/Patala ends up outgunned as the game goes on.

My surprise is that your SCs just aren't helping you as well as they should. But those fliers just can't be killed! They fly away like little butterflies at the end. I need a better net.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Your tactics has been quite good, but your strategy needs some work. You put a beating on us both in some battles but didn't pursue your advantage. When you win a big victory, that's your time to get on the offensive. You should have hammered Patala when you had the chance instead of letting him regroup and attack you again and again until he gets it right. Defense doesn't win in this game.

When facing 2 opponents, you gotta knock one out early otherwise you'll eventually be ground down. I think your best strat would have been to use your big northern army to rampage through Patala's land even while losing ground to Bogarus (me). I'm not sure Patala could have stopped you and you would have all but knocked him out while I'm not sure how much you would have lost to me. Your western most fort for sure, but doubtful I could have taken your capitol in time.

This game is interesting b/c I've never played a blood nation before. Was a lark b/c I wanted to play with Babi, but the stupid mod doesn't let me have any heroes. so my luck 3, turmoil was just dumb.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I thought the same thing about you. After you defeated my northern army in our first battle you could've marched straight to my capital. It took me several turns to get my army to pre-battle strength.

But you are right, i have been too cautious in my approach.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I was waaay too cautious too. Utgard with that bless is well suited for an early rush.
-SSJ

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yeah those woodsmen are pretty scary even at this point in the game. Dealing with them is a very prickly problem.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

It was a brutal battle for me. I thought about being aggressive but a) i was out of all gems/blood units. I made the assumption that you have a lab in your fort allowing yourself to get new gems/mages. I would have been forced to attack with any gems. I have watched enough of your fights to patala to see how bad that would be. I have no thugs or SCs and you would have still had a ton of angels.

Just about every mage I had came out of the battle with at least 1 affliction. So I chose to consolidate my large gains b/c even if I won the next fight at 1 fort, I couldn't have taken your capitol.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I'm going to SoDak for a week but am looking for a temporary sub.

I'm wondering if we can't have the timer set to 72 hours for that week, so the sub doesn't have to do as many turns.

I will be leaving June 2nd, and return June 8th.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

i am actually more in favor of 72 hours for this game now permanently. need to preserve the marriage.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

IH,
Nice of you to say. After about 10 skeletons each they get very tired and very vulnerable.

I was quite surprised how well they did against elephants. I think 8 took out 10 elephants with that bless early on iirc.

-SSJ

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

You too?

Now repeat after me:
"But I WAS paying attention!"
"Of COURSE I'm interested!"
And that old chestnut:
"I'm just checking my email."

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yep...this game is not conducive to marriage. Explaining why I absolutely have to do this critical turn right now is tough.

in favor of 72 hours too

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Anyone else have an opinion? Mine is 72 -- I'm finishing this turn 30 minutes before the deadline!

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I suppose permanent 72 is fine with me too.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Looks like we skipped a turn. I got the stale message and didn't have the long list of evil things done to me by my enemy .

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yep ... PM'ing Llamabeast now. We will not do another turn -- we found out last time that doing that just loses a turn.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

BTW, opening an endgame turn in MP is kind of like getting a kick in the nuts. I cringe at this point.

Every time, you know there is going to be a long list of horrible events - leprosy, infernos, demon strikes, assassinations, ambush attacks, loss of your beloved Nethgul, etc. that just gets longer as the game progesses. That is why seeing the stale was almost a relief...

I think I am going to limit myself to one MP game in the future. I cannot bear to see all this tragedy http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yeah whats the story with getting turn 57 instead of 56?

Will we go back and re-generate the turn?

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

last time this happened llama was unable to generate another turn, and we just rolled with it the way it was. Since everybody staled, it was roughly OK

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Argh, what about those globals and auto spawning units? Stales hurt TC alot as we have neither.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Yeah DC makes a good point - doesnt someone have a gem-generator up? Basically you are just handing that person another 30 gems or something. Not to mention any gem-generating items. Or armies that might have moved somewhere low-supply and are now starving.

Personally, I'm trying to dig my capital out of 200+ unrest while still maintaining a blood income. Its a really precarious balance and I'm disturbed to think what might have happened in an intervening turn. Not to mention not seeing any of the battle results for the previous turn.

Is there seriously no way to recover??

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Continuing will surely result in a stale. We tried it last time. That game is doomed. I think llamabeast has to rehost last turn and maybe that bug won't reappear [and we will see how rehosting with new patch goes].

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Ironhawk --

It's an intermittent bug llamaserver has -- it has happened once before. The last time we made the mistake of going ahead and trying to send our turns in again and it lost the previous turn as a result. We were forced to accept everyone staled a turn and continue. I think if we wait and have him roll it back, we'll be okay and not lose a turn.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Perhaps my Illwinter global ritual is more powerful than I thought (even affecting the server the game is running on) !! Giants, wolves, cold temps and, if you're getting hammered, stale turns. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
-SSJ

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Hah, yes. All motion slowly grinds to a halt as we approach absolute zero.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

SSJ,
We beg you, for the love of God, please remove the Ilwinter! Rumors of the possibility that there is a chance that Niefel giants might show up are really scaring people in Tien Chi. Not to mention some of the beaches are closed, ice cream sales have plummeted, and white dogs are being killed unnecessarily.

Oh the horror!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

HA! The ritual will continue until all become frozen and lifeless (except for the already lifeless who will just be frozen)! We mourn for the white dogs though the small yippie ones had it coming...

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

-SSJ

Edit - thick fingers

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

Okay, so apparently we did indeed end up staled, as Llamabeast explained in his admin message.

Now, I will set the timer to 72 hrs from now.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I guess on these Llamaserver games it makes even more sense to get gem producing globals up and set guys to monthly Autosummons. Two server-caused stales now is a lot of extra gems and free spawn for those who have them.

Re: Pangea Seems to Be Smoking Its Own Undead Weed
 

I only wish that last turns orders had gone through http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif None of my men were set to site search.

stale
 

My other game on the server was unscathed. I'm guessing a crontab checks for turn processing. Would be nice to narrow whether the turn was kciked off because

1. the cron thought time had expired (O/S date/time setting?)
2. the cron thought all non-AI turns were in
3. the turn somehow processed manually w/o the cron (perhaps patch installation related?)



-SSJ

Re: stale
 

Ug, swear to god, Llama server only decides to stall when I have a 1 hp commander with a fever fetish. Lost one this turn, too.

Re: stale
 

Hmm ... was the other crash around the time of the last patch? I wonder if sending in old patch turns to the server after it is patched actually does cause trouble -- just not always.