Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Reports have come to the Council that there are many zombies shambling across the boarder from Ermor and that they are attempting (poorly) to ravage the countryside. Our priests have held back this sad attempt at spreading influence but We must soon take action to stop these undead from spreading too far. The armies are massing on the boarders and this is our warning to the world! Mass your priests, prepair for the worst, we will.
Prophet of The Pale Ones,
This is a public service announcement. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

The mindless, decaying hordes of Ermor will never so much as dent the armor of our mighty warriors, priests or no priests! (Possibly because we're allied)

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Pythium allied to Ermor??????


What has this world come to? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

With my expansion speed, I need all the help I get get. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

The world is coming too "OWWWWW!" The zombies did invade!! SEE?! Dont believe the lies! They will eat the world :O <CHOMP!> haha

Edit: Bwahaha take that undead horses! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

It seems both Pythium and Ermor are forced to fight alone. Me against Abysia, (If you call that fighting) him against Agartha.

Though, now that I think about it, Abysia has quite a few wide-open provinces against Ermor's flank. I've been betrayed?

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Hmm I think so. Your provinces would look wide open from the ocean If I didnt just see your GIANT god there. I dont really think I could afford to lose an army just yet. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Tho those neutral provences you left empty look tempting, whats wrong with them?

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Nothing wrong with them, but I expanded way too slowly and now my armies are mostly stopping Abysia from being destroyed. I would heed Amhazair's warning about Provincial Defense, though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Ermor and Pythium are indeed allied, in so far as Ermor wishes only peace with their Pythian brothers. However, Ermor has no desire for a war with Abyssia, and is content to leave the warring nations of the Abyssians and the Pythians to deal with their own disputes.

The empire of Ermor is currently occupied quelling the petty uprising of the uncivilized pale barbarians to the south. However, they will swiftly be returned to their caves, where the Empire will allow them to snivel in peace.

(OOC) Sorry I haven't taken my turn guys. Bizarrely, I'm waiting for my girlfriend to offer her opinion on what I should do - to my complete shock she got really into it at the weekend! Shouldn't cause any delays again, she's just really keen to have some input this last couple of turns (and she's out at a colleague's leaving do tonight).

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

totally OOC I'll be out tonight and not back till late but when i am back ill play my turns too. Yay for dates!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I used to love playing strategy games together with my girlfriend, we did that for years. Unfortunately the beautiful days are over and I'm living alone again since a couple of months... so you only have to contend with one brain here http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif


Reacting to a few comments in this thread:

And yet, when you tried to move into one of those "wide-open" provinces you got soundly beaten... wonder how come? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Let's put it this way: In the early stages of this war I had beaten his armies, and moved my entire force (45-50 Abyssians) into an empty province. Result: 5-ish surviving abyssians. My offensive stalled a bit after that one http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Obviously. Who in his right mind would want war with our mighty nation.

Amen to that! Have fun.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I'm also sorry for holding everyone up. For a while there my internet wouldn't stay up for more than five seconds at a time... Back to normal now, though.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

1: Because Call of the Winds is frickin' useless against heavilly armored units. Even five of them, and 2: Because you're good at predicting where I'll move and having an army there beforehand.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

In the South, the barbaric cave-beasts Agartha made a brave but futile assault on the sacred soil of Ermor. They attacked on two fronts, and briefly they were at least partially successful.

Many brave men in the local militias gave up their lives to protect their homes. To the east, the militiamen were victorious, and fought off a band of human cave-dwellers. But on the west, Agartha brought almost fifty ancient cave dwellers. They towered above the local legionnaries and butchered them with few losses.

Then the wrath of Ermor descended. Within a month an army struck back. Every one of the ancient ones was cut down, as were all of the Agarthan mages and priests travelling with them. Only six human cave-dwellers escaped with their lives. Ermorian losses numbered a mere single mortal, plus some small number of easily replaceable undead. They shall rise up and fight once more.

Civilization has prevailed. Now the Agarthans shall pay for their crimes...

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Kragon stoon on a hill overlooking the Pythian capitol. Finally, after months and months of warfare victory seemed to be close at hand. After Pythiums surprise strike into the heart of our lands was repulsed he had expected to overcome the small human nation quickly, but they had shown surprising resilience. The shame of loosing his entire army to provincial levies, no matter how numerous or well-organised they were, still hurt him to his bones. And even worse than his shame, it had taken months to rebuild the army to it's previous size.

But now then, finally, after months of maneuvring on the wide fields of this region, he had commited to a new asault, sweeping aside the enemies defences with sharp steel and a barrage of fire spells cast by the mages and priests under his command. On the fields between him and the city walls the smoke still rose to the skies, darkening the setting sun, and raining a fine rain of ash upon the doomed city.

Yes, Pythium had shown remarkable resilience, but now this war was finally close to an end. Hopefully...

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

UninspiredName, following your comments on the in-game messaging: I found the same thing. This is only my 2nd MP game, but my first one taught me hugely more than all the SP games, and was much more interesting. I built huge armies - and got completely toasted by the first opponent I met, because I hadn't realised how much potential there was for cunning, using magic and so on. I never won a single significant battle the whole game, but I learnt loads. I think MP's definitely the way forward. I look forward to meeting a hardened opponent in the other two games we're both in!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Or rather, I mean a hardened player who may be an opponent or an ally and will hopefully be an ally! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I stole your nation, it's the least I can do. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I think most of us are playing in at least one other game together and I had fun with all of you. This was my first multi player game as well and Ermor definatly taught me some new tricks that I need to defend against, ow. It was educational to say the least!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Er, what's with the past tense guys? It's nowhere near over yet!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Oh it isnt over but I AM being pushed into the water, and I do not want raisin toes...

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Well, Uninspired name, in case you're intrested, The AI remnants of your nation managed to hire 2 mercenary companies on one side of the (tiny) bit of land they had left, at the same side I attacked out of your former capitol into the other side... I fully expect them to advance into Pythium and lay siege to the city again http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Even if you stopped playing yourself, you continue to be a pain in the *** http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

(And the PD didn't diminish either, I can't split up my army to take two provinces at once http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif )

It was fun playing with (against) you. And you'll have the benefit of being quite unforgetable to me, since you're my first ever multiplayer war. I'll see you again in some other game soon I suppose.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Say, guys,

What are we going to do with this game over the holliday period? I'll certainly be missing one turn, and quite possibly two over christmas, I can imagine some of you might be even worse off?

Since the game is on autohost I suppose the turns will keep going wether we like them to or not, so if you just want to keep playing as we were, and tough luck to the ones who can't play that's fine by me. Alternatively we could either agree not to play x (x depending on our respective schedules) number of turns, wich means that we'll all have tons of money lying about when we come back, or, as an inbetween solution, that we play our turns when we can, but with a 'gentlemans agreement' not to launch any assaults on absent players.

What do you think? Either way works for me.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Thanks for the update. Good to know I'm still being a pain. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Well as long as Im allowed to fight for my capital and build up underwater and kill some neutrals Im ok. Im at a desperate point right now haha

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Huh? For some weird reason none of my orders from last turn got carried out. My armies didn't move, my searchers didn't search, my recruitement never happened...


blegh, this sucks :-(

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Man, that's pretty annoying. Would you like me to miss my next go? So long as you don't attack me!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Nah, not your fault... just do your thing.

And then, if you win, I'll never admit it was a legit win, and claim you only could beat me cause the computer screwed me over http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Aaargh Agartha, I can't believe you beat me!

So, for those of you who aren't Agartha - I broke the walls on his capital, and attacked. He didn't have many men really, so it looked like an easy victory - but somehow I lost! I think what happened (do you think the same Cerlin?) was that my legionaries couldn't fight properly because it was dark (I hadn't realised it was dark). So they just clogged up the gateway while Agartha's 8-or-so priests systematically banished the rest of my army. Grrr. Next time Cerlin... next time.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I actually had a scout there... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

My assesion of the situation when I saw the armies arrayed at the start was that he stood a rather decent chance to beat you (unless you pulled some nasty magical trick), partly, as you said, because of the darkness, but also because of those tough prot 22, unbreakable statues (and somewhat less tough, but equally unbreakable claymen) that would have you standing in the gateway forever, while the castle arrows and spells rained down upon you.

(note, btw, that those statues didn't have darkvision either - they should have imho, but anyways - so between your troups and them darkness didn't matter much. The couple of men Agartha had did benefit form it though, and probably lasted a bit longer and killed a bit more because of it.)

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Haha that was an AWESOME last stand! I was trying to to summon as many troops as possible. That damned spell that steals sacreds was horrid tho, really hurt my numberes in all the battles. I was hoping that it would at least kill one army, thats the best I could hope for this late in the game. It was good learning for the future, I've never had such a good battle for a fort as agartha. I think the reason is most random maps do not have Mountain provences, which are the requirement for cave forts.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I thought Agartha automatically got a Cave fort...

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

cave fortress for the main provence, but to build them you need mountains. which builds only cave forts http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Guys, if any of you happen to see this before you get the new turn file - any chance you could send me the last one? My girlfriend wants to see it and I forgot to save it.

About christmas - what I suggest we do is imagine there's a maelstrom coming. At some point soon, all units will be unable to receive orders for a month. If you have a turn and you know you won't be able to have another one for 24 hours, send a message to the other players saying we should all miss the turn. Then if we start a turn and get that message, just don't do anything.

I should easily be able to play over christmas, except for christmas day itself, when I imagine I will get glared at if I slope off to do a turn.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Well I am almost dead but yes, If we need to take a turn off just let me know.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Well, a bit too late to send you an ingame message anymore, as I won't be able to play the current turn ;-)

I'm spending christmas at my parents, and will be back home late tomorrow night (Belgian time) wich means, within 24 hours.

Merry Christmas to all http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

This actually was about two days ago, but with all the christmas stuff I didn't manage to write it before...



The curved knife hung perfectly motionless in the pre-dawn stillness, waiting, raised high in the old and wrinkled, but unshaking, hands of Astaroth, dragon of the faith. The flickering flames of the holy brazier standing in front of him set his shadow moving amongst the holy statues behind him.

In that interminable moment right before sunrise the army stood arrayed in front of the altar, holding it's collective breath, their attention fully focused on the scene in front of them: the dagger, the brazier, the priest.. and the stunningly beautiful maiden lying on the altar.

Then, at long last, the first ray of the raising sun set the dagger ablaze, and it descended in a perfect arc, connecting with the vein visibly pulsing in the maiden's throat. So perfect the cut was executed that the life blood streaming from the wound, the fire fuelling Abysia's citizens, all landed upon the holy brazier. The glowing coals roared to life, an unnaturaly fierce flame leaping from the brazier, roaring the gods approval of the untainted blood. "BAEL'FIR!" the crowd chanted as one, "BAEL'FIR!" the echos reverbrating from the valley walls a mile off.

At the front of his army Kragon smiled a little smile. Astaroth might be old, but he was nowhere near senile yet. Not only had the sacrifice been performed with utter perfection - Not an easy task, since this was the first time in a couple of decades Abyssia had felt the need to send this ultimate plea of help to their god, only dim childhood memories had guided Astaroth in his recreation of the old ceremony - he had also chosen his victim with care: All soldiers had felt sorry for her, waiting for the dagger to fall, and their anger, their outrage for the loss of this fine woman, this dancing flame, would be skillfully canalized by their commanders, fanning the flames burning in their hearts, fuelling their impressive performances on the batllefields, untill they were finally quenched in the blood of our enemies.

He allowed the chanting to go on for some time, and then gave the order to march. The proud Abyssian army struck out due east, towards the bleak and desolate plains of Ermor. Such a fine army this was! Surely not even the cold plains, and even colder hearts of their enemy could stop this army. Surely not.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Amhazair, you're a lucky boy, I got home to take my turn about a minute after it hosted! Aargh! Still, I think I was quite lucky and nothing really bad happening, apart from you invading all over the place again. Stupid devils.

Cerlin, this must be getting to be a really strange game for you. I don't think you can really do that much, unless I'm underestimating your cunning, but man are your sea provinces hard to take! I just can't match your shamblers in the water! You have so many of them and none of my magic really works in the water.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

A minute... damn that sucks.

I was quite sure you had missed your turn from looking at your (lack of) activity, but I started doubting it when I noticed, amidst the barrage of returning 'random' events raining down on my capital that I had also been struck by an earthquake... seems that one was a real random event then http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

About Cerlin: It's in my best intrest he remains alive as long as possible, as you'd have a new flank to attack me on if he goes down, but I'm afraid I might dominion kill him sometime soon. I actually stopped blood sacrificing when I realised that http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Amhazair, you are one lucky boy. I can't believe you won that! That stupid earthquake! I hope you don't have enough gems to empower another one like that. At least he died on casting it. And if I'd just known that spell existed... maybe I could have cast Twist Fate or Body Ethereal on my communion. Although to be fair it would never have occurred to me you'd cast it, being as I didn't know you had earth magic. Next time...

So, 25 mages down, the battle goes on.

By the way, the only "random event" I've been casting on you is the unrest+60 one, the rest must just have been bad luck! I see you've got that unrest under control now, although all your population are dead. Muwahaha! Crucially you can build your lava warriors again though, which I was really hoping to stop.

Cerlin, I don't mean to be funny, but if you happen to be the last to take a turn, would you mind taking the next one as well? It would just keep the game going slightly quicker. Although come to think of it, maybe you staled, I'm not sure what time the timer ran out.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Phew, I'm so happy I finally found a way to hurt your mages, they had been causing me a LOT of pain... With hindsight I might have been better of sending in a couple less mages of my own, so the earthquake would have cost me less, but I didn't know how effective it would be (never used it before, SP or MP) Anyways, all in all that battle went more or less as expected, now I just have to find a way to gain as much advantage from it as possible. (as you still have an enormous edge in research) (oh, and btw, do you think etherealness protects you from earthquake? I would have thought that would be classed as magic damage, though I admit I have no evidence to base that on. )

As for having earth magic: my warlocks have 100% FEAB and 2x 10% FEAB randoms, so they can get as much as 3E without empowering or items (though only one in 6400 will get all 3 earth picks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif ), and with earth boots (actually, I captured the pair I was wearing from you aaaages ago) and summon earthpower 2E is enough to cast the earthquake.

And the magical assault on my capitol: I've been getting 2 deadly disease events each turn for the past 10 or so turns, each killing 700 (when Abysia was still densely populate to 400 (now) people, and occasionally diseasing my commanders and troops. That seems quite a long shot to be atributed to bad luck, though I have to admit I searched the manual looking for the spell that did that, and I didn't find it, so I dunno what's causing it... do those bane venom charms of yours get reported to me that way too?)

In any case, I'm having tons of fun this game, I can't believe how long our war has raged on now without someome gaining a decisive upper hand. I love to hate you Ermor http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I just played my turn, but I'm going home for the bachelor party of the guy my sister's going to mary this weekend, and I'll only be back by sunday early afternoon (CET), so unless one of you is kind enough not to play his until 3 hours before the deadline or so I'll be missing my next turn http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

But, on the bright side... My little sis is almost getting married http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Okay, I should be able to not upload my turn file until near the deadline tomorrow.

What's CET?

Amhazair, I have to know - did many of your people die of old age?

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Bit of a problem - I played my turn, then clicked "Save game and quit", which says it won't upload the turn. But it lied, and uploaded it anyway. Poo. I can't work ut how to undo it, so I just hope Cerlin can avoid playing his turn too soon - is that possible Cerlin?

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Problem solved, my girlfriend logged in and miraculously "un-uploaded" my turn file. Very odd!

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Cerlin, I'm impressed at the tenacity of your shamblers throwing themselves against my walls. I must say, I thought you should have one at least two of the three attacks you've made lately - your men keep running away at the critical moment!

Seems like a real stalemate, this water situation. Your shamblers are dangerous, and it's very hard to spare an army to hunt them down with Abysia putting so much pressure on. Every time I've sent medium-sized armies in their losses have been so horrendous that I've just been forced to retreat (although once I was conveniently able to retreat into Abysia territory and attack him a bit). I'll get you in the end though...

Amhazair, about earthquake - in the manual it says it does mundane damage, so etherealness would work fine. And all the population death messages were indeed the bane venom charms on my black servants. I didn't realise they were that effective! Or that they'd give you messages. I thought your population dying off was because of your patrolling so heavily with such high unrest. So did they manage to disease many of your commanders? Good synergy with Burden of Time eh?

You're right, it is amazing how long we've kept fighting without either of us getting much of an advantage. Well, I keep on _thinking_ I've got an advantage, but it never quite works out in practice. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif I guess it's because you keep on doing things too! I always forget that the other person will also be working on cunning plans so they're a moving target. I also forget how damn good your Abysians are!

4 posts from me in a row - man, that kind of seems a bit sad. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Don't worry, I keep thinking you've got the advantage too - wich doesn't mean I plan to roll over and die of course http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

The bane venom charms diseased quite a few mages, I reacted too slow to move them out of the province (thinking you were casting a random event, costing you lots of gems, yadda yadda). If I had realised what they were I could probably have patrolled them to death fast, but as it is they did really bad damage. Luckily I had been moving all the demonbreds I recruited closer to the frontlines immediately, where I could have them researching, and then, if I needed them they could reach any battlefield province in one turn, so you only got warlocks and their apprentices, but still...

Anyway, from my point of view, my big problem in my war against you has always been a lack of mages: first, I get into a war with Pythium, and I really had to use all my resources to kill him (hopefuly fast enough not to get swamped by you...), so I couldn't spare anything to build a second fort to build more mages in. Then, I capture Pythium, but the only non-capitol mages are both kinds of Anathemants. Those guys might be awesome priests and battlemages, but their research is not exactly stellar. Then your bane venom guys manage to disease half of my research squad, and now, to finish it of you cast a burden of time (to answer your question, 16 killed, 31 badly affected according to the message http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif ) and most of the mages (only the demonbreds are still fine) I still have left are now diseased... So, yes, I think you have the advantage http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif


On another subject: thanks for the effort to allow me not to miss the turn, it's really appreciated. The bachelor party was really fun, I didn't know most of those guys, as I've been living in a different city since my college years, so the going-out paths of me and my sister seldom crossed, but they were real fun... she's allowed to keep them http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif... and since it got quite early I decided not to bother to go to bed anymore (at my parents place), but instead to come straight back to my place, so I'm a bit sooner than expected... hope I didn't screw up too much with my sleepy-beer head http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif


And CET is Central European Time - or in my case Belgian time.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Well I am doing my best to tenaciously hold the waters and am attempting to mix more undead into my armies for the morale boost. I'll not be giving up any time soon, and a dominion kill will not happen just yet! to the bitter end I say! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

Amhazair, what's happened to you? Looks like you might stale this turn.

Re: 4-player ME game?
 

I managed to knock over my cup of water and ruin my keyboard yesterday, just installed the new one http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Ah, well, I'll try to pull of one more surprise win, but it prity much looks like you just have to wrap this game up now anyway.