Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Time to return to 100 hour schedule.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Yes, these game settings do change the usual balance of power, and reduce Ashdod from impossibly overpowered to just overpowered. Even with BL's help, it was a close thing, and I was only able to win against his large sacred army by throwing in all my capital only mages, a dozen or two F3 mages, and then getting very, very lucky with the army scripting. And if he had ever reached Earthquake, or had started spitting out fire resistant Adons with 30+ armor & regen & reinvig, it would have been all over for me.
Anyway, good game Squirreloid. Sorry if I'm too anti-Ashdod, I've started next to them one to many times. :)

As to the rest of the map, yes, Abysia is enjoying it's moment in the sun. At least we are in the North. I expect things to change though once we start seeing more battlefield enchantments by the other players. You can stick a fork in me once the first Mass Enslave comes out. :) Like our mages, our nation is powerful but tends to die young. Personally, my money is on C'tis, but we will see.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Hardly a close thing, you had me all on your own. BL made it faster, it didn't make it any more sure.

As far as outfitted SCs - well, lets just say it was a few turns away at best to get even one.

I'd say Ashdod is underpowered at these settings, honestly. They simply can't build enough units to matter against any nation with good infantry. (This doesn't include BL, whom i could possibly have handled if Abysia had left me alone, but it most certainly includes Abysia and nations like Shinuyama and Man). Actually, these settings would really make MA Man shine, since their armies are awesome, its their magic which is awful.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Ughh. That communion master picked the wrong day to forget to bring his gems along...

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Crap crap crap. Did my turn, and then forgot to submit it to Llamaserver :( I'm afraid to even look at the new turn yet (although the Admiral's words give me some small hope) :p

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Blinded, berserking, regenerating lava warriors who can still hit hard enough to kill a soul vortexed, 19 hitpoint per turn regenerating mother of serpents are my new nemesis. That plus mages who cast mass protection unscripted when fighting Abysia. Oh and mages who cast serpent's blessing because they are worried that that slayer is going to make it through an elite warrior lizard bodyguard and might poison somebody. :)

Rain is your friend when fighting Abysia, now if only I had had somebody to cast rigor mortis and relief that battle might have been even more onesided.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Hah, you are not the only one was disappointed by this turn. When I opened up the battle replay and saw 4 astral mages instead of 5 in the back row, I knew they were all doomed. One day I'll learn to check my turns and make sure everyone is moving where they should. And have enough gems. Poor Abysians. Their best mages are inbred and senile, and cannot even put together a simple communion.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I was quite surprised when you cast mass protection but I think it served you well in the battle.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Humanbred to act as a meatshield: 10 Gold
Flamestorm to nuke a block of Mindflayers: 2 Fire Gems
AI deciding to cast Inner Furnace, causing 350 indie archers to cook each other to death: Priceless

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

The inner furnace bug is pretty amazing.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

OK, that bug kind of sucks, but after watching nearly my entire army get barbecued by a never ending 'vomit' of Flame Storms (the child in me hopes you blew your F gem stash, but the realist in me doubts it) in a single round, I'm strangely lacking in sympathy ;)

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Sorry about this, but could I get a 12 hour delay in hosting?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I just delayed it by 12 hours.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Do we want to keep to the same schedule during the holidays?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I'm going to be out of town from the 23rd-26th, so we may need liberal delays this time of year.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Sounds fine to me.

Also, congrats to Ryleh. I knew that was coming eventually, but was vaguely hoping it would take you longer. Abyisa's day in the sun is over; a new star rises in the north.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Ok, I have successfully moved an army from the top left corner of the map to the bottom right corner of the map. That means I win, right?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Only if you can capture the fortress there ;)

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

OK, that's my last turn until after the 26th. Happy Holidays :)

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Ok. Since I think that everybody is back from the holidays, I've set the turn timer back to 48 hours. Let the carnage continue!

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Hey you guys. Real Life is hitting me hard these days after the holidays (just too much to do), and I just don't have the time to do my turns with my full attention. Especially with things so interesting now. Will there be any problems with me hunting us a sub?

Sorry about this :(

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

No, that would great if you can find us a sub. Both sides are doing quite well at this point, so I'd hate to see the game fall apart just when things are entering the final phase.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Thanks for the understanding. I'll keep bumping the sub-thread. Does anyone have anyone in mind who might like the position? To try out the interesting set-up? I definitely think R'lyeh has a strong hand in this game too.

Thanks

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

OK, no takers for R'lyeh yet :( I'll try to do another turn tonight, just to keep the game moving. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for that elusive substitute.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I only have one thing to say: <a href="http://www.cthulhulives.org/musical/Prayer%20Sample.mp3">ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!</a>

Game on!

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I sent a PM to offer to sub Ryleh to twobits, but no answer. Anyone know if he's still around?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Thanks. but the Vanishag has already taken over the position.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Okay great. Good to know you have a sub.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Well, C'Tis has just about been wiped out. It's far more difficult than I thought to deal with a nation with as much astral power as Bandar Log, and I was never able to achieve a critical mass of tartarians to actually turn the tide of battle back in my favour. An event I never noticed destroyed the lab in Isurian after it was besieged, and effectively stalled my ability to continue pushing out of the province.

So I congratulate Abysia and Bandar Log for doing a really good job of leveraging the strengths of your nations. Fire magic is really good when you can back it up with as many flame immune troops as Abysia gets in these settings.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Seems like I have a lack of time this weekend. I would like to get the hosting delayed 24 hours.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I've extended the deadline by 24 hours.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Could we start with a 72 hour host schedule? It is a drag to script 30+ mages in 10+ provinces.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I've extended the turn timer to 72 hours and will leave it there for now as long as I don't get any complaints.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Thanks

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Now that I've been knocked out completely, would somebody else like to take over admin duties? I'd be happy to continue, unless you guys want a current player to do it.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Added 24h to the turn timer by Folket's request.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I don't suppose there is any interest in declaring Bandar Log the victor? They seem to have a commanding position, and more energy than either of their opponents. :)

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I do not know about more energy then my opponents. Seems like it is mostly me that demand turn timer increases.

But I do feel my position is very strong. I can't see the Vanishag having a shot at victory if you feel the game is over.

In general I do not like end games so I welcome an end.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

guess I have not looked at the staling data before. Seems like the Vanishag missed 4 out of the five last turns. I sent him/her a message asking to leave a comment.

It was a fine game. Thanks everyone.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Good game guys. Hope you enjoyed it, cause I know I did.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

The game plays very differently with so much money/resources. Ordinary units become much more important but you reach end game so much earlier.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Congrats on your win Folket, you definitely earned it. We never really managed to deal with your Nature's Bounty, and paid the price in facing an unending stream of monkey warriors and mages. GG.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Let me know when I should shut down the game.

Any interest in a similar setup, perhaps in a different age?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I'm surprised R'lyeh and it's limitless hordes of Starspawn didn't do better in these settings. But I can see how Nature's Bounty could be truly brutal with 300% gold (in high dominion, you'd be pushing close to 600%?). Might want to think about modding out NB for Fastblitz 3 ;) If I had more time, I'd be inclined to participate.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Yeah, Ryleh and I never banded together to take it down. I always kept thinking Ryleh would, what with being the astral king, but no. :) I believe Nature's Bounty gives a max of 3x income, so yes, they were pulling down a total of 9x normal income. I'm not sure I would mod it out though; we could have taken it down if we had cooperated more, and I don't know that it is any worse than any of the other big end game globals. In the other high resource game I am playing I'm waiting to see who casts Nature's Bounty first, and exactly how much stompage they receive.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

I had a stable income of 20-25k so I think gift of natures bounty helped quite a lot.

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Has anyone heard anything from the Vanishag? I would like to have his input before we write off this game.

Is it possible to extract his email from the llamaserver?

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

He has staled for like 5 of the last 6 turns, so I think he is probably ok with it. :)

Re: FastBlitz - Running
 

Yeah, sorry about that. I've been busy preparing to move and to start a new job.

I think I could have done more w/ R'lyeh, but this was my 1st late-game experience and I think I misplayed a lot of things. This was a valuable learning experience for me, and I apologize for my recent flakiness.

Well played, everyone, and especial congratulations to Folket for the win.