Re: Glorious Victory by Tien Chin at Gname Peaks !!!
 

Man i was in a mood to roleplay although i don't remember exactly what message i sent of course if it's message i sent that annoyed you. After all this is only a game and i wanted to move things a bit. Wings or no wings i'll enjoy learning how to counter players. I am not very experienced in MP but i definitely dont mind loosing if i can learn from it.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Yo, mi amigo Kupiko, sorry if I have created the wrong impression - I'm just happy to be still alive three turns after the announcement of hostilities (in the form of your invasion) between our two nations!
In my role as leader of Caelum and member of the opposition to the Tien Chi hegemony it is my duty to trashtalk about you! Once we sign a peace treaty (or perhaps you surrender?) I will refer to you only in the most reverent of terms.
Until then, en garde!

Jorus

PS
And yes, I am jealous of your position as the most powerful in SSStreamlands.

PPS
I am a raw Noob and have much to learn.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

This is most amusing to me. On the one hand, Tien Chi is first on provinces and pretty hugely ahead on army but seems to have ended up on the defensive. On the other hand, "everyone dogpile on the leader" is working surprisingly poorly. Over the past 3 turns or so since the war started, net province change has been TC-1, Ctis+1, others 0. Time to bring more hundreds of units and some Death-5 summoners to bear, I guess. :D

On the other topic, I guess the easiest way to be consistent is "no more extensions unless requested", which saves me checking the game page, but I still have to check here and my email.

PS
A tip to Kupiko: I think you mean "losing" here. Loosing is when you set something free. When enemy armies arrive in your capital, you are losing.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Yup you're right losing :)

btw those ritual cast arrows are nasty! Never hapenned to me before :( no idea what to do against it..Hope at least it's expensive.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Dome up Kupiko. And use a ton of scouts with your armies. The scouts may get hit instead.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

You could also forge the air shields/armor that protect against arrows. I think they work against ritual arrows too.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Jeez, as if he needs any help - you have to give him the secrets to my arrows also! And I missed his blasted Masters of the Five Elements.
Good guess, Kupiko!

Caelum

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Believe me, he does now. :D

And speaking of arrows, please keep the arrows OUT of this particular engagement or I will be very unhappy at fighting a half-butted battle.

(Also those armies in the screenshot are costing me a third of my income in upkeep so I'd just as well lose a ton of them in an epic showdown.)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Haha nice..looking forward to it

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

There was a battle in Ireme. Most of the province has been conquered blah blah.

Ctis losses:
0/10 commanders, 145/222 units, 20/20 undead.
Tien Chi losses:
7/26 commanders, 59/222 units, 5/6 magic beings.

So... I won and have now besieged the fortress, but at a fairly heavy cost in units. TC had to bring out a buttload of mages to counter me, and lost several of those. You can see their research suddenly slacking off on the score graph. Watching the battle, I seem to have won in large part thanks to my several Reborn and Sauromancers summoning up large armies of skeletons, leading to Tien Chi routing first.

Any tips on strategic lessons I should be learning here?

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Very nice battle..Mistake i did was to retreat my mages and my chariots got locked behind melees. Should have let my mages banish you all night long.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Oh my..Good guess Erik. You decimated almost all my mages effectively crippling me :) I should have set them to retreat now. I'm so unexperienced when it comes to using mages. Found out they are useless if you don't script them and then i can't find the right way to script them :(

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

ErikM needs an extension guys. He's got some RL challenges. So I'll extend 24 hours for now.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Now that's what i call slaughter lolz. Bring it on guys ;)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Where? Did any of my arrows hit??? :confused:

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

I think they hit on 100% except u managed to kill only one of my commanders. He was immortal, pity it was inside your dominion :( But i meant about you all attacking me at a same time hehe i wonder if i stand a chance :D I lost about 5 provinces in 1 turn :D

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Thanks for the info! I knew your commanders are tough and I would need 2 or more arrows to kill each one. What I didn't know was how well distributed amongst the 15 commanders the hits would be. Sounds like they are distributed pretty well, too bad....:(

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Yeah seems like waste in this particular case. But still i guess if u attacked me in that turn they would be wounded and would die easier. Very interesting spell :)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

As Maer has now been officially blood-sacrificed in the temple of (in?)justice, I recommend contacting him on IRC or here for your future needs :)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Kupiko, I have come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately IU had to learn the hard way, and consume many air gems to complete the lesson!:o
But explain this to me, if I may ask, you are besieging me with 250+ units, why are my walls not being damaged? :happy:

Jorus/Caelum

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

I'd love to know that too lol. I guess flyers are good in defending castle but that much? How many do u have inside? Anyway i left from the siege. Those lizardy buggers swarm me :) not even talking about stealthy armies of helheim :D a lot of fun i have to say.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

There's a good newbie question - I didn't think the strength of the defenders had anything to do with the wall destruction. You've seen all the flyers, nothing special. :rolleyes:

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Check here. The wiki is your friend :) (Just barging in, sorry!)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Since we're all more or less "newbies" here, I thought I'd share some experiences I've had with Helheim.

Dis+Enhare raiders can't seem to get the job done. Perhaps it's because of those damn chariots that trample even mounted troops, but I have lost every one I have committed to battle so far.

Helcarls+Helherdings seem to do a better job. I can think of two possible reasons for the failure of my Dis's. Maybe they pick up too much fatigue when they fly to attack rear, or maybe their Enhare bodyguard just can't do the job, where the Helherding seem to protect the Helcarls from harm.

Also, Shock Wave rocks! I think TC would agree. I had 1 Hangadrott w/helherding bodyguard attack a large TC army (at least 50+ troops including a few chariots (it was an accident). Result? Routed TC army after mistform, airshield, 2Xshockwave, and skellyspam.

I've got to try Caelum in a future game. Eagle Kings mistform, attack rear + Shockwave should be devastating.

Also, blood sacrificing with a B1 mage seems to have minimal effect. I've maintained my own dominion barely, but I'm not impressed so far.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Also, I appreciate Kupiko for not complaining that he's under attack from all three of us.

I for one appreciate the good sportsmanship. I'm also very impressed that he hasn't collapsed already, and seems to be definitely holding his own.

Feather in your cap for being a good gaming partner Kupiko.:up:

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Drive-by comment:

Blood sacrifice is related to your priest levels, not Blood. It generates temple checks (2 per priest level IIRC?), so you're best off doing it with H2 or H3 priests. Jade daggers are your friend here, as they let you sac as if you were 2 priest levels higher.

Oh, and if you don't have a high base Dominion effects will of course be weaker.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Well i can't really be against it cause it's fun :D trying to beat off 3 of you at once.

I just realized how unfair for my tactic it is to have scoregraphs enabled. Cause my tactic relies on maxed scales and excellent early game, that tho puts me up on top of scoregraphs which eventually leads to everyone considering me threat :D

Next game i vote for scoregraphs disabled so we can't read that much about oponent without using scouts etc.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

I agree that the scoregraphs helped get the United Front formed.

As for learning lessons, I thought I had TC nailed with him only having 4 commanders each with less than 16 HP. I'd send in 8 Seeking Arrows (8HP damage each) - and mop up the remains.
Well, the SA damage is also modified by protection so 3 of his commanders survived (with less than 5 HP) and moved on with their squads. Of course, the leaderless squads didn't move, and they routed immediately at the sight of the magnificent Caelum army!
And now he's loose in my interior, but smaller and smaller....

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

SA damage is AN, so armour doesn't count. However, each arrow's damage rolls are modified by damage rolls against Prot 0 (DRN rolled to add to the damage, and DRN rolled to subtract from the damage), so I guess you'd expect between 25% and 50% survival rate with the spread you were firing.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

If what you say is true (and I have no reason to doubt it) why would expect such high survival rates as 50%? I wiould have thought that 25% would have been good. His starting HPs were all around 12, and 2 arrows/commander is 16 HP before the calculations. But yet he had a 75% survival rate! Or was I just extremely unlucky with my roles?

Jorus/Caelum

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

With starting HP of 12 then yeah, you might expect a lower survival rate. But... say 1 commander luckily survives 2 arrows and is killed by a third. One of the others is very likely indeed to survive. The number of survivors is certainly within standard deviation because of the small sample sizse.

Of course, if any of the commanders had luck, air shield or twist fate (S9 bless and shroud) active, then suddenly the numbers look perfectly reasonable.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

My internet at home has broken down. Since the computer I upload/download from is now different from the computer where I play turns, I can't handle trades and should probably request a sub until I get it fixed, which I suspect won't be during the weekend. Managed to upload today's turn, and that's probably the last out of me for a bit unless my ISP suddenly gets its rear in gear.

Stuff I've learned:
-Foul Vapors is awesome. It takes out back-rank enemy mages and other commanders staying behind troops as well as injuring everything everywhere. It requires a Sauromancer with a water path, a Thistle Mace, and a couple of gems.
-Sauromancers are immune to poison. Regular Ctis troops are only resistant to poison at 50% and will rack up large amounts of injuries if they end up on a Foul Vapors battlefield. Sacred Dancer troops are also totally immune, though.
-Mass skeleton summon isn't that good for holding off trampling nobles when trying to buy time for Foul Vapors. However, it's good for creating poison-immune delayers in a lot of other situations.
-Ctis wants more Death gems.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Well, if Ctis can't get a sub I vote that we extend the deadline until the return of their glorious leader. Besides, my armies want to celebrate the fact that they finally used Seeking Arrows successfully! (for the statistics buffs, it took 7 SA to knock off the 3 remaining commanders of 12 HP each, too many imho).


Jorus/Caelum

PS
Uh-Oh, here comes another 200 TC fanatics:shock:

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

I agree with extending the deadline cause i won't be here as well during the weekend.

Oh my i didn't know arrows are cast before move..That is definitely very nice tactical advantage you have there. Anyway i had misunderstanding with Erikm there so i'll probably get wiped soon :D

Those 200 fanatics are pride of my army hope they won't go home with their tails between their legs :D

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

They're hoping they get home. :)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Okay! Since you guys agreed I've set the deadline back a little over 48h so that it next pops up on Monday (GMT).

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Hehe well that's one way to look at my situation but i won't surrender this game is too much fun :D

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Tell me, Kupiko, when young men are drafted into your armies (I'm sure they don't enlist) do the fathers weep, the mothers pull out their hair and girlfriends return their gifts? And do these lucky souls sell all of their possessions and make their final goodbyes before they put on their new uniforms?

I'm just trying to broaden my cross-cultural horizons....:rolleyes:

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

On that subject, I am happy to report that my armies consist of roughly three parts nonsentient yellow warrior lizards, two parts undead and one part religious fanatics, so the regular C'tissians are largely unaffected by the war. :)

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Another lesson learned--stealthy preachers preaching don't participate in any battles that happen in their province. I should have known that, but forgot.

My armies are mostly just commanders, so in my Helheim, those who start wars actually fight and die in them.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Well my soldiers follow wishes of my god :) they die happy knowing that this life is meant to be suffering and afterlife is paradise :D And well their families are taken care of in case young soldiers don't survive.

Anyway on another note i seem to still have problems with my internet access so i might have to drop. Even now i staled again. I'll definitely get back in game once all is set but it might be months. In short i have to move from where i live now :(
Guess i switch myself to AI? Can't think of any sub that would take over for me.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Kupiko, speaking for myself, I hope you find a solution that allows you to keep playing. You have been a most entertaining adversary!
Besides, our eventual vistory will be hollow without your active participation.

Jorus/Caelum

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

I'd love to continue playing but it's impossible. Even now i'm stretching my time :( I hope i at least get you a good sub although i didn't advertise it that well. I should have written there that i'm the strongest :D so people compete to sub for me.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Kupiko you've been an indominable and entertaining opponent. I hope to face you again.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Kupiko, maybe I'll sub in for you. I'd like to receive some information from you first, so I'll know what I'm getting myself into before hand.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Thank you pablomatic i appreciate it..

Only way i can see myself playing in the near future is maybe once a week organize 2-3 hour blitz gaming sessions. Although that is i believe difficult to do for more than 2,3 players.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Arghhhh......

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Wow now that's surprising, my troops actually proved their worth :)
You should have fully utilised your flaming arrows. Guess it's bug that your archers rushed forward? Very nice battle. And those eagles attacked before main army that's pity

And your frost father was too vulnerable there. Did he have air shield on? Cause my archers did short work with him.

Re: Pernicious Peanut - Newbie only 4 player game (Running)
 

Lessons Learned:
I have no idea why the archers jumped into the battle. It was very costly. I wanted them to do what your archers did, stand back and fire at closest enemy unit with Flaming Arrows and Wind Guide. Their commander had orders to stay bethind the troops.
The mammoths routed at first sight of the TC troops, are they that ugly?
My pretender had an air shield of 80, he actually survived for a while - unfortunately he was one of the last survivors and was hit by numerous arrows at once.
The main unusual factor that had a negative impact was that many of the troops were hungry/starving so they were hit with a -4 morale modifier right at the start.

Jorus/Caelum