Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Thanks for playing, odeoderok!

Like earcaraxe said, you put up quite a fight. That pretender of yours really worried me and I was glad he didn't have the kind of gear Zeldor's does in Momentum3. As it was, he was already able to kill basically unlimited numbers of troops once your mages buffed him with BE. I was also very glad your thugs weren't fully equipped since until the last few turns you actually had more of them than me.

Btw, I agree with you last stands can be fun! :) No micro and with nothing to lose you can try different out strategies.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

The game looks like its waiting on pyth but he is eliminated?

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Yeah, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, you have to send in your final empty turn as the server will be waiting for it. But since everyone's turns are in and this is such a fast playing group I'll just go ahead and force hosting.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

For the cowardly leader of Ermor agreements mean nothing as the undead horde wasnt bothered by an active NAP and set its ugly foot in our beutiful song-filled lands. Frightening the little bunnies, newborn stags and all the fuzzy overly-cute little animals who were living in a nauseatingly sweet idyl.

Consider the agreements u agreed on with necromancers void as they have no respect for them either.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Well technically you broke our agreement by sieging my castle with your scout.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I dont care what anyone says that is a lot of undead elephants.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

You knows whats annoying? Getting a bunch of worthless freespawn from events when you have to pay their upkeep thats what!

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Guess it's time for them to visit your water province and be left behind? ;)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I'd prefer playing with quickhost off. I can keep up with the 30 hours interval, but it burdensome for me if there are 2 turns a day. what do u think?

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I know you're in the middle of a war, which makes turns take much longer, but if we do go through a period of peace and everyone has their turns in quickly I'd like to keep the game moving rather than wait for a fixed hosting time. Of course, if you send in your turn just a little before hosting time it will accomplish the same purpose without having to change the setting - but I understand it's easier if you can sometimes send it in earlier than that and not have it host immediately. If Saros and ghoul31 both agree to the change I'm willing to do it, otherwise I'd like to stick with the current setting.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I'd prefer to leave it on quickhost, nothing says you have to do the turn right after it hits your inbox and 30hrs should still be enough at this point of the game.
Is there a way to enforce a minimum hosting time less than the max? Something like 12hr minimum delay would be fine.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I don't think the server can do that, but I could replicate the effect by just not sending in my own turn until 24 hours had passed. That would limit us to 1 turn a day, as earcaraxe is requesting, while also allowing him to send in his turn whenever convenient.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

you are very kind. No need to do that, most of the time i can send my turn in with enough delay, so do as u feel convenient.

I understand ur opinions, no problem for me if it remains on quickhost.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Haha I just had bogus show up. Sorry bogus you're a bit outclassed these days, thanks for the free items!

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

its not bogus, its santa arriving a couple weeks early :)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

one month ago i was i n 5 different games, now in only two. having experienced that now is think quickhost is totally ok.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

What a coward move by the greeks.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

What an annoying turn. :mad: My attempts to kill Arco's SC and thug both failed. The tart titan managed to escape after being down to 1 HP and the bane lord escaped because the AI brilliantly decided I didn't need to cast Storm as I'd scripted. I killed a golem but lost a fully equipped thug in the process.

Anyway, looks like everyone is back at war. :) Btw Arco, you have an impressive number of SCs and I notice your tarts seem quite free of afflictions. ;)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Its almost like magic! Actually the brilliantly named bane lord died as he retreated into hostile territory the useless bugger.
Dont worry I expected to be jumped and have sneaky plans in place for just this contingency. =D

Also Man we're cool right! I didnt really mean to attack my meanie tartarians made me do it. Apparently they are BFF's with some of ermors Thaumaturgs.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

The Brilliantly Named's demise will give place for a new Even More Brilliantly Named, hoorray!

So u tell me the tarts are the thaumaturgs's BoyFriends (BF=?)?. Wow, which one dates the chimaera/mostrum? Wont too much work in foreign lands derail their relationship? I'd call them back :)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

BFF = Best Friends Forever

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I was hoping to avoid using one of my delays but I need more time to prepare a defense against Arco's onslaught. Hosting postponed by 30 hours.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Hey now you jumped me with pre placed stealthy thugs. Besides i'd hardly call what i've been doing so far an onslaught =P

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I just sent in my turn so wait a few minutes and we can assess the situation. I don't think things will look good for me... ;)

Edit: Well, not a complete disaster. Didn't start off too well with two failed attempts to jump your tarts but I did get a few wins in later on. I'm still on the defensive though as I wasn't really prepared for this fight but felt I had to act when you attacked Man.

Btw, none of the thugs were pre-placed; they all cloud trapezed in the turn I decided to attack.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Okay that turn was a disaster. I dont know why but I have some sort of problem with disappearing tartarians.
I dont get it... The combats in 50 and 62 have somehow killed my Tarts even though I won the combats.
Im also missing a golem and I have no idea what happened to it. They're not on my nation overview or anything.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I can explain the tarts in 50 and 62. They both defeated my cloud trapezing thugs and then proceeded to their destinations (41 and 57), where they met their ends. "A gentleman of poor character" was done in by the mute affliction he picked up fighting my thugs interfering with his buff routine. "No tartarians here, nope none" didn't have resist lightning scripted and was killed mainly by thunderstrike, with a herald lance contributing.

But I have no explanation for the golem as I didn't fight him.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Oh righto they fought twice. Somehow didnt catch that. As for the golem he seems to have wandered off someplace I cannot find, probably depression from seeing his pair die to mans green knight. Oh well.
I doubt i'm going to beat you and man to be honest. I really should have just gone after you first but I was kinda bored and wanted to try some anti SC tactics against the treants. Unfortunately I have been busy with your thugs =/

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I think you're right that it would have been better to go after me first. Ermor and Man will still be fighting for a while and if you had hit me with all those SCs by surprise there's a good chance I wouldn't have recovered.

Were you able to find that golem? It bothers me that he just disappeared. I can't think of why that might have happened: it's a small game, no rollbacks have taken place, etc. What was he doing last? Is there any chance maybe he was magic dueled, assassinated, something like that?

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I wouldnt worry about it a golem isn't a big deal at this point of the game. Ill go trawl through the turn files when I have some time.
Now I seem to be losing my tarts at a disturbing rate. They're a lot more fragile than I thought initially.

The fun part is I get to cook up all sorts of world ending goodies while I get driven back.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Well, I'm not sure about being driven back - so far most of the fighting has taken place on my territory. But that world ending stuff sounds worrisome...

Glamoured thugs are pretty good at killing tarts, though it seems less hassle to just have blood mages cast life for a life so I ordered a shipment of vampire lords to greet the next batch of intruders. :)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Bleah talk about some serious discipline problems with my silly undead gods.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

lamaserver nowadays has a habit of ignoring 2h files or portponing commands.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I haven't noticed any problems, but also haven't tried to postpone hosting in the past week or so. When you send in your turn please wait about 15 minutes until you receive the confirmation e-mail and the llamaserver indicates it arrived. If that doesn't happen let me know and I'll delay hosting while we try to figure out the problem. Maybe we can try changing to a different e-mail address?

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

no, this adress is ok.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Dear fellow players!

I'm quitting dominions for now and that means both of my remaining games. Its been a pleasure playing with u, I hope we meet again sometime in the future. This game was one of the most interesting ones I played and it certainly has the potential to provide many excitement and intesity.

happy christmas to everyone and even more happy wargaming in the future!

earcaraxe

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Well I think we can just declare Valerius the winner then.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I'm ok with ending the game if you and Saros would like to. But I shouldn't be declared the winner as if we just set Man AI I would be in a 2 vs 1 situation and would probably lose to you and Arco and then you two would decide the game's winner.

I can also look for a sub but I think in order to get any takers I'd have to at least offer 48 hour hosting (typically games at this stage are at 72 hours). What do you guys think?

I've postponed hosting while we decide what to do.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Well its been a great game, I wouldn't mind calling Val the winner as he has pretty much beaten me at this point mostly due to this being my first game and me not really knowing what to do with the endgame.
2v1 would be interesting but the micro would probably be more trouble than its worth.
Besides I already started giving all my stuff to ermor!

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

I am pretty weak at the moment. So if you set man AI, you would still win. We need to get a sub. If all three of us attacked you, it might be a fair war.

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Based on Saros' and your earlier comment I figured we'd end it (not declaring any victor). No saying what a sub would do but if they kept to Man's current path and NAP with me then I think Arco/Ermor are almost certainly finished (though Man might beat Van in the final).

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Thanks for playing everyone!

I enjoyed the fast pace up until sometime during the latest war when it got to be too much (the fact that I got involved in wars in my other two games, both mid-late stage, certainly didn't help).

This game was notable in that it was the first time I ever engaged in something resembling a rush. I play Vanheim a lot but for some inexplicable reason usually turtle. ;) Anyway, I figured it was a fast pace game and that I would try something different. Overall it was profitable, though it took considerable resources and set back my development. But if Man hadn't joined me against Pythium I think it would have been a definite mistake as Pythium and I might have just ended up in a stalemate.

Saros, you played really well. You had a couple of tough rounds where I took out several SCs but I think if you had surprise attacked me rather than Man things might have gone differently. Btw, your first round of mind hunts took out all my thugs without mind hunt cover. This really limited my raiding as I had only a few S mages suited to the task (equipping sages with cap and coin to have them teleport in was too expensive). And of course I enjoyed the names you came up with for your SCs. :)

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Haha well do you know why it was so tough for you to finish pyth off...
I was essentially keeping him afloat with a lot of discount forging and intelligence to get his thugs and pretender out and battling at the same time as fighting off a determined rush from Jotun. It let him get all the goodies such as brands etc while not having to research construction.
Earlygame was one helluva balancing act for me I must say.

But yeah I think I did pretty well for my first MP game ever, in particular I learned SC's were a LOT more vulnerable than I had expected, especially to blood mages although some of those losses were really terrible luck. I still cant come up with a good counter to earthquake/rain of stones trashing my communions. Perhaps first turn Army of gold/lead but even then you get a whole turn of dropping stones on the poor buggers.
Pity we didn't get a few more turns out. I was about to get 4 suicide master enslave teleport squads of an astrologer with all the S boosters and 2 mystics to put him up to S9 that would plop down on your troop concentrations and a pair of man's armies just to cause some havoc.
The idea was ME would splatter the mystics and then the astrologer would recall home.
Also armageddon was on the cards as a few turns from now as well as possibly burden of time =P
One thing I love about dom3 is all the stuff you can pull when you are losing.

The part where you really won the war was all those remote attacks on my cap. You got probably 50+% of my mages in that one turn as I had just moved all my covering chaff out and the frost dome didn't do diddly squat.
Having like 4 death income the whole game in my entire territory didn't help much either.
BTW where did that fortress in hexwoods come from, It was quite a shock seeing a 600 defense castle suddenly appear. Was there any real chance of my siege force taking it or what? I was gonna give you a little payback with rain/EQ when I stormed it but I couldnt tell whether the walls were going to fall. Siege golems give 90 siege power right? So 6x90=540 siege but you had maybe 100 siege power inside?

Re: Crucible - MA, CBM, EDM, fast pace (30 hour hosting entire game) - Running
 

Yeah, I gathered Pythium was getting some help. I think it was the one thing you and Jotun were in agreement on. ;)

I agree I got lucky in some of those battles. The sad thing about the last battle with your tarts is that I lost that Dust Priest but he didn't even need to be there and if you take him out of the picture that was a completely risk-free battle as my vampire lords would have been back in action next turn. Because the fast pace of this game already meant a limited audience, I just went with CBM/EDM and didn't make any changes to them. But normally I would price vampire lords higher than CBM does.

One thing I want to mention is to always watch your lines of retreat (especially when fighting A/S nations or in the late game when everyone has some ability to teleport). If you only have one province to retreat to make sure it's strongly defended and even then it's better to create another line of retreat. For instance, if you have one province to retreat to and another three are controlled by me I would suggest picking one of mine for a remote attack. It doesn't matter if you care about that province but it gives you an escape route if I defeat your army and also send a force to take control of your retreat province.

Rain of Stones is my favorite spell in the game. It doesn't get much better than to chain cast it and see a large communion just disappear. :) If you want to protect your communion you could try to forge the cheapest armor possible and put it on your mages but aside from the expense (and additional encumbrance) they still have low HP (but I've seen this done effectively with C'tis' mages that have above average HP). The Sword of Aurgelmer was also quite useful in giving your mages some protection. Maybe the best thing is to try to avoid not having the defender's advantage when using your communion. For instance, have a couple of tarts teleport into your target province to clear it out before your communion arrives by normal movement. BTW, I had very bad luck getting A random dwarves and without a second earth booster in CBM 1.6 I couldn't use my Vanadrott's for first round rain of stones casting so I had much more limited rain of stones capability than I would have liked. I've always found earthquake underwhelming and rarely use it, especially once I've got Rain of Stones researched.

Yeah, you can definitely do some damage on your way out and I was very concerned about you casting armageddon. I would have actually done better under BoT than anyone else in the game. Even my dwarves are better off than most mages and my Vanir shouldn't have been bothered much. My sages would have been killed off but research was almost done so I could have lived with it.

Your research was strong throughout so when I saw you had moved your chaff out of your cap I thought there might be an opportunity to cripple your research capability (and hopefully kill some fully equipped mind hunters, etc, in the process). IIRC I sent a scout to attack your cap. I was hoping you'd think I was testing the defenses and while that's useful info I really wanted to see what domes you had in place. The frost dome would likely have stopped one of the three attacks (I was of course hoping it wouldn't be murdering winter but one of the fires from afar castings) but I got lucky and all three passed through. Having only one dome that has only a 30% chance of stopping a spell is very risky at that stage of the game. Even just the addition of a dome of arcane warding would have helped a lot. Forest dome also shouldn't have been a problem to cast with your enchantresses. I like the dome of solid air best since it blocks 80% of spells for a one time cost of 10 gems (of course if one gets through it will break but usually you've caused your opponent to spend more gems trying to break it then you had to put into it).

That was very unlucky to only have a D income of 4, especially since you had the Chalice. With a better D income you could have used the cost effectiveness of tarts to just overwhelm me with numbers of SCs.

The fortress was from three red seconds (Blood 8). I'm actually a little too fond of that spell and will sometimes spam more forts than I have the troops to defend, but here I just went for one fort deep in your territory to use as a base. As you noticed, it has a very good defense (much better than wizard's tower) and I effectively find it much cheaper to cast than wizard's tower (I'd prefer to spend 120 blood slaves than 50 e gems).

Your calculations are very accurate: the defense of that fort went from 600 to 37 so you almost broke through in 1 round. I was putting together a strong force in my cap to attack your forts in 49 and 60 and hadn't yet decided if in fact I'd need to gateway them to 90 to defend against you or if I could hold onto the fort in 90 another way and stick to my plan of going for 49/60. I probably would have sent them to 90 and hopefully forced a decisive battle.

As far as paying me back with rain of stones, tart lightning cyclops' are very well suited to that task but like many things you'd want to strike before I could buff (at this stage of the game I'd have fog warrriors for any significant battle). As an aside, I got to Constr. 8 very late in the game and I was surprised to see armor of virtue still available. This has many uses but one that works well is to give it to a tart lightning cyclops and have him cast rain of stones once or twice and then either attack or more spells. Once he's wounded he'll return to your cap. To protect yourself against one shot kills you could give him an elixir of life. And if he picked up an affliction the chalice would take care of that.

I agree completely! :)