Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Seems I am quite lost. Ermor defeated my big army and Arcoscephale used the opportunity to invade. I guess I will keep playing just to see what happens.

A final message to Ulm and other neighbours that I have a non-aggression pact with. If you want to help yourself with my former territories, go ahead and take what you can.

This was a nice game. I had a good number of hoplites because my territories were rich with resources. My real problem was that I had very bad luck with money. I was all the time short of cash and couldn't really hire anything but sages and hoplites. Good thing I had at least those.

Turms

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

All provinces north of 115 (in other words the current theater of operation of the reconnaissance forces deployed by Arcoscephale) are under direct military control of Arcoscephale, regardless of current ownership of the province. Any attack on those provinces will be treated as a declaration of war, voiding any and all standing treaties between Arcoscephale and the offending nation.

Note, however, that it does not mean Arcoscephale claims those provinces as her own: it solely means we will not tolerate any interference with our plans. Once the current skirmishes are over, we will set definitive boundaries, and neighbouring nations not involved in the war should then express their wishes.

All we require is the swift resolution of the conflict; everything else is immaterial.

The Strategon Council of Arcoscephale.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hahaha, this is supposed to be "a fairly average situation, at the very least"? Oh, man. Well, I'll hold on like a badger, even if I won't be doing any expanding. I do wish that I had some population though.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

That last turn was quite entertaining! I never realized how fun it can be to go down fighting http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Especially when you have 3 nations attacking you.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

I'm afraid that I had to suicide some commanders to try to get my cashflow problem under control; please don't be alarmed if you get attacked by two confused guys who aren't sure just why they are where they are. Those Duke boys are mostly harmless as long as there aren't any ramps around.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hello. I think I am going AI this turn if nobody objects.

I made the last mistake and got my pretender and bane lords killed because they had nowhere to retreat. I have only my capital and one empty castle left.

Thanks everybody, interesting game! Special thanks to Alneyan for hosting!

Turms - Machaka

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

I did watch that battle where you lost your God. Because you had only commanders, they retreated when the priest died. Without the priest along (or if he had lighting protection), you likely would have beaten the Virtue due to his Ritual of Returning.

Thanks for the game, Turms. It was a fun war against you for sure. I thought I was toast when you invaded me with that powerful army and stormed my capitol. But I managed to research Nether Darts just in the nick of time to save my sorry a$$!

I also saw that you had submitted orders to break the seige of your capitol before going AI. The AI loyally obeyed your orders and slaughtered a whole bunch of my incoming undead troops. But I did win that battle, ordered my surviving armies to storm your fort, and should have captured your capitol on the current turn.

Thanks for playing!

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Yes - I knew the rules of retreating but did not think clearly.

It seems that when you submit an order of going AI the computer actually overrides your orders. I did not order the troops to break siege.

Good luck all,

Turms

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Indeed; all your orders have been overriden, and the AI decided to do something... knowing the AI, something means going berserk. They tried to snatch a couple of my provinces with your stealthy commanders, among other things. You've got to love the AI! They won't die behind their walls, oh no: they will boldly meet you in the field.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Now that Machaka has been officially eliminated, I would like to ask Turms to sub for me in this game while I am on vacation in France. I leave June 17 and return June 28. I would even be amenable to have him take over permanently and I will just watch from the sidelines after I return home.

I hate to go AI because I am doing pretty decent so far and the comp would really mess things up. While I am not leading in anything other than forts, I am definitely holding my own with Broken Empire. I have to admit that I really like that theme, for it does not have the severe micro-management troop-shuffling problem inherent in the SG/AE themes. Also, having cheap mages who can all cast Nether Bolt & Nether Darts is quite powerful. People are hesitant to attack with SCs because of the Feeble Minded problem. The cheap mages can even do a mass mind duel when needed to kill an Astral commander! And with a couple of artifacts, they can do the more powerful Astral or Death spells. Plus the better mages all can do many good astral/death spells. The random school on those mages is especially sweet.

Broken Empire is certainly not as bad as people seem to think.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

On my end, the current plan is to hand Arcoscephale to Jurri, and the hosting to Oversway (assuming Man does not become a major power by then).

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Vanheim is doing quite well to seeing that I don't become a major power http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Actually, I'm suprised I lasted longer than Machaka. I'll probably be next out unless maybe Abysia? The tables turned and Jotun seems to be eating him up...I didn't quite see how that happened.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Let's see, in my opinion we currently have:

1. The Big Three of Vanheim, Ulm, and Arcoscephale
2. The Mid Three of Ermor, Mictlan, and Jontunheim
3. The Bottom Three of Abysia, Man, and Machaka.

I too was amazed when Jontun completely turned the tables on Abysia. It seems that somewhere during the player substitution thing, the giants declared peace with all his neighbors and concentrated solely on the devils. I was very surprised he had enough left to actually do something!

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Well, except that Machaka has been finished off by now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif As for Jotunheim, I did notice that they still had a lot of blood slaves (among other things) in their coffers, and that was why I reckoned them as still being able to put up a fight.

I guess the lesson is: don't surrender when you still have something like... 130 blood slaves perhaps, items in the lab, and miscellaneous gems here and there.

Arcoscephale considers declaring war on Ermor because of their offending rankings: they have put the Beloved Arcoscephale behind Vanheim and Ulm, contrary to alphabetical ordering and common sense (everybody knows Arcoscephale has the power to take over the whole world in two turns, but we are swell folks and so we don't fight wars. Really!).

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Im really not that big. Just a couple devils and wolves lying around, preying on the weak and crippled...

Abysia's sudden ruin was, I am sorry to admit, my fault alone. For that I am truly sorry.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Well, my listing was not necessarily in any order within the groupings, except for the fact that Machaka was clearly last (being first eliminated and all). I am certainly not sure that I am at the top of the middle three. I don't have enough information to rank that accurately and was just trying for the tried and true method of estimating rankings by High-Medium-Low. I do think Vanheim is on top, however, though I could be wrong. I also think there is a much greater difference between the Med-Low boundary than there is between the Med-High one.

As for coming in last, I did that in my first attempt with Atlantis (9 players on Karan, I think). My second attempt at Atlantis was much improved (second of 17 on Faerun). And my first attempt at T'ien Ch'i (Slugfest) is going to be a last unless my son or Boron beats me to it!

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Yes Abyssia is almost done.
It wasnt your fault at all Tauren, my mind has been firmly fixed on Essays and life, Dominions has taken a rather shabby back seat.
I rolled the dice in attacking Abyssia thinking that with two of us it would be a fruitful enterprise.
My pretender losing both his eyes in the 10th turn and my slowness in getting a blood economy up and running also didnt help.
You live and learn and if we play again I wont be so trusting.
When your weak play strong, strong play weak. I think it was Sun Tzu

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

My apologies, folks, but it looks like I am not going to be able to be online for a while. Would anyone be interested in taking over Mictlan?

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Don't worry, I'm pretty sure your neighbours will be very haping with taking over your provinces and...

Ah, you didn't mean that sort of takeover. Well, if someone is interested in a Mictlanese nation, either permanently or temporarily, speak up.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

So, I think I am now in control of the GREAT EMPIRE OF DEATH!!!!! Beware!

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Great Empire of death? You do know you are actually the most living Empire of the lot? Everyone else seems to be in Death 3, and some of us have provinces as widely populated as your standard AE Ermor (one of my border provinces with Mictlan has exactly 50 inhabitants).

How ironic: now it's the half undead that have their scale of Growth, and the living slowly dies off. Burn the undead!

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Call me crazy, but is this game on a server or by email? Can the turn wait until tonight?

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

(I just realized that I need to start paying attention to the stuff that Panther asked me to do.)

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

*Points at the PBEM part of the topic* I hate TCP/IP with a passion, so if I am in, chances are it is PBEM. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif (And if I host it, it *is* PBEM)

Panther has played the current turn, so you don't have to play it yourself. Otherwise, it's one turn every two days, with turns running at 1900 GMT, so you would still have plenty of time (we almost always use the full 48 hours these days, or 40 of them at the very least).

If, for one reason or another, you cannot play the turn in time but warn me, I will extend the deadline by 24 hours automatically; further delays are usually left to the approval of the other players, or to how I feel, or to the gravity of the situation (there is quite a difference between "I'm not playing because I love to make all the other players mad at me" and RL issues).

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hi all,
Is there a slot open here for a replacement, as the title seems to indicate ? I've tried figuring that out of the babble filling the thread but ain't positive on any answer ... If yes I'd be interested http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

I will forward the relevant file to you, but be warned your situation isn't exactly the best in the world (in particular, the economy is... well...).

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Ah, thanks Alneyan !
I'd be happy to get a crap-poor nation to play http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif !

It'll be a nice change, I can't understand why in all my pbem I outperform everyone in the early expansion game, just to end up not knowing what to do next :p ...

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hello all! I'll be subbing for Alneyan until he returns. I'll respect the NAPs that are in place and assume you will too.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

*Whipsers to everyone, Jurri excluded* Be sure to attack Arcoscephale, so that I will have a very good reason to yell at Jurri, to throw miscellaneous items at him, and to flay him alive. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

*Whistles, and leaves the thread on tiptoe*

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hey, that would be so awesome! I'd love nothing better than to ruin everything Alneyan has spent months to build and to foul everything he finds beautiful http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

The flaying might be fun too...

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hi again, I'm now the Big Blind Head of Mictlan http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif !
It's fun to get a nation by turn 60 that has a smaller income than turn 1, but at least I have some major demons to ensure all goes well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I've been said to have a NAP with Arco, but noone told me with whom I'm at war with ?

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

You were at war with me (Man) but there isn't much left of me to fight. I'll be dead soon which is probably for the best -- that way I can be an impartial guest host.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Oh, sorry Oversway http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
How did I manage to beat you ? Slave-wave strategy (as they seem to be my only army, luckily they cost no upkeep...) ?

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Just take your pick! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

PDF: Slaves do cost upkeep, according to Zen's fact sheet. Granted, they don't cost *much*, but they still cost upkeep... or are supposed to. I have never really played Mictlan though, so I don't know if they really cost any upkeep.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

You see Vans army parked on top of my capital? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Arrrgl, I have zillions of slaves !! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Announcement to other Nations : some hundreds slaves from Mictlan will be freed over the next turns. They will have to leave our nation though, so please warn your Prov Defense Commanders not to attack them, and accept them as new inhabitants http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Oversway : you can see glamourous Vans ? I can't http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif ...

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

I am now away until July 9, and hosting should be in the hands of Oversway.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

I've got the files now so hopefully we will be good to go.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

Abyssia is down.
Thanks for the game guys http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
Good luck

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

Back online, stuff is not yet unpacked; please let me know if something needs to be done *now*.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

Huhu Alneyan, welcome back :-)

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

Nope, nothing urgent. Vanheim went on vacation this week and will be back sunday, so we've postponed the turn until then. I can send you the files I have now or wait and host the turn this weekend, doesn't matter to me.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

It seems the evil Griffin of Jotunheim has ruthlessly invaded and occupied one of my provinces in blatant disregard of our Non-Agression Pact. I hereby declare to all that he can NOT be trusted, and his nation must therefore burnt to the ground around his decietful feet.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

So it shall be.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Hi guys,
As I've said to the host(s), Mictlan gives up, Ermor was slaughtering me and I had no chance to even put up a good fight... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif The host can give it to AI for the next few turns before Mictlan disappear.
I just passed, hope to see you soon again (with me in better shape);) !

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Well, you inherited the nation, so it was not your own doing!

Good playing and I hope we meet again in battle on a more even field.

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Panther,
Too bad you didn't let me some more turns to equip my devils, I had a full ID flush and a couple Archdevils ... But Mictlan only had Blood at a decent level, and I wasn't even able to buff them properly !

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (closed)
 

Well, well, well...
treachery apparently doesnt pay off

now my turn to die...

Re: PBEM game: Song of the Blade (open)
 

And so it was.

I, for one, don't like folks who are not honorable to whatever pacts they make, regardless of with whom they are made. I did give Griffin the full 2 turns notice per our agreement before invading him.

Good game, Griffin. You did fairly well with the mess you inherited! Your elimination of Abysia was nothing short of amazing to me.