Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

If no one else wants to, I'd be willing to do this. I warn you that I will be hideously unfair however. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

On another note... the turn after this one... could we get a longish delay? I'll be away from computer until Sunday b/c of us thanksgiving.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Thanks llama!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I have no problem with Zylithan's request to a long weekend delay. As usual i'd rather have long turns than rushing them.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

OKay, seeing no objections, I'll PM llamabeast about becoming the admin for this game.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I think Zylithan staled last turn. Llama, could you please add a 24 hour delay for this turn so that Zylithan can return in time to avoid a second stale?

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Yes, i shouldnt be saying this since i'm being invaded by him, but for the fun of the game i vote for delaying the hosting time as much as needed so that he can play his turn and not stale again.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Er, okay, postponed. That's a bit odd as Zylithan is the game admin, but I do what I'm told...

Incidentally I'm finding it a bit hard to keep up with the many LlamaServer game threads recently. If you want me to do something, please PM me.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

hey, i am back, and i am now admin. so post anything here or pm me.now, off to see what staling did to me...

p.s. appreciate everyone's willingness to be tolerant of delays, etc... very cool group of folks.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

The evil green light of the funeral pyre burned late into the night, consuming the bodies of the fallen with a lively crackling and occaisonal racuous hiss that belied the somber atmosphere of its keepers.
Around the fire sat eight warrior ghosts of Shinuyama, great heroes side-by-side with fearsome villians, silently tending the bane pyre in honor of their fallen comrades. Body after body went into the fire; dai bakemono, bakemono sho, ghoul, human, wight, vine ogre, elephant, amazon, even the husks of the possessed warriors of Ermor were given to the flames. And as the pyre cheerfully accepted each offering, the ghostly attendants began to chant the stories of the dead in their low, chill voices. Scribes were ready; the stories of the dead are sacred in Shinuyama, and those of exceptional power or emotion are etched into the side of the mountain itself with letters of gold, to be remimbered and storied forever.
Story after story was chanted by the ghosts, and the scribes began to run out of skins for writing upon, so enormous was the number of dead and the number of chants. But the sorcerors conjured new writing skins made of fire and the scribes writ upon them with dashes of water and puffs of steam, and so no chant was lost.
Slowly, over the course of many stories, an accounting of the battle took shape.
Shinuyama had marched down upon the border of Ermor from their mountain domain, hundreds strong and augmented by a strange legion of strange magical, mechanical, and monstrous creatures. They were confronted at Ermor's northern stronghold by a well-organized throng of Ermor's sacred shadows, amazons, and no less than 20 of Ermor's feared dark wizards. The battle that followed was intense, bloody, and dominated by fearsome magics. In the end, however, Shinuyama's power was crushed against the shield of Ermor and they were left to regroup atop a nearby mountain. Few of the Shinuyaman troops were truly effective against Ermor's Shadows, especially protected by their conjured storm and magical darkness, and it did not take much to break their morale and cut them down as they ran.
Indeed, the only fighters who seemed capable of stopping the Shadows were the warrior ghosts themselves, such few that were summoned to fight.

Eventually, the chanting grew soft and died. For a moment, only the scrabbling of pens against rough paper was heard as the scribes recorded the last song, and then the congregation began to depart. There would be a lot of marching in the morning.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

oy. sorry i've been slow. RL is crazy, but I'll try to be better! fun game!

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

What a game! Nice writing Potatoman http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I'm looking forward to another epic battle between us to finish what we started that day...

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Hi all. I'm moving this weekend, so I might be away for a little while. I just played a turn ahead now, and I think I should be able to play the next turn some time Monday, so I don't think I need a delay, which would be cool. Sorry to have been slow recently, doing my best. Game is crazy.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Well, i'm going on holidays tomorrow. I'll be away until next saturday and don't know if i'll be able to play turns until then. I'm playing my turn tonight and on sunday i should know if i can get a computer to play or not.
Worst case is i'll stale a couple of turns, so any delay will be welcome so that i lose as few turns as possible.
Thanks guys!

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

We're down to pretty few players. If you just let me know how long a delay you need when, I think that is reasonable, and in keeping with our friendly atmosphere.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Thanks Zylithan, i'll let you know on sunday, hopefully i'll be able to keep with the hosting schedule...this game is getting better every turn http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Yeah, we should be able to postpone if you need to. I notice that some random thaumaturg just shot to the top of HOF... was there a big battle my spies missed, somewhere?

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Hi guys, i'm reporting from Pinamar, a nice beach here in Argentina http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
The good news is the hotel has a computer and i think i will be able to play my turn. I have to do some stealth mission to install the game, patch it and play when there's noone around but i guess i'll manage to pull it out. The bad news is i'll have to ask you for a 48 hour delay since i haven't even been able to look at my turn http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
Thanks in advance!! Looking forward to keep playing the game...though i cant complain about being at the beach and playing tennis all day http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Just postponed hosting for 48 hours. Hope everyone is doing well.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Thanks Zylithan! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I managed to play my turn (barely). The bad news is this computer has no 3D capabilities so i cant watch the battles. That's a mayor problem in a game like this when i'm spending almost 2 hours giving orders to each of my 50+ mages individually...not knowing how things worked isnt much fun.
So i ask for a final favour, would it be possible to delay the hosting of this turn until sunday 18:00?
That would give me the chance to get home and be able to watch the battles i missed in this last 2 turns.
That would be the last request i make, i promise
Thanks everyone in advance and for being patient with me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

its fine with me. I'll go ahead and give the order, and if someone is displeased they can let me know, and we'll see.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'm going to be out of town until Jan. 1. Would anyone object to delaying hosting? I assume there are other people who will have problems as well. I will try to play my turns, but strongly suspect this won't be possible.

Apologies and gratitude in advance.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'm having a similar problem. I'll be in town but with lots of things to do and would love a hosting delay until Jan 1.

Thanks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Well i'm ready to send my turn so that we get things going again in this game. If it's ok with everyone i'll send it today (Wednesday 2nd) at around 22:00.
If someone needs a little more time please let me know so i can keep holding my turn

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

i'm good for you to turn in your turn.

should i set the game back to 48 hour turns? is everyone back now?

Beginning of the End
 

And with Marignon's message this turn, the list of Shinuyama's friendly nations has dropped down to... 0. Greenish vs. the world time. But he has grown strong! Good luck. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Elsewhere in the world, Borale, the history-rich capitol of Ermor, lies burning and ravaged beneath a green tide of Bakemono. The consolidated Ermorian force made its stand there, but were winnowed by the devilry of Shinuyama's Council of Sorcerors for months before the first Shinuyaman siege machine rolled to the gate. Hundreds of soldiers were pulverized by meteors torn from the void, frozen solid by a fierce conjured winter, pierced through the heart by seeking arrows, or incenerated by flames from the sky. When the horde of grim-looking Bane Lords and Bakemono finally arrived, the defenders were terribly outnumbered and out-magicked. The Ermorian pretender known as Shan was abandoned by his masons in the rout and cut down by Greenish's right-hand Bane, Fuchia, who was made the new governor in honor of his bravery.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

The game looks like it might be over soon! I'm not sure I can resist Abysia's sudden, monstrous dominion push- he's taken out almost all of my dominion in just two turns! Unless we can keep at least a pocket of dominion alive, this could be the last turn for Ermor, Man, and Shinuyama.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Oh general greenish, you really are quite silly, but very flattering. My dominion can not stand up to your steel and your mages. The entire world shakes in fear of your mighty armies, stands astonished at your horde of gems, and drools over small fractions of your abundant farmland. Abysia is but a mere distraction to your empire, and you still seek to turn my allies against me.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Well, that's it. Finally i got dominion killed. What a newbie mistake! Anyway it was a nice game and i got to learn a lot about it. I really enjoyed fighting Abysia and Shinuyama. Too bad i didnt spot my nation weaknesses before it was too late.
Good luck to everyone!
It was great playing with you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Good game Carlosib! I enjoyed our battles, though I tended to be on the losing side of the equation more often than not. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I'll probably be following you out of the game next turn via dominion death, unless something strange happens.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

To be honest i was looking forward to a huge 1000+ troop battle between our armies, but you did great in remotely killing most of my troops using ritual spells. If it wasnt for that i'm confident i would have done much better. My mages were scripted to cast will of the fates, fog warriors, quickening, doom, storm, lots of shadow blasts, paralize, soul slays, etc...that until they died in the camp frozen, burnt or pierced by seeking arrows http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
Anyway, i think this game is yours if you manage to survive Abysias huge dominion push.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Good game carlosib! You handed my army its rear on a plate repeatedly. I was not successful in remotely killing your mages.

I was also looking forward to you and Potatoman having huge battles, but it didnt quite work out that way for me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Anyhow, great playing and look forward to seeing you around.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Wow. New turn. Good games to Man and Shinuyama. Shinuyama - you played an excellent game, really much better than I did. Man.... I rarely saw you, we started so far away, but I had fun diplomacy-ing with you.

Gotta say... wow... blood sacrifices are.... effective.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Good game to everyone!

I was looking forward to the free for all at the end of the game, but it was not to be. The dominion push was incredibly potent! Despite my military and magical supremacy, and my 20+ priests preaching with my pretender in my home province, my entire empire was wiped out from full strength in only 3 turns.

The war against Ermor was the highlight of the game for me. After the first bloody battles, I realized that I just couldn't match Ermor's battle magic and decided that I had to rely on supercombatants and ritual bombardments to win against his deadly Thaumaturgs. Fortunately he was occupied with Abysia while I hid behind a wall of earthquake traps and researched up to Flames from the Sky, which proved just as effective as I had hoped it would be. But had Ermor really pressed me at the time, he probably would have been able to hurt me badly before I teched up to the spell.

Anyone out there know how to defend against a blood sacrifice push? It seemed unstoppable, on the level of a moon-sized asteroid plowing through a tissue factory. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Beginning of the End
 

wow thats increddible, I didn't even think it was possible for us to do this...

Well thanks for a great game potatoman, sorry I had to turn on you like this http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Beginning of the End
 

err, its only you and me left Zylithan http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Beginning of the End
 

How'd I get dominion killed? Not that I mind pre-se but I didn't get to bequeath my skull mentors to Abysia.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

oh well it seems i'll get dominion killed too, how the hell did you manage to spread your dominion that extremely?

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Great game guys! I love the way Abysia won this game. This is why dominions is such a great game, forcing us to be aware of every aspect of the game and not just building troops and winning on brute force. I thought Abysia was lost, being Shinuyama so powerful, but he found just he right game strategy and that was it. Well done!!

Re: Beginning of the End
 

If I had been a better player I don't think I would have won, I would have been militarily competitive, and would have lost. But I gave up, and thought, maybe I have a long shot to dominion kill if Ermor and Shinuyama are caught up fighting each other. So I built a temple in every province I owned. Then I realized I could blood sacrifice. So for surprise, I put a lvl 3 priest in every province I owned, got a steady blood flow (80+ slaves/turn) before I did any sacrifices, and then... WOW.

good game, I had fun, and ended up getting lucky, but I think many of you played much better.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

well congratulations zylithan, game is not officually over. I went from about 7 positive dominion everywhere, to -10 in all my provinces in one turn http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Beginning of the End
 

yeah, i wasnt ready for what happened at all, but i figured.. 20 lvl 3 priests maximally blood sacrificing, plus 20 temples a turn...

i think the way to stop this is not to let a blood nation build that infrastructure. because each sacrificing priest is worth several temples i think, so there is no way to fight them on a dominion basis unless you have overwhelming province count. being in the corner helped me, i had fewer risks... militarily i was quite weak the whole game.

anyhow, lots of learning for me. i had never seen communiuns used before, and ermor showed me to them to the tune of my whole army at one point.

Re: Beginning of the End
 

Well game is officially over. Congratulations Zylithan!! You won it in a really cool way!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif