Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Yay, muahahaha!

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

It should make things interesting. Lots of gems, but very expensive magic research. We will probably see tactics in play that we don't normally see.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Lots of gems? With so few provs per player? Nah...

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Well, lots of gems in respect to your other resources. The gem to gold ratio will be much higher in this game then normal. And we will need to use them on more lower level spells then we are used to.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

grumble grumble grumble;
i'm gonna have to think on it.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Hi folks. We need a sub for Ulm. Real life has taking over for Raiel.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Hello. Volunteer for Ulm here. Hope all's well with Raiel. Will try to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Good stuff. PM email please :)

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Maerlande, can I ask you to update the OP so anyone looking for Ulm can find me?

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I will.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I am really enjoying the settings in this game. I normally don't use luck in standard setting games. I find I look forward to reading all of those random events instead of my usual dread!

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Glad you are enjoying it. Personally I play with luck a lot and love it. It's fun.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Folks,

Zeldor has discovered that the pythium capital is allowing recruitment of hydra hatchlings. Although this appears to be a small bug, I'm tempted to allow it. He can't recruit the big hydras and hatchlings are as much trouble as they are worth. Also, you can get them from a regular site.

Feel free to discuss. For now, he's not recruiting them.

Cheers,
Maer

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Is there an independent province that allows for recruitment of hydra hatchlings? The pythium capital may have been sitting on this province by chance.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I'm with Dr D on this one. Probably an indy site that was unlocked after the capital was conquered. Zeldor should be allowed to recruit them.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I think I remember playing C'tis in SP once where I was able to recruit centaur chariots in my cap. It may be rare, but the site should be listed so Zeldor can see it when he looks at the province.

If it's a site, he can recruit as many as he wants. If not, then it's probably a bug, and should not be exploited. Just my opinion, of course. ;)


although hydra hatchlings aren't much of an exploit anyway

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

No, this is a bug with Pyth's cap. But I thought it was fixed many many patches ago.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Yup, I've encountered it many times. You also get elephants in MA arcos cap sometimes, or always, don't know. Could be more examples.

Could be WAD. It makes sense thematically. Both elephants and hydra hatchlings are more tied to the environment than culture.

I say allow it, they're not that good anyway.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I will need extension after this turn hosts. I'm out for weekend, I will be back on Tuesday.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Granted as requested. After this turn I'll extend.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Dudes. 4 hours left and lots of turns outstanding. The delay is for NEXT turn.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

llamaserver never sent me the current turn file but I have to go to work now. I hope I can get an extension, even though maerlande seems to be banned...

edit: nevermind, it was a fast turn.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Request a resend.

And yeah, he is banned. It looks like we will be creating all new games on some new forums [that will have to be created probably]. Dominions players are not welcomed on Shrapnel forums anymore, it seems.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

This game has moved to here.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Zeldor, I know you're friends with Sombre, Maerlande and some of the others who were banned in the aftermath of the Sombre Incident in the Night of the Long Knives thread, but please put things in perspective.

Dominions players are welcome on the Shrapnel forums and we would like to see as many of them here as possible. Participating on the forums does require adhering to the forum rules, however. Please refrain from trying to portray things as if Shrapnel wants to drive players away, because this is NOT what has been happening.

Being disruptive on a large scale or refusing to follow the rules will cause such users to be temporarily or permanently removed and unfortunately the past two days have seen several users (Sombre, Maerlande, Trumanator, Frozen Lama) permanently banned because they became disruptive on a large scale when the rules of the forum were enforced.

The actions of those people do not reflect on anyone else. Their removal from the forum does have a regrettable impact on the multiplayer games they are participating in, which does mean that game coordination may require either moving threads from here to somewhere else or having parallel threads somewhere else.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Edi:

Well, it's hard to say what was on Shrapnel's minds. Some of their people were extremely rude [Tim Brooks], way more rude than Sombre or any other banned user.

I won't organise any new games on these forums. We should have moved away from here when they were changing forums. We got a clear sign that Shrapnel does not respect Dominions community back then. But we stayed. Now it's too much.

But well, I hope to see you on ne forums too, Edi. You at least like that game and know what's the community about. And you must understand that many people just cannot stay here after what happened. Too bad Shrapnel cannot understand it [but previous discussions on several topics, for example ads with drug addicted women :P, proved it already].

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

TC:

Amazing fight at your fortress. I can't recall ever watching a closer one. I think the only reason why my forces didnt route before yours was the 60 point and 40 point standard on my prophet and last remaining thug.

Watching your fully buffed immortal hero hold the gate was truly a treat. I openened the battle before looking at the summary, so I did not know the fate of the attack. Watching it, even right to the end I thought I had lost.

Truly an incredible job on your part. And like I said, I think the only reason I didnt route first were the 2 hero abilities with their outrageous standard boosting morale of the last remaining troops thru the roof.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

looking at the battle again. It looks like your immortal hero failed 2 magic rolls in a row while inside the sleep cloud, putting him at 90+ fatigue, allowing one of the vine ogres to kill him. truly bad luck. seeing as how your immortal was at 18 MR.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

It looks like we can congratulate Man on victory soon. It was obvious from the beginning that this game is about pure luck. And well, Man had most of it. Awake SC and first in research? :) Getting adepts of golden order? Getting so many good gold events? And how many commanders do you have? 100+? You managed to kill TC and own my army without any problem. I had to try and stop you and I knew chances are slim. Maybe others can try later too, but I'd say we can call game over, as I can compare what you have to what others can bring.

So - I make official request for a vote - surrender to Man and start new game. Nah, I'm serious, really.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I can try and put up a fight if we all band together against Man. But otherwise, I just don't have the resources to defend against him.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Thanks. I had to use every last gem that I had for that battle. I wasn't expecting to win that battle, I was just hoping to weaken you as much as possible to help give jotunheim a chance. I was expecting this too be my immortal heros last heroic stand. Though I did expect him to get killed from being entagled in a vine shield and not from sleep gas. In watching it again I was surprised to find a killed all four of your melee thugs.

It was definatly the most exciting DOnminions battle I remember. Both sides had a wide mix of troops, regular summons, battle magic, melee thugs, and ranged thugs. It was very cauotic, and could have turned out in so many different ways. It is the way Dominions is supposed to be. :D

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I vote no. I am far from being in a dominant position.

/shrug.
I killed TC because he split his army; He could have come at me with his entire forces as I set up an ambush next to his capitol. He attacked only with his army and god. I boosted my pd and had a few surprises waiting for him that im sure he wasnt expecting. But, he could have sallied out with some of his mages from his capitol and killed the ambush. I didnt beat him because of my overpowering forces. The fight at his capitol could have gone either way. If he had put an amulet of MR on his immortal hero he most likely would have won the fight.

Your army died in a similar manner. You split your army and I guessed correctly and killed the bigger half of it using every single guy i had. That fight would have been alot closer if you hadnt split your army and pumped up some pd.

The fact remains you still have the most VP. And your armies continue to swell from death and blood summons.

I think the game is far from being over.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

I agree ;)

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

IT only means you know nothing about what's happening around. Your luck is impressive, your intel is pathetic :)

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Well I am mostly out of the game now.

But I agree with Zeldor. Man has won this game and there is little anyone can do about it at this time. He won do to finding that site that allows you to create adepts of the iron order, and enough gold events to be able to utilize them. He far surpases every one else in research, gems, and troops. He has numerous equipped lord wardens. Plus all the tactics he has used so far has been close to flawless. He would be a hard player to beat, even on equal footing. Jotuheims lead in victory points don't mean much now as Man now has my capital, can easily take Pangae, and will probably be able to take both of Jotunheims.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

i'd say the problem stemmed from the fact taht the magic site setting was wrong, otherwise this woudln't have happened, probably no adepts of the order; and not enough gems to equip lord wardens.
but it's not over at any rate, everyone jhust needs to start piling on man (or go for their own win faster if they can)

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

game has ended. winner: man played by rytek i think it said on page 1.
least i was alive at the end and had most research, and a passable game position.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Lol, Mictlan was probably the most pathetic nation in the game. Wasting so much research...

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

GG all. I really enjoyed the settings. My first recruit of the game won it for me. It was a Witch with an E random. I set her off searching and she found the sight allowing me to recruit the Adepts of the iron order on turn 3. That same province also had the cedar pillars and another sight. It was making 12 gems a turn all by its self. Also, I believe it came with a lab! And then I got like 3 PD boosting events which boosted its PD to 55. lol. I got pretty lucky with events. Lots of gold and gem events. Got a Necromancer (Maerland killed him on a raid on one of my temples) got a level 4 air witch, and got the 3k gold event once.

Once I hit construction 4 I staged an attack on Pange using boots of glying and a few carpets of flying to gain surprise. I moved an army in behind my pretender and warden thugs. I had paralyze researched and a huge army of archers. But, even with my army and rexors barbarians I couldnt break the walls of pange with all his free spawns. TC attacked Pangea. I contacted Pangea player and we decided to attack TC. TC was more of a prize as he had a great gem income as well and I figured if I could make his lands mine, eventually I would win the game.

The battle of TC was definetly a gamble for me. That turn saw 1/2 my forces attacking TC and half attacking Jotuns army in my territory. My gamble paid off and I won both battles. Either one could have gone bad.

After that Ulm and Abysia attacked me. Agartha sent a large army at me which I ambushed at a choke point and killed with no losses. Was that frozen llama or his sub? I never quite understood that attack as (no offense) he came in quite dumb. I couldnt figure if it was overconfidence or desperation. In any case, Ctiss took advantage of Agarthas loss and attacked him. This allowed me to concentrate on killing Ulm while I generally counter attacked Abysia using remote spells and cutting of retreats and counter attacking any raids from Ryleh.

And finally, what was up with Mitclin? Did he understand the victory conditions? I never had any diplomacy with him. I opened every turn waiting for the attack that never came from him.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

i was mictlan. i understood the victory cnoditions, i was just never able to do that well on them. the game went by faster than i thouht, and in particular, people were getting vps at the end faster than i expected, so i wasn't able to fully utilize my research.
i wanted to attack you Man, but i don't like pure air drops, and i had only one unit truly capable of that anyways. I much prefer to have a retreat route. I asked r'lyeh to let me hold one water province that would give me a route to you, but he refused. My only other route to you was through Pan, and Pan had already attacked me; so I warred with Pan (and he wasn't willing to attack you, so there's no reaosn not to fight him).
There were people heavily preaching and stealth preaching on my border (caelum) so i wasn't able to use immortal pretende3r to push.
I think i'd beat Pan in time, but game ended.
I got tarts awhile ago, but I found out they fare poorly vs manikin so I went up construction. Without the artifacts I didn't have high enough paths to summon the other cool things in high conj. I did send a force of 80-ish wights into Pan, it was doing decent, but never got into a major battle. My new poison golem died to some kitted Pans and a whole lotta chaff, though it kille dalot as well. Making an equipped poison golem a turn was gonna do good damage to Pan I think.
I didn't have enouh gems to try putting up the forge or anything vs the spells already up.
I might've been able to kill caelum, but I just didn't want to rirsk a war on multiple fronts.
I just got an air queen as game ended; and once I got up ench that would open up a few more good chassis for other gem types.
It's just hard to fight manikin/maenad Pan with scs. There's so mcuh chaff to get through.
Also one of my guys, an aesir i think, disappeared mysteriously. It successfully fled frmo a battle, had 3 valid provinces to retreat to, and it just wasn't tehre. very odd.

My build would've workedf better under 0 magicv settings, as i'd have had more gem advantage over people that way; as not too many people take magic 3. (which gives tosn of gems with luck 3)

and i didn't contact you Man, because no diplomacyw as necessary, i'd attack you when i could, just could never get a path to you.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Ok, I hope you dont take this as criticism and view it as pointers on how to improve your game but I would like to point out a few things to you:

Almost everyone in this game had luck3, magic3 scales. Your supposed gem advantage due to scales wouldnt have happened.

At some point, you need to realize you have enough research and start using your mages. When I look at the research charts, your research just keeps going up and up and up. Now look at mine, right at the point of the turn where my research goes flat line. That turn I used every mage I had to fight at either TC or fight Jotuns invading army. After that my research stays much lower during the middle of the game. -- I am using my mages to fight. My Warden thugs had flying mages following them casting ethereal, luck, protection, etc. My armies had mages casting buff and evocations.

You have recruitable flying level 3 priests. Holy cow I cant imagine how you had trouble with Mandrogas. You had well of misery up for a long time. summon some ghosts led by a wraith, in 4 turns you have 2 groups capable of stealthily swimming right in to my area!

In any case, I didnt realize Pangea gave you so much trouble. Pangea played a bigger roll in Kingmaker than I realized.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

that many peoplep had magic 3? huh, wasn't expecting that.
As to mages, i kept doing research cuz i needed ot research more things. Keep in mind, as mictlan, nearly all of my mages were the ?1 kind, so they don't tend to do a whole lot in combat.
and some of the others were busy forging important fhingts for my thugs/scs.
I ahd some ghosts, but the ghost life drain attack CANNOT harm lifeless, which the manikin seem to be for some reason.
I do think i'd beat pan in time; but armies of chaff with manikins aren't THAT easy. and i didn't have the right paths to get some of the better coutners until later (like poison golems).
given the position i was in, my only real hope fo a victory for quite awhile has been to get some scs, and for those scs to manage to beat stuff up.
banish, at long ranges, isn't that accurate. and while some of the manikin have low mr, many have 13+; and my armies were composed mostly of undead themselves, which cuts down on the usefulness of banish.
i could kill pan's raiding armies well enoguh once i pinned them down, but pan has a LOT of troops ya know. and some of my earlier army compositions failed.
if the game had lasted 12 more months maybe i woulda cut thru a portion of pan.
i'm not sure how many spawners he has, but i imagine he's spawning 50+ manikin a turn.
i'm happy with how i did, i lived. and if the game had gone on longer, i mighta done well.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Huh, you managed to get to conj9 and const9, but well, you, with communion mages, high A mages, did not think about getting stuff like Wrathful Skies vs those Pan hordes of chaff? Hey, you could even get master enslave or just normal enslave spam...

You totally wasted all your research and possibilities.

Re: Dystopia - new poor game (Running)
 

Heh, the hordes of chaff were really exactly that. Was getting the pans ready for some major charm-spamming and all. I think I was about to obliterate the army of wights as the game ended, and your lich had Astral 1, whereas I had free event-spawned astral mages. I wasn't too worried about him, even with all his fancy artifacts. Unless, of course, you let him die outside of your dominion so losing the astral path and his primary weakness. Then, I'd have had some serious issues.

It's true that your poison golem killed a large force of chaff. Good earth magic gave me a response to them, though. I just never had the opportunity to deploy it.

Wrathful Skies, Master Enslave, or some other battlefield damage spell would have caused me the most trouble.

Was awesome to see how shishis did against tarts.